In "Exit Through the Gift Shop," thrift store owner Theirry Guetta goes from obsessively documenting his own life to filming the work of the foremost street artists, all the way to becoming Mr. Brainwash, an eminent street artist in his own right.

Guetta's rise to fame is mercurial. First, he observes, then mimics, then outdoes his forebears-- Shepard Fairey, Space Invader, a... Morend Banksy-- creating a monstrous hype-machine and outWarholing Warhol with a foundry of young artists who create piles of original pop-art and sculptures. The result? Millions of dollars worth of art sold almost in a heartbeat. Like a modern day "F for Fake," the great art show put on by Mr. Brainwash explodes our view of art leaving us to pick up the pieces of what is real and what is of worth in the art world.

By gkruis

I'm not always sure I like the art they make, but it's very cool to see young artists able to gain recognition as a group. To me it's most instructive to see Harmony Korine off in his own world, rambling hilariously to the camera and making uncomfortable, offbeat movies. Maybe the best art is made in the context of a love-hate relationship with the artistic scene, as opposed to some of the less in... Moreteresting "Beautiful Losers" who seem very into self-canonization.

By chrismolnar

Not sure if this movie is "inspiring," but it is really interesting. It chronicles street and graffiti artists and for some, their rise to prominence in pop-culture. While these artists are happy they can make some $ doing what they love, success comes with a price.

By deactivated

Henry Darger was a quiet janitor with a world all his own. When he died alone in his apartment, his landlord found a treasure of very strange illustrations and documents -- a life's work that, when put into order, makes up one of the longest continuous narratives in the English language. Darger was unwell for most of his life, both physically and mentally. He had no friends, no training in art or ... Moreliterature, and a curious grasp of human anatomy. He spent his entire life exorcising his demons into a mythos in which nude little girls battle invading hordes -- a work now revered as one of the foremost examples of outsider art. This documentary carefully details the man's trials, and how his life played into the story that he had to weave.

By fnoo

'Crumb' follows underground comic artist R. Crumb, the owner of the brain that bore the underground comic movement of the 70s. If you don't know the Master's work, it is relentlessly salacious, often perverse, and always revealing. 'Crumb' takes you on the journey that made him the sordid-savant that he is, tracing his creative growth from a childhood obsession he shared with his brothers to a car... Moreeer illustrating some of the most renowned comix of any era. As adults, we see the Brothers Crumb, wife Aline, and daughter Sophie make up a subterranean art family that illuminates how the Crumb Compulsion of art is both neurosis and ultimately an act of therapy, even if sometimes the demons outgrow the page.

By gkruis

An example of what a lot of money and the power of the state can do to a legal document.

By ryan

Orson Welles takes high art by storm, disassembling the the concept of experts and masters. Aided by the most renowned master of art forgery, the elusive Elmyr de Hory, and his hoax-meister biographer Clifford Irving, Welles tells the story of their success in fooling museums, collectors, and experts to the tune of millions of dollars all the while taking their art snobbery and shoving their noses... More in the bull shit. Welles questions the art market place, what artists must do to survive, and even the nature of documentary, ultimately begging the question: what is art but a lie? In the end, Welles and his hoaxter entourage engage in a profound game of smoke and mirrors, closing with a profound and incisive twist that will leave the art lover inspired and awed.

By gkruis

A fun and awe-inspiring look at the beginning and progression of Pixar. Perhaps the best part of this movie is seeing the progression of 3D animation over the years-- from simple, largely pastel colored block people to...well, Wall-E. If this doesn't inspire you to go out and do something creative, I'm not sure what will.

By deactivated

Les Blank's classic documentary about Werner Herzog's movie Fitzcarraldo, and the insane tasks they had to go through to make it. Like taking apart a ship and pulling it over a mountain, interacting with hostile natives in South America, and the last-minute replacement of the two lead actors!

By chrismolnar

Lil' Wayne is a demented, syrup-addicted sociopath, but he's also a totally inspired, constantly working Artist with a capital A. His total commitment to being in an artistic mindset (as well as his recording studio-in-a-briefcase!) has led to some of the greatest albums of the past decade, and you can watch him at work here.

By chrismolnar

A gripping documentary about Norwegian black metal, the infamous genre that imploded almost as soon as it emerged amid murder and a rash of church-burnings. To see more or less normal people explain both murder and silly makeup in completely rational ways is gripping, and sheds light on the basic elements of what draws us to new art - a certain kind of viscerality, maybe even danger.

By chrismolnar

Vogueing, AIDS, Spanish Harlem: All just synonyms for "inspiring."

By SemtexGirl

A documentary about the life of Bas Jan Ader, a performance artist who was lost at sea while trying to sail across the Atlantic in a little boat. Pretty gripping stuff. Check out his stuff on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUzBCl6iVoc

By chrismolnar