For a genre that ostensibly presents snippets of unvarnished truth, a particular type of documentary is difficult to name. Typically, the “vérité” label gets slapped on documentaries that avoid re-enactments or interviews, and instead favor real-life scenes as they unfold. Truth or fiction, one genre or several, these movies raise fascinating questions about cinema’s capacity to accurately mirror the world. “Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment” (1963): Stream it on the Criterion Channel or HBO Max; rent or buy it on Amazon, Google Play or iTunes. “Salesman” (1969): Stream it on the Criterion Channel, HBO Max or Kanopy; rent or buy it on Amazon or iTunes.

Source: New York Times June 25, 2020 18:44 UTC