Ever since receiving the gift of Netflix for Christmas (one of the best gifts ever), I have had the opportunity to see some incredible films I probably never would have seen otherwise. Two documentaries in particular have been both eye-opening and inspirational, a great investment of some weekend lounge time.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

In the economic climate of today, I'm sure this one is flying off the shelves. But I want to start by saying this movie was not what I expected. It tells an unbelievable story that most people have not heard. The story of GM's EV1, subsequent electric cars from other manufacturers and their eventual demise is tragic. But it IS a story everyone needs to see in order to bring about action with major auto companies and our government. The documentary has a happy ending, much of which is still being written today. Slowly, people are understanding that hydrogen is NOT the answer (probably never will be, duh), and electric cars have a place in the future of the automotive industry. Look no further than silicon valley startup Tesla Motors for proof of the amazing progress. Just this month, Hymotion released an unbelievable product to convert Toyota Prius models into plug-in hybrids, and in some cases TRIPLE the gas mileage. Google was one of the first companies to invest in and partner with Hymotion, with their RechargeIT project. Maybe someday our Prius will get one of those! There is a movement going on in the automotive industry, and this documentary has played an important role. Here is the trailer for your viewing pleasure:

Hacking Democracy

Being in a computer-related field, the premiss behind this movie instantly peaked my interest. What would it be like to hack a voting machine? Is it possible? Has it ever been done? Most importantly, why aren't voting machines Macs? Surely the private companies that sell these machines and our government have the proper checks and balances in place to ever prevent a problem, right? The answer will floor you. I want to be clear that this movie is not a partisan bandwagon of sore losers from the 2000 Presidential Election, or any other one for that matter. It is quite simply an investigation into the practices of Diebold (nation's largest provider of voting machines), and how their fraud, corruption and stupidity has called into question NUMEROUS elections over the years. The makers of the film prove it, too. Truly amazing film for geeks and non-geeks alike, which is hopefully a call to action for local governments around the country to make a change. Here is the trailer: