The Whites live at 3 times the speed of ordinary lives. They have way more drama than most people could handle without going mad. Death, prison, murders are regular and tragic parts of their lives.

In total we received at least eight death threats. One older half-sister of the Whites who was in her 60s told us she was coming down with her rifle "Josey Wales" and was going to kill me. A few weeks later she kept insisting that I come to her house for an interview and that everything was all right.

Add this remarkable movie to your must-see list.

"Johnny Knoxville, leader of the Jackass crew, probably isn’t the first filmmaker that comes to mind when one thinks of thoughtful, well-executed documentaries. But watching The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (available through cable’s On Demand or via Amazon download) may alter forever your opinion of him."

Love them or loathe them, the dramas of the White family make for riveting entertainment. No group of TV writers could come up with this stuff or create characters so real.

The Appalachian clan is notorious for criminal activity and reckless, larger-than-life characters. They tap-dance, shoot and stab people (including each other), and sell (and do) a lot of drugs. Think Sopranos meets Coal Miner's Daughter.

Nothing seems forced or staged, likely because it doesn’t have to be. The Whites do well enough to unconsciously lampoon themselves, and that’s what ultimately makes this film a success.

[it is] the story of the Whites, the most badass family in West Virginia. They’re the Hatfields and McCoys all rolled into one, fired up on every pill in the medicine chest. Set in Boone County, not far from the recent Massey coal-mining disaster, the film (executive-produced by Johnny Knoxville) captures a community of struggling miners determined to have a good time.

The Whites are very screen-friendly subjects even if it's for the wrong reasons. Nitzberg manages to assemble the pieces in a respectable and entertaining manner without treating the family as though they're circus freaks or exploiting them and their unusual lifestyle. The time was taken to tell their story and to tell it right; the fact that that story can garner no true sympathy is out of his hands.

Its governing spirit, captured in the raucous music that punctuates the story (including songs performed live by Hank Williams III), is one of outlaw celebration...

There were also frequent death threats from different members of the family. In total, we received at least 8 death threats. One half-sister of the Whites told us she was coming down with her rifle "Josey Wales," and was going to kill me. A few weeks later she kept insisting that I come to her house for an interview and that everything was alright.

It’s a vividly nihilistic counterpoint to the reality-TV era...