By: Henry J. Fromage –
This week was another one largely defined by long-form documentary shows as work takes up every waking hour.
443. Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults
This HBO documentary miniseries does a pretty thorough job of examining the Heaven’s Gate cult, most famous for their mass suicide coinciding with the Hale Bop comet passing our planet. There’s a lot more to unpack about the strength and motivations of their belief system, and those who quit the cult still seemed absolutely haunted by it. Humans are strange creatures. Two Beers.
444. Devil in the Ozarks
This short documentary examines the case of a sexual assault that goes unsolved despite the heroic detail captured and provided by the victim, until twenty years later a DNA hit from a murder suspect reopens the case. It’s a story of relentless justice with some laudable policework in the end. Three Beers.
445. Arnold
The story of Arnold Schwarzenegger, told in his own words with humor and love, but also what feels like a refreshing honesty, not shying away from the controversies in his career and personal life but also giving you the story past the scandal. Hard not to be a fan of this man despite the perhaps several reasons not to be. Two Beers.
446. Friends of God: A Road Trip with Alexandra Pelosi
Yes, Nancy Pelosi’s daughter produced this documentary speaking with prominent figures in heartland Conservativism (like, ironically, Rev. Ted Haggard) and regular folk alike to try and understand them coming from a very different urban perspective. It’s a fascinating snapshot in time that foretells a lot of our current state of affairs even as it extends an empathetic hand in doing so. Three Beers.
447. Murder at the Carter County Mines
Another short true crime documentary, this one examines the case of a married couple who went missing and are eventually found deceased and hidden in an abandoned mine. A rural horror story with unique details that will stick with you. Three Beers.
448. Mean Girl Murders
My true crime fix sometimes leads me down some trashy paths, and while this loosely related set of episodes about women killers (primarily of other women, friends and classmates alike) is actually told in fairly standard documentary fashion, there are still the hallmarks of cheap crime TV like those interspersed actor reenactments. Three Beers.
449. The Devil’s Deal
This Korean drama is about a small-time city councilman in the outskirts of Busan in the 1980s who dares to go against the rich elite who are used to running things, down to pulling the strings of whoever is in public office or replacing them if they face any resistance. The title ends up being apropos, though, and while a bit long and windy, the actor showdowns on display are worth it. Three Beers.
450. King of Clones
This Netflix documentary tells the fascinating story of a Korean genetic scientist obsessed with cloning who lets his growing reputation and fame lead him down the path of some questionable and unscrupulous science and reporting that cost him everything despite his clear spectacular talent in the field (don’t worry, he landed on his feet cloning camels for Saudi princes, as one does). Three Beers.
450. Fear City: New York vs The Mafia
This Netflix series documents the decades-long effort by New York and national law enforcement in the 1970s and 80s to take down the Mafia’s biggest crime bosses and cripple the absurdly powerful organization. While the Mob is still very much a going concern, the efforts of these brave men and women permanently toppled them from the perch they had at the pinnacle of crime in the city. Two Beers.
450. Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed
This somewhat sad documentary does do a good job initially of explaining the Bob Ross phenomenon and confirming that yes, he was as gentle and kind as he appeared in real life, but mostly focuses on the efforts of his business partners to take over total ownership of his name and likeness and screw his actual family out of both. A story of the importance of knowing who you’re doing business with. Two Beers.
