To others, it means to steep, to boil, to ferment. But to us, BREW is a lifestyle. We BREW in our classes, our homework, and our organizations. But that’s not enough; we’re told to BREW in our free time, too.
If you’re at all like me, sometimes at the end of the day, your brain is just too cooked to even think about brewing. But alas! I have the solution: watch a documentary.
If you’re like most, when you hear the word documentary, the word “boring” immediately comes to mind. And even being the avid documentary film nut that I am, I’ll openly admit that in many cases, you’re right. But maybe you’re just watching the wrong films. Documentaries can be riveting, moving, and even life-changing—so long as you watch the right ones. They can increase your awareness in many topics, inspire you to become an advocate, or even make you so angry that you start advocating against what the film is for.
Documentary is (mostly) non-fiction, and therefore will contain very few special effects. But one documentary film can contain more truth than ten pre-shrunk, mass-produced, shapeshifting robot-filled fictional films put together. And instead of inducing endless amounts of yawns, they can stimulate critical thought, which could in some weird, unexpected way, lead you to BREW.
Since I’m assuming you don’t have “Documentaries for Dummies” anywhere on your bookshelf, I’m here to offer you a handy dandy guide to docs from the past few years that every college student should see (in no particular order).
- Inside Job (2010)
For many of us, a home (and the inevitable mortgage) is just around the corner. Inside Job is an apolitical look at what went wrong in the 2008 financial crisis, particularly in the housing market. Charles Ferguson breaks down the facts and terms in a way even the worst Econ 101 student could understand, and shows why what goes on on Wall Street may cripple Main Street
- Street Fight (2005)
If you want to talk about apolitical films, Street Fight should be at the fore. It’s the story of the 2002 mayoral race in Newark , New Jersey Newark
This movie shows just how hard it actually is to run a good, clean campaign with absolutely no mudslinging. Some tactics you see aren’t so hard to stomach; we hear about them all the time. But others will absolutely floor you. I can’t think of a better way to BREW than to be informed and thoughtful about the political process, and this film is an insightful examination of it.
- GasLand (2009)
Whether it be oil or natural gas, nonrenewable resource-based issues continue to dominate our political agendas, our wallets, and our headlines. GasLand is a look at hydraulic fracturing, a technique used to drill for natural gas, which is gaining popularity in America America
- Waiting for “Superman” (2010)
Those who say there’s a problem with education offer an easy solution: We need more money! But Davis Guggenheim’s film puts this issue in a light many have never thought of, because we’re so brainwashed to think one way. Regardless of which way you lean politically, it’s undeniable that how well we teach the children now will have huge consequences on the future. Food for thought: About one in every 57 doctors loses their license at some point in their lifetime. One in 97 lawyers is disbarred. Only one of every 2500 teachers loses their credentials. Why? Watch and find out.
- No End in Sight (2007)
Talk about BREW, emphasis on the “R.” If we cannot be responsibly engaged in the world when it comes to war, there is very little hope for us. This examination of American policy early in the Iraq War (Part Deux) stays free of tedious Democrat/Republican arguments. Ferguson Iraq Iraq
In no way is this list exhaustive. Every year, many important and well-made documentaries surface, and they just may shock and appall you enough to create in you the spirit of an advocate. Plus, watching a movie beats reading, right?
