Best documentaries. Ever.
by stormt | created - 14 Dec 2010 | updated - 4 months ago | PublicGood times for good documentaries. Format perhaps not as challenging as features as long as subject and persons portrayed are intriguing. In that sense lists also reflects my interests and opinions. No particular order.
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1. 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: 148,738 | Gross: $21.58M
2. Tom Dowd & the Language of Music (2003)
Unrated | 90 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary about Tom Dowd, who was an innovative recording engineer and producer of noted albums with John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Otis Redding, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers and many others.
Director: Mark Moormann | Stars: Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Aretha Franklin, Ginger Baker
Votes: 579 | Gross: $0.04M
3. The Corporation (2003)
Not Rated | 145 min | Documentary, History
Documentary that looks at the concept of the corporation throughout recent history up to its present-day dominance.
Directors: Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott | Stars: Mikela Jay, Rob Beckwermert, Christopher Gora, Nina Jones
Votes: 21,786 | Gross: $1.88M
4. The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the Nun (2006)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary
The story about the 82-year-old bachelor Mr. Vig, who has never known love, and Sister Amvrosija, a young Russian nun, who by chance, or destiny, becomes part of his life.
Director: Pernille Rose Grønkjær | Stars: Sister Ambrosija, Mr. Vig
Votes: 451
5. 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: 16,845 | Gross: $0.67M
6. 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: 59,946 | Gross: $77.44M
7. Jeg er levende - Søren Ulrik Thomsen, digter (1999)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Portrait of the Danish poet Søren Ulrik Thomsen.
Director: Jørgen Leth | Star: Søren Ulrik Thomsen
Votes: 77
8. Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)
PG | 108 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary about the Funk Brothers, a group of Detroit musicians who backed up dozens of Motown artists.
Director: Paul Justman | Stars: Joe Hunter, Jack Ashford, Uriel Jones, Richard 'Pistol' Allen
Votes: 3,846 | Gross: $1.60M
9. The World According to Bush (2004 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary, War
The 1000 days of George W. Bush's presidency from the 9/11 attacks to the iraqi quagmire. How a bunch of people influenced by neo-cons hawks took control of the US foreign policy.
Director: William Karel | Stars: John Ashcroft, Robert Baer, Tony Blair, Antony Blinken
Votes: 702
10. Amandla! (2002)
PG-13 | 108 min | Documentary, History, Music
Interviews, archival footage, and filmed performances highlight the role of music in the South African struggle against apartheid.
Director: Lee Hirsch | Stars: Abdullah Ibrahim, Duma Ka Ndlovu, Vusi Mahlasela, Walter Cronkite
Votes: 624 | Gross: $0.40M
11. Good Copy Bad Copy (2007)
59 min | Documentary
Directors: Ralf Christensen, Andreas Johnsen, Henrik Moltke | Stars: Lawrence Ferrara, Lawrence Lessig
Votes: 191
12. Revolution OS (2001)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary, Comedy
While Microsoft may be the biggest software company in the world, not every computer user is a fan of their products, or their way of doing business. While Microsoft's Windows became the ... See full summary »
Director: J.T.S. Moore | Stars: Linus Torvalds, Richard Stallman, Eric Raymond, Bruce Perens
Votes: 2,621 | Gross: $0.00M
13. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
PG-13 | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Daniel Johnston, manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist is revealed in this portrait of madness, creativity and love.
Director: Jeff Feuerzeig | Stars: Daniel Johnston, Mabel Johnston, Bill Johnston, Laurie Allen
Votes: 10,532 | Gross: $0.33M
14. 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: 10,231 | Gross: $1.44M
15. It Might Get Loud (2008)
PG | 98 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Jimmy Page, The Edge, Jack White, Dallas Schoo
Votes: 13,549 | Gross: $1.61M
16. Bring on the Night (1985)
PG-13 | 97 min | Documentary, Music
Documents the preparation and rehearsals for Sting's first solo concert, as well as his supporting band's opinions on their leader and his controversial efforts.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Miles A. Copeland III, Gil Friesen, Vic Garbarini, Omar Hakim
Votes: 654 | Gross: $1.89M
17. Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of 'Smile' (2004 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 109 min | Documentary
Interviews with Beach Boy Brian Wilson and his contemporaries outline the history of Wilson's album "Smile," a project some 37 years in the making.
