Dynamite Docs

No End in Sight outlines the chaotic U.S. occupation of Iraq.

I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries lately, and if they’ve taught me one thing, it’s that the world sucks. Everyone seems to have a problem with something, whether you’re rich or poor, old or young, liberal or conservative. Sad thing is, it’s not at all hard to see why people are so pissed off, and two more recent films I watched demonstrate that perfectly. Besides being nonfiction and being primarily set during the last decade, they share little in common. But they definitely both have the capability of making you want to punch something—or more accurately, someone.

The first film is No End in Sight, Charles Ferguson’s damning examination of the debacle in Iraq. Ferguson leaves no stone unturned, and thank God he doesn’t, because what he uncovers at every turn is downright frightening. From the decision to disband the Iraqi military to the porous security everywhere in the country but the American-controlled “Green Zone,” very little was thought out, and even if something was thought out, the plan was rolled back shortly into the reconstruction because of politics and bureaucratic power struggles. It’s scary stuff, but if you’ve seen Inside Job, you probably already know that it’s presented with great intelligence through a wide variety of sources.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, like No End in Sight, should be required viewing by social studies students everywhere. Cautionary tales this powerful and timely are hard to come by. That said, the way Alex Gibney elects to present his corporate tragedy—with some twisted humor and ironic music cues—takes away a bit of the film’s power. It’s easier to digest than most other serious docs of this kind, but like the film says, this story is Shakespearean in scope and perhaps should have been treated as such. Still, the scope of this tragedy is simultaneously broad and very personal, and Gibney balances the two facets of it quite well.

Both docs are recommended. I’d say No End in Sight is a 3.5 star film, while Enron would probably get a strong 3 stars. Both filmmakers are Oscar winners (Ferguson for Inside Job; Gibney for Taxi to the Dark Side, which beat out No End in Sight in 2007), so you know you’re getting some real quality work. I know non-fiction films aren’t extremely popular, but if you’re in the mood to learn something—or you want to get your blood boiling for some reason—either of these fine films would do the trick.