Documentaries - Stranger Than Fiction

by PaddyMcDuder | created - 26 Mar 2011 | updated - 5 months ago | Public

This is a list of compelling documentaries that prove that the truth is stranger than fiction.

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1. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)

PG | 103 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

A heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.

Director: Barbara Kopple | Stars: John L. Lewis, Carl Horn, Norman Yarborough, Logan Patterson

Votes: 6,641

2. The House I Live In (2012)

Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary

77 Metascore

From the dealer to the narcotics officer, the inmate to the federal judge, a penetrating look inside America's criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy.

Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Eugene Jarecki, David Simon, Shanequa Benitez, William Julius Wilson

Votes: 5,396 | Gross: $0.21M

3. The Bridge (I) (2006)

R | 94 min | Documentary, Drama

58 Metascore

Filmmakers use hidden cameras to capture the various suicide attempts at the Golden Gate Bridge - the world's most popular suicide destination. Interviews with the victims' loved ones describe their lives and mental health.

Director: Eric Steel | Stars: Eric Geleynse, Chris Brown, Susan Ginwalla, Caroline Pressley

Votes: 12,223 | Gross: $0.18M

4. Hearts and Minds (1974)

R | 112 min | Documentary, History, War

68 Metascore

A startling and courageous landmark documentary that unflinchingly confronted the United States' involvement in Vietnam at the height of the controversy that surrounded it.

Director: Peter Davis | Stars: Tin Chan, Chau Diem, Ngo Dinh Diem, John Foster Dulles

Votes: 6,114 | Gross: $0.03M

5. The Untold History of the United States (2012–2013)

TV-MA | 58 min | Documentary, History, War

Oliver Stone 's re-examination of under-reported events in American history.

Stars: Oliver Stone, Alan Shearman, Jim Ward, André Sogliuzzo

Votes: 9,713

6. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

R | 87 min | Documentary, Comedy, Crime

85 Metascore

Following the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.

Director: Banksy | Stars: Banksy, Mr. Brainwash, Space Invader, Debora Guetta

Votes: 68,840 | Gross: $3.29M

7. This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Unrated | 98 min | Documentary

75 Metascore

Kirby Dick's exposé about the American movie ratings board.

Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Kirby Dick, Kimberly Peirce, Darren Aronofsky, Atom Egoyan

Votes: 28,631 | Gross: $0.30M

8. Winter Soldier (1972)

Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, History, War

For three days in 1971, former US soldiers who were in Vietnam testify in Detroit about their war experiences. Nearly 30 speak, describing atrocities personally committed or witnessed, ... See full summary »

Director: Winterfilm Collective | Stars: Rusty Sachs, Joe Bangert, Scott Shimabukuro, Kenneth Campbell

Votes: 1,081

9. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

82 Metascore

A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.

Director: Kurt Kuenne | Stars: Kurt Kuenne, Andrew Bagby, David Bagby, Kathleen Bagby

Votes: 40,751 | Gross: $0.02M

10. Seven Up! (1964 TV Movie)

40 min | Documentary, Biography, Reality-TV

In this the first installment, we get a chance to meet some of the individuals who took on the responsibility of the 7 Up project, 21-years-ago - Tony, Bruce, Suzi, Nick and Peter.

Director: Paul Almond | Stars: Douglas Keay, Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield

Votes: 4,363

11. Inside Job (2010)

PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary, Crime

88 Metascore

Takes a closer look at what brought about the 2008 financial meltdown.

Director: Charles Ferguson | Stars: Matt Damon, Gylfi Zoega, Andri Snær Magnason, Sigridur Benediktsdottir

Votes: 79,004 | Gross: $4.31M

12. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

PG | 96 min | Documentary

75 Metascore

Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and calls for immediate action to curb its destructive effects on the environment.

Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Al Gore, Billy West, George Bush, George W. Bush

Votes: 85,232 | Gross: $23.81M

13. Night and Fog (1956)

TV-14 | 32 min | Documentary, Short, History

The history of Nazi Germany's death camps of the Final Solution and the hellish world of dehumanization and death contained inside.

