Coinciding with the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing are two fantastic documentaries about our missions to the moon, released this month on DVD. And if astronauts aren’t your thing, we’ve got ballerinas, activists, explorers, debaters, headbangers and more. Here’s a list of all the Documentary releases that have reached our shelves in the last 30 days:
American Outrage (2007) - Two feisty Western Shoshone sisters put up a heroic fight for their land rights — and their human rights. – [allmovie]
Ballerina (2006-TV) – In the grand tradition of the Ballets Russes comes a portrait of five Russian ballerinas from the Mariinsky Theatre. – [imdb]
Carmen & Geoffrey (2005) – Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder, two living legends in the world of American dance, are the subjects of this intimate and revealing documentary. – [imdb]
For All Mankind (1989) – A poetic look at the Apollo lunar missions in the astronaut’s own words. From director Al Reinert with music by Brian Eno. – [imdb]
Global Metal (2008) - Metal fan and anthropologist Sam Dunn sets out on a whirlwind journey through Asia, South America and the Middle East in order to explore the underbelly of the world’s emerging extreme music scenes. – [imdb]
National Geographic: Great White Odyssey (2008) - A deep-sea expedition with world-renowned shark experts Michael Scholl and Ramon Bonfil. – [imdb]
National Geographic: Rhino Rescue (2009) – After a pair of filmmakers witness the killing of the last of these creatures in the country, they lead a valiant effort to bring the black rhino back to the southern African nation.
Passage (2008) - Filmmaker John Walker tries to sort the fact from the fiction surrounding the 1845 expedition by celebrated British explorer Sir John Franklin. – [imdb]
Resolved (2007) - Ideas speak louder than words in this highly entertaining inside look at the world of high school debate. - [imdb]
Shining Mountains (2005-TV Miniseries) - In this 4-part series, filmmaker Guy Clarkson celebrates the majesty of the Rocky Mountains and those who have relied on them for inspiriation. – [imdb]
The Terry Jones Collection - Award-winning historical documentary series presented by Monty Python’s Terry Jones.
The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (2007) - Follow filmmaker Adam Scorgie as he demystifies the underground market and brings to light how the marijuana industry can function while remaining illegal. – [imdb]
Wild Pacific (2009) - This BBC series explores the sheer scale and majesty of the largest ocean on Earth and the islands it contains. – [imdb]
The Wonder Of It All (2007) - Seven former astronauts reflect on space travel, NASA, and their experiences upon returning to Earth. – [imdb]
(Thanks to IMDB, RottenTomatoes, and Metacritic for help with parts of these synopses)