Documentary
by spideydouble | created - 25 May 2014 | updated - 25 Jan 2020 | PublicMy favorite documentary films
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1. 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: 2,488 | Gross: $0.54M
2. 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: 40,876 | Gross: $1.33M
3. Beauty Is Embarrassing (2012)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
A documentary on the life and current times of artist Wayne White.
Director: Neil Berkeley | Stars: Wayne White, Mimi Pond, Paul Reubens, Mark Mothersbaugh
Votes: 1,222
4. Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011)
PG | 80 min | Documentary, Biography
The Muppet Elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. Meet the unlikely man behind the puppet - the heart and soul of Elmo - Kevin Clash.
Directors: Constance Marks, Philip Shane | Stars: Kevin Clash, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Oz, Bill Barretta
Votes: 7,217 | Gross: $0.30M
5. Between the Folds (2008)
G | 56 min | Documentary
Depicts a cast of fine artists and eccentric scientists (from MIT and NASA) who have devoted their lives to the unlikely medium of modern origami. Through their determination to reinterpret... See full summary »
Director: Vanessa Gould | Stars: Erik D. Demaine, Martin L. Demaine, Vincent Floderer, Miri Golan
Votes: 874
6. 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: 57,839 | Gross: $2.80M
7. The Endurance (2000)
G | 97 min | Documentary, History
A retelling of Sir Ernest Shackleton 's ill-fated expedition to Antarctica in 1914-1916, featuring new footage of the actual locations and interviews with surviving relatives of key ... See full summary »
Director: George Butler | Stars: Liam Neeson, Julian Ayer, John Blackborow, David Cale
Votes: 2,185 | Gross: $2.45M
8. 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: 20,040
9. 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: 68,655 | Gross: $3.29M
10. 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: 52,120 | Gross: $4.42M
11. 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: 21,419
12. 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: 78,730 | Gross: $4.31M
13. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
PG | 81 min | Documentary
A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.
Director: David Gelb | Stars: Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama
Votes: 37,875 | Gross: $2.55M
14. 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: 27,190 | Gross: $0.65M
15. 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: 5,629
16. 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: 37,524 | Gross: $0.68M
17. Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Music
A collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.
Director: Godfrey Reggio | Stars: Edward Asner, Pat Benatar, Jerry Brown, Johnny Carson
Votes: 41,269 | Gross: $1.72M
18. 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: 58,529 | Gross: $2.96M
19. 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: 59,824 | Gross: $77.44M
20. 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: 3,698 | Gross: $0.11M
21. 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: 7,029
22. Pump (2014)
PG | 88 min | Documentary
A documentary that tells the story of America's addiction to oil, from its corporate conspiracy beginnings to its current monopoly today, and explains clearly and simply how we can end it - and finally win choice at the pump.
Directors: Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell | Stars: Adhemar Altieri, Greg Anderson, Edwin Black, David Blume
Votes: 657 | Gross: $0.07M
23. 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: 37,902 | Gross: $2.67M
24. 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: 72,652 | Gross: $3.97M
25. 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: 75,456 | Gross: $1.61M
26. 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: 13,705 | Gross: $0.03M
27. Stripped (2014)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
Comic strip artists discuss the state and future of the artform with the decline of the newspaper medium.
Directors: Dave Kellett, Frederick Schroeder | Stars: Lalo Alcaraz, Gene Ambaum, Bill Amend, Bill Barnes
Votes: 436
28. Tim's Vermeer (2013)
PG-13 | 80 min | Documentary, History
Inventor Tim Jenison seeks to understand the painting techniques used by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer.
Director: Teller | Stars: Tim Jenison, Penn Jillette, Martin Mull, Philip Steadman
Votes: 8,549 | Gross: $1.66M
29. Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)
PG | 86 min | Documentary, Drama, History
The story of the Disney Renaissance, an incredibly prolific, successful and prestigious decade lasting from 1984 to 1994 that saw the fallen Walt Disney Animation Studios' unexpected progressive triumphant return to excellence.
Director: Don Hahn | Stars: Roy Edward Disney, John Lasseter, Michael Eisner, Don Hahn
Votes: 3,259 | Gross: $0.08M
30. When We Were Kings (1996)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Sport
Boxing documentary on the 1974 world heavyweight championship bout between defending champion, George Foreman, and the underdog challenger, Muhammad Ali.
Director: Leon Gast | Stars: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown
Votes: 19,058 | Gross: $2.79M
31. 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: 40,785
32. 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: 21,753 | Gross: $1.88M
33.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
The Warning
(2009)
TV-PG | 55 min | Documentary, News
Frontline offers a detailed look at the roots of the 2008 economic crisis by investigating why government officials refused to regulate emerging derivatives markets that later ruined the financial system.