Director: Alain Resnais | Stars: Michel Bouquet, Reinhard Heydrich, Heinrich Himmler, Adolf Hitler

Votes: 21,482

14. Hoop Dreams (1994)

PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport

98 Metascore

A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.

Director: Steve James | Stars: William Gates, Arthur Agee, Emma Gates, Curtis Gates

Votes: 28,034 | Gross: $7.83M

15. Riding Giants (2004)

PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, History

80 Metascore

Documentary detailing the origins and history of surf culture.

Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Laird Hamilton, Darrick Doerner, Dave Kalama, Jeff Clark

Votes: 4,672 | Gross: $2.28M

16. Bowling for Columbine (2002)

R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama

72 Metascore

Filmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.

Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Salvador Allende

Votes: 148,783 | Gross: $21.58M

17. Crumb (1994)

R | 119 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy

93 Metascore

An intimate portrait of controversial cartoonist Robert Crumb and his traumatized family.

Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Charles Crumb, Maxon Crumb

Votes: 21,605 | Gross: $3.17M

18. The Last Waltz (1978)

PG | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Music

84 Metascore

A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison

Votes: 20,189 | Gross: $0.32M

19. The Thin Blue Line (1988)

Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime

79 Metascore

A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson

Votes: 25,999 | Gross: $1.21M

20. Grizzly Man (2005)

R | 103 min | Documentary, Biography

87 Metascore

A devastating and heart-rending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzly bears in Alaska.

Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Timothy Treadwell, Amie Huguenard, Werner Herzog, Carol Dexter

Votes: 61,949 | Gross: $3.17M

21. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

PG-13 | 93 min | Documentary, History

95 Metascore

Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.

Director: Raoul Peck | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X

Votes: 23,520 | Gross: $7.12M

22. A Brief History of Time (1991)

G | 80 min | Documentary, Biography

78 Metascore

A film about the life and work of the cosmologist, Stephen Hawking, who despite his near total paralysis, was one of the great minds of all time.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Stephen Hawking, Isobel Hawking, Janet Humphrey, Mary Hawking

Votes: 5,917 | Gross: $2.28M

23. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

PG-13 | 79 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport

83 Metascore

Die-hard gamers compete to break world records on classic arcade games.

Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Steve Wiebe, Billy Mitchell, Mark Alpiger, Adam Wood

Votes: 37,583 | Gross: $0.68M

24. Tim's Vermeer (2013)

PG-13 | 80 min | Documentary, History

76 Metascore

Inventor Tim Jenison seeks to understand the painting techniques used by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer.

Director: Teller | Stars: Tim Jenison, Penn Jillette, Martin Mull, Philip Steadman

Votes: 8,557 | Gross: $1.66M

25. Roger & Me (1989)

R | 91 min | Documentary

70 Metascore

After General Motors closes its factory in Flint, Michigan, eliminating 35,000 jobs, filmmaker Michael Moore undertakes a quixotic quest to interview General Motors' chairman, Roger B. Smith.

Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Roger B. Smith, Rhonda Britton, Fred Ross

Votes: 27,520 | Gross: $6.71M

26. Gimme Shelter (1970)

GP | 91 min | Documentary, Music, Thriller

85 Metascore

When three hundred thousand members of the Love Generation collided with a few dozen Hells Angels at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway, the bloody slash that transformed a decade's dreams into disillusionment was immortalized on this film.

Directors: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin | Stars: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts

Votes: 12,899 | Gross: $0.25M

27. Man on Wire (2008)

PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

89 Metascore

A look at tightrope walker Philippe Petit's daring, but illegal, high-wire routine performed between New York City's World Trade Center's twin towers in 1974, what some consider, "the artistic crime of the century".

Director: James Marsh | Stars: Philippe Petit, Jean François Heckel, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Annie Allix

Votes: 58,694 | Gross: $2.96M

28. Sicko (2007)

PG-13 | 123 min | Documentary, Drama

74 Metascore

A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories including shotgun deaths.

Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Tucker Albrizzi, Tony Benn, George W. Bush

Votes: 76,840 | Gross: $24.54M

29. Bettie Page Reveals All (2012)

R | 101 min | Documentary, Biography

64 Metascore

The world's greatest pinup model and cult icon, Bettie Page, recounts the true story of how her free expression overcame government witch-hunts to help launch America's sexual revolution.

Director: Mark Mori | Stars: Bettie Page, Hugh Hefner, Olivia de Berardinis, Dita Von Teese

Votes: 1,631 | Gross: $0.10M

30. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)

Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

90 Metascore

Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.

Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman

Votes: 27,149 | Gross: $3.12M

31. Grey Gardens (1975)

PG | 95 min | Documentary, Comedy, Drama

83 Metascore

Meet a mother and daughter, high-society dropouts, reclusive cousins of Jackie O., managing to thrive together amid the decay and disorder of their East Hampton, NY, mansion, making for an eerily ramshackle echo of the American Camelot.

Directors: Ellen Hovde, Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Muffie Meyer | Stars: Edith Bouvier Beale, Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale, Brooks Hyers

Votes: 15,297 | Gross: $0.03M

32. Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)

PG-13 | 90 min | Documentary

79 Metascore

The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky's ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of the seminal science fiction novel.

Director: Frank Pavich | Stars: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux, H.R. Giger, Chris Foss

Votes: 27,604 | Gross: $0.65M

33. Maxed Out (2006)

Unrated | 90 min | Documentary

65 Metascore

When Hurricane Katrina ravaged America's Gulf Coast, it laid bare an uncomfortable reality-America is not only far from the world's wealthiest nation; it is crumbling beneath a staggering ... See full summary »

Director: James D. Scurlock | Stars: Beth Naef, Mike Hudson, Louis C.K., Catherine Brown

Votes: 2,240 | Gross: $0.06M

34. 7 Plus Seven (1970 TV Movie)

52 min | Documentary, Biography

Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born children after a seven-year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield

Votes: 3,222

35. Inequality for All (2013)

PG | 89 min | Documentary

68 Metascore

A documentary that follows former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich as he looks to raise awareness of the country's widening economic gap.

Director: Jacob Kornbluth | Stars: Robert Reich, Conan O'Brien, Candice Bergen, Lily Tomlin

Votes: 7,019 | Gross: $1.21M

36. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)

Not Rated | 115 min | Documentary, History

79 Metascore

This documentary tells the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, one of the 20th century's most alluring and controversial organizations that captivated the world's attention for nearly 50 years.

Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Blair Anderson, Omar Barbour, Julian Bond, Elaine Brown

Votes: 2,145 | Gross: $0.48M

37. Catfish (2010)

PG-13 | 87 min | Documentary, Drama, Mystery

65 Metascore

Young filmmakers document their colleague's budding online friendship with a young woman and her family which leads to an unexpected series of discoveries.

Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman | Stars: Nev Schulman, Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost, Angela Wesselman-Pierce

Votes: 43,748 | Gross: $3.23M

38. Food, Inc. (2008)

PG | 94 min | Documentary, News

80 Metascore

An unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry.

Director: Robert Kenner | Stars: Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Richard Lobb, Vince Edwards

Votes: 52,234 | Gross: $4.42M

39. GasLand (2010)

Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary

An exploration of the fracking petroleum extraction industry and the serious environmental consequences involved.

Director: Josh Fox | Stars: Josh Fox, Dick Cheney, Pete Seeger, Richard Nixon

Votes: 11,105 | Gross: $0.03M

40. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)

Not Rated | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

72 Metascore

The story of programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz, who took his own life at the age of 26.

Director: Brian Knappenberger | Stars: Aaron Swartz, Tim Berners-Lee, Cindy Cohn, Gabriella Coleman

Votes: 18,042 | Gross: $0.05M

41. We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)

Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary

66 Metascore

A documentary on the workings and beliefs of the self-described "hacktivist" collective, Anonymous.

