Favorite Documentaries of All Time
I decided to make a separate list of my favorite docs because I don't put them on my favorite films of all time list.
List activity
589 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
119 titles
- DirectorJoshua OppenheimerAnonymousChristine CynnStarsAnwar CongoHerman KotoSyamsul ArifinA 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.10/10
- DirectorGabriela CowperthwaiteStarsTilikumDave DuffusSamantha BergA documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.
- DirectorAsif KapadiaStarsAmy WinehouseMitch WinehouseMark RonsonArchival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.
- DirectorJason OsderStarsBirdie AfricaRamona AfricaWilson GoodeA history of the conflict of the City of Philadelphia and the Black Liberation organization, MOVE, that led to the disastrously violent final confrontation in 1985.
- DirectorJuliet LammersLorraine PriceStarsAriane FortinMike MoffaMary SpencerLast Woman Standing follows world champion boxers and former friends, Ariane Fortin and Mary Spencer, as they fight for an Olympic dream that can only belong to one.
- DirectorMichael MooreStarsMichael MooreCharlton HestonMarilyn MansonFilmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.
- DirectorGrant GeeStarsRichard BoonAnton CorbijnKevin CumminsA chronological account of the influential late 1970s English rock band.
- DirectorRaoul PeckStarsSamuel L. JacksonJames BaldwinMartin Luther KingWriter James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.
- DirectorEugene JareckiStarsEugene JareckiDavid SimonShanequa BenitezFrom the dealer to the narcotics officer, the inmate to the federal judge, a penetrating look inside America's criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy.
- DirectorBart LaytonStarsAdam O'BrianNicholas BarclayCarey GibsonA 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.
- 20161h 35mTV-147.9 (3.6K)TV Movie78MetascoreDirectorAlexis BloomFisher StevensStarsDebbie ReynoldsCarrie FisherTodd FisherAn intimate portrait of actress Debbie Reynolds and her relationship with her beloved children, Carrie and Todd.
- DirectorGeorge ButlerRobert FioreStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLou FerrignoMatty FerrignoArnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno face off in a no-holds-barred competition for the title of Mr. Olympia in this critically-acclaimed film that made Schwarzenegger a household name.
- DirectorSusan LacyStarsJane FondaRichard NixonRobert RedfordA look at the life, work, activism and controversies of actress and fitness tycoon, Jane Fonda.
- 20211h 58mPG-138.0 (14K)96MetascoreDirectorQuestloveStarsDorinda DrakeBarbara Bland-AcostaDarryl LewisDocumentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity.
- DirectorDenis SandersStarsElvis PresleyJames BurtonGlen D. HardinAfter years of making movies, the King made a triumphant return to the stage in 1970. Now, see the backstage footage from rehearsals to relaxing at the hotel and the performances in one of the most intimate looks at Elvis captured on film.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsMaxine McNairWalter CronkiteChris McNairA documentary of the notorious racial terrorist bombing of an African American church during the Civil Rights Movement.
- DirectorAndrew JareckiStarsArnold FriedmanJesse FriedmanDavid FriedmanDocumentary 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.
- DirectorBenny SafdieJosh SafdieStarsLenny CookeTom KonchalskiLeBron JamesLenny Cooke was the number-one ranked high school basketball player in America, but his inevitable fall from grace will forever be remembered.
- DirectorJennie LivingstonStarsBrooke XtravaganzaAndré ChristianDorian CoreyA chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.
- DirectorMarc SilverStarsLucia McBathRon DavisMichael David DunnIn 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets, two lives intersected and were forever altered.
- DirectorIce-TAndy BaybuttStarsIce-TDr. DreChuck DA documentary on rap music and its rise to global prominence.
- DirectorJames HanlonGédéon NaudetJules NaudetStarsTony BenatatosYusuf Baran BilgicJamal BraithwaiteA real life documentary following the events of September 11 from an insider's view, through the lens of James Hanlon and two French filmmakers who were in Manhattan that one day.
- DirectorJeff MalmbergStarsMark HogancampEmmanuel NnejiEdda HogