The Botany of Desire (2009)

Featuring: Michael Pollan. Director: Michael Schwarz.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Nov. 20th so act fast!

I really had no idea how fascinated I was by plants until I watched this documentary on the relationship between plants and humans. I actually want to start a garden now. Not that I ever would. I've always been more of a carnivore. Plants leave me alone and I leave them alone.

At least that's what I always thought. Apparently, certain plants have survived and thrived because of their dependence on humans. They focus on the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato in this movie and show the drastic impacts we've had on those plants and the impacts they have had on us. It all sounds really bland I know, but if you like learning about random stuff this is a very well made and interesting documentary. I enjoyed it and so will you, even if no one would ever call you Dr. Greenthumb.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 11/20/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I thought it was going to be erotic. It wasn't.

Is it artsy? No, despite how the cover looks it is not artsy. It's just about plants, straight up.

What stood out the most to you? Everything really, I never knew agriculture could be so fascinating. That and the weed pants looked really pretty, not that I do that stuff, anymore.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A curious one, I really learned a lot.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Tweet

The Story of 1 (2005)

Featuring: Terry Jones.

As some of you may know, I at times find some of the most boring sounding things incredibly interesting. Take for example, Between the Folds which is a documentary about origami that I really enjoyed. Sounds exciting right? I'm sure you can imagine how excited I am for Watching Paint Dry: The Series to start streaming on Netflix. From the moment I read the description of The Story of 1, I figured I'd be in for a nice boring good time. The Story of 1 is a documentary about the history of the number 1 and features Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. Naturally I thought this show would be right up my alley.

Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy it much. It was somewhat informative, but I think they tried a little too hard to make it funny and they just missed the mark. The crappy CG didn't help either. I would have rather watched a very dry history of the number 1 that was more informative than something like this that comes off as "cutesy". It's not awful, and if you're really curious about the number 1 then by all means, check it out. If, like me, you're just looking for something boring to watch and maybe teach you a little then there is better PBS programming out there than this for you to watch.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I like watching things that sound boring.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? The weird CG 1's running around everywhere.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In a high school class room when your teacher has a hangover and is too out of it to teach.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 2 Stars.

Tweet

The Story of India (2007)

I think India is a country that is hard for Americans to relate to. I can't imagine what living in a country with so much history would be like. It would take a life time to study the people that came through just one small town there. We're a new country, we rarely look to the past. Even when we do try to look back it's only for 250 years. People have been in India for 3000 years.

I've always been rather curious about India but I've never really gotten more than a cursory knowledge of it's history. I'm really glad I watched this 6-part documentary on Indian history because it really gives you a nice overview and a starting point. There is just so much bursting from the seams of Indian history that I don't envy the editors who had to choose what to cover and what to leave out. It couldn't have been an easy task.

I'm a fan of history. Back before Pawn Stars, and all these new reality shows on The History Channel, I used to watch it all the time. This documentary really reminded me of the early programming they had that I could watch all day. If you like historical documentaries, you should give this one a look and learn a bit about one of the world's great civilizations.

Click here to add this program to your Netflix queue. 

Streaming until 1/15/2012

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I love watching history shows and I'm also curious about India.

Is it artsy? Nope.

Best thing about the movie? Getting an understanding for the depth of Indian culture.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to learn.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Tweet