Director: Brian Knappenberger | Stars: Anon2World, Anonyops, Julian Assange, Aaron Barr

Votes: 10,422

42. Prohibition (2011)

60 min | Documentary, History

The story of the American activist struggle against the influence of alcohol, climaxing in the failed early 20th century nationwide era when it was banned.

Stars: Peter Coyote, Pete Hamill, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Michael Lerner

Votes: 3,426

43. The Botany of Desire (2009 TV Movie)

TV-14 | 120 min | Documentary

Michael Pollan, a professor of journalism and a student of food, presents the history of four plants, each of which found a way to make itself essential to humans, thus ensuring widespread ... See full summary »

Directors: Michael Schwarz, Edward Gray | Stars: Frances McDormand, Michael Pollan

Votes: 607

44. Style Wars (1983 TV Movie)

Not Rated | 69 min | Documentary, Music

A documentary that exposes the rich growing subculture of hip-hop that was developing in New York City in the late '70s and early '80s, specifically focusing on graffiti art and breakdancing.

Director: Tony Silver | Stars: Demon, Kase 2, Eric Haze, D. 5

Votes: 3,302

45. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)

R | 106 min | Documentary, Crime, History

82 Metascore

Alex Gibney exposes the haunting details of the USA's torture and interrogation practices during the War in Afghanistan.

Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Brian Keith Allen, Moazzam Begg, Christopher Beiring

Votes: 16,806 | Gross: $0.27M

46. Cocaine Cowboys (2006)

R | 118 min | Documentary, Crime, History

59 Metascore

The story of how Miami became the cocaine capital of the United States in the early 1980's and the police officers who turned the tide on crime.

Director: Billy Corben | Stars: Jon Roberts, Al Sunshine, Sam Burstyn, Mickey Munday

Votes: 14,095 | Gross: $0.15M

47. The Invisible War (2012)

Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Crime

75 Metascore

An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.

Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Amy Ziering, Kirby Dick, Kori Cioca, Jessica Hinves

Votes: 7,086 | Gross: $0.07M

48. Bully (I) (2011)

PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary

74 Metascore

A documentary on peer-to-peer bullying in schools across America.

Director: Lee Hirsch | Stars: Alex Libby, Lona Johnson, Kelby Johnson, Bob Johnson

Votes: 10,543 | Gross: $4.04M

49. Planet Earth (2006)

TV-PG | 49 min | Documentary, Family

A documentary series on the wildlife found on Earth. Each episode covers a different habitat: deserts, mountains, deep oceans, shallow seas, forests, caves, polar regions, fresh water, plains and jungles. Narrated by David Attenborough.

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, David Attenborough, Nikolay Drozdov, Thomas Anguti Johnston

Votes: 220,457

50. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

R | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, History

A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall.

Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: John Beard, Tim Belden, Barbara Boxer, George W. Bush

Votes: 20,123

51. Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Music

72 Metascore

A collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.

Director: Godfrey Reggio | Stars: Edward Asner, Pat Benatar, Jerry Brown, Johnny Carson

Votes: 41,524 | Gross: $1.72M

52. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005)

Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary

71 Metascore

A look at the impact of the retail giant on local communities.

Director: Robert Greenwald | Stars: Lee Scott, Don Hunter, Jon Hunter, Jeremy Hunter

Votes: 4,598

53. I Am Divine (2013)

Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary

70 Metascore

How Divine, aka Harris Glenn Milstead, became John Waters' cinematic muse and an international drag icon.

Director: Jeffrey Schwarz | Stars: Divine, Michael Musto, Mark Payne, Greg Gorman

Votes: 3,126 | Gross: $0.06M

54. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)

PG | 81 min | Documentary

77 Metascore

A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.

Director: David Gelb | Stars: Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama

Votes: 38,036 | Gross: $2.55M

55. The Act of Killing (2012)

Not Rated | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

92 Metascore

A documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.

