A Couple More Documentaries Worth Your Time On Netflix

I had what you would call an absolute rock star Sunday yesterday. And yes, that sentence is written with very heavy sarcasm. I basically spent the day watching documentaries on Netflix. But I watched a couple that were really worth sharing.

• The Punk Singer - Ever hear of Julie Ruin or El Tigre? How about Bikini Kill? This doc is all about Kathleen Hanna. Arguably one of the most ferocious lead singers of the past 30 years. Here are some interesting notes from the documentary:
  1. Hanna was the one behind Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. Or at least the name. She once spray-painted Kurt Cobain Smells Like Teen Spirit on Cobain's wall.
  2. Talk about an seemingly odd couple on the outside. In the late 90s a mutual friend introduced Hanna to Adam Horovitz, better known as Ad-Rock from the Beastie Boys. They ended up getting together, and have been married since 2006. So the girl who is known for being an outspoken radical feminist at the forefront of the riot grrrl movement, married the guy that sang "girls to do my dishes, girls to do my laundry".
  3. Hanna suffered from Lyme disease for six years before it was properly diagnosed.

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• Whitey: United States Of America v. James J. Bulger - Whitey Bulger got more mass media attention last year when Johnny Depp played the notorious gangster in Black Mass. But this documentary really gets down to the case against Bulger who seemingly was untouchable for years. The main part of the case? Was Bulger an FBI informant, or was he given leeway because he would pay off officials? This is a true he said/he said tail with a lot of twists and turns. You can come to your own conclusion at the end of the doc about whether or not Bulger was an informant or it was corrupt officials that kept him free.