The best thing about Netflix is the instant queue and its constant ability to surprise me. I end up watching movies and documentaries about things I would normally never see, simply because I wouldn’t know they exist. One such example is the documentary Helvetica.
I am sure there are many consultants, programmers and others in the IT world who, like me, end up wearing the graphic designer hat from time to time. It may be to create icons or images for a web site, or it may be to edit CSS styles.
If you are one of these types of people, and you have even a passing interest in design, Helvetica is for you. It takes you down the rabbit hole of typeface design, various artistic movements, and the “why’s” and “how’s” of what make a good typeface. This is one of those movies that could actually make you better at your job and provide some interesting historical context around something we take for granted when we design web sites.
It will also make you look at normal everyday signage in a totally different light.
