Tip Top Co-founder Yoni Reisman really likes documentaries. What started as an interest in concert films grew into curiosity about all kinds of topics. This list isn’t exhaustive by any means- Yoni’s original list had more than 6o titles! So I sat down with Tip Top’s resident documentary connoisseur to talk about a few of the films on his list.
So here’s Yoni’s list, in no particular order:
Fantastic Fungi directed by Louie Schwartzberg
What Yoni Says: It’s about the Magic of Mushrooms.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Once Were Brothers directed by Daniel Roher
What Yoni Says: It’s about The Band. It's the whole story. They’re probably the most underrated band of all time. The Last Waltz is also about The Band and worth watching, it’s probably the most classic concert film of all time.
Where to watch: Hulu
Stop Making Sense directed by Jonathan Demme
Yoni Says: It's more of a concert film than documentary but it's one of the best ever made. It's filmed over a four night run at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles in 1983.
Where to watch: YouTube
Where to watch: YouTube
FYRE: The Greatest Party that Never Happened directed by Chris Smith
Yoni Says: When this story was unfolding, I was working in the music festival world and had some inside info on how much of a trainwreck this was, so watching a documentary about it was quite special. It’s about the scam of a music festival that Fyre Fest was in the Bahamas.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Marley directed by Kevin Macdonald
Yoni Says: It's long but it's the story of Bob Marley. I don't have too much to say about that one. We did end up naming our daughter Marley so I must have liked it. I'd always collected Tough Gong CDs.
Where to watch: Apple TV
Bittersweet Motel directed by Todd Phillips
What Yoni Says: Phish in the late 90s. Needs no further explanation. (Author note: Yoni has seen more than 210 Phish shows….)
Where to Watch: This is one you can’t stream, but you can purchase a hard copy of it on Amazon if you are so inclined.
Free Solo directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Yoni Says: It’s about Alex Honnold, a ridiculous rock climber that climbs without ropes. Wild!
Where to watch: Disney+
The Devil & Daniel Johnston directed by Jeff Feuerzeig
Yoni Says: Daniel Johnston was a prolific singer songwriter in Austin who suffered from depression, bi-polar disorder, & schizophrenia. It's a ridiculously crazy story about his life. He had amazing raw talent. He'd record entire albums on tapes and hand them out to people. Kurt Cobain once wore a t-shirt with one of his designs on it.
Where to watch: $2.99 on YouTube
Oasis: Supersonic directed by Mat Whitecross
Yoni Says: The story of Oasis and how these brothers hate each other. They got big so fast and then it ended. I think they always hated each other. I never got that into Oasis but it turns out they have some pretty good songs.
Where to watch: Hulu
Remastered: Devil at the Crossroads (A Robert Johnson Story) directed by Brian Oakes
Yoni Says: It’s the story of Blues guitarist Robert Johnson - he was considered one of the godfathers of blues and there was a myth that he sold his soul to the devil to be able to play that well.
Where to watch: Netflix
Searching for Sugar Man directed by Malik Bendjelloul
Yoni Says: It's a story about an artist who randomly discovered that he was massively huge in South Africa.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
The Defiant Ones directed by Allen Hughes
Yoni Says: It’s a series on HBO about Dr Dre and Jimmy Lovine and the story of their Beats partnership. Being in the music industry made me enjoy this one especially. Lots of lessons in marketing.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon directed by Mike Myers
Yoni Says: Mensch is the Yiddish word for being a nice person. It's about Shep Gordon, who managed Alice Cooper. He had an incredible life. He'd go to hotels and Jimmy Hendrix would be there, or Janice Joplin. It’s just the story of his epically cool life.
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Inventing David Geffen directed by Susan Lacy
Yoni Says: It’s a music industry insider documentary. He’s very entrepreneurial and did all kinds of cool things.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Jiro Dreams of Sushi directed by David Gelb
Yoni Says: A story about a master of sushi in Japan, someone who is so dedicated to their craft in a culture that takes things very seriously.
Where to watch: Netflix
Class Action Park directed by Seth Porges and Chris Charles Scott
Yoni Says: It’s a hilarious documentary about a ridiculously unsafe water park just outside of NYC.
Where to watch: HBO
