Documentaries
by hannah-wickes | created - 08 May 2014 | updated - 30 Jan 2017 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Flat (2011)
Not Rated | 97 min | Documentary
As a documentarian cleans out the flat that belonged to his grandparents--both immigrants from Nazi Germany--he uncovers clues pointing to a complicated, shocking story.
Director: Arnon Goldfinger | Stars: Michael Adler, Yaron Amit, Avrham Barkai, Meital Beili
Votes: 1,509 | Gross: $0.47M
2. The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life (2013)
39 min | Documentary, Short, Biography
Aliza Sommer-Herz, aged 109 and the world's oldest Holocaust survivor, tells the story of how music saved her life: both during her time at Theresienstadt concentration camp and in the years afterwards.
Director: Malcolm Clarke | Stars: Aliza Sommer-Herz, Zdenka Fantlova, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, Malcolm Clarke
Votes: 1,006
3. 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: 28,029 | Gross: $7.83M
4. Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology (2011)
PG | 82 min | Documentary
Filmmaker and Founder of the Webby Awards, Tiffany Shlain, investigates the interconnections between the major issues of the 21st century and her own experience of these issues during a family crisis.
Director: Tiffany Shlain | Stars: Ken Goldberg, Peter Coyote, Leonard Shlain, Tiffany Shlain
Votes: 354 | Gross: $0.01M
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: 68,836 | Gross: $3.29M
6. Shut Up and Play the Hits (2012)
Not Rated | 108 min | Documentary, Music
On April 2nd 2011, LCD Soundsystem played its final show at Madison Square Garden. Documenting this once in a life time performance and an intimate portrait of James Murphy as he navigates the lead-up to the show, the day after, and the personal and professional ramifications of his decision.
Directors: Will Lovelace, Dylan Southern | Stars: James Murphy, Chuck Klosterman, Keith Wood, Nancy Whang
Votes: 2,889 | Gross: $0.51M
7. Fambul Tok (2011)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary
Fambul Tok tells the story of healing in post-conflict Sierra Leone through the intimate stories of perpetrators and victims. In HD.
Director: Sara Terry
Votes: 43
8. Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony (2012)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary
Profiling the cross-demographic fanaticism for the ostensibly girl-orientated television series, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2010).
Director: Laurent Malaquais | Stars: John de Lancie, Alex Tibcken, Tim Star, Lauren Faust
Votes: 1,663
9. After Porn Ends (2012)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary
An exploration of the lives of several former adult performers who have retired from the porn industry.
Director: Bryce Wagoner | Stars: Amber Lynn, Asia Carrera, Bobby Slayton, Crissy Moran
Votes: 8,111
10. Thunder Soul (2010)
PG | 83 min | Documentary, Music
Alumni from Houston's storied Kashmere High School Stage Band return home after 35 years to play a tribute concert for their beloved band leader who turned the struggling jazz band into a world-class funk powerhouse in the early 1970s.
Director: Mark Landsman | Stars: Craig Baldwin, Craig Green, Conrad O. Johnson Sr., Bruce Middleton
Votes: 534 | Gross: $0.14M
11. The Art of the Steal (2013)
R | 90 min | Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Crunch Calhoun, a semi-reformed art thief, agrees to get his old gang back together to pull off one last heist.
Director: Jonathan Sobol | Stars: Kurt Russell, Jay Baruchel, Katheryn Winnick, Chris Diamantopoulos
Votes: 26,055 | Gross: $0.06M
12. The Central Park Five (2012)
Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A documentary that examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park. After having spent between 6 and 13 years each in prison, a serial rapist confessed to the crime.
Directors: Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon | Stars: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana
Votes: 7,937 | Gross: $0.27M
13. 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
14. The Punk Singer (2013)
Not Rated | 81 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A look at the life of activist, musician, and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.
Director: Sini Anderson | Stars: Kathleen Hanna, Carrie Brownstein, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett
Votes: 3,085 | Gross: $0.12M
15. A Band Called Death (2012)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary on the 1970s punk trio Death, and their new-found popularity decades after they disbanded.
