Every day, I sit and ponder the meaning of life. But today, let's ponder something equally perplexing—what documentary to stream. Ah, the infinite wall of potential knowledge, a stark reminder of how little time we have before we’re doomed to die alone.
Let’s start with the classic 'American Movie' (1999). Stream it or don’t on Amazon Prime Video and Roku, I doubt it will change the cosmic indifference. The protagonist, a wannabe filmmaker called Mark "I-can-do-this-all-day" Borchardt, tackles his horror movie 'Coven', which frankly sounds cheerier than my last birthday party.
Borchardt is like a living parody, a reminder that sometimes life’s joke is on us, and boy, does he talk. One gem from him: “No one has ever, ever paid admission to see an excuse.” Ironically, I think my life could be an indie film no one would pay to see.
Then there's Mike Schank, Borchardt's buddy, who narrates a drug trip so captivating, it almost made me forget about my own existential dread. Almost. They power through dilemmas like trying to smash an actor’s head through a cabinet—something I metaphorically attempt with my dark thoughts daily.
But enough about them. Time’s ticking and like all things, I too shall pass—hopefully in less humiliating circumstances than being debated in a documentary film club.
So whether you watch ‘American Movie’ to laugh, cry, or escape the void for two hours, remember—all of us end up in the credits of our own stories, one way or another. And in those final moments, as the screen fades to black, we might just find ourselves wishing we’d watched one more documentary. Or not. I mean, does anything even matter?
Maybe I'll just end up dying watching 'Coven'. Alone. But artistically, you know?
Based on the original article "Three Great Documentaries to Stream".
