With the last day of George W. Bush sitting in the Oval Office nigh upon us, how about celebrating — or mourning depending on your orientation — his leaving with a couple of Bush-centric documentary screenings?

The documentary Crawford by David Modigliani, about the impact the 43rd President has on the residents of Crawford, TX, is making the screening rounds across the country this month. Actually, you can watch it online right now at Hulu, too. But the film is also playing with a couple other documentaries I want to recommend:

1) Horns and Halos, by Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley, about the tortured publication of the Bush biography Fortunate Son, will be screening in NYC at the Anthology Film Archives as part of the New Filmmakers program on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6:00 p.m. The film follows celebrity bio author James Hatfield’s disastrous attempt to do a quickie bio on Bush just as the Texas governor was running for president. During his research, Hatfield is fed info regarding Bush’s alleged cocaine use and suddenly the no-name writer is in the midst of a media whirlwind. Joining him for the ride is radical book publisher Sander Hicks who stands by Hatfield through thick and thin.

I originally reviewed the film at the 2002 New York Underground Film Festival and it’s been subsequently released on DVD. It’s a terrific documentary about politics, media, fame and scandal. Check out the New Filmmakers site for more info and for other Bush-centric docs playing this night.

Jan. 14
6:00 p.m.
Horns and Halos, dir. Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley
Anthology Film Archives
2nd St. at 2nd Ave
NYC

2) I confess that this next documentary I haven’t seen. It’s called Public Witness and it chronicles Bush’s controversial first day in the White House. The reason I’m listing it is because it’s directed by C.W. Prather who, when he’s not making documentaries, runs the awesome Spooky Movie Film Festival in Washington, D.C. He’s a man of impeccible taste and style.

Public Witness did screen at the 2006 Denver Underground Film Festival and it includes songs by local D.C. legends Fugazi and Youth Brigade. Now it will be screening along with the aforementioned Crawford at the Fair City Mall in Fairfax, VA on Friday, Jan. 16 at 10:30 p.m. Sounds like a good time.

Jan. 16
10:30 p.m.
Public Witness, dir. C.W. Prather
Crawford, dir. David Modigliani
Cinema Arts Theater at the Fair City Mall
Fairfax, VA