Best Documentary Movies of 2002
Bowling for Columbine
This is not a film about gun control. It is a film about the fearful heart and soul of the United States, and the 280 million Americans lucky enough to have the right to a constitutionally protected Uzi. From a look at the Columbine High School security camera tapes to the home of Oscar-winning NRA President Charlton Heston, from a young man who makes homemade napalm with The Anarchist's Cookbook to the murder of a six-year-old girl by another six-year-old. Bowling for Columbine is a journey through the US, through our past, hoping to discover why our pursuit of happiness is so riddled with violence.
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
As a wild stallion travels across the frontiers of the Old West, he befriends a young human and finds true love with a mare.
Jackass: The Movie
Johnny Knoxville and his band of maniacs perform a variety of stunts and gross-out gags on the big screen for the first time. They wander around Japan in panda outfits, wreak havoc on a once civilized golf course, they even do stunts involving LIVE alligators, and so on.
Lost in La Mancha
Fulton and Pepe's 2000 documentary captures Terry Gilliam's attempt to get The Man Who Killed Don Quixote off the ground. Back injuries, freakish storms, and more zoom in to sabotage the project.

The Life of Mammals
The Life of Mammals is a nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough. A study of the evolution and habits of the various mammal species, it was the fourth of Attenborough's specialised surveys following his major trilogy that began with Life on Earth. Each of the ten episodes looks at one (or several closely related) mammal groups and discusses the different facets of their day-to-day existence and their evolutionary origins.
Spellbound
This documentary follows 8 teens and pre-teens as they work their way toward the finals of the Scripps Howard national spelling bee championship in Washington D.C.

Iron Maiden: Rock In Rio 2001
Rock In Rio Festival 2001 - Iron Maiden headlines one of the biggest shows on Earth to a massive sell-out 250,000 crowd and a global TV audience of millions. The explosive two hour set, shot using 18 cameras and edited by Steve Harris, is Maiden at its best, performing their biggest show ever on the final date of their Brave New World Tour.

The Century of the Self
A documentary about the rise of psychoanalysis as a powerful mean of persuasion for both governments and corporations.
And All That Could Have Been
Rob Sheridan and other members of the band's crew filmed the Fragility 2.0 tour using consumer DV cameras.
9/11
An on-the-scene documentary following the events of September 11, 2001 from an insider's view, through the lens of two French filmmakers who simply set out to make a movie about a rookie NYC fireman and ended up filming the tragic event that changed our lives forever.
An Evening with Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith interacts in Q&A sessions throughout various college stops in the USA.
Stevie
In 1995 Director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) returned to rural Southern Illinois to reconnect with Stevie Fielding, a troubled young boy he had been an 'Advocate Big Brother' to ten years earlier.
Naqoyqatsi
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

The Concert For World Children's Day
Hosted by composer & arranger extraordinaire David Foster, the Concert for World Children's Day. Recorded at the Arie Crown Theater of the McCormick Place in Chicago, USA on September 14, 2002.

Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel
Documentary examining the politics, music, and life of Tupac Shakur.
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company. Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together, the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco
A documentary by photographer Sam Jones documenting American rock band Wilco recording their fourth album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Originally intended as a showcase of the band's creative process, the film crew catches unexpected complications between the band and its record label and problems among the band members themselves.
Big Country: Final Fling
With the untimely passing of frontman Stuart Adamson in 2001, the title Final Fling couldn't be more sadly appropriate. This two-disc set captures Big Country toward the beginning and near the end of their 20-year career. The first disc features a 1988 performance from an outdoor peace concert in East Berlin, shortly before the release of Peace in Our Time (and before the Berlin Wall came down in 1989). It's a straightforward, electric set played in front of a huge, enthusiastic crowd during the twilight hours. The second disc finds the Scottish rockers back at their old stomping grounds, Glasgow's Barrowlands, while on their Driving to Damascus tour with the Alarm in 2000. They may look older, but their chiming twin-guitar attack is as passionate and rousing as ever. Both sets include such fan favorites as "Look Away," "Fields of Fire," and Top 40 hit "In a Big Country." --Kathleen C. Fennessy
The Kid Stays in the Picture
Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans, based on his famous 1994 autobiography.

