Favorite Documentaries
by jlee5128 | created - 05 Feb 2013 | updated - 1 week ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. 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: 11,102 | Gross: $0.03M
2. The Cove (2009)
PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 51,414 | Gross: $0.87M
3. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005)
Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary
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
4. Religulous (2008)
R | 101 min | Documentary, Comedy, War
Bill Maher's take on the current state of world religion.
Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Bill Maher, Tal Bachman, Jonathan Boulden, Steven Burg
Votes: 60,229 | Gross: $13.00M
5. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Comedy, Crime
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: 68,781 | Gross: $3.29M
6. Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
PG-13 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.
Director: Malik Bendjelloul | Stars: Rodriguez, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore
Votes: 72,844 | Gross: $3.97M
7. The Imposter (2012)
R | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 50,374 | Gross: $0.89M
8. Food, Inc. (2008)
PG | 94 min | Documentary, News
An unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry.
Director: Robert Kenner | Stars: Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Richard Lobb, Vince Edwards
Votes: 52,182 | Gross: $4.42M
9. Inside Job (2010)
PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary, Crime
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: 78,909 | Gross: $4.31M
10. After Innocence (2005)
Unrated | 95 min | Documentary
A gripping, emotionally charged film that follows wrongfully convicted men freed by DNA evidence after decades in prison as they struggle to transition back into society.
Director: Jessica Sanders
Votes: 885 | Gross: $0.11M
11. Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country (2008)
Unrated | 84 min | Documentary, History, News
Using smuggled footage, this documentary tells the story of the 2007 protests in Burma by thousands of monks.
Director: Anders Østergaard | Stars: George W. Bush, Joshua Min Htut, Ko Muang, Aung San Suu Kyi
Votes: 2,517 | Gross: $0.05M
12. Semper Fi: Always Faithful (2011)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary
Marine Corps Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger was a devoted Marine for nearly twenty-five years. As a drill instructor he lived and breathed the "Corps" and was responsible for indoctrinating ... See full summary »
Directors: Tony Hardmon, Rachel Libert | Stars: Jerry Ensminger, Michael Partain
Votes: 144
13. Genetic Chile (2010)
Not Rated | 61 min | Documentary, News
A look at the world of genetically modified foods through the lens of New Mexico's iconic chile pepper. The Chile pepper defines New Mexican cuisine and is considered a sacred plant by many... See full summary »
Director: Christopher Dudley | Stars: Isaura Andaluz, Christopher Dudley, Constance Falk, Stephen Hanson
Votes: 40
14. Pulling John (2009)
Not Rated | 73 min | Documentary, Sport
John Brzenk is troubled by when to call it quits; should he retire when he is on top or wait until someone takes his title. After twenty-five solid years of total world domination, John ... See full summary »
Directors: Vassiliki Khonsari, Sevan Matossian | Stars: John Brzenk, Alexy Voevoda, Travis Bagent, Marcio Barboza
Votes: 871
15. 180° South (2010)
PG | 85 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
Director: Chris Malloy | Stars: Yvon Chouinard, Doug Tompkins, Keith Malloy, Alicia Salome Acuna Ika
Votes: 3,172 | Gross: $0.03M
16. Indie Game: The Movie (2012)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary that follows the journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world.
Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky | Stars: Jonathan Blow, Brandon Boyer, Renaud Bédard, Anthony Carboni
Votes: 21,438
17. Running the Sahara (2007)
TV-G | 102 min | Documentary, Sport
Three men attempt to become the first humans to run coast to coast across the Sahara Desert.
Director: James Moll | Stars: Matt Damon, Charlie Engle, Kevin Lin, Ray Zahab
Votes: 569
18. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
PG | 81 min | Documentary
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: 37,979 | Gross: $2.55M
19. How to Die in Oregon (2011)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Drama, Family
In 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize a terminally ill person's request to end his or her life with medication. At the time, only Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands had ... See full summary »
Director: Peter Richardson | Stars: Harry Bruton, Ray Carnay, Cody Curtis, Paul Darley
Votes: 2,018
20. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012)
R | 91 min | Documentary
A documentary that chronicles artist and activist Ai Weiwei as he prepares for a series of exhibitions and gets into an increasing number of clashes with the Chinese government.
Director: Alison Klayman | Stars: Ai Weiwei, Dan Ai, Lao Ai, Lee Ambrozy
Votes: 4,525 | Gross: $0.53M
21. Waiting for Lightning (2012)
PG-13 | 96 min | Documentary
A documentary on pro skateboarder Danny Way's tough childhood and his contributions to the sport, including footage of his jump over the Great Wall of China.
Director: Jacob Rosenberg | Stars: Danny Way, Rob Dyrdek, Travis Pastrana, Laird Hamilton
Votes: 704 | Gross: $0.02M
22. Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles (2011)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary
An urban mystery unfurls as one man pieces together the surreal meaning of hundreds of cryptic tiled messages that have been appearing in city streets across the U.S. and South America.
