Documentary TOP
by Criticator | created - 20 Dec 2011 | updated - 3 weeks ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Planet Earth (2006)
TV-PG | 49 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: 219,834
2. Life (2009)
TV-G | 43 min | Documentary, Family
David Attenborough's legendary BBC crew explains and shows wildlife all over planet earth. From giving an overview of the challenges facing life to hunting the deep sea and various major evolutionary groups of creatures.
Stars: Oprah Winfrey, David Attenborough, Doug Allan, Roger Munns
Votes: 42,694
3. Tyson (2008)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A mixture of original interviews, archival footage, and photographs sheds light on the life experiences of Mike Tyson.
Director: James Toback | Stars: Mike Tyson, Mills Lane, Trevor Berbick, Cus D'Amato
Votes: 12,928 | Gross: $0.89M
4. 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: 50,354
5. Zeitgeist: Moving Forward (2011)
Not Rated | 161 min | Documentary
A feature length documentary work which presents a case for a needed transition out of the current socioeconomic monetary paradigm which governs the entire world society.
Director: Peter Joseph | Stars: Peter Joseph, Robert Sapolsky, Gabor Maté, Richard Wilkinson
Votes: 18,739
6. How It's Made (2001–2019)
TV-G | 24 min | Documentary
Television series that documents how various everyday products are made.
Stars: Brooks Moore, Tony Hirst, Lynne Adams, Lynn Herzeg
Votes: 8,185
7. Thrive: What on Earth Will It Take? (2011)
Unrated | 132 min | Documentary
Propaganda film that smashes together pretty much every modern conspiracy theory in the books, including free energy suppression, UFO landings, New World Order, vaccine hysteria, 9/11 ... See full summary »
Directors: Steve Gagné, Kimberly Carter Gamble | Stars: Foster Gamble, Duane Elgin, Nassim Haramein, Steven M. Greer
Votes: 2,910
8. Galapagos (2006)
180 min | Documentary
The history of these beautiful Islands from their creation as uprising lava to their being studied by Darwin to their modern day inhabitants.
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Richard Wollocombe, Tom Hiddleston, Stacy Keach
Votes: 1,436
9. 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: 40,956 | Gross: $1.33M
10. Zeitgeist: Addendum (2008 Video)
Not Rated | 123 min | Documentary, History, War
Zeitgeist: Addendum attempts to locate the root causes of the pervasive social corruption, while also offering a solution.
Director: Peter Joseph | Stars: Jacque Fresco, Roxanne Meadows, John Perkins, George Carlin
Votes: 18,683
11. The Last Lions (2011)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Family
Fifty years ago there were close to half-a-million lions in Africa. Today there are around 20,000. To make matters worse, lions, unlike elephants, which are far more numerous, have ... See full summary »
Director: Dereck Joubert | Star: Jeremy Irons
Votes: 4,374 | Gross: $0.64M
12. African Cats (2010)
G | 89 min | Documentary, Adventure
Meet Mara, an endearing lion cub striving to be like her mother; Sita, a cheetah and single mother of five; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion.
Directors: Keith Scholey, Alastair Fothergill | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart
Votes: 6,724 | Gross: $15.42M
13. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
PG-13 | 116 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.
Director: Roberto Benigni | Stars: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano
Votes: 742,413 | Gross: $57.60M
14. The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu (2010)
Not Rated | 180 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The film explores the image of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu using unknown official footage from the Romanian National Television and National Film Archives.
Director: Andrei Ujica | Stars: Nicolae Ceausescu, Elena Ceausescu, Stefan Andrei, Gheorghe Apostol
Votes: 1,638 | Gross: $0.03M
15. History of the World in 2 Hours (2011 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 120 min | Documentary, History
A rapid-fire history of our world, from the beginning of time as we know it to present day. This two-hour CGI-driven special delves into the key turning points: the formation of earth, ... See full summary »
Director: Douglas Cohen | Stars: Corey Burton, Alex Filippenko, Peter Ward, Clifford V. Johnson
Votes: 1,043
16. Klitschko (2011)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A documentary encompassing the lives of world heavyweight boxing champions, Vitali & Wladimir Klitschko. The first time in history two brothers have shared all the heavyweight world titles,... See full summary »
Director: Sebastian Dehnhardt | Stars: Lamon Brewster, Chris Byrd, Bernd Bönte, Pearlman Hicks
Votes: 2,920
17. 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: 60,230 | Gross: $13.00M
18. The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011)
PG-13 | 90 min | Documentary, Comedy
A documentary about branding, advertising and product placement that is financed and made possible by brands, advertising and product placement.