The Trials of Henry Kissinger
This riveting documentary depicts former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as a warmonger responsible for military cover-ups in Vietnam, Cambodia and East Timor, as well as the assassination of a Chilean leader in 1970. Based on a book by journalist Christopher Hitchens, the film includes interviews with historians, political analysts and such journalists as New York Times writer William Safire, a former Nixon speechwriter.

Walt Disney World Resort: Behind the Scenes
In this exciting program you will get an unprecedented look behind the scenes at many Walt Disney World attractions, including The Haunted Mansion, Mission Space, Rock' n' Roller Coaster and The Seas with Nemo and Friends! This is the story behind the story of how a theme park made Orlando, Florida the nation's number one vacation destination.

Elvis The Great Performances Vol. 1 Center Stage
Priscilla Presley presents this tribute to her late former husband, combining live musical performances with rare footage of 'the King'. Included are Elvis' first screen test and audio recording.

The Short Films of David Lynch
The Short Films of David Lynch (2002) is a DVD collection of the early student and commissioned film work of American filmmaker David Lynch. As such, the collection does not include Lynch's later short work, which are listed in the filmography. The films are listed in chronological order, with brief descriptions of each film. The DVD contains introductions by Lynch to each film, which can be viewed individually or in sequence. # 1 Six Figures Getting Sick (Six Times) # 2 The Alphabet # 3 The Grandmother # 4 The Amputee # 5 The Cowboy and the Frenchman # 6 Premonitions Following an Evil Deed
The Weather Underground
The remarkable story of The Weather Underground, radical activists of the 1970s, and of radical politics at its best and most disastrous.
The Smashing Machine
A stunning and provocative look at Mark Kerr's career from late '99 through the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, fighting with his own personal demons that rival the men he encounters in the ring.
Space Station 3D
Some 220 miles above Earth lies the International Space Station, a one-of-a-kind outer space laboratory that 16 nations came together to build. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this extraordinary structure in this spectacular IMAX film. Viewers will blast off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center and the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia for this incredible journey -- IMAX's first-ever space film. Tom Cruise narrates.

The Real Eve
The made-for-cable documentary film The Real Eve is predicated on the theory that the human race can be traced to a common ancestor. The mitochondrial DNA of one prehistoric woman, who lived in Africa, has according to this theory been passed down from generation to generation over a span of 150,000 years, supplying the "chemical energy" to all humankind.
Comedian
A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.

Conducting Mahler
Documents the interpretations of Gustav Mahler's compositions by conductors Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, and Simon Rattle, who detail the special relationship they have with Mahler's work.

Slipknot: Disasterpieces
Slipknot performs live at the London Arena, summer 2002, in support of their Iowa album.

Reconstruction
Filmmaker Irene Lusztig unearths a dark family secret in search of answers and reconciliation in her breakthrough feature documentary, "Reconstruction."

Top 10 Comic Book Heroes
Documentary about the comic book hero, and its role in our society, featuring interviews with some of the creators of the genre.

Do You Believe in Miracles? The Story of the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team
At the Winter Olympics of 1980, after two tense weeks amidst growing Cold War fears, the U.S. Olympic hockey team found themselves playing improbably against the legendary unbeatable Soviet Army hockey team for Olympic Gold. From the live footage taken at Lake Placid, NY, and through interviews beginning with the team's assembly through the experience of winning the gold medal.