Directors: Joshua Oppenheimer, Anonymous, Christine Cynn | Stars: Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin, Ibrahim Sinik

Votes: 40,835 | Gross: $0.49M

56. Dirty Wars (2013)

Not Rated | 87 min | Documentary, Crime, History

76 Metascore

Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill is pulled into an unexpected journey as he chases down the hidden truth behind America's expanding covert wars.

Director: Rick Rowley | Stars: Jeremy Scahill, Nasser Al Aulaqi, Saleha Al Aulaqi, Muqbal Al Kazemi

Votes: 9,398 | Gross: $0.38M

57. Blackfish (2013)

PG-13 | 83 min | Documentary

83 Metascore

A documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite | Stars: Tilikum, Dave Duffus, Samantha Berg, Dean Gomersall

Votes: 72,495 | Gross: $2.07M

58. 21 Up (1977 TV Movie)

100 min | Documentary, Biography

Director Michael Apted interviews the same group of British-born adults after a seven-year wait as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield

Votes: 2,924

59. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

R | 127 min | Documentary, Crime, History

61 Metascore

An examination of the social costs of corporate interests pursuing profits at the expense of the public good.

Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, William Black, Jimmy Carter, Elijah Cummings

Votes: 43,880 | Gross: $14.36M

60. The Cove (2009)

PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

84 Metascore

Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.

Director: Louie Psihoyos | Stars: Richard O'Barry, Louie Psihoyos, Hardy Jones, Michael Illiff

Votes: 51,461 | Gross: $0.87M

61. Life in the Freezer (1993)

30 min | Documentary

Series exploring the natural history of Antarctica.

Star: David Attenborough

Votes: 1,546

62. The Life of Birds (1998)

TV-PG | 49 min | Documentary

David Attenborough's comprehensive and richly detailed study of birds, examining the variety of different species and their ways of life.

Star: David Attenborough

Votes: 3,037

63. The War (2007)

TV-14 | 124 min | Documentary, History, War

A seven-part series focusing on the many ways in which the Second World War impacted the lives of American families.

Stars: Keith David, Katharine Phillips, Tom Hanks, Paul Fussell

Votes: 5,669

64. The Blue Planet (2001)

TV-G | 49 min | Documentary

Mammoth series, five years in the making, taking a look at the rich tapestry of life in the world's oceans.

Stars: David Attenborough, Pierce Brosnan, Peter Scoones

Votes: 42,730

65. Cosmos (1980)

TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary

Astronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.

Stars: Carl Sagan, Jaromír Hanzlík, Jonathan Fahn, Jean Charney

Votes: 44,196

66. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)

PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Sport

76 Metascore

Documentary about the pioneering 1970s Zephyr skating team.

Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Jeff Ament

Votes: 13,362 | Gross: $1.29M

67. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)

Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, Crime

A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.

Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood, Dick Clay

Votes: 18,161

68. 28 Up (1984 TV Movie)

136 min | Documentary, Biography

This eye-opening episode uncovers human nature and the desire to survive and succeed in all its heart-breaking glory.

Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield

Votes: 3,100

69. Room 237 (I) (2012)

Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

An exploration of various interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's horror film, The Shining (1980).

Director: Rodney Ascher | Stars: Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks, Juli Kearns, John Fell Ryan

Votes: 23,120 | Gross: $0.26M

70. Super Size Me (2004)

PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary

73 Metascore

While examining the influence of the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock personally explores the consequences on his health of a diet of solely McDonald's food for one month.

Director: Morgan Spurlock | Stars: Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs, Chemeeka Walker, Dania Abu-Rmaileh

Votes: 113,320 | Gross: $11.53M

71. After Porn Ends (2012)

Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary

An exploration of the lives of several former adult performers who have retired from the porn industry.

Director: Bryce Wagoner | Stars: Amber Lynn, Asia Carrera, Bobby Slayton, Crissy Moran

Votes: 8,111

72. Tiger King (2020–2021)

TV-MA | 45 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

A rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot.

Stars: Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, John Reinke, Jeff Lowe

Votes: 87,050

73. Class Action Park (2020)

Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Crime

68 Metascore

A documentary that focuses on a dangerously legendary water park and its slew of injuries and crimes along with child safety concerns.