Directors: Mark Christopher Covino, Jeff Howlett | Stars: Bobby Hackney, David Hackney, Dannis Hackney, Robbie Duncan
Votes: 4,005 | Gross: $0.13M
16. Blank City (2010)
Unrated | 94 min | Documentary
During the punk rock stage in the late '70s, downtown New York experienced a wave of "Do it yourself" independent filmmaking.
Director: Celine Danhier | Stars: Amos Poe, Ann Magnuson, Becky Johnston, Beth B
Votes: 835 | Gross: $0.12M
17. 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: 16,260 | Gross: $0.81M
18. Supermensch (2013)
R | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
The life and career of the legendary Hollywood insider, Shep Gordon.
Directors: Beth Aala, Mike Myers | Stars: Shep Gordon, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Douglas, Alice Cooper
Votes: 3,403 | Gross: $0.21M
19. Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets (2014)
90 min | Documentary, Music
Britpop band Pulp found fame on the world stage in the mid-1990s with anthems including "Common People" and "Disco 2000". Twenty five years and 10 million album sales later, they return to their hometown for their last UK concert.
Director: Florian Habicht | Stars: Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, Nick Banks, Candida Doyle
Votes: 1,766
20. Pecados de mi padre (2009)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary
Nicolas Entel's searing documentary tells the story of Pablo Escobar -- Colombian drug kingpin, murderer and family man -- through the eyes of his son, Sebastian, as well as the sons of two of Escobar's most prominent victims.
Director: Nicolas Entel | Stars: Jorge Enrique Abello, Pablo Escobar, Sebastian Marroquín, María Isabel Santos
Votes: 1,766
21. Orchestra of Exiles (2012)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
Some stories get lost in the turmoil of their times. It is often only in retrospect that we can discover the true shapers of history. One such man is the prodigious Polish violinist ... See full summary »
Director: Josh Aronson | Stars: Zubin Mehta, Geno Lechner, Joshua Bell, Adam Boncz
Votes: 163 | Gross: $0.03M
22. 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: 72,484 | Gross: $2.07M
23. UnHung Hero (2013)
Unrated | 84 min | Documentary
UnHung Hero charts a humiliated man's fact-finding journey as he consults porn stars, doctors and anthropologists to learn whether the size of one's manhood matters.
Director: Brian Spitz | Stars: Patrick Moote, Wendy Suzann Miller, Axel Braun, Jonah Falcon
Votes: 2,723
24. 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: 13,443 | Gross: $0.42M
25. Tabloid (2010)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Crime
A documentary on a former Miss Wyoming who is charged with abducting and imprisoning a young Mormon Missionary.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Joyce McKinney, Peter Tory, Troy Williams, Jackson Shaw
Votes: 7,285 | Gross: $0.68M
26. The Rape of Europa (2006)
Unrated | 117 min | Documentary, History, War
The story of Nazi Germany's plundering of Europe's great works of art during World War II and Allied efforts to minimize the damage.
Directors: Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen, Nicole Newnham | Stars: Joan Allen, E. Randol Schoenberg, Maria Altmann, Wolfgang Fischer
Votes: 1,659
27. Steal a Pencil for Me (2007)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary, Romance
The true story of the troubled marriage of Jaap and Manja Polak, who lived in German occupied Amsterdam. During the war, Jaap met and fell in love with Ina Soep.
Director: Michèle Ohayon | Stars: J.P. Gillain, Jeroen Krabbé, Marieke Oudejans, Jack Polak
Votes: 430
28. No Place on Earth (2012)
PG-13 | 83 min | Documentary, War
A cave exploration in Ukraine leads to the unearthing of a story of World War II survivors who once found shelter in the same cave.
Director: Janet Tobias | Stars: Chris Nicola, Fruzsina Pelikán, Saul Stermer, Sam Stermer
Votes: 996 | Gross: $0.20M
29. Good Ol' Freda (2013)
PG | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary in which Freda Kelly looks back at her career as lifelong secretary for The Beatles.
