Documentaries
by vincent-mann-1 | created - 03 Feb 2013 | updated - 06 Feb 2017 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Beatles Anthology (1995–1996)
TV-14 | 67 min | Documentary, Music
An autobiographical documentary of the greatest of the rock bands.
Stars: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, George Martin
Votes: 9,424
2. Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who (2007)
Not Rated | 237 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on The Who, featuring interviews with the band's two surviving members, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey.
Directors: Paul Crowder, Murray Lerner, Parris Patton | Stars: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Keith Moon
Votes: 1,368
3. 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: 10,528 | Gross: $0.33M
4. 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
5. When You're Strange (2009)
R | 86 min | Documentary, Music
A look at the late '60s and early '70s rock band The Doors, including rare exclusive footage.
Director: Tom DiCillo | Stars: Johnny Depp, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek
Votes: 10,273 | Gross: $0.24M
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: 72,885 | Gross: $3.97M
7. Bully (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary
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
8. 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: 43,938
9. 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: 5,663
10. 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: 23,218 | Gross: $1.32M
11. Sound City (2013)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on the fabled recording studio that was located in Van Nuys, California.
Director: Dave Grohl | Stars: Trent Reznor, Tom Petty, Mick Fleetwood, Vinny Appice
Votes: 13,441 | Gross: $0.42M
12. Samsara (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 102 min | Documentary, Music
Filmed over nearly five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, and shot on seventy-millimetre film, Samsara transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders.
Director: Ron Fricke | Stars: Balinese Tari Legong Dancers, Ni Made Megahadi Pratiwi, Puti Sri Candra Dewi, Putu Dinda Pratika
Votes: 38,025 | Gross: $2.67M
13. 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: 51,434 | Gross: $0.87M
14. 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: 52,207 | Gross: $4.42M
15. 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: 40,973 | Gross: $1.33M
16. 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: 25,043 | Gross: $4.20M
17.
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
18. 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: 13,716 | Gross: $0.03M
19. 102 Minutes That Changed America (2008 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 102 min | Documentary, History
The morning of September 11, 2001 is shown through multiple video cameras in New York City, from the moment the first WTC tower is hit until after both towers collapse.
Directors: Nicole Rittenmeyer, Seth Skundrick | Stars: George W. Bush, Joe Napolitano, Kelly Edwards
Votes: 2,907
20. In Memoriam: New York City (2002 TV Movie)
60 min | Documentary, War
Stars: Rudy Giuliani, Bernard Kerik, George Pataki
Votes: 292
21. The Musical Brain (2009)
45 min | Documentary, Music
Through the journey of recording artist Sting, we learn how the brain uses music to shape the human experience. As Sting undergoes brain scans to learn how music is manifested in his brain,... See full summary »
Director: Christina Pochmursky | Stars: Michael Bublé, Leslie Feist, Wyclef Jean, Daniel Levitin
Votes: 59
22.
Nova (1974– )
Episode:
The Pluto Files
(2010)
TV-PG | 53 min | Documentary
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson gives the facts on Pluto and examines the controversy over whether it is a planet.
Director: Terri Randall | Stars: Mike Brown, Kenneth Chang, Stephen Colbert, Gary G. Dahl
Votes: 79
23. Inside World War II (2012 TV Movie)
135 min | Documentary
Firsthand accounts of World War II are shared in this documentary, which includes archival footage and more than 50 testimonies from American, British, German and Soviet servicemembers.
Votes: 184
24. Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011)
R | 95 min | Documentary
A documentary on DIY producer/director Roger Corman and his alternative approach to making movies in Hollywood.
Director: Alex Stapleton | Stars: Roger Corman, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Paul W.S. Anderson
Votes: 2,674 | Gross: $0.01M
25. The Gatekeepers (2012)
PG-13 | 101 min | Documentary, History, War
A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets.