Director: David Leaf | Stars: David Anderle, Hal Blaine, Jeff Bridges, Elvis Costello
Votes: 344
18. U2: Rattle and Hum (1988)
PG-13 | 99 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary of the Irish rock group U2 on their Fall 1987 tour of North America.
Director: Phil Joanou | Stars: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.
Votes: 6,177 | Gross: $8.60M
19. 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: 25,050 | Gross: $4.20M
20. 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: 132,391 | Gross: $119.19M
21. 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: 43,869 | Gross: $14.36M
22. Viva Zapatero! (2005)
80 min | Documentary
A documentary about the state of censorship and political satire in Italy.
Director: Sabina Guzzanti | Stars: Francesco Alberoni, Lucia Annunziata, Silvio Berlusconi, Enzo Biagi
Votes: 943
23. The Century of the Self (2002)
59 min | Documentary
A documentary about the rise of psychoanalysis as a powerful means of persuasion for both governments and corporations.
Stars: Adam Curtis, Robert Reich, Ann Bernays, Alfred Pritz
Votes: 6,360
24. 9/11: The Falling Man (2006 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 80 min | Documentary
The Falling Man is a documentary that examines one of the many images that were circulated by the press immediately after the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. The ... See full summary »
Director: Henry Singer | Stars: Steven Mackintosh, Eric Lipton, Iliana Guibert
Votes: 2,144
25. The Ascent of Money (2008– )
120 min | Documentary
Niall Ferguson takes us on a historical adventure through the ascent of money, applying fact and opinion throughout.
Stars: Niall Ferguson, Gareth Armstrong, Richard Lintern
Votes: 831
26. 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: 8,170 | Gross: $0.20M
27.
American Experience (1987– )
Episode:
Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple
(2007)
TV-PG | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Todays theme is Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple.
Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Stanley Clayton, Hue Fortson Jr., Vernon Gosney, Neva Sly Hargrave
Votes: 105
28. The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (2007)
104 min | Documentary
BC's illegal marijuana trade industry has evolved into a business giant, dubbed by some involved as 'The Union', Commanding upwards of $7 billion Canadian annually. With up to 85% of 'BC ... See full summary »
Director: Brett Harvey | Stars: Adam Scorgie, Chris Bennett, Steve Bloom, Renee Bojee
Votes: 7,833
29. Down from the Mountain (2000)
G | 98 min | Documentary, Music
This is a documentary about the musical artists who performed the songs in the Coen Brothers' film O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Directors: Nick Doob, Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker | Stars: Ralph Stanley, Emmylou Harris, Evelyn Cox, Sidney Cox
Votes: 709 | Gross: $0.30M
30.
Classic Albums (1997– )
Episode:
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
(2006)
49 min | Documentary, Music
A detailed look at the production of the biggest album in the history of progressive rock and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Director: Matthew Longfellow | Stars: Roger Waters, Storm Thorgerson, Nigel Williamson, David Fricke
Votes: 1,904
31.
Classic Albums (1997– )
Episode:
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
(1997)
75 min | Documentary, Music
Musicians, producers, family, colleagues and the artist himself look back on the making of Stevie Wonders's classic album "Song In the Key of Life".
Director: David Heffernan | Stars: Dorothy Ashby, Shirley Brewer, Ben Bridges, Isiah 'Greg' Brown
Votes: 105
32.
Classic Albums (1997– )
Episode:
U2: The Joshua Tree
(1999)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary examining the production of U2's most commercially successful and critically acclaimed album.
Directors: Philip King, Nuala O'Connor | Stars: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.
Votes: 509
33.
Classic Albums (1997– )
Episode:
Iron Maiden: The Number of the Beast
(2001)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, Music
A behind the scenes look at the making of Iron Maiden's critically praised album 'The Number of the Beast'
Director: Tim Kirkby | Stars: Martin Birch, Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris, Dave Murray
Votes: 516
34. This American Life (2007–2012)
TV-14 | 22 min | Documentary
An anthology of true stories pertaining to various themes are illustrated.
