Documentaries
by stuschroth | created - 04 Apr 2015 | updated - 1 month ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Man on Wire (2008)
PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 58,680 | Gross: $2.96M
2. 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: 21,465
3. 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: 18,561
4. Minding the Gap (2018)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Sport
Filmmaker Bing Liu searches for correlations between his skateboarder friends' turbulent upbringings and the complexities of modern masculinity.
Director: Bing Liu | Stars: Kent Abernathy, Mengyue Bolen, Nina Bowgren, Keire Johnson
Votes: 10,467 | Gross: $0.01M
5. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
R | 96 min | Documentary
Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems--nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director.
Directors: Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola | Stars: Dennis Hopper, Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, George Lucas
Votes: 23,231 | Gross: $1.32M
6. In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)
PG | 100 min | Documentary, History
The crew members of NASA's Apollo missions tell their story in their own words.
Director: David Sington | Stars: Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Eugene Cernan, Mike Collins
Votes: 6,928 | Gross: $1.13M
7. 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: 28,018 | Gross: $7.83M
8. To Be and to Have (2002)
Not Rated | 104 min | Documentary, Family
A documentary portrait of a one-room school in rural France, where the students (ranging in age from 4 to 11) are educated by a single dedicated teacher.
Director: Nicolas Philibert | Stars: Georges Lopez, Alizé, Axel Thouvenin, Guillaume
Votes: 8,417 | Gross: $0.78M
9. Marwencol (2010)
Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary, Biography, Fantasy
Documentary about Mark Hogancamp. After a vicious attack leaves him brain-damaged and broke, Mark seeks recovery in "Marwencol", a 1/6th scale World War II-era town he creates in his backyard. Inspired the movie Welcome to Marwen (2018)
Director: Jeff Malmberg | Stars: Mark Hogancamp, Emmanuel Nneji, Edda Hogancamp, Tom Neubauer
Votes: 3,705 | Gross: $0.11M
10. Bill Cunningham New York (2010)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A profile of the noted and extraordinarily cheerful veteran New York City fashion photographer.
Director: Richard Press | Stars: Bill Cunningham, Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, Editta Sherman
Votes: 5,670 | Gross: $1.51M
11. How to Survive a Plague (2012)
Not Rated | 110 min | Documentary, History, News
The story of two coalitions -- ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) -- whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.
Director: David France | Stars: Peter Staley, Larry Kramer, Iris Long, Bob Rafsky
Votes: 4,356 | Gross: $0.13M
12. Shoah (1985)
Not Rated | 566 min | Documentary, History, War
Claude Lanzmann's epic documentary recounts the story of the Holocaust through interviews with witnesses - perpetrators as well as survivors.
Director: Claude Lanzmann | Stars: Simon Srebnik, Michael Podchlebnik, Motke Zaïdl, Hanna Zaïdl
Votes: 10,555 | Gross: $0.02M
13. Paris Is Burning (1990)
R | 78 min | Documentary
A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.
Director: Jennie Livingston | Stars: Brooke Xtravaganza, André Christian, Dorian Corey, Paris Duprée
Votes: 17,611 | Gross: $3.78M
14. 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: 24,424 | Gross: $1.33M
15. Sweetgrass (2009)
Unrated | 101 min | Documentary, Adventure, Western
In the summer of 2003, a group of shepherds took a herd of sheep one final time through the Beartooth Mountains of Montana, in the extreme north-west of the United States. It was a journey ... See full summary »
Directors: Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
Votes: 1,106 | Gross: $0.21M
16. 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: 38,020 | Gross: $2.55M
17. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
TV-PG | 43 min | Documentary
An exploration of our discovery of the laws of nature and coordinates in space and time.
Stars: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Christopher Emerson, Keythe Farley, Piotr Michael
Votes: 128,701
18. The Fog of War (2003)
PG-13 | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson, Robert McNamara.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Robert McNamara, John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon
Votes: 25,052 | Gross: $4.20M
19. The Act of Killing (2012)
Not Rated | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 40,811 | Gross: $0.49M
20. Waltz with Bashir (2008)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
An Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict.