Director: Morgan Spurlock | Stars: J.J. Abrams, Peter Berg, Paul Brennan, Noam Chomsky
Votes: 15,186 | Gross: $0.64M
19. Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
A documentary depicting the life and work of the trappers of Bakhtia, a village in the heart of the Siberian Taiga, where daily life has changed little in over a century.
Directors: Werner Herzog, Dmitry Vasyukov | Stars: Werner Herzog, Gennady Soloviev, Anatoly Blumei, Gennady Tiganov
Votes: 8,923 | Gross: $0.34M
20. 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: 52,183 | Gross: $4.42M
21. Human Planet (2011)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary
A cinematic experience bringing you the most amazing human stories in the world. Humans and wildlife surviving in the most extreme environments on Earth
Stars: John Hurt, Roger Munns
Votes: 27,769
22. 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: 128,308
23. 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: 4,475
24. 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: 72,360 | Gross: $2.07M
25. The Art of Flight (2011)
PG-13 | 80 min | Documentary, Adventure, Sport
Two years in the making, this film gives snowboarder Travis Rice and friends the opportunity to redefine what is possible in the mountains.
Director: Curt Morgan | Stars: Travis Rice, Mark Landvik, John Jackson, Nicolas Müller
Votes: 8,021
26. 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: 38,079 | Gross: $4.59M
27. 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: 28,736
28. The Theory of Everything (2014)
PG-13 | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Stephen Hawking gets unprecedented success in the field of physics despite being diagnosed with motor neuron disease at the age of 21. He defeats awful odds as his first wife Jane aids him loyally.
Director: James Marsh | Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Prior, Sophie Perry
Votes: 481,675 | Gross: $35.89M
29. Monkey Kingdom (2015)
G | 81 min | Documentary
Life is an adventure for a young monkey and her son, living among ancient ruins in the jungle. But when her family is forced from their home, she must lead them to safety amidst strange new creatures and surroundings.
Directors: Mark Linfield, Alastair Fothergill | Star: Tina Fey
Votes: 4,169 | Gross: $16.43M
30. Through the Wormhole (2010–2017)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
Hosted by Morgan Freeman, Through the Wormhole will explore the deepest mysteries of existence - the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity. What are we made of? What was there ... See full summary »
Stars: Morgan Freeman, Sean Carroll, Michio Kaku, Kip Thorne
Votes: 18,423
31. Zero Days (2016)
PG-13 | 116 min | Documentary
A documentary focused on Stuxnet, a piece of self-replicating computer malware that the U.S. and Israel unleashed to destroy a key part of an Iranian nuclear facility, and which ultimately spread beyond its intended target.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: David Sanger, Emad Kiyaei, Eric Chien, Liam O'Murchu
Votes: 10,405 | Gross: $0.10M
32. 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: 43,887
33. Frozen Planet (2011–2012)
TV-PG | 33 min | Documentary
Focuses on life and the environment in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
Stars: David Attenborough, Alec Baldwin, Chadden Hunter, Michael Kelem
Votes: 32,942
34. Untamed Romania (2018)
92 min | Documentary
In Romania, ancient forests and expansive wetlands provide habitats to some of Europe's most iconic creatures. Focusing on the Carpathian Mountains and the Danube Delta, this documentary is... See full summary »
Director: Tom Barton-Humphreys | Stars: Victor Rebengiuc, Mark Strong
Votes: 1,929
35. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015–2024)
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes.
Stars: Andrew Jarecki, Robert Durst, J. Patrick Burns, Gary Napoli
Votes: 51,266
36. Planet Earth II (2016)
TV-G | 50 min | Documentary
David Attenborough returns with a new wildlife documentary that shows life in a variety of habitats.
