Film
Stealing Charlie Chaplin
A documentary account of the audacious 1978 theft of Charlie Chaplin's corpse from a Swiss cemetery—a bizarre crime that became an international incident. Told through interviews and archival material, it explores this strange footnote to film history with a tone that balances dark humour against genuine intrigue about what drives people to such peculiar acts.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like true stories with a strange, almost farcical shape, where the sheer nerve of the thing carries the film and a brisk running time keeps it from overstaying.
Skip it if you need a polished dramatised thriller with a sharp grip on suspense, since this is a modest account that leans on talk rather than spectacle.
What it asks of you: Under seventy-five minutes, it keeps a light, unhurried pace and asks for patience more than close plot-tracking, with its tone shifting between wry and matter-of-fact.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Toys That Made Us2017
Explores the strange cultural collision when an inanimate object becomes contested territory—who owns the narrative, who profits, what did it mean? Genuinely absorbing.
But It's Netflix comfort-doc style; if you're allergic to that tone, nothing here will convert you.
Memories of Murder2003
A brilliantly crafted examination of a real unsolved serial-killer case, using the investigation itself as a mirror for a nation in transition. Suspenseful, dark, perfectly paced.
But It's grim and lengthy, and the ending offers no catharsis—designed to linger uncomfortably in your mind.
The Imposter2012
A documentary so narratively brilliant it plays like a psychological thriller. A man impersonates a missing boy; the mystery of why keeps twisting until the final reveal.
But Heavy reliance on recreated scenes rather than archival footage feels theatrical; some find it manipulative.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Stealing Charlie Chaplin
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
F for Fake1973
Both are about theft and bodies—one physical, one of meaning and identity—and both ask whether the thing stolen mattered as much as the theft itself.
Orson Welles' masterpiece about art forgery and the nature of authenticity, where documentary itself becomes the con. It's cinema as magic trick—exhilarating, dizzying, gloriously alive.
But Deliberately fractured, fast-cut, sometimes maddening; Welles keeps pulling the rug out from under you.
More like this (6)
Tickled2016
Starts as a quirky curiosity about competitive tickling and descends into something genuinely sinister. A masterclass in documentary unravelling, funny and unsettling in equal measure.
But The subject matter stays weird and uncomfortable throughout; the humour won't land if you're already squirming.
The Keepers2017
Examines a real murder at a Catholic school with care for both investigation and human cost. Intricate, respectful, propulsive—seven hours that earn every minute.
But Deals with institutional abuse; emotionally heavy, and the mystery remains partially unsolved.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women2017
An offbeat biography of the psychologist who created Wonder Woman, exploring how personal obsession and desire shaped popular culture. Smart, sensual, genuinely moving.
But Deliberately unconventional structure; some find it self-consciously artful rather than engaging.
Casting JonBenet2017
A documentary that sidesteps the unsolved murder itself to ask what we project onto tragedy—using auditions for a fictional film to reveal how we consume crime. Clever and disorienting.
But The meta approach alienates viewers wanting straightforward answers; feels slippery, even glib about genuine grief.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer2017
Both deal with violation and restitution—the theft or desecration that demands a response, and how a community reckons with transgression.
A formal, eerie Greek tragedy transplanted to modern Ohio. Yorgos Lanthimos creates a world where cosmic debt must be repaid through violence. Hypnotic, horrible, unforgettable.
But Glacial pacing and deliberate artificiality; the mood is dread, not entertainment, and some find the emotional distance icy.
The Crash Reel2013
Both examine violation and recovery through a real body—how we reclaim agency and meaning after something has been taken or broken.
A documentary about a snowboarder's catastrophic brain injury and recovery, by Lucy Walker. Visually stunning, urgently human—grief and adaptation rendered as cinema, not just testimony.
But Deeply personal and intensely focused on disability; if you're looking for distance or objectivity, this offers none.
People
Cast
- Yves DurandHimself
Directing
- Philip BoatswainDirector