Documentaries
by omar1891 | created - 06 Jun 2018 | updated - 15 Jul 2018 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. 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: 24,977 | Gross: $4.20M
2. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson
Votes: 25,801 | Gross: $1.21M
3. Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (2016)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary
A small financial institution called Abacus becomes the only company criminally indicted in the wake of the United States' 2008 mortgage crisis.
Director: Steve James | Stars: Thomas Sung, Hwei Lin Sung, Cyrus Vance Jr., Matt Taibbi
Votes: 2,933 | Gross: $0.10M
4. Faces Places (2017)
PG | 94 min | Documentary, Adventure
Director Agnes Varda and photographer/muralist J.R. journey through rural France and form an unlikely friendship.
Directors: JR, Agnès Varda | Stars: Agnès Varda, JR, Jeannine Carpentier, Clemens Van Dungern
Votes: 13,524 | Gross: $0.95M
5. Icarus (2017)
TV-MA | 120 min | Documentary, Sport
When Bryan sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller.
Director: Bryan Fogel | Stars: Bryan Fogel, Dave Zabriskie, Don Catlin, Grigory Rodchenkov
Votes: 54,467
6. Strong Island (2017)
TV-MA | 107 min | Documentary, Crime
When filmmaker Yance Ford investigates the 1992 murder of a young Black man, it becomes an achingly personal journey since the victim, 24-year-old William Ford Jr., was the filmmaker's brother.
Director: Yance Ford | Stars: Yance Ford, Harvey Walker, Kevin Myers, Lauren Ford
Votes: 4,105
7. Jim: The James Foley Story (2016)
TV-MA | 111 min | Documentary, Biography, War
An in-depth look at the life and work of American journalist James Foley, who was killed by ISIS terrorists in 2014.
Director: Brian Oakes | Stars: James Foley, Unai Aranzadi, Zac Baillie, Manu Brabo
Votes: 1,689
8. 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: 8,170
9. What the Health (2017)
97 min | Documentary
An intrepid filmmaker on a journey of discovery as he uncovers possibly the largest health secret of our time and the collusion between industry, government, pharmaceutical and health organizations keeping this information from us.
Directors: Kip Andersen, Keegan Kuhn | Stars: Kip Andersen, Larry Baldwin, Neal Barnard, Tia Blanco
Votes: 30,499
10. Forks Over Knives (2011)
PG | 90 min | Documentary
Examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.
Director: Lee Fulkerson | Stars: Lee Fulkerson, Matthew Lederman, Alona Pulde, T. Colin Campbell
Votes: 12,667
11. Earthlings (2005)
95 min | Documentary
Using hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit.
Director: Shaun Monson | Star: Joaquin Phoenix
Votes: 19,755
12. City of Ghosts (2017)
R | 92 min | Documentary, War
A documentary that follows the efforts of "Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently," a handful of anonymous activists who banded together after their homeland was taken over by ISIS in 2014. ... See full summary »
Director: Matthew Heineman | Stars: Abdelaziz Alhamza, Mohamad Almusari, Hamoud Almousa, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi
Votes: 4,115 | Gross: $0.13M
13. Dina (2017)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary
An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.
Directors: Antonio Santini, Dan Sickles | Stars: Dina Buno, Scott Levin, Frank Costanzo, Jeannie Levin
Votes: 1,219 | Gross: $0.09M
14. Capernaum (2018)
R | 126 min | Drama
While serving a five-year sentence for a violent crime, a 12-year-old boy sues his parents for neglect.
Director: Nadine Labaki | Stars: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad
Votes: 104,124 | Gross: $1.66M
15. The Oath (2010)
Unrated | 90 min | Documentary
Tells the story of two men whose fateful encounter in 1996 set them on a course of events that led them to Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden, 9/11, Guantanamo, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Director: Laura Poitras | Stars: Osama bin Laden, Salim Hamdan, Abu Jandal, Troy Lebane
Votes: 949 | Gross: $0.04M
16. 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
17. 4 Little Girls (1997)
TV-14 | 102 min | Documentary, History
A documentary of the notorious racial terrorist bombing of an African American church during the Civil Rights Movement.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Maxine McNair, Walter Cronkite, Chris McNair, Fred Lee Shuttlesworth
Votes: 3,561 | Gross: $0.13M
18. L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later (2017 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, History
L.A BURNING: The Riots 25 Years Later is a 2-hour documentary film exploring the lives of the people at the flashpoint of the LA riots, 25 years after the uprising made national headlines and highlighted the racial divide in America.
Directors: One9, Erik Parker | Stars: George Holliday, John Singleton, Michael Winters, Henry Keith Watson
Votes: 204
19. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
PG-13 | 93 min | Documentary, History
Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.
Director: Raoul Peck | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
Votes: 23,430 | Gross: $7.12M
20. 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
21. An Honest Liar (2014)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
The life and career of the renowned stage magician turned scientific skeptic of the paranormal, James Randi.
Directors: Tyler Measom, Justin Weinstein | Stars: James Randi, Penn Jillette, Teller, Ray Hyman
Votes: 10,482 | Gross: $0.12M
22. Audition (II) (2015)
90 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
A romance is portrayed by one hundred actors who audition for the two lead roles and the chance to perform the final terrifying act.
Director: Matt Herron | Stars: Paige Spara, Sam Quartin, Chelsea Frei, Emily Fleischer
Votes: 64
23. Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
R | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, News
Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.
Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman | Stars: Kochi, Avijit Halder, Shanti Das, Manik
Votes: 17,957 | Gross: $3.41M
24. Bonobos: Back to the Wild (2011)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Drama, Family
The critically important work by renowned naturalist Claudine Andre to save the endangered bonobo apes of the Congo is presented in this visually stunning feature film.
Director: Alain Tixier | Stars: Rebecca Hall, Luke Evans, Claudine André, Sandrine Bonnaire
Votes: 203 | Gross: $0.11M
25. 5 Broken Cameras (2011)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary, War
A documentary on a Palestinian farmer's chronicle of his nonviolent resistance to the actions of the Israeli army.
Directors: Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi | Stars: Emad Burnat, Soraya Burnat, Mohammed Burnat, Yasin Burnat
Votes: 6,602 | Gross: $0.11M
26. How to Survive a Plague (2012)
Not Rated | 110 min | Documentary, History, News
The story of two coalitions -- ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) -- whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.
Director: David France | Stars: Peter Staley, Larry Kramer, Iris Long, Bob Rafsky
Votes: 4,345 | Gross: $0.13M
27. 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: 5,869 | Gross: $2.42M
28. The Invisible War (2012)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Crime
An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.
Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Amy Ziering, Kirby Dick, Kori Cioca, Jessica Hinves
Votes: 7,074 | Gross: $0.07M
29. Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist (2017)
Documentary
The story of Dian Fossey, a scientist who fought to protect the vanishing African mountain gorillas, who was found brutally murdered in 1985.
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Alicia Ryan, Ian Redmond, Amy Vedder
Votes: 178
30. Chasing Ice (2012)
PG-13 | 75 min | Documentary, Biography
Follow National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.
Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: James Balog, Svavar Jónatansson, Louie Psihoyos, Kitty Boone
Votes: 8,844 | Gross: $1.33M
31. Tupac: Resurrection (2003)
R | 112 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Home movies, photographs, and recited poetry illustrate the life of Tupac Shakur, one of the most beloved, revolutionary, and volatile hip-hop M.Cs. of all time.
Director: Lauren Lazin | Stars: Tupac Shakur, Rappin' 4-Tay, Conrad Bain, Bill Bellamy
Votes: 9,792 | Gross: $7.72M
32. The Fifth Estate (1975– )
60 min | Documentary, News
Investigative journalist news documentaries are presented.
Stars: Bob McKeown, Mark Kelley, Gillian Findlay, Linden MacIntyre
Votes: 265
33. 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: 50,251 | Gross: $0.89M
34. 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: 72,050 | Gross: $2.07M
35. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman
Votes: 26,995 | Gross: $3.12M
36. Who Took Johnny (2014)
Not Rated | 81 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
An examination into the cold case of the Iowa boy, Johnny Gosch, who disappeared on his paper route 30 years earlier.