Director: Michael Kirk | Stars: Peter Berkrot, Brooksley Born, Nancy Duff Campbell, Adam Davidson
Votes: 108
34.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
Money, Power & Wall Street (1)
(2012)
TV-PG | 114 min | Documentary, News
Part One: Learn how two U.S. administrations have confronted the economic crisis.
Stars: Ryan Knutson, Will Lyman, Arun Rath, Martin Smith
Votes: 73
35.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
Money, Power & Wall Street (2)
(2012)
TV-PG | 114 min | Documentary, News
Part Two: Probe the story of the big banks -- how they developed, how they crashed and whether they still present dangers.
Director: Michael Kirk | Stars: Jim Gilmore, Will Lyman, Arun Rath
Votes: 47
36.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
Money, Power & Wall Street 3
(2012)
TV-MA | Documentary, News
FRONTLINE takes you inside rapid rise of credit default swaps, including voices of those who created them.
Director: Michael Kirk | Stars: Jim Gilmore, Will Lyman, Arun Rath
Votes: 37
37.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
Money, Power & Wall Street 4
(2012)
TV-MA | Documentary, News
FRONTLINE investigates largest government bailout in US history, a series of decisions that rewrote rules of government.
Stars: Linda Hirsch, Ryan Knutson, Will Lyman, Arun Rath
Votes: 38
38.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
The Untouchables
(2013)
TV-PG | 55 min | Documentary, News
Why Wall Street's leaders have escaped prosecution for the 2008 financial crisis or any fraud related to the sale of bad mortgages.
Stars: Sarah Childress, Will Lyman, Arun Rath, Martin Smith
Votes: 50
39.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
United States of Secrets (Part One): The Program
(2014)
TV-PG | 114 min | Documentary, News
From PBS and Frontline: Last year Edward Snowden downloaded tens of thousands of top-secret documents from a highly secure government computer network. The revelations that followed touched... See full summary »
Director: Michael Kirk | Stars: Will Lyman, Thomas Drake, Barton Gellman, Peter Baker
Votes: 275
40.
Frontline (1983– )
Episode:
United States of Secrets (Part Two): Privacy Lost
(2014)
TV-PG | 54 min | Documentary, News
From PBS and Frontline: In Part Two of United States of Secrets, FRONTLINE explores the role of Silicon Valley in the National Security Agency's dragnet. As big technology companies ... See full summary »
Stars: Will Lyman, Glenn Greenwald, Ewen MacAskill, Ron Wyden
Votes: 211
41.
60 Minutes (1968– )
Episode:
Prosecuting Wall Street/Michael Bublé
(2011)
TV-PG | Documentary, News
"Prosecuting Wall Street" looks at the causes of the sub-prime mortgage crisis and interview two whistle-blowers who tried to warn their companies about them. "Michael Bublé" interviews the popular singer.
Stars: Steve Kroft, Eileen Foster, Frank Partnoy, Lanny Breuer
42.
60 Minutes (1968– )
Episode:
Buy American/World of Trouble/The War in Pakistan
(2009)
TV-PG | Documentary, News
"Buy American" examines how the stimulus is impacting the steel industry and how it may help to keep jobs in the United States. "World of Trouble" examines the shady mortgage practices that... See full summary »
Stars: Lesley Stahl, Dan Dimicco, Doug Jellison, Jeremy Davis
43. Cooked (2016)
60 min | Documentary
As he tries his hand at baking, brewing and braising, acclaimed food writer Michael Pollan explores how cooking transforms food and shapes our world.
Stars: Michael Pollan, Samin Nosrat, Isaac Pollan
Votes: 3,130
44. Chef's Table (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 50 min | Documentary, Biography
Chef's Table goes inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned international chefs. Each episode focuses on a single chef and their unique look at their lives, talents and passion from their piece of culinary heaven.
Stars: Massimo Bottura, Ruth Reichl, Francis Mallmann, Bill Buford
Votes: 16,941
45. Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019– )
TV-MA | 40 min | Documentary, Sport
Docuseries following the FIA Formula One World Championship across multiple seasons.
Stars: Will Buxton, Jack Nicholls, Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton
Votes: 50,291
46. Riding Giants (2004)
PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary detailing the origins and history of surf culture.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Laird Hamilton, Darrick Doerner, Dave Kalama, Jeff Clark
Votes: 4,661 | Gross: $2.28M
47. Street Food: Asia (2019)
TV-G | 30 min | Documentary
Exploring the rich culture of street food in some of the world's most colorful cities.