Elvis The Great Performances Vol. 3 From The Waist Up
Elvis Presley's first year (March '56 to January '57) on TV is spotlighted on "From the Waist Up," the third of three Elvis: The Great Performances DVDs. And what a time it was, as his appearances on the Dorsey Brothers, Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and especially Ed Sullivan shows electrified an ever-growing national audience with tunes ranging from the lascivious "Baby, Let's Play House" to the reverent "Peace in the Valley." Written by Presley biographer Peter Guralnick (Last Train to Memphis) and narrated by U2's Bono, volume 3 is the most documentary-like of the three discs; some basic history is provided (the Sun Records years, the arrival of Col. Tom Parker, etc.), most of which will be old hat to Presley aficionados. Unfortunately, it's also the only disc that truncates some of the King's performances, but the three straight complete songs from the '57 Sullivan show that end the program help make up for that. --Sam Graham

Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet
Ten Minutes Older is a 2002 film project consisting of two compilation feature films entitled The Trumpet and The Cello. The project was conceived by the producer Nicolas McClintock as a reflection on the theme of time at the turn of the Millennium. Fifteen celebrated film-makers were invited to create their own vision of what time means in ten minutes of film.
Devil's Playground
The Devil's Playground is a fascinating and moving documentary about a little-known aspect of Amish life. Amish are not permitted to join the church until their late teens, and have to do so of their own volition. The film explores Rumspringa, wherein young Amish are given the opportunity to explore the "English" way of life.

Björk: Vespertine Live – Royal Opera House 2001
Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk performs tracks from her Vespertine album in this 2001 performance at London's Royal Opera House.
It's Black Entertainment
A star-studded tribute (from the creators of That's Entertainment) to the contributions of Afro-Americans in film over the last century. Vanessa Williams traces the struggles and triumphs of the superstars of music and film. Among the many artists featured are: Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Cab Calloway, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Little Richard, Also included are today's contemporary superstars: Snoop Dogg, Ice T, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, and many, more! 80 minutes plus DVD bonus features.

A Haunting In Connecticut
A haunting documentary of a normal family living in Connecticut, who, after moving into their new house, are terrorized by an evil ghost that dwells in the home.

This Is the Last Dam Run of Likker I'll Ever Make
Following Tennessee moonshiner Popcorn Sutton as he produces what he swears will be the last of his product.

The Cure: Trilogy
Trilogy is a live album video by The Cure. It documents The Trilogy Concerts, in which the three albums, Pornography, Disintegration and Bloodflowers were played live in their entirety one after the other each night. Trilogy was recorded on two consecutive nights, 11–12 November 2002, at the Tempodrom arena in Berlin.

Gorillaz: Phase One - Celebrity Take Down
Celebrity Takedown is a compilation DVD by Gorillaz, released in November 2002. The DVD compiles the videos and animatics related to the release of the band's first album, Gorillaz, as well as the related singles.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in Barcelona
On October 16, 2002, two months into his world tour in support of The Rising, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band took the stage of the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain, to create the kind of soul-stirring concert experience that transforms Springsteen neophytes and fans alike into true believers.
Biggie & Tupac
In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick Broomfield's film introduces Russell Poole, an ex-cop with damning evidence that suggests the LAPD deliberately fumbled the case to conceal connections between the police, LA gangs and Death Row Records, the label run by feared rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight.

The Wet House
A documentary team investigates the day-to-day operation and lives of the residents at a wet house, a hostel for the homeless which allows those living there to continue drinking.

Tokyo Noise
Tokyo at the beginning of the 21st century, its inhabitants and artists. An observation and diagnosis of the modern Japanese metropolis: the singularity of unusual creative individuals is merely a response to the majority Japanese society. Even this can appear as an eccentric work of art. So where do the borders lie? A psychologist talks about the autistic way of life burgeoning in the dense population of the country. A noise musician speaks of her inspiration from sado-masochistic bondage as an art form. A stirring film testimony about music and much else besides, with images spanning inconsolable anxiety and meditative tranquility. Tokyo, Noise music, S&M, homosexuality, photography,... all in one bizarre but quite interesting avant-garde documentary.
The Freshest Kids
From the Boogie Down Bronx and beyond, the history of the b-boy.

Clear the Skies
A look at air defense on 9/11
Cannibals and Crampons
The explorers Bruce Parry and Mark Anstice Climb the remote and little known mountain Puncak Mandala in the Indonesian part of New Guinea. They have to cross remote jungles, climb icy cliffs and navigate the curiosity and fear of indigenous peoples in order to get to the top.

Searching for Debra Winger
Rosanna Arquette talks to various actresses about the pressures they face as women working in the entertainment industry.
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