Directors: David Beilinson, Michael Galinsky, Suki Hawley | Stars: Noreen Gosch, Nancy Allen, Paul Bonacci, Troy Boner
Votes: 3,141
37. Tickled (2016)
R | 92 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
Journalist David Farrier stumbles upon a mysterious tickling competition online. As he delves deeper he comes up against fierce resistance, but that doesn't stop him getting to the bottom of a story stranger than fiction.
Directors: David Farrier, Dylan Reeve | Stars: David Farrier, Dylan Reeve, David Starr, Kevin Clarke
Votes: 20,513 | Gross: $0.61M
38. Cropsey (2009)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Crime, Horror
Realizing that the urban legend of their youth has actually come true, two filmmakers delve into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.
Directors: Barbara Brancaccio, Joshua Zeman | Stars: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio, Bill Ellis, Dorothy D'Eletto
Votes: 9,123 | Gross: $0.05M
39. The Act of Killing (2012)
Not Rated | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.
Directors: Joshua Oppenheimer, Anonymous, Christine Cynn | Stars: Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin, Ibrahim Sinik
Votes: 40,646 | Gross: $0.49M
40. Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017)
TV-MA | 94 min | Documentary
A behind-the-scenes look at how Jim Carrey adopted the persona of idiosyncratic comedian Andy Kaufman on the set of Man on the Moon (1999).
Director: Chris Smith | Stars: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Milos Forman, Peter Bonerz
Votes: 27,902
41. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)
PG | 98 min | Documentary
A decade after An Inconvenient Truth (2006) brought climate change to the heart of popular culture, the follow-up shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution.
Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk | Stars: Al Gore, Cory Booker, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton
Votes: 8,338 | Gross: $3.50M
42. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
PG | 96 min | Documentary
Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and calls for immediate action to curb its destructive effects on the environment.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Al Gore, Billy West, George Bush, George W. Bush
Votes: 85,092 | Gross: $23.81M
43. Jane (II) (2017)
PG | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and work of the renowned primatology scientist, Jane Goodall, especially on her research about chimpanzees.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Jane Goodall, Hugo Van Lawick, Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick
Votes: 5,627 | Gross: $1.72M
44. The Work (2017)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary
Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, three men from the outside participate in a four-day group-therapy retreat with a group of incarcerated men for a real look at the challenges of rehabilitation.
Directors: Jairus McLeary, Gethin Aldous | Stars: Andrew 'Dark Cloud' Molino, Eldra 'Vegas' III Jackson, Richard 'Rick' Misener, Dante Granville
Votes: 2,411 | Gross: $0.01M
45. Beware the Slenderman (2016)
TV-14 | 114 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Tells the story of two 12-year old girls, who attempted to murder one of their friends in an attempt to appease Slenderman, a fictional monster from a horror website.
Director: Irene Taylor | Stars: Morgan Geyser, Anissa Weier, Angie Geyser, William Weier
Votes: 7,773
46. 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: 7,256 | Gross: $0.68M
47. Wild Wild Country (2018)
TV-MA | 403 min | Documentary, Crime
When Osho, the world's most controversial guru, builds an Utopian city deep in the Oregon country, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
Stars: Ma Anand Sheela, Philip Toelkes, Jane Stork, George Meredith
Votes: 34,799
48. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017)
94 min | Documentary, Biography
Literary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this intimate documentary directed by her nephew, Griffin Dunne.
Director: Griffin Dunne | Stars: Joan Didion, Griffin Dunne, Anna Wintour, Phyllis Rifield
Votes: 3,054
49. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, Crime
A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood, Dick Clay
Votes: 18,047
50. The Fear of 13 (2015)
96 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A convicted murderer who has spent 23 years on Death Row tells his story.
Director: David Sington | Stars: Herbert A. Fuchs, Sammy Silverwatch, Nick Yarris
Votes: 7,626
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