Directors: Seth Porges, Chris Charles Scott III | Stars: John Hodgman, Faith Anderson, Alison Becker, Bill Benneyan

Votes: 7,989

74. The Social Dilemma (2020)

PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Drama

78 Metascore

Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking; tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.

Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano

Votes: 89,501

75. Three Identical Strangers (2018)

PG-13 | 96 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama

81 Metascore

In 1980 New York, three young men who were all adopted meet each other and find out they're triplets who were separated at birth. But their quest to find out why turns into a bizarre and sinister mystery.

Director: Tim Wardle | Stars: Robert Shafran, Michael Domnitz, Howard Schneider, Ellen Cervone

Votes: 39,873 | Gross: $12.32M

76. 35 Up (1991 TV Movie)

123 min | Documentary, Biography, Romance

Director Michael Apted interviews the same group of British-born adults after a seven-year wait as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield

Votes: 2,730 | Gross: $0.92M

77. Baraka (1992)

Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary

A collection of expertly photographed scenes of human life and religion.

Director: Ron Fricke | Star: Patrick Disanto

Votes: 41,002 | Gross: $1.33M

78. Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)

PG-13 | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, History

85 Metascore

An exploration of the life, lessons, and legacy of iconic children's television host Fred Rogers.

Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Fred Rogers, Margaret Whitmer, Tom Junod, Joanne Rogers

Votes: 27,126 | Gross: $22.84M

79. The Dissident (2020)

PG-13 | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, Thriller

81 Metascore

When Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappears in Istanbul, his fiancée and dissidents around the world piece together the clues to a murder and expose a global cover up.

Director: Bryan Fogel | Stars: Jamal Khashoggi, Omar Abdulaziz, Irfan Fidan, Recep Kiliç

Votes: 30,489

80. Citizenfour (2014)

R | 114 min | Documentary, Biography

88 Metascore

A documentarian and a reporter travel to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Edward Snowden.

Director: Laura Poitras | Stars: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, William Binney, Jacob Appelbaum

Votes: 58,000 | Gross: $2.80M

81. The Last Blockbuster (2020)

TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary

59 Metascore

This nostalgic documentary reveals the real story of Blockbuster's demise, and how one last location in Bend, Oregon keeps the spirit of a bygone era alive.

Director: Taylor Morden | Stars: Lauren Lapkus, Tom Casey, Kevin Smith, Sandi Harding

Votes: 6,147

82. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)

Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, History

73 Metascore

Footage shot by a group of Swedish journalists documenting the Black Power Movement in the United States is edited together by a contemporary Swedish filmmaker.

Director: Göran Hugo Olsson | Stars: Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Abiodun Oyewole

Votes: 2,498 | Gross: $0.26M

83. 42 Up (1998 TV Movie)

139 min | Documentary, Biography

86 Metascore

Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a seven-year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield, Andrew Brackfield

Votes: 2,808 | Gross: $0.26M

84. The Life of Mammals (2002–2003)

50 min | Documentary

David Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.

Star: David Attenborough

Votes: 4,241

85. O.J.: Made in America (2016)

TV-MA | 467 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

A chronicle of the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, whose high-profile murder trial exposed the extent of American racial tensions, revealing a fractured and divided nation.

Director: Ezra Edelman | Stars: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mike Albanese, Muhammad Ali, Marcus Allen

Votes: 21,966

86. Tabloid (2010)

R | 87 min | Documentary, Crime

74 Metascore

A documentary on a former Miss Wyoming who is charged with abducting and imprisoning a young Mormon Missionary.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Joyce McKinney, Peter Tory, Troy Williams, Jackson Shaw

Votes: 7,287 | Gross: $0.68M

87. Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017)

TV-MA | 82 min | Documentary, Crime

In this documentary, the murder of Deedee Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose is explored, as well as the circumstances leading up to the event.

Director: Erin Lee Carr | Stars: Jessica Thomas, Jim Arnott, David Blanchard, Dee Dee Blanchard

Votes: 11,918

88. There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011 TV Movie)

TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary, Crime

This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother?

Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Jesse Temple, Brad Katinas, Diane Schuler, Jay Schuler

Votes: 6,410

89. Team Foxcatcher (2016)

TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

Documentary filmmaker Jon Greenhalgh examines the life of Dave Schultz, a professional wrestler who was part of 'Team Foxcatcher', funded by multi-millionaire John du Pont.

Director: Jon Greenhalgh | Stars: John du Pont, Dave Schultz, Mike Gostigian, Ray Wilson

Votes: 7,241

90. This Is the Zodiac Speaking (2008 Video)

102 min | Documentary, Crime

Retrospective documentary covering aspects of the Zodiac investigation, including interviews with the original investigators and surviving victims.

Director: David Prior | Stars: Pierre Bidou, Russell T. Butterbach, Les Lundblad, Richard Hoffman

Votes: 349

91. The Killing of America (1981)

R | 90 min | Documentary, Crime

A documentary of the decline of America. It features footage (most exclusive to this film) from race riots to serial killers and much, much more.

Director: Sheldon Renan | Stars: Chuck Riley, Ed Dorris, Thomas Noguchi, Sirhan Sirhan

Votes: 2,374

92. The Cannibal that Walked Free (2007 TV Movie)

46 min | Documentary

The Cannibal that Walked Free (also known as Cannibal Superstar ) is a British documentary produced by Visual Voodoo for Channel Five which explores - through direct access - the bizarre ... See full summary »

Director: Toby Dye | Stars: Issei Sagawa, Olivier Foll, Barak Kushner, Philippe Lemaire

Votes: 182

93. The Imposter (2012)

R | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

77 Metascore

A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.

Director: Bart Layton | Stars: Adam O'Brian, Nicholas Barclay, Carey Gibson, Bryan Gibson

Votes: 50,486 | Gross: $0.89M

94. The Civil War (1990)

TV-14 | 76 min | Documentary, History, War

A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.

Stars: David McCullough, Sam Waterston, Julie Harris, Jason Robards

Votes: 18,570

95. Cropsey (2009)

Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Crime, Horror

73 Metascore

Realizing that the urban legend of their youth has actually come true, two filmmakers delve into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.

Directors: Barbara Brancaccio, Joshua Zeman | Stars: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio, Bill Ellis, Dorothy D'Eletto

Votes: 9,220 | Gross: $0.05M

96. Holy Hell (2016)

Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, Drama

64 Metascore

An inside look at Buddhafield, a West Hollywood cult formed by a charismatic teacher in the 1980s that eventually imploded.

Director: Will Allen | Stars: Will Allen, Dimitrius Pulido, Phillipe Coquet, David Christopher

Votes: 6,070 | Gross: $0.02M

97. The Family I Had (2017)

77 min | Documentary, Crime

In The Family I Had, a mother recalls how her brilliant teenage son came to shatter their idyllic family through one horribly violent and shocking act.

Directors: Katie Green, Carlye Rubin | Stars: Ella Bennett, Charity Lee, Kyla Bennett, Becca Baggenstoss

Votes: 1,317

98. Jesus Camp (2006)

PG-13 | 87 min | Documentary

62 Metascore

A documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham.

Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady | Stars: Mike Papantonio, Lou Engle, Becky Fischer, Ted Haggard

Votes: 28,781 | Gross: $0.90M

99. Titicut Follies (1967)

Unrated | 84 min | Documentary

Documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman takes us inside the Massachusetts Correctional Institution Bridgewater where people stay trapped in their madness.

Director: Frederick Wiseman

Votes: 5,114

100. Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)

TV-14 | 91 min | Documentary, Crime

The twisting, turning, stranger-than-fiction true story of the Brobergs, a naive, church-going Idaho family that fell under the spell of a sociopathic neighbor with designs on their twelve-year-old daughter.

Director: Skye Borgman | Stars: Jan Broberg, Bob Broberg, Mary Ann Broberg, Susan Broberg

Votes: 22,265



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