[Rearview Mirror 2020] Documentaries

 

In the series of 2020 reviews, first - documentaries. I have watched 83 documentaries, both standalone movies and several-part series. I count 6-part series as one documentary though. You can say I have watched 83 titles.

This is just in case someone wants to watch something.

 

Islands of Wonder 3/3: Hawaii (2020)

 

In this episode we witnessed the disappearance of the Hawaii archipelago, the oldest bird in the wild (a 67-yo female albatross named Wisdom), fish that can climb upwards the waterfall, and humpback whales that come to Hawaii for winter.

I'd love to do that as well.

Islands of Wonder 2/3: Borneo (2020)

 

In this episode we visited Borneo - and its inhabitants. Like gliding reptiles (over 20 species), pitcher plants that feed on insects or bat's guano, orangutans who know what and how to apply for arthritis, and a dwarf forest with dwarfed trees.

Islands of Wonder 1/3: Madagascar (2020)

 

If you thought Australia was weird - meet the Madagascar menagerie: a pelican spider that hunts other spiders (and looks like a pelican too), a tenrec that can produce a litter of 35, and in danger rubs spikes on their back to sound the alarm (the largest litter of all the mammals and the only one that does this kind of warning), a tiny chameleon that lives for 4 months only, aye-aye with one creepy finger from your worst nightmares...

SF8: Joan's Galaxy

The year is 2046, and the ghost of Wong Kar-wai is hovering over this little story.

BBC South Pacific 6/6: Fragile Paradise (2009)

In this episode we did not get as many calming scenes as in the previous parts, mostly because of the fact this episode deals with how fragile the south Pacific actually is, about solutions to preserve what we are left with and dangers looming with population grow. However, we met a sea snail, called sea butterfly that uses elongated leg to well, kind of fly in the sea (it's nicknamed as: potato chips, because it's so widespread and eaten by almost everything bigger than itself), a female tiger shark nicknamed Scarface that's inquisitive but doesn't bite the spectators.

In the whole - it was a really nice, informative series. 

Beware - there be sharks.

BBC South Pacific 5/6: Strange Islands (2009)

In this episode we got: a kangaroo that lives and thrives on the treetops, a white bird with deep amber-red eyes, the method of fishing involving a spider's web, a tuatara - a reptile that lives very very slowly (can take one breath per hour), a festival involving pig debt on Vanuatu (I need to read more about it, it's fascinating and I already have found the book that, I hope, can mention that: Living Kinship in the Pacific (Pacific Perspectives: Studies of the European Society for Oceanists) [Christina Toren, Simonne Pauwels]) and a penguin.

BBC South Pacific 2/6: Castaways (2009)

 

In this episode we had info about how some animals can colonize islands way way beyond their reach, the giant saltwater crocodile and the initiation rite for youngsters of one of New Guinea group (Crocodile People), a mourning gecko that does not need a man in her life and some fishies. 

Also, the soundtrack is out there, available and, my dears, it's very very nice.

BBC South Pacific 1/6: Ocean of Islands (2009)

I have started a new documentary series about the South Pacific. It is narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch and it presents not only the wildlife of the remote islands, but also the lives of human settlers on these tiny pieces of land.

Why Navajos Love Their Country Music

An anthropologist who is also a singer-songwriter explores how Southwestern Native bands shake up the notion of “cowboys and Indians.”

TV Series opening 15: The Expanse

TV Series opening 13: Bones

I'm Unique. Like Anyone Else...

   Having read tons of books on human behaviour, cultural patterns, language and anthropology makes it easier for a person to see patterns and set a distance between you and things you observe. I always talk with students about stereotypes, because it's fun and, surprisingly, educational. However, without the right tools to do that, the talk about stereotypes can turn into: a) bashing, b) nonsense, c) personal opinion based on one (1) person's view. Anyone who heard anything about sociology knows that one person's opinion is worth less than a toilet paper (on the second thought... no, wait...)

We had this talk about overfloated individualism lately.