Director: Ari Folman | Stars: Ari Folman, Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ori Sivan
Votes: 60,414 | Gross: $2.28M
21. Anvil (2008)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
Since 1978, Anvil has become one of heavy metal's most influential yet commercially unsuccessful acts. In 2006, after a fledging European tour Anvil sets out to record their thirteenth album and continue to follow their dreams.
Director: Sacha Gervasi | Stars: Robb Reiner, Steve 'Lips' Kudlow, Tiziana Arrigoni, Scott Ian
Votes: 16,843 | Gross: $0.67M
22. 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: 68,828 | Gross: $3.29M
23. Mitt (2014)
94 min | Documentary, Biography, Family
Mitt Romney and his family are followed through their U.S. Presidential campaigns for the Republic Party.
Director: Greg Whiteley | Stars: Mitt Romney, Candy Crowley, Eric Draper, Jim Lehrer
Votes: 2,650
24. The Look of Silence (2014)
PG-13 | 103 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer | Stars: Adi Rukun, M.Y. Basrun, Volker Hanisch, Amir Hasan
Votes: 13,884 | Gross: $0.11M
25. We're Still Here (2013)
8 min | Documentary, Short, Music
This is a short documentary exploring the culture and beliefs of the underground movement Straight Edge.
Director: Steven Martinez | Stars: Daniel Rosen, Reggie Sanchez
26. Grizzly Man (2005)
R | 103 min | Documentary, Biography
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: 61,897 | Gross: $3.17M
27. Hearts and Minds (1974)
R | 112 min | Documentary, History, War
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: 6,109 | Gross: $0.03M
28. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
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: 25,960 | Gross: $1.21M
29. The Queen of Versailles (2012)
PG | 100 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they begin construction on a mansion inspired by Versailles. During the next two years, their empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis.
Director: Lauren Greenfield | Stars: Jaqueline Siegel, David Siegel, Lorraine Barrett, June Downs
Votes: 13,702 | Gross: $2.40M
30. Please Vote for Me (2007)
Not Rated | 58 min | Documentary
Democracy in China exists, that is, in a primary school in Wuhan where a grade 3 class can vote who they want as class monitor.
Director: Weijun Chen | Stars: Cheng Cheng, Luo Lei, Xu Xiaofei
Votes: 1,449
31. 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: 78,977 | Gross: $4.31M
32. Brooklyn Castle (2012)
PG | 101 min | Documentary
Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school's champion chess team.
Director: Katie Dellamaggiore | Stars: Je'Daiah Ballantyne, Michelle Ballantyne, Rochelle Ballantyne, Pamela Ballard
Votes: 1,017 | Gross: $0.22M
33. Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill
Votes: 13,953 | Gross: $4.95M
34. Life Itself (2014)
R | 121 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert.
Director: Steve James | Stars: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel, Martin Scorsese
Votes: 16,257 | Gross: $0.81M
35. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Crime, History
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: 16,804 | Gross: $0.27M
36. 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: 3,616 | Gross: $0.28M
37. Life in a Day (2011)
PG-13 | 95 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary shot by film-makers all over the world that serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on the twenty-fourth of July, 2010.
Directors: Tegan Bukowski, Loressa Clisby, Kevin Macdonald, Hiroaki Aikawa, Natalia Andreadis, Jack Attridge, Cristina Bocchialini, Zillah Bowes, Andrea Dalla Costa, Lisa Cottrell-Bentley, Alejo Crisóstomo, Sócrates Cuadri, Ayman El Gazwy, Shawn Gadberry, Seth Grant, Jane Haubrich, Soma Helmi, Jennifer M. Howd, Clementine Isaac, Aditya Kolli, Gabor Kukucska, Francesco La Regina, Frederic Lumiere, Marek Mackovic, Zuqy Cruz Marquez, Linda Matarasso, Kevin McMahon, Joseph Michael, Joaquin Montalvan, Lilit Movsisyan, Emmanuelle Pickett, Christopher Redmond, Alejandro Romeo, Alaa Sheikh Hassan, Marcus Tedenryd | Stars: Hiroaki Aikawa, Cindy Baer, Teagan Bentley, Ester Brym
Votes: 15,564 | Gross: $0.25M
38. 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
39. Side by Side (2012)
Not Rated | 99 min | Documentary
The documentary investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation.