Director: Ryan White | Stars: Freda Kelly, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison
Votes: 2,114 | Gross: $0.14M
30. The Science of Sex Appeal (2009 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 88 min | Documentary
The elusive qualities of sex appeal are examined through the lens of science in this probing documentary, which reveals the evolution and function of every component of human attraction. In... See full summary »
Stars: Alan Dunn, Alyson Reed, Farrah Shaikh, Landon Ashworth
Votes: 362
31. 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: 148,774 | Gross: $21.58M
32. 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: 113,310 | Gross: $11.53M
33. We Were Here (I) (2011)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A deep and reflective look at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco and how individuals rose to the occasion during the first years of this unimaginable crisis.
Directors: David Weissman, Bill Weber | Stars: Ed Wolf, Daniel Goldstein, Guy Clark, Eileen Glutzer
Votes: 2,280
34. Whores' Glory (2011)
Not Rated | 110 min | Documentary
An examination of the lives, needs, troubles, and hopes of prostitutes in Thailand, Bangladesh, and Mexico.
Director: Michael Glawogger | Stars: Emma, Ning, Toh, Wat
Votes: 5,122 | Gross: $0.03M
35. I'm Carolyn Parker (2011)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary
Carolyn Parker, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, is determined to rebuild her life, even if it takes everything she has.
Director: Jonathan Demme
Votes: 146
36. The Beat Hotel (2012)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Biography, History
1957. The Latin Quarter, Paris. A cheap no-name hotel became a haven for a new breed of artists fleeing the conformity and censorship of America. The hotel soon turned into an epicenter of ... See full summary »
Director: Alan Govenar | Stars: Harold Chapman, Peter Golding, Oliver Harris, Kit Hussey
Votes: 89 | Gross: $0.01M
37. The Sweetest Sound (2001)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
In The Sweetest Sound, Alan Berliner (the filmmaker from New York) is tired of being mistaken for people who might share his name and decides to rid himself of the dreaded Same Name Syndrome (In HD).
Director: Alan Berliner | Stars: Alan Berliner, Alain Berliner, Allen Berliner, Alan S. Berliner
Votes: 255
38. Wagner & Me (2010)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Actor and writer Stephen Fry explores his passion for the world's most controversial composer - Richard Wagner. But Stephen is Jewish and lost family members in the Holocaust, so can he ... See full summary »
Director: Patrick McGrady | Star: Stephen Fry
Votes: 334 | Gross: $0.04M
39. A Syrian Love Story (2015)
76 min | Documentary, Drama
Filmed over 5 years, A Syrian Love Story charts an incredible odyssey to political freedom. For Raghda and Amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and despair: for the revolution, their homeland and each other.
Director: Sean McAllister | Stars: Tia Alkerdi, Yara Ibrahim
Votes: 674
40. My Beautiful Broken Brain (2014)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography
After suffering a stroke at age 34, a woman documents her struggles, setbacks and eventual breakthrough as she relearns to speak, read and write.
Directors: Sophie Robinson, Lotje Sodderland | Stars: David Lynch, Sophie Robinson, Hente Sodderland, Jan Sodderland
Votes: 2,458
41. Grandma's Tattoos (2011)
58 min | Documentary
Reveals the fate of thousands of forgotten women, mostly teenagers and young girls, who survived the 1915 Armenian Genocide but were forced into prostitution by their captors.
Director: Suzanne Khardalian | Star: Maria Vardanyan
Votes: 51
42. The White Helmets (2016)
TV-14 | 41 min | Documentary, Short, War
As daily airstrikes pound civilian targets in Syria, a group of indomitable first responders risk their lives to rescue victims from the rubble.
Director: Orlando von Einsiedel | Stars: Dana Abed, Tia Alkerdi, Khalid Farah, Mohammed Farah
Votes: 8,200
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