Stars: Ira Glass, Milo Finch, Chris Partyka, Barbara Beneville
Votes: 626
35.
30 for 30 (2009– )
Episode:
Once Brothers
(2010)
TV-G | 79 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Drazen Petrovic and Vlade Divac were two friends who grew up together sharing the common bond of basketball. Together, they lifted the Yugoslavian National team to unimaginable heights. ... See full summary »
Director: Michael Tolajian | Stars: Rick Adelman, Danny Ainge, Kenny Anderson, James Baker III
Votes: 3,431
36. 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
37. Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade (2007)
R | 90 min | Documentary
1982's Video Game World Champions share their philosophies on joysticks, groupies and life.
Director: Lincoln Ruchti | Stars: Walter Day, Ben Gold, Steve Sanders, Kent Farries
Votes: 1,443
38.
30 for 30 (2009– )
Episode:
Silly Little Game
(2010)
TV-G | 51 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Charts the origins of fantasy sports games from a small lunchtime group known as the rotisserie league to the multi-million dollar industry it is today. The show also explores how none of ... See full summary »
Directors: Lucas Jansen, Adam Kurland | Stars: Jennifer Appel, Mark Cajigao, Nate Dern, Johnathan Fernandez
Votes: 817
39. Screenwipe (2006–2020)
TV-MA | 30 min | Documentary, Comedy
Satirical TV show critique.
Stars: Charlie Brooker, Al Campbell, David Firth, Diane Morgan
Votes: 2,502
40. 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: 78,968 | Gross: $4.31M
41. Knuckle (2011)
R | 97 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
An epic 12-year journey into the brutal and secretive world of Irish Traveler bare-knuckle fighting. This film follows a history of violent feuding between rival clans.
Director: Ian Palmer | Stars: James Quinn McDonagh, Paddy Quinn McDonagh, Michael Quinn McDonagh, Ian Palmer
Votes: 3,233 | Gross: $0.00M
42. 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: 60,241 | Gross: $13.00M
43. The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)
Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary
An exploration of the life and work of Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, former Marine and military strategist, who was responsible for the publication of secret government documents that revealed the truth behind America's involvement in Vietnam.
Directors: Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith | Stars: Peter Arnett, Ben Bagdikian, Ann Beeson, John Dean
Votes: 2,421 | Gross: $0.45M
44. American: The Bill Hicks Story (2009)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
Photo-animated feature documentary, uniquely narrated by the 10 people who knew Bill best.
Directors: Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas | Stars: Bill Hicks, Dwight Slade, Mary Hicks, Steve Hicks
Votes: 5,006 | Gross: $0.09M
45. Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
G | 99 min | Documentary
Film-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Doug MacAyeal
Votes: 19,250 | Gross: $0.94M
46. 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: 61,881 | Gross: $3.17M
47. The Last Supper: The Life of the Deathrow Chef (2005)
57 min | Documentary
The last supper has been given to death penalty prisoners as long as the punishment has existed. Tradition stems from funeral rites where the deceased person was given food on his deathbed to protect him on his journey to the afterlife.
Directors: Lars Bergström, Mats Bigert | Stars: Brian Price, Mimi Martin, Sakae Menda, Pra Kru Nanta
Votes: 27
48. Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004)
Unrated | 78 min | Documentary
Documentary on reported Conservative bias of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC), which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced". Material includes interviews with former FNC employees and the inter-office memos they provided.
Director: Robert Greenwald | Stars: Douglas Cheek, Walter Cronkite, Bob McChesney, Jeff Cohen
Votes: 6,276 | Gross: $0.24M
49.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Woody Allen: A Documentary
(2011)
Not Rated | 192 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary on Woody Allen that trails him on his movie sets and follows him back to Brooklyn as he visits his childhood haunts.
Director: Robert B. Weide | Stars: Woody Allen, Letty Aronson, Marshall Brickman, Josh Brolin
Votes: 5,285
50. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Not Rated | 142 min | Documentary, Biography
The career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise.