Director: Christopher Kenneally | Stars: Derek Ambrosi, Michael Ballhaus, Andrzej Bartkowiak, Dion Beebe
Votes: 13,717 | Gross: $0.03M
40. No End in Sight (2007)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary, War
A comprehensive look at the Bush Administration's conduct of the Iraq war and its occupation of the country.
Director: Charles Ferguson | Stars: Campbell Scott, Gerald Burke, Ali Fadhil, Omar Fekeiki
Votes: 8,629 | Gross: $1.43M
41. Finding Vivian Maier (2013)
Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary, Biography, Mystery
A documentary on the late Vivian Maier, a nanny whose previously unknown cache of 100,000 photographs earned her a posthumous reputation as one of the most accomplished street photographers.
Directors: John Maloof, Charlie Siskel | Stars: Vivian Maier, John Maloof, Daniel Arnaud, Simon Amédé
Votes: 15,083 | Gross: $1.51M
42. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
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: 148,752 | Gross: $21.58M
43. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
PG-13 | 79 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
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: 37,578 | Gross: $0.68M
44. 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: 5,667
45. Murderball (2005)
R | 88 min | Documentary, Sport
Quadriplegics, who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs, overcome unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Directors: Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro | Stars: Joe Soares, Keith Cavill, Mark Zupan, Robert Soares
Votes: 10,458 | Gross: $1.52M
46. The Tillman Story (2010)
R | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, Mystery
Chronicles the life of the late Pat Tillman, who walked away from a multimillion-dollar contract with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals in 2002 to join the Army but died from friendly fire in Afghanistan.
Director: Amir Bar-Lev | Stars: Pat Tillman, Josh Brolin, Mary Tillman, Russell Baer
Votes: 5,431 | Gross: $0.80M
47. In the Year of the Pig (1968)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary, History, War
A documentary chronicling the background to, and history of, the Vietnam War.
Director: Emile de Antonio | Stars: Harry S. Ashmore, Daniel Berrigan, Joseph Buttinger, William R. Corson
Votes: 1,917
48. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)
R | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
A documentary on the life and career of Joan Rivers, made as the comedienne turns 75 years old.
Directors: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg | Stars: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Kathy Griffin, Jocelyn Pickett
Votes: 3,819 | Gross: $2.93M
49. The Last Gladiators (2011)
R | 94 min | Documentary, Sport
In ice hockey, no one is tougher than the "goon". Those players have one mission: to protect the star players at any price.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Donald Brashear, Lyndon Byers, Guy Carbonneau, Don Cherry
Votes: 1,758
50. Spellbound (2002)
G | 97 min | Documentary, Comedy, Thriller
Spellbound follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the 1999 National Spelling Bee.
Director: Jeffrey Blitz | Stars: Angela Arenivar, Ubaldo Arenivar, Jorge Arenivar, Scott McGarraugh
Votes: 12,460 | Gross: $5.73M
51. The Pixar Story (2007)
G | 87 min | Documentary
The Pixar Story takes audiences behind the scenes of the groundbreaking company that pioneered a new generation of animation and forever changed the face of filmmaking.
Director: Leslie Iwerks | Stars: Stacy Keach, John Lasseter, Brad Bird, John Musker
Votes: 7,051
52. Milius (2013)
PG | 103 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
A look at the life of filmmaker John Milius.
Directors: Joey Figueroa, Zak Knutson | Stars: John Milius, Ethan Milius, Amanda Milius, Walter Murch
Votes: 2,194
53. Blackfish (2013)
PG-13 | 83 min | Documentary
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: 72,455 | Gross: $2.07M
54. Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)
PG | 105 min | Documentary, Family, Music
The students of several New York City elementary schools learn ballroom dancing and compete in a city wide dance competition.
Director: Marilyn Agrelo | Stars: Heather Berman, Emma Therese Biegacki, Eva Carrozza, Evangelina Carrozzo
Votes: 3,551 | Gross: $8.12M
55. First Position (2011)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows six young dancers from around the world as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world.