Director: Dror Moreh | Stars: Ami Ayalon, Avraham Shalom, Avi Dichter, Yaakov Peri
Votes: 5,886 | Gross: $2.42M
26. Journey of the Universe (2011)
TV-G | 56 min | Documentary
The Emmy Award winning JOURNEY OF THE UNIVERSE tells an epic story of cosmic, Earth and human transformation from The Big Bang to today. Evolutionary philosopher Brian Thomas Swimme and ... See full summary »
Directors: David Kennard, Patsy Northcutt | Star: Brian Thomas Swimme
Votes: 247
27.
American Experience (1987– )
Episode:
The Battle Over Citizen Kane
(1996)
TV-PG | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary about the battle between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst over Welles' Citizen Kane (1941). Features interviews with Welles' and Hearst's co-workers also as a relative complete bio of Hearst.
Directors: Michael Epstein, Thomas Lennon | Stars: Richard Ben Cramer, William Alland, Thomas Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich
Votes: 1,456
28. The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)
TV-PG | 98 min | Documentary, History
Documentary about the art of film editing. Clips are shown from many groundbreaking films with innovative editing styles.
Director: Wendy Apple | Stars: Kathy Bates, Zach Staenberg, Jodie Foster, Michael Tronick
Votes: 3,195
29. 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: 2,648
30. Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story (2012)
Unrated | 87 min | Documentary
The story of Yonatan Netanyahu, commander of an elite Israeli army commando unit who was killed during Operation Entebbe, a hostage-rescue mission carried out at Entebbe Airport in Uganda ... See full summary »
Directors: Jonathan Gruber, Ari Daniel Pinchot | Stars: Yiftach R. Atir, Shai Avital, Omer Bar-Lev, Ehud Barak
Votes: 186 | Gross: $0.11M
31. Spinning Plates (2012)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary
A documentary about three unique restaurants and their respective owners.
Director: Joseph Levy | Stars: Grant Achatz, Cindy Breitbach, Mike Breitbach, Thomas Keller
Votes: 984 | Gross: $0.11M
32. Visions of Light (1992)
92 min | Documentary, History
Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography, illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from The Birth of a Nation (1915) to Do the Right Thing (1989).
Directors: Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, Stuart Samuels | Stars: Conrad L. Hall, John Bailey, Vilmos Zsigmond, Charles Lang
Votes: 3,334 | Gross: $0.80M
33. A Brief History of Time (1991)
G | 80 min | Documentary, Biography
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: 5,912 | Gross: $2.28M
34. America: Imagine the World Without Her (2014)
PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary
A story that questions the shaming of the US through revisionist history, lies and omissions by educational institutions, political organizations, Alinsky, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other progressives to destroy America.
Directors: Dinesh D'Souza, John Sullivan | Stars: Dinesh D'Souza, Barack Obama, Josh Bonzie, Rich Bentz
Votes: 7,042 | Gross: $14.44M
35. FrackNation (2013)
PG | 77 min | Documentary
Journalist Phelim McAleer faces bogus lawsuits, gun threats and intimidation questioning environmentalists and anti-fracking activists in his search for the truth.
Directors: Phelim McAleer, Ann McElhinney, Magdalena Segieda | Stars: Bruce Ames, Karl Canfield, Terry Engelder, Josh Fox
Votes: 962
36. 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: 38,001 | Gross: $2.55M
37. Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory (2014)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, Music, News
Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memory, fights against a broken healthcare system to demonstrate music's ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it.
Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett | Stars: Dan Cohen, Louise Dueno, Nell Hardie, Norman Hardie
Votes: 3,237 | Gross: $0.15M
38. Casting By (2012)
TV-14 | 89 min | Documentary, Biography
The surprising, never-before-told tale of the indispensable yet unsung Casting Director - Iconoclasts whose keen eye, exquisite taste and gut instincts redefined Hollywood.
Director: Tom Donahue | Stars: Deborah Aquila, Risa Bramon Garcia, Ellen Chenoweth, Marion Dougherty
Votes: 1,638 | Gross: $0.01M
39. The Atomic Cafe (1982)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, History
Disturbing collection of 1940s and 1950s United States government-issued propaganda films designed to reassure Americans that the atomic bomb was not a threat to their safety.