Stars: David Attenborough, Chadden Hunter, Gordon Buchanan, Michael J. Sanderson
Votes: 157,644
37. 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: 27,096 | Gross: $22.84M
38. The Blue Planet (2001)
TV-G | 49 min | Documentary
Mammoth series, five years in the making, taking a look at the rich tapestry of life in the world's oceans.
Stars: David Attenborough, Pierce Brosnan, Peter Scoones
Votes: 42,645
39. Africa (2013)
TV-PG | 51 min | Documentary
Africa, the world's wildest continent. David Attenborough takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through one of the most diverse places in the world. We visit deserts, savannas, and jungles and meet up with some of Africa's amazing wildlife.
Stars: David Attenborough, Simon Blakeney, Bill Rudolph, Justine Evans
Votes: 17,105
40. 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: 18,432
41. The Vietnam War (2017)
TV-MA | 99 min | Documentary, History, War
A comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.
Stars: Peter Coyote, Huy Duc, James Willbanks, Duong Van Mai Elliott
Votes: 27,921
42. Apocalypse: The Second World War (2009)
TV-MA | 312 min | Documentary, History, War
This six-part series traces the Second World War, from the rise of the Nazis to the surrender of the Japanese, with detailed portraits of key figures.
Stars: Mathieu Kassovitz, Martin Sheen, Rudolf Hess
Votes: 14,265
43. Chernobyl (2019)
TV-MA | 41 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In April 1986, the city of Chernobyl in the Soviet Union suffers one of the worst nuclear disasters in the history of mankind. Consequently, many heroes put their lives on the line in the following days, weeks and months.
Stars: Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Adam Nagaitis
Votes: 862,832
44. Oceans (2008)
G | 84 min | Documentary
An ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.
Directors: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Jacques Perrin, Rie Miyazawa
Votes: 10,071 | Gross: $19.42M
45. Our Planet (2019–2023)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary
Explores and unravels the mystery of how and why animals migrate, showing some of the most dramatic and compelling stories in the natural world through spectacular and innovative cinematography.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 50,839
46. The Hunt (II) (2015)
TV-PG | 64 min | Documentary
The fascinating relationship between predators and their prey, and the strategies predators use to catch their food and prey use to escape death.
Stars: David Attenborough, Jamie McPherson, Huw Cordey, Damien Boisseau
Votes: 4,364
47. The Universe (2007–2015)
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, History
This educational show explores many scientific questions and topics about the universe (Big Bang, the Sun, the planets, black holes, other galaxies, astrobiology etc.) through latest CGI, data and interviews with scientists.
Stars: Erik Thompson, Alex Filippenko, Laura Danly, Clifford V. Johnson
Votes: 5,927
48. World War II in Colour (2009)
TV-MA | 51 min | Documentary, History, War
Recounts the events of world War II in color.
Stars: Robert Powell, Swaylee Loughnane
Votes: 7,476
49. Seaspiracy (2021)
TV-14 | 89 min | Documentary, Adventure
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species - and uncovers alarming global corruption.
Director: Ali Tabrizi | Stars: Ali Tabrizi, Richard O'Barry, Lucy Tabrizi, Lori Marino
Votes: 34,110
50. Flavours of Romania (2017– )
Documentary
Crisscrossing eight historic regions of Romania, this docuseries showcases the country's culture, cuisine, natural beauty - and need for preservation.
Stars: Charlie Ottley, Oana Ghiocel
Votes: 729
51. Wild Carpathia (2011– )
47 min | Documentary
A travel documentary exploring the scenic beauty and rich culture of the Romanian Carpathian mountains.
Stars: Charlie Ottley, King Charles III, Custodian of the Crown of Romania Margareta, Ivan Patzaichin
Votes: 126
52. e-Life (2018)
76 min | Documentary
Computers, smart phones, and tablets are now a part of our daily lives. They have revolutionised the way we work, the way we communicate and the way we view the world. But what happens to ... See full summary »
Director: Ed Scott-Clarke | Stars: Frankie Corzo, Christopher Judge, Joey Rich
Votes: 100
53. 20 Days in Mariupol (2023)
TV-PG | 95 min | Documentary, War
As the Russian invasion begins, a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting the war's atrocities.
Director: Mstyslav Chernov | Stars: Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka, Liudmyla Amelkina, Roman Golovanov
Votes: 19,614
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