Director: Jon Foy | Stars: Justin Duerr, Marc Duerr, Kevin Riley, Abby Miller
Votes: 2,313 | Gross: $0.01M
23. Senna (2010)
PG-13 | 106 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34.
Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Ayrton Senna, Reginaldo Leme, John Bisignano, Neyde Senna
Votes: 75,692 | Gross: $1.61M
24. How to Make Money Selling Drugs (2012)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, Crime
Ten easy steps show you how to make money from drugs, featuring a series of interviews with drug dealers, prison employees, and lobbyists arguing for tougher drug laws.
Director: Matthew Cooke | Stars: 'Freeway' Ricky Ross, Susan Sarandon, David Simon, 50 Cent
Votes: 6,818 | Gross: $1.50M
25. We Steal Secrets (2013)
R | 130 min | Documentary
A documentary that details the creation of Julian Assange's controversial website, which facilitated the largest security breach in U.S. history.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Julian Assange, Adrian Lamo, John 'FuzzFace' McMahon, Alex Gibney
Votes: 8,176 | Gross: $0.16M
26. The Devil Came on Horseback (2007)
85 min | Documentary
A documentary that exposes the genocide raging in Darfur, Sudan as seen through the eyes of a former U.S. marine who returns home to make the story public.
Directors: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg | Stars: Nicholas Kristof, Brian Steidle
Votes: 1,621 | Gross: $0.13M
27. Burzynski (2010)
TV-G | 108 min | Documentary
Ph.D biochemist, Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, won one of the largest legal battles against the Food & Drug Administration in U.S. history. Dr. Burzynski and his patients endured a treacherous ... See full summary »
Director: Eric Merola | Stars: Joe Barton, Stanislaw Burzynski, Richard Jaffe, David A. Kessler
Votes: 892
28. Hoop Dreams (1994)
PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
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: 27,993 | Gross: $7.83M
29. The Island President (2011)
PG | 101 min | Documentary
After bringing democracy to his country, President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, the lowest-lying country in the world, takes up the fight to keep his homeland from disappearing under the sea.
Director: Jon Shenk | Star: Mohamed Nasheed
Votes: 1,247 | Gross: $0.08M
30. The Interrupters (2011)
Unrated | 125 min | Documentary, Crime
A year in the life of a city grappling with urban violence.
Director: Steve James | Stars: Tio Hardiman, Ameena Matthews, Toya Batey, Cobe Williams
Votes: 3,615 | Gross: $0.28M
31. Restrepo (2010)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A year with one platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan.
Directors: Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger | Stars: The Men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Juan 'Doc Restrepo, Dan Kearney, LaMonta Caldwell
Votes: 24,418 | Gross: $1.33M
32. We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary
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: 10,419
33. Last Call at the Oasis (2011)
PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary
A documentary on the world's water crisis.
Director: Jessica Yu | Stars: Erin Brockovich-Ellis, Jay Famiglietti, Peter H. Gleick, Tim Barnett
Votes: 476 | Gross: $0.04M
34. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 40,639 | Gross: $0.02M
35. Surfwise (2007)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Sport
Doug Pray explores the life of surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz.
Director: Doug Pray | Stars: Juliette Paskowitz, David Paskowitz, Jonathan Paskowitz, Abraham Paskowitz
Votes: 1,639 | Gross: $0.27M
36. Eddie - Strongman (2015)
TV-14 | 98 min | Documentary
Truck mechanic, husband and father of two, Eddie Hall wants to be the World's Strongest Man. This feature documentary vividly illustrates the sacrifices that this extremely driven man must ... See full summary »
Director: Matt Bell | Stars: Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Colin Bryce, Geoff Capes, Alex Curletto
Votes: 1,218
37. Hip-Hop Evolution (2016– )
TV-MA | 90 min | Documentary, Music
MC and journalist Shad Kabango meets with Hip-Hop's biggest stars to retrace how Hip-Hop became the world's most popular music, but realizes that Hip-Hop's true legacy is something much more profound.
Stars: Shad, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Cheo Hodari Coker
Votes: 6,446
38. Gleason (2016)
R | 110 min | Documentary, Biography
After he is diagnosed with ALS, former professional football player Steve Gleason begins making a video diary for his unborn son, as he, his wife, and their friends and family work to raise money for ALS patients as his disease progresses.
Director: Clay Tweel | Stars: Steve Gleason, Mike Gleason, Scott Fujita, Mike McKenzie
Votes: 3,081 | Gross: $0.59M
39. Virunga (2014)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, War
A team of brave individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.
Director: Orlando von Einsiedel | Stars: André Bauma, Emmanuel de Merode, Mélanie Gouby, Rodrigue Mugaruka Katembo
Votes: 12,246
40. Killing for Love (2016)
Unrated | 130 min | Documentary, Crime
The gruesome murders of Nancy and Derek Haysom in 1985 were an international media sensation. The Haysoms were wealthy, respected members of Virginia society, and the murder conviction of ... See full summary »
Directors: Marcus Vetter, Karin Steinberger | Stars: Imogen Poots, Daniel Brühl, Jens Söring, Chuck Reid
Votes: 1,698
41. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 27,070 | Gross: $3.12M
42. The Staircase (2004–2018)
TV-MA | 629 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
The high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.
Stars: Michael Peterson, David Rudolf, Ron Guerette, Martha Ratliff
Votes: 27,151
43. Killswitch (2014)
Not Rated | 72 min | Documentary, Drama
The Internet is under attack. This award-winning documentary explores the threat Internet censorship imposes on free speech, innovation, and democracy.
Director: Ali Akbarzadeh | Stars: Lawrence Lessig, Tim Wu, Peter Ludlow
Votes: 661
44. Trophy (I) (2017)
Not Rated | 108 min | Documentary
This in-depth look into the powerhouse industries of big-game hunting, breeding and wildlife conservation in the U.S. and Africa unravels the complex consequences of treating animals as commodities.
Directors: Christina Clusiau, Shaul Schwarz | Stars: Tim Black, Philip Glass, Christo Gomes, John Hume
Votes: 761 | Gross: $0.02M
45. Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web (2017)
TV-PG | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Thriller
The story of the most wanted man online
Director: Annie Goldson | Stars: Kim Dotcom, Alan Curtis, France Komoroske, Wendy Whitefield
Votes: 1,412
46. Jane (II) (2017)
PG | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and work of the renowned primatology scientist, Jane Goodall, especially on her research about chimpanzees.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Jane Goodall, Hugo Van Lawick, Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick
Votes: 5,655 | Gross: $1.72M
47. The Work (2017)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary
Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, three men from the outside participate in a four-day group-therapy retreat with a group of incarcerated men for a real look at the challenges of rehabilitation.
Directors: Jairus McLeary, Gethin Aldous | Stars: Brian Nazarof, Alvin 'Bud' Wheeler, Richard 'Rick' Misener, Dante Granville
Votes: 2,414 | Gross: $0.01M
48. Cuba and the Cameraman (2017)
113 min | Documentary
Life in Cuba for three struggling families over the course of 45 years, from the cautious optimism of the early 1970s to the harrowing 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union and the 2016 death of Fidel Castro.
Director: Jon Alpert
Votes: 5,519
49. Wild Wild Country (2018)
TV-MA | 67 min | Documentary, Crime
When Osho, the world's most controversial guru, builds an Utopian city deep in the Oregon country, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
Stars: Ma Anand Sheela, Philip Toelkes, Jane Stork, George Meredith
Votes: 35,025
50. The Dissident (2020)
PG-13 | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, Thriller
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: 30,466
51. Tim's Vermeer (2013)
PG-13 | 80 min | Documentary, History
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: 8,556 | Gross: $1.66M
52. The Cave of Adullam (2022)
94 min | Documentary
It tells the story of martial arts sensei Jason Wilson. He tenderly guides his often-troubled young Detroit students with a beautifully effective blend of compassion and tough love.
Director: Laura Checkoway | Stars: Kevin L. Collins Jr., Gabriel Davenport, Daniel White, Tamarkus Williams
Votes: 51
53. Stutz (2022)
R | 96 min | Documentary
Follow Hill and his therapist as he has candid discussions of mental health and the progressively worsening anxiety attacks related to movie promotion that have turned his dream job into a nightmare.
Director: Jonah Hill | Stars: Sharon Feldstein, Jonah Hill, Phil Stutz
Votes: 17,621
54. Shut Up Little Man (2011)
Unrated | 90 min | Documentary, Comedy, Drama
When two friends tape-recorded the fights of their violently noisy neighbors, they accidentally created one of the world's first 'viral' pop-culture sensations.
Director: Matthew Bate | Stars: Eddie Lee Sausage, Mitch Deprey, Daniel Clowes, Ivan Brunetti
Votes: 1,328 | Gross: $0.02M
55. Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire (2021– )
Documentary, Crime, History
Exposing the truths behind the mystery of the Ghost Train Fire at Sydney's iconic Luna Park, Caro Meldrum-Hanna returns for a ground-breaking three-part investigation.
Stars: Caro Meldrum-Hanna, Patrick Begley, Jason Holman, Sid Billings
Votes: 817
56. Who Killed Robert Wone? (2023)
TV-MA | 136 min | Documentary, Crime
In this riveting Clue-like murder mystery, investigators and true-crime sleuths attempt to unravel the truth behind the chilling, baffling and stranger-than-fiction death of Robert Wone.
Stars: Glenn Kirschner, Bernie Grimm, Craig Brownstein, Bryan Waid
Votes: 653
57. Some Kind of Heaven (2020)
81 min | Documentary
Behind the gates of a palm tree-lined fantasyland, four residents of America's largest retirement community, The Villages, FL, strive to find solace and meaning.
Director: Lance Oppenheim | Stars: Dennis Dean, Lynn Henry, Anne Kincer, Reggie Kincer
Votes: 3,496
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