Directors: Jayne Loader, Kevin Rafferty, Pierce Rafferty | Stars: Paul Tibbets, Harry S. Truman, W.H.P. Blandy, Brien McMahon
Votes: 4,534 | Gross: $0.02M
40. Reel Injun (2009)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary, Western
The history of the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films.
Directors: Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge, Jeremiah Hayes | Stars: Adam Beach, Chris Eyre, Russell Means, John Trudell
Votes: 1,645
41. Lost in La Mancha (2002)
R | 89 min | Documentary
Terry Gilliam's doomed attempt to get his film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018), off the ground.
Directors: Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe | Stars: Terry Gilliam, Johnny Depp, Jeff Bridges, Tony Grisoni
Votes: 11,999 | Gross: $0.73M
42. Invisible Children (2006)
55 min | Documentary
Invisible Children is an American documentary which shows the human rights abuses by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) in Uganda.
Stars: Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole, Jason Russell
Votes: 570
43. Miss Representation (2011)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
Explores the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America, and challenges the media's limited portrayal of what it means to be a powerful woman.
Director: Jennifer Siebel Newsom | Stars: Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Jean Kilbourne, Jim Steyer, Katie Couric
Votes: 3,865
44. Still Dreaming (2014)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Drama
'Still Dreaming' follows the return to the stage by a group of elderly entertainers living at the Lillian Booth Actors Home just outside Manhattan. These retirees embark on a journey ... See full summary »
Directors: Hank Rogerson, Jilann Spitzmiller | Stars: Mayleen Adams, Gloria Albee, Noah Brody, Harold Cherry
Votes: 28
45. Zeitgeist (2007 Video)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary, History
Mythology and belief in society today, presenting uncommon perspectives of common cultural issues.
Director: Peter Joseph | Stars: Chogyam Trungpa, Jordan Maxwell, George Carlin, Bill Hicks
Votes: 50,363
46.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
Losing Iraq
(2014)
TV-PG | 84 min | Documentary, News
From PBS and FRONTLINE: FRONTLINE examines the unfolding chaos in Iraq and how the U.S. is being pulled back into the conflict. Drawing on interviews with policymakers and military leaders,... See full summary »
Director: Michael Kirk | Stars: Will Lyman, Peter Baker, Thomas Ricks, George W. Bush
Votes: 146
47.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
Generation Like
(2014)
TV-PG | 54 min | Documentary, News
From PBS and Frontline: Thanks to social media, today's teens are able to directly interact with their culture - artists, celebrities, movies, brands, and even one another - in ways never ... See full summary »
Stars: Will Lyman, Douglas Rushkoff, Fred Durst, Scott
Votes: 121
48. 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: 13,548 | Gross: $1.61M
49. Citizenfour (2014)
R | 114 min | Documentary, Biography
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: 57,964 | Gross: $2.80M
50. Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)
TV-MA | 132 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
An authorized documentary on the late musician Kurt Cobain, from his early days in Aberdeen, Washington to his success and downfall with the grunge band Nirvana.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Kurt Cobain, Wendy O'Connor, Don Cobain, Jenny Cobain
Votes: 32,127
51. 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: 18,824 | Gross: $0.70M
52. Amy (III) (2015)
R | 128 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.
Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Amy Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Russell Brand
Votes: 55,005 | Gross: $8.41M
53. 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: 68,814 | Gross: $3.29M
54. He Named Me Malala (2015)
PG-13 | 88 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at the events leading up to the Taliban's attack on Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai for speaking out on girls' education, followed by the aftermath, including her speech to the United Nations.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Toor Pekai Yousafzai, Khushal Yousafzai
Votes: 4,786 | Gross: $2.64M
55. Tashi and the Monk (2014)
TV-PG | 39 min | Documentary, Short, Biography
A man creates a remarkable community for abandoned children, with no higher purpose than giving its young members the joys of childhood.
Directors: Johnny Burke, Andrew Hinton | Stars: Lobsang Phuntsok, Tashi Drolma, Tenzin Drolma, Jhamtse Gatsal
Votes: 472
56. 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: 15,078 | Gross: $1.51M
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