Good design is something most only think about when our optical nerves are burned by a visual travesty, like, say, the dueling NYC Taxi marketing disasters (they're ugly—I don't care if they're drawn by children). It takes sharper, more patient eyes to reveal to us the intricacies and brilliance of modern typesetting: enter Gary Hustwit and his documentary Helvetica, a film-festival favorite out on DVD November 20.

Hustwit not only chronicles the birth of the Helvetica typeface 50 years ago, he insightfully, and artfully, examines the role of design and typography in society. He takes the potentially lifeless subject and turns it into visual poetry—owing huge thanks to the film's indie rocker-friendly soundtrack, which sets nifty montages to the likes of Battles, Caribou, and Four Tet.

Of course, Hustwit is no stranger to tasty hipster tunes. He executive produced the Wilco doc, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, as well as docs on Death Cab Cutie, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, and the music label Saddle Creek. But with Helvetica he proves he belongs behind the camera. His interviews with quirky type setters with an odd obsession are a refreshing departure from the sorts of sit downs found in critically acclaimed documentaries. These people haven't been molested by their priest, they're not religiously fervent teens, and they are neither Iraqis nor bungling Iraq policymakers. Still, Helvetica isn't without its own esoteric controversies. One of the most famous type designers in the film, Erik Spiekermann, declares himself a Helvetica-hater, while designer Paula Scher blames the font for both the Vietnam and Iraq war.

In his charming Teutonic accent, Spiekermann explains his type obsession, saying "Other people look at ... girl's bottoms, I get kicks out of looking at type." We like to think we can enjoy both.