Welcome back to The Film Library, a Kanopy podcast where we dig into eye-opening documentaries, unforgettable characters, and stories so strange they have to be true—no film degree required.
This week, hosts Kristy Puchko (Entertainment Editor at Mashable) and Jeff Rauseo (film lover, documentary junkie, and proud champion of VHS oddities) dive into the wild, weird, and deeply personal world of documentaries.
From baseball pitchers on LSD and DIY Spielberg tributes to miniature war towns and midlife creative crises, Kristy and Jeff spotlight some of their favorite nonfiction stories currently streaming on Kanopy. These aren’t your typical history homework assignments. These are films that surprise, inspire, and occasionally blow your mind wide open.
Whether you’re into true crime, lost media, pop-punk nostalgia, or The Shining fan theories gone off the rails, this episode is packed with rabbit holes worth falling into.
So, settle in and let these stories surprise you, move you, and maybe even change how you see the world.
Follow Kristy on Instagram @thekristypuchko and Letterboxd @kristypuchko.
Follow Jeff on Instagram, TikTok, and Letterboxd @jeffrauseo.
Follow Kanopy on Letterboxd to see the full episode list.
Stream the films we mention for free at kanopy.com with a library card or university ID from a participating institution.
Episode Highlights
00:45 — King of Kong (2007) & Freakonomics (2010)
Kristy and Jeff kick things off by sharing the first documentaries that truly blew their minds—from retro arcade rivalries to statistical conspiracy theories.
03:30 — Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (2015)
Jeff recounts a lifelong obsession with this joyful doc about childhood friends who spent seven years recreating Raiders of the Lost Ark shot-for-shot.
07:00 — Marwencol (2010)
Kristy dives into this hauntingly beautiful portrait of artist Mark Hogancamp, who built a miniature World War II town as a form of healing and storytelling.
11:50 — Three Identical Strangers (2018)
Jeff tries not to spoil the shocking turns in this gripping true story of triplets separated at birth—and the disturbing secrets behind their reunion.
16:15 — Flipside (2023)
Kristy breaks down this genre-bending, self-reflective doc about unfinished projects, creative ambition, and the quiet heartbreak of growing older.
21:15 — No No: A Dockumentary (2014)
Jeff pitches the psychedelic, political, and deeply personal life story of Doc Ellis—the MLB pitcher who famously threw a no-hitter on LSD.
25:30 — Green Day: 20 Years of American Idiot (2024)
Kristy celebrates the legacy of a punk rock milestone with this energetic, nostalgic look at Green Day’s landmark album and the tour that changed everything.
30:00 — Room 237 (2012)
Jeff and Kristy fall down the fan theory rabbit hole with this hypnotic collage film about The Shining, moon landing conspiracies, and the art of interpretation.
34:45 — Final Thoughts
Kristy and Jeff reflect on what makes a documentary unforgettable—and why the best ones often leave us with more questions than answers.