Four documentaries to watch instead of Melania

Last week Amazon released its corporate bribe – excuse me, I meant documentary – featuring the United States’ First Lady Melania Trump. It could have been a heartwarming story about an immigrant coming to the US and living her dream, but talking positively about immigrants is not exactly encouraged in the Trump administration right now. Instead, it focuses on the struggle, agony and pain of Melania’s 20 days leading up to the second inauguration of Donald Trump. Riveting, I know.

Critics are ripping it apart, framing it for what it really is: a feature-length propaganda documentary gifted to the US president by the uber-rich Jeff Bezos, who will no doubt ask for a favour down the line. I haven’t watched it and I don’t plan to; if I wanted to watch good propaganda, I’d go for Leni Riefenstahl. At least she had talent.

Just so we can keep things positive around here, instead of criticising today we will have a look at some recent documentaries that are actually worth your time.

Secret Mall Apartment (Netflix)

Nineteen-year-old Michael Townsend was passionate about preserving and saving old buildings. He considered them living history and an integral part of culture, so when gentrification hit his native Rhode Island, he and his artist friends decided to take a stance. No rebellion is worth anything without a proper enemy, so when it was announced that Providence Place – a mall – had purchased land in their neighbourhood and levelled homes to build it, they sprang into action.

While watching the mall being built, Townsend and his friends noticed a small area that wasn’t used for anything. When construction finished, they snuck in and built themselves a living space inside the mall. There, a group of eight artists lived for four years until mall security discovered them. Almost 20 years later, Townsend and his friends revisit the story with original footage and testimonies from the group.

Kidnapped: The Elizabeth Smart Story (Netflix)

One of the most high-profile kidnapping cases in US history, the story of Elizabeth Smart is explored in this documentary featuring archival footage and interviews. Smart was abducted from her bedroom at knifepoint, in front of her terrified little sister, on June 5, 2002.

She was taken to a secret location not far from her home, where for nine months she was sexually assaulted by her kidnapper. She was rescued nine months later and lived to tell her harrowing tale – and eventually became one of the leading voices in advocating for victims of abuse. This new documentary sheds more light on the case, including its mishandling by authorities.

The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

Ever had a bad neighbour? One who decides that seven o’clock on a Sunday morning is the peeeeeeerfect time to start hammering or firing up a chainsaw? One who keeps shouting at night or refuses to chip in for an absolutely necessary roof insulation? Totally random examples, my lawyer told me to say.

Anyway. Your worst neighbour has nothing on Florida resident Susan Louise Lorincz, who in June 2023 shot and killed her black neighbour following years of escalation. The documentary uses body-cam footage and archival material provided by the family to reconstruct a story of ever-increasing paranoia fuelled by racial tension and hate rhetoric that led to the death of a mother of four. The documentary is also critical of ‘stand-your-ground’ laws – supposedly passed to protect homeowners – and how these laws became justification for the killing of minorities.

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! (HBO)

Going to the movies and watching Robin Hood: Men in Tights, laughing my a** off, is one of my earliest and most cherished memories. Spaceballs, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, are you kidding me? These are the comedies that shaped my life! So when I got the chance to watch a documentary about the man behind them, I jumped right on it, and man, I was not disappointed.

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! is a two-part HBO documentary about legendary comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks, capturing his nearly century-long career. Directed by Judd Apatow, the film blends new interviews, rare archival footage, and Brooks’ own narration to chart his evolution from a scrappy Brooklyn kid to one of Hollywood’s most influential comedic voices.

The documentary explores Brooks’ early life and how his experiences in WWII shaped him. It then moves through his explosive rise with The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, detailing how he wielded satire, parody and boundary-pushing humour to deliver scathing social commentary on issues like racism and the corruption of politics.