Director: Jan Harlan | Stars: Katharina Kubrick, Malcolm McDowell, Stanley Kubrick, Barbara Kroner
Votes: 12,204
51. 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: 16,803 | Gross: $0.27M
52. Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992)
Not Rated | 167 min | Documentary, Biography, War
A film about the noted American linguist/political dissident and his warning about corporate media's role in modern propaganda.
Directors: Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Mark Achbar, Karin Aguilar-San Juan, Paul Andrews
Votes: 4,935
53. The Yes Men Fix the World (2009)
87 min | Documentary, Comedy
Troublemaking duo Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, posing as their industrious alter-egos, expose the people profiting from Hurricane Katrina, the faces behind the environmental disaster in Bhopal, and other shocking events.
Directors: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Kurt Engfehr | Stars: Reggie Watts, Mike Bonanno, Andy Bichlbaum, Richard Ebeling
Votes: 5,207 | Gross: $0.19M
54. One Day in September (1999)
R | 94 min | Documentary, History, Sport
The Palestinian terrorist group Black September holds Israeli athletes hostage at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Michael Douglas, Ankie Spitzer, Jamal Al Gashey, Gerald Seymour
Votes: 6,244 | Gross: $0.16M
55. 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: 60,407 | Gross: $2.28M
56. My Best Fiend (1999)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography
The love-hate relationship between Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski, the deep trust between the director and the actor, and their independently and simultaneously hatched plans to murder one another.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, Eva Mattes
Votes: 12,193 | Gross: $0.10M
57. 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: 40,700 | Gross: $0.02M
58. Buck (2011)
PG | 88 min | Documentary
An examination of the life of acclaimed 'horse whisperer' Buck Brannaman, who recovered from years of child abuse to become a well-known expert in the interactions between horses and people.
Director: Cindy Meehl | Stars: Buck Brannaman, Gary Myers, Bibb Frazier, Betty Staley
Votes: 3,432 | Gross: $4.02M
59. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)
Not Rated | 121 min | Documentary, Crime
A further followup of the case of the West Memphis Three and the decades long fight to exonerate them that finally gained traction with new DNA evidence.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Gary Gitchell, Todd Moore, Dana Moore, Pam Hobbs
Votes: 10,864
60. Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
German-American Dieter Dengler discusses his service as a U.S. naval pilot in the Vietnam War. Dengler also revisits the sites of his capture and eventual escape from the hands of the Viet Cong, recreating many events for the camera.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Dieter Dengler, Werner Herzog, Eugene Deatrick
Votes: 6,830
61. For the Bible Tells Me So (2007)
Unrated | 95 min | Documentary, Romance
An exploration of the intersection between religion and homosexuality in the U.S. and how the religious right has used its interpretation of the Bible to stigmatize the gay community.
Director: Daniel G. Karslake | Stars: Imogene Robinson, Victor Robinson, Gene Robinson, Isabella 'Boo' McDaniel
Votes: 4,519 | Gross: $0.31M
62. 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: 58,677 | Gross: $2.96M
63. 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: 68,821 | Gross: $3.29M
64. Secrets of the Tribe (2010)
TV-14 | 98 min | Documentary
The field of anthropology goes under the magnifying glass in this fiery investigation of the seminal research on Yanomami Indians. In the 1960s and '70s, a steady stream of anthropologists ... See full summary »
Director: José Padilha | Stars: Robert Borofsky, Jesus Cardozo, Napoleon A. Chagnon, Marie Isabel Eguillor
Votes: 517
65. Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008)
PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary, Sport
An examination of America's win-at-all-cost culture from the perspective of bodybuilding and performance enhancing drugs, as it focuses on a pair of siblings chasing their dream.
Director: Chris Bell | Stars: Chris Bell, Mike Bell, Mark Bell, Hank Aaron
Votes: 13,816 | Gross: $0.31M
66. Deliver Us from Evil (2006)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
Documentary about Father Oliver O'Grady, a Catholic priest who was relocated to various parishes around the United States during the 1970s in an attempt by the Catholic Church to cover up his rape of dozens of children.
