In June, I started this series on Bit & Bauble to share some of my favorite documentaries that I have watched each month. Since we don’t have cable, all of these films are ones that can be streamed from services like YouTube, Netflix, or Amazon Instant Video. So, without further ado, here are my picks for July (which, coincidentally, all have an American vibe going on).
BLUE GOLD: AMERICAN JEANS
Blue Gold: American Jeans weaves the social history of twentieth century America throughout the story of the rise of denim. If you love fashion, history, or just love America, this doc is a must watch. I have one bit of advice though. Towards the beginning you kind of feel like you might have made a grave mistake and put on the sister show of American Pickers, but try to push past your confusion because it will tie it together in the end.
Available to watch on Netflix.
BEING ELMO
If you’re a parent of a young child, I know what you are thinking. That red fur ball is the last thing to want to see in your all-too-precious adult time. I thought that too until a few minutes into the film when I was totally hooked by the heart-warming story of the guy behind the muppet who followed his dream of being a puppeteer (for real) and eventually created one of the most iconic children’s characters of all time. I highly recommend for any parent who is trying to cope with the Elmo-mania that overtakes all children, regardless of whether they have actually seen an episode of Sesame Street before.
Available to watch on Netflix.
THE MILLENNIAL DREAM
The idea of The American Dream has been ingrained in our culture for the better part of a century: work hard, save, sacrifice and you will get ahead. Is this dream still viable? This documentary explores a shift in our culture and theorizes about the future of our jobs, education, the economy, and what the communities of tomorrow might look like.
Stream for free with Amazon Prime Instant Video.
If you end up watching any of these docs, let me know what you thought in the comments!
