Documenting our world

Yesterday, I had the chance to catch a couple new documentary films — "Oceans" and "Babies." Both provided interesting food for thought, especially as I considered the genre itself.

The average moviegoer probably doesn't see many documentaries each year. After all, documentary-style filmmaking isn't usually the reason why we go to the movies in the first place. And I'll be the first to admit that it's not my preferred genre, either, but in recent years I've seen the benefits of documentary films, especially in their ability to engage us in critical thinking and shed light on ideas and issues in the world around us.

Over the past decade, viewership and readership for major news programs and publications is down. It's not that surprising given the cultural entertainment norms. Worse than that, major news publications and broadcasts have adapted to cultural entertainment norms as a means of retaining viewers. Most news programs are more about entertainment than actual facts, which probably only increases viewer disinterest.

That's where documentaries come in. In the strictest sense, a documentary should provide impartial facts. But I contend that's impossible. First, the simple act of observation changes that which is being observed. Second, I don't think it's possible for any film, news program, or written article to be presented without a certain slant. When I first started out as a journalist, I bristled at the idea I was injecting my opinion into stories. I was an unbiased observer and reporter of facts. Except I wasn't. I tried to be, and I might have been better than some, but after thinking about it for a long time I don't think there was anything I wrote that didn't in some way reflect my point-of-view or passions.

The same is true for documentaries. Those that go into the films thinking they are unbiased, factual representations are fooling themselves. There's facts in documentaries and there is useful information in documentaries, but all those films reflect some of the personality and personal beliefs of their creators. That doesn't mean they're bad or that they can't do a better job of educating the public than mainstream news media. In fact, I think some of the best reporting and the best information being provided comes from modern documentaries. Recent films I've seen have forced me to consider the larger world around me and key cultural issues. That's one of the reasons I have been so drawn to ESPN's "30 for 30" series. Sure, it focuses on stories told through the world of sports, but they aren't sports stories. They are global political stories that show how sports and sports figures interact with the world at large.

At their best, documentaries do that too. Recently I had a discussion about this with my family regarding Michael's Moore's "Bowling for Columbine." The documentary, which focuses on gun control, is bogged down with a serious slant. I knew that going in. Moore's political beliefs are vastly different than my own, and I knew there were places in the film where he distorted or cajoled facts to make a political statement. Still, the film was entertaining and the comments made by those interviewed in the film provided plenty of food for thought about a key issue.

The same was true when I watched a recent Academy Award-winning documentary "No End in Sight." The film centers on the Iraq war, a sore spot for people no matter what their political beliefs. The filmmakers did their best to be even-handed, though it's not hard to tell where they fall on the political spectrum. Still, the interviews with people on both sides of the argument, the fact-based storytelling, and the attempt to shed light on a complex issue affecting all our lives is a worthy time investment for any viewer.

That's what a good documentary does, it makes you think. I'll never see McDonald's the same way after watching "Super Size Me," though I'm not naive enough to believe McDonald's is the only unhealthy fast food provider out there. I have a greater appreciation for God's creation after watching Disney's "Earth," and I was disappointed and a little surprised to see how callously some treat that creation after seeing "The Cove." I was also amazed and a little frightened of the daring of Frenchman Philippe Petit after watching him walk on a high wire between the Twin Towers in "Man on Wire."

I guess the point is that a good story is worth your time no matter what form it takes. And if you learn something along the way, so much the better.