Director: Amy Berg | Stars: Oliver O'Grady, Thomas Doyle, Adam, Jeff Anderson
Votes: 10,825 | Gross: $30.58M
67. Stranded (2007)
Unrated | 130 min | Documentary
For the first time ever, survivors of the famous 1972 Andes plane crash tell in their own words their harrowing story of survival.
Director: Gonzalo Arijon | Stars: Jose Algorta, Roberto Canessa, Alfredo Delgado, Daniel Fernandez
Votes: 1,477 | Gross: $0.09M
68. I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash (2010 TV Movie)
88 min | Documentary
On Friday, the 13th of October, 1972, a charter plane carrying 45 passengers, including a college rugby team, vanished over the desolate, snow-covered Andes Mountains. For 72 days, the world thought they were dead.
Director: Brad Osborne | Stars: James Lentzsch, Benjamin Josse, Kelly Haitz, Cindy Latch
Votes: 519
69. Tintin et moi (2003)
75 min | Documentary, Biography
A high-profiled documentary about Hergé and his major cartoon success, Tintin, based in part on previously unreleased archive tape footage.
Director: Anders Østergaard | Stars: Hergé, Numa Sadoul, Michael Farr, Harry Thompson
Votes: 628
70. Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire (2004)
90 min | Documentary
The story of Canadian Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire and his controversial command of the United Nations' mission to Rwanda during the 1994 genocide.
Director: Peter Raymont | Stars: Gerry Caplan, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Roméo Dallaire
Votes: 1,087
71. 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: 2,019
72. 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
73. Everything's Cool (2007)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary
Researchers, activists, scientists and more and more politicians have been actively fighting for several decades to wake up the public and governments of various countries to take ... See full summary »
Directors: Daniel B. Gold, Judith Helfand | Stars: Daniel B. Gold, Ross Gelbspan, Bill McKibben, John 'Bish' Neuhauser
Votes: 227
74. Deep Water (2006)
PG | 92 min | Documentary, History, Sport
A documentary about the disastrous 1968 round-the-world yacht race.
Directors: Louise Osmond, Jerry Rothwell | Stars: Tilda Swinton, Donald Crowhurst, Ted Hynds, Robin Knox-Johnston
Votes: 3,303 | Gross: $0.27M
75. Contact (II) (2009)
79 min | Documentary, History
In 1964, Yuwali was 17 when her first contact with white men was filmed. Her group of twenty women and children were the last aboriginal mob living traditionally, without any knowledge of ... See full summary »
Directors: Martin Butler, Bentley Dean | Stars: Grant Judson, Thelma Judson, Yuwali Nixon
Votes: 55
76. Wordplay (2006)
PG | 94 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at The New York Times' long-time crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz and his loyal fan base.
Director: Patrick Creadon | Stars: Will Shortz, Ken Burns, Jon Stewart, Merl Reagle
Votes: 3,782 | Gross: $3.12M
77. Touching the Void (2003)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Simon Yates, Joe Simpson, Brendan Mackey, Nicholas Aaron
Votes: 38,096 | Gross: $4.59M
78. 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: 75,777 | Gross: $1.61M
79. The Bridge (I) (2006)
R | 94 min | Documentary, Drama
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: 12,215 | Gross: $0.18M
80. 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
81. Right America: Feeling Wronged - Some Voices from the Campaign Trail (2009 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 43 min | Documentary
On the night Barack Obama was elected our 44th President, more than 58 million voters cast their ballots for John McCain. Journalist/filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi presents this first-person, ... See full summary »
Director: Alexandra Pelosi | Stars: Jonathan Alter, Carl Cameron, Katie Couric, Howard Fineman
Votes: 430
82. Waiting for Armageddon (2009)
Not Rated | 74 min | Documentary
America's 50-million strong Evangelical community is convinced that the world's future is foretold in Biblical prophecy - from the Rapture to the Battle of Armageddon. This astonishing ... See full summary »
Directors: Kate Davis, David Heilbroner, Franco Sacchi | Stars: Gary Bauer, Chip Berlet, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter
Votes: 389 | Gross: $0.01M
83. 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: 20,108
84. White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (2007)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, History
Using extensive interviews with survivors and archival footage, an examination reveals the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Director: Steven Okazaki | Stars: Harold Agnew, Shuntaro Hida, Kiyoko Imori, Morris Jeppson
Votes: 2,324
85. Outrage (I) (2009)
R | 90 min | Documentary
An indictment of closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation in the U.S.
Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Barney Frank, James McGreevey, Kevin Naff, Dan Popkey
Votes: 1,752 | Gross: $0.04M
86. Collapse (II) (2009)
Unrated | 82 min | Documentary
A documentary on Michael Ruppert, a police officer turned independent reporter who predicted the current financial crisis in his self-published newsletter, From the Wilderness.
Director: Chris Smith | Star: Michael Ruppert
Votes: 6,844 | Gross: $0.05M
87. Heir to an Execution: A Granddaughter's Story (2004)
TV-PG | 99 min | Documentary
A filmmaker explores the lives and deaths of her grandparents, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed as spies in 1953.
Director: Ivy Meeropol | Stars: Bob Considine, Robert Meeropol, Morton Sobell, Sally Kanter Bruin
Votes: 443
88. Root of All Evil? (2006 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary
Richard Dawkins' highly critical documentary attacks the pulsing heart of all mainstream religion- faith; with special focus on Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Contains repeated ... See full summary »
Director: Russell Barnes | Stars: Yousef Al-Khattab, Richard Dawkins, Ted Haggard, Richard Harries
Votes: 3,867
89.
Nova (1974– )
Episode:
Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial
(2007)
TV-PG | 112 min | Documentary
The account of the legal battle in Dover, Pennsylvania over the required teaching of the religious-based "intelligence design" as supposedly a legitimate scientific alternative to evolution in the local public school.
Directors: Gary Johnstone, Joseph McMaster | Stars: Jay Benedict, Matthew Chapman, Anthony Edridge, Michael Fitzpatrick
Votes: 212
90. 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: 3,174 | Gross: $0.03M
91. The Last Mountain (2011)
PG | 95 min | Documentary
A coal mining corporation and a tiny community vie for the last great mountain in Appalachia in a battle for the future of energy that affects us all.
Director: Bill Haney | Stars: Susan Bird, Don Blankenship, Ron Burris, Jenna Bush Hager
Votes: 310 | Gross: $0.12M
92. 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: 21,442
93. Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012)
TV-14 | 106 min | Documentary
Alex Gibney explores the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all the way to the Vatican.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Terry Kohut, Gary Smith, Pat Kuehn
Votes: 4,084
94. The Trials of Darryl Hunt (2006)
PG-13 | 106 min | Documentary, Crime
"The Trials of Darryl Hunt" is a feature documentary about a brutal rape/murder case and a wrongly convicted man, Darryl Hunt, who spent nearly twenty years in prison for a crime he did not... See full summary »
Directors: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg | Stars: Evelyn Jefferson, Fred Flagler, John Reeves, Mary Anne Sheboy
Votes: 1,081 | Gross: $0.00M
95. 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: 50,446 | Gross: $0.89M
96. The Human Scale (2012)
83 min | Documentary, News
Half of the human population lives in urban areas. By 2050, this will increase to 80%. Life in a megacity is both enchanting and problematic. Today we face peak oil, climate change, ... See full summary »
Director: Andreas Dalsgaard | Stars: Jan Gehl, Rob Adams, Robert Doyle, Lars Gemzøe
Votes: 795
97. Let's Make Money (2008)
110 min | Documentary
Most of us don't know where their money is. However, one thing is for certain, it's is not in the bank to which we entrusted it. The bank and our money is already a part of the cycle of the global money market.
Director: Erwin Wagenhofer | Stars: Mark Mobius, Mirko Kovats, K. Sujatha Raaju, Gerhard Schwarz
Votes: 1,753
98. Air Crash Investigation (2003– )
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Dramatized reconstruction of real-life air disasters, along with interviews with aviation experts and eyewitnesses.
Stars: Jonathan Aris, Stephen Bogaert, John Cox, John Nance
Votes: 5,904
99. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)
Not Rated | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 18,039 | Gross: $0.05M
100. Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
PG-13 | 90 min | Documentary
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: 27,562 | Gross: $0.65M
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