Stars: Philip Hersh, Caitlyn Elizabeth, Chawadee Nualkhair, Daniel Lee Gray
Votes: 3,224
48. Salt Fat Acid Heat (2018)
Documentary
Docuseries, based on the award-winning book, explores the essence of cooking and the vital ingredients at the heart of a great dish.
Star: Samin Nosrat
Votes: 2,793
49. Kings of Pastry (2009)
Not Rated | 87 min | Documentary, Drama, Family
The collar awarded to the winners of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman in France) is more than the ultimate recognition for every pastry chef - it is a dream and an obsession. ... See full summary »
Directors: Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker | Stars: Jacquy Pfeiffer, Regis Lazard, Philippe Rigollot, Rachel Beaudry
Votes: 1,381 | Gross: $0.34M
50. In Defense of Food (2015 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 117 min | Documentary
In Defense of Food tackles a question more and more people around the world have been asking: What should I eat to be healthy? Based on award-winning journalist Michael Pollan's ... See full summary »
Director: Michael Schwarz | Stars: Healthy Emmie, Michael Pollan, Stephen Ritz
Votes: 799
51. Truth in 24 (2008)
95 min | Documentary, Sport
"Truth in 24" chronicles the Audi Sport racing teams as they attempt to win a record fifth consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans. The films gives viewers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes view ... See full summary »
Directors: Keith Cossrow, Bennett Viseltear | Stars: Jason Statham, Ulrich Baretzky, Frank Biela, Rinaldo Capello
Votes: 539
52. Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts (2012)
Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary
The follow-up film to the original Truth in 24, where the Audi Sport Racing team again attempts to cross the finish line first at the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Director: Rob Gehring | Stars: Howden Haynes, Jason Statham
Votes: 329
53. Super Speedway (1997)
Not Rated | 50 min | Documentary, Action, Sport
Follow the Newman-Haas (Andretti) racing team through the process of building, testing, and racing for a season.
Director: Stephen Low | Stars: Paul Newman, Richard Garneau, Jim Paulson, Jeff Andretti
Votes: 498 | Gross: $40.00M
54. 1 (2013)
Not Rated | 112 min | Documentary, Action, History
Set in the golden era of Grand Prix Racing '1' tells the story of a generation of charismatic drivers who raced on the edge, risking their lives during Formula 1's deadliest period, and the men who stood up and changed the sport forever.
Director: Paul Crowder | Stars: Michael Fassbender, Lewis Hamilton, Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher
Votes: 4,454
55. Objectified (2009)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary
A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.
Director: Gary Hustwit | Stars: Paola Antonelli, Chris Bangle, Andrew Blauvelt, Erwan Bouroullec
Votes: 3,716 | Gross: $0.01M
56. Simon Schama's Power of Art (2006)
60 min | Documentary, Drama, History
Focusing on eight iconic works of art, Power of Art reveals the history of visual imagination through the ages.
Stars: Simon Schama, Allan Corduner, Paul Popplewell, Grégoire Bonnet
Votes: 1,143
57. Waiting for Superman (2010)
PG | 111 min | Documentary
An examination of the current state of education in America today.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Charles Adams, Jonathan Alter, Robert Balfanz, Harriet Ball
Votes: 11,628 | Gross: $6.41M
58. Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
PG-13 | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, History
An exploration of the life, lessons, and legacy of iconic children's television host Fred Rogers.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Fred Rogers, Margaret Whitmer, Tom Junod, Joanne Rogers
Votes: 27,019 | Gross: $22.84M
59. Making a Murderer (2015–2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Crime
Filmed over a 10-year period, Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime.
Stars: Steven Avery, Dolores Avery, Laura Nirider, Allan Avery
Votes: 102,425
60. Planet Earth (2006)
TV-PG | 538 min | Documentary, Family
A documentary series on the wildlife found on Earth. Each episode covers a different habitat: deserts, mountains, deep oceans, shallow seas, forests, caves, polar regions, fresh water, plains and jungles. Narrated by David Attenborough.
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, David Attenborough, Nikolay Drozdov, Thomas Anguti Johnston
Votes: 219,106
61. Planet Earth II (2016)
TV-G | 298 min | Documentary
David Attenborough returns with a new wildlife documentary that shows life in a variety of habitats.
Stars: David Attenborough, Michael J. Sanderson, Sandesh Kadur, Gordon Buchanan
Votes: 156,770
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