Director: Bess Kargman | Stars: Aran Bell, Rebecca Houseknecht, Joan Sebastian Zamora, Miko Fogarty
Votes: 3,455 | Gross: $1.10M
56. Spielberg (2017 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 147 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary on Steven Spielberg, filmmaker. Includes interviews with relatives, film critics, peers and people who have worked with him.
Director: Susan Lacy | Stars: Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Richard Dreyfuss, Bill Butler
Votes: 8,305
57. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
R | 127 min | Documentary, Crime, History
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: 43,871 | Gross: $14.36M
Better than average Michael Moore fare. If you're liberal you'll have fun. I am so I did, but you won't learn very much.
58. ...and the Pursuit of Happiness (1986 TV Movie)
80 min | Documentary
After acknowledging his own immigrant background, Malle, tries to present the range of immigrant experiences in the US during the 1980's. In an attempt to be comprehensive, the film ... See full summary »
Director: Louis Malle | Stars: Franklin Chang-Diaz, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Lenwood Johnson, Boris Lyoskin
Votes: 523
59. Every Little Step (2008)
PG-13 | 96 min | Documentary, Music
Follows the plight of real-life dancers as they struggle through auditions for the Broadway revival of "A Chorus Line". Also investigates the history of the show and the creative minds behind the original and current incarnations.
Directors: Adam Del Deo, James D. Stern | Stars: Bob Avian, Justin Bellero, Michael Bennett, Jay Binder
Votes: 1,666 | Gross: $1.72M
60. Go Tigers! (2001)
R | 103 min | Documentary, Sport
"Go Tigers!" is a rare behind-the-scenes chronicling of a remarkable season for the Massillon Tigers high school football team, played out in a small rustbelt town that draws its identity ... See full summary »
Director: Kenneth A. Carlson | Stars: Dave Irwin, Ellery Moore, Joe Paterno, Danny Studer
Votes: 841 | Gross: $0.15M
A modest, poignant look at middle america. It's a good movie.
61. Pina (2011)
PG | 103 min | Documentary, Music
A tribute to the late German choreographer Pina Bausch, as her dancers perform her most famous creations.
Director: Wim Wenders | Stars: Pina Bausch, Regina Advento, Malou Airaudo, Ruth Amarante
Votes: 15,951 | Gross: $3.52M
Gets by on compelling visuals and great set pieces, something you can't really say about many other documentaries. In truth, this is more a film essay than a documentary.
62. Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
R | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, News
Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.
Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman | Stars: Kochi, Avijit Halder, Shanti Das, Manik
Votes: 18,005 | Gross: $3.41M
63. The World at War (1973–1974)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary, History, War
A groundbreaking 26-part documentary series narrated by the actor Laurence Olivier about the deadliest conflict in history, World War II.
Stars: Laurence Olivier, Averell Harriman, Anthony Eden, Albert Speer
Votes: 29,483
64. Helvetica (2007)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
A documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture.
Director: Gary Hustwit | Stars: Manfred Schulz, Massimo Vignelli, Rick Poynor, Wim Crouwel
Votes: 8,171 | Gross: $0.20M
65. Cartel Land (2015)
R | 100 min | Documentary
Filmmaker Matthew Heineman examines the state of the ongoing drug problem along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Director: Matthew Heineman | Stars: Tim Foley, José Manuel 'El Doctor' Mireles, Paco Valencia, Chaneque
Votes: 18,828 | Gross: $0.70M
66. Jesus Camp (2006)
PG-13 | 87 min | Documentary
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: 28,777 | Gross: $0.90M
67. 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: 20,113
68. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War
Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder
Votes: 132,396 | Gross: $119.19M
Not so much a documentary as a film-essay, but compelling none the less. And Moore, always the provocateur, is at his most provocative here. Also, his most funny and accessible.
69. Deliver Us from Evil (I) (2014)
R | 118 min | Crime, Fantasy, Horror
New York police officer Ralph Sarchie investigates a series of crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest, schooled in the rites of exorcism, to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city.
Director: Scott Derrickson | Stars: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramírez, Olivia Munn, Chris Coy
Votes: 85,719 | Gross: $30.58M
70. Babies (2010)
PG | 79 min | Documentary
A look at one year in the life of four babies from around the world, from Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo.
Director: Thomas Balmès | Stars: Bayar, Hattie, Mari, Tarererua
Votes: 7,439 | Gross: $7.29M
Not high art, but fun anyways. This is a solid, slickly-made movie with simple pleasures: lots of shots of cute babies and there ain't nothing wrong with that.
71. Why We Fight (2005)
PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary, History, War
Is American foreign policy dominated by the idea of military supremacy? Has the military become too important in American life? Jarecki's shrewd and intelligent polemic would seem to give an affirmative answer to each of these questions.
Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Gore Vidal, John McCain, Ken Adelman, John Ashcroft
Votes: 10,233 | Gross: $1.44M
72. 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: 27,127 | Gross: $3.12M
73. Roger & Me (1989)
R | 91 min | Documentary
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: 27,514 | Gross: $6.71M
The movie that introduced people to Michael Moore is more significant for it's role in sparking his career than it's art. Still, it's formal properties are pretty revolutionary.
74. 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: 72,911 | Gross: $3.97M
Awesome subject. Ok movie
75. The Invisible War (2012)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Crime
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: 7,083 | Gross: $0.07M
Tough topic. But the movie is not more engaging than an episode of 60 minutes
76. This Is Not a Film (2011)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary
It's been months since Jafar Panahi, stuck in jail, has been awaiting a verdict by the appeals court. By depicting a day in his life, Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb try to portray the deprivations looming in contemporary Iranian cinema.
Directors: Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Jafar Panahi | Stars: Jafar Panahi, Igi, Mrs. Gheirat, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
Votes: 5,644 | Gross: $0.08M
77. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006–2007)
TV-MA | 51 min | Documentary
An examination of the U.S. government's response to Hurricane Katrina.
Stars: Darleen Asevedo, Jay Asevedo, Shelton Shakespear Alexander, Lee Arnold
Votes: 4,825
78.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
No Direction Home: Bob Dylan
(2005)
Not Rated | 208 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A chronicle of Bob Dylan's strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to "voice of a generation" to rock star.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Bob Dylan, B.J. Rolfzen, Dick Kangas, Liam Clancy
Votes: 12,111
79. The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary
Follows the routines of those employed at Studio Ghibli, including filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki as they work to release two films simultaneously, The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
Director: Mami Sunada | Stars: Hayao Miyazaki, Yumiko Miyoshi, Toshio Suzuki, Shinsuke Nonaka
Votes: 5,661
80. 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: 12,261
Kind of a cool, but a hypocritical (and strangely racist) movie. It opens with a sequence decrying the blight of colonialism and then proceeds to show how powerful, centrally located government workers use excessive force (often with the help of Europeans) to restrict locals' access to resources (not that extracting ivory is something I condone, just that this is a morally confused movie).
81. Super Size Me (2004)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary
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: 113,286 | Gross: $11.53M
82. 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: 51,451 | Gross: $0.87M
It's difficult to watch this and not be moved. However, it's simple-mindedness and sanctimony do start to grate after a while. Blackfish is a much stronger film for those interested in learning more about how we treat some of earth's most majestic animals.
83. March of the Penguins (2005)
G | 80 min | Documentary, Family
In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
Director: Luc Jacquet | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Romane Bohringer, Charles Berling, Jules Sitruk
Votes: 59,952 | Gross: $77.44M
Don't understand love for this movie. It's ok.
84. La danse (2009)
159 min | Documentary
The film follows the production of seven ballets by the Paris Opera Ballet.
Director: Frederick Wiseman | Stars: Emilie Cozette, Aurélie Dupont, Dorothée Gilbert, Marie-Agnès Gillot
Votes: 683 | Gross: $0.53M
Wicked long. Kinda boring.
85. What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Nina Simone, Lisa Simone Kelly, Roger Nupie, Al Schackman
Votes: 14,833
86. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
PG | 96 min | Documentary
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: 85,214 | Gross: $23.81M
Booooooorrrrriing
87. 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: 60,246 | Gross: $13.00M
Neither funny nor astute. One of those rare documentaries where I went in agreeing with it and left disagreeing.
88. My Kid Could Paint That (2007)
PG-13 | 82 min | Documentary, Family, Mystery
A look at the work and surprising success of a four-year-old girl whose paintings have been compared to the likes of Picasso and has raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Director: Amir Bar-Lev | Stars: Marla Olmstead, Laura Olmstead, Mark Olmstead, Amir Bar-Lev
Votes: 3,504 | Gross: $0.23M
The premise is so rich with possibility, but watching this movie I started to feel sick. It was that feeling you get when you experience a work of art and realize the artist has nothing to say.
89. A Film Unfinished (2010)
Unrated | 88 min | Documentary, Drama, History
A film about an unfinished film which portrays the people behind and before the camera in the Warsaw Ghetto, exposing the extent of the cinematic manipulation forever changing the way we look at historic images.
Director: Yael Hersonski | Stars: Alexander Beyer, Rüdiger Vogler, Hanna Avrutzki, Luba Gewisser
Votes: 1,899 | Gross: $0.31M
90. 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: 52,224 | Gross: $4.42M
Exists to preach to the choir. What joy there is to be found here (and there isn't much) exists in telling people what they already know so they can nod knowingly.
91. 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: 50,459 | Gross: $0.89M
A disaster. This is barely a movie.
92. The People vs. George Lucas (2010)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Comedy
An examination of the widespread fan disenchantment with George Lucas.
Director: Alexandre O. Philippe | Stars: Joe Nussbaum, Daryl Frazetti, Doug Jones, Damian Hess
Votes: 4,873
Another documentary that is so bad that I went in agreeing with the perspective of the movie, and left disagreeing. It was so shallow, so unconvincing, and most surprisingly, so ignorant of what made Star Wars great that I actually left respecting Lucas more. I would rather suffer through 2 hours and 20 minutes of Attack of the Clones than endure the 80 minutes of torture that is this nerd bitch-fest.
93. Nanking (2007)
R | 88 min | Biography, History, War
Through readings of historical account by actors and the testimony of survivors, the events of the Nanjing Massacre are recounted.
Directors: Bill Guttentag, Dan Sturman | Stars: Hugo Armstrong, Rosalind Chao, Stephen Dorff, John Getz
Votes: 3,589 | Gross: $0.16M
Feels vaguely colonial. Having actors read letters from victims is a horrible instinct and leads to a patronizing insincere quality to a subject that needs deeper thought than this film gives it.
94. The Art of the Steal (2009)
Unrated | 101 min | Documentary
Documentary that follows the struggle for control of Dr. Albert C. Barnes' 25 billion dollar collection of modern and post-impressionist art.
Director: Don Argott | Stars: Julian Bond, David D'Arcy, Richard Feigen, Richard H. Glanton
Votes: 2,492 | Gross: $0.54M
Hateful, pretentious, poorly reasoned, and, most importantly, made without art.
95. This Is It (2009)
PG | 111 min | Documentary, Music
A compilation of interviews, rehearsals, and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London.
Director: Kenny Ortega | Stars: Michael Jackson, Alex Al, Alexandra Apjarova, Nick Bass
Votes: 41,905 | Gross: $72.09M
96. The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993)
183 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary about the life and work of Leni Riefenstahl, a German film director most notorious for making the most effective propaganda films for the Nazis.
Director: Ray Müller | Stars: Leni Riefenstahl, Marlene Dietrich, Arnold Fanck, Walter Frentz
Votes: 3,052 | Gross: $0.45M
97. For Love of the Film (2005)
6 min | Comedy, Short
In 1997, in a theatre in upstate New York, a small band of fans were watching "Star Wars" when something extraordinary happened...
Director: Barry Curtis | Stars: Canedy Knowles, Edward Kelly, Simon Wong, Troy Metcalf
Votes: 32
98. Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief (2015)
Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary
A documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Paul Haggis, Jason Beghe, Spanky Taylor, David Miscavige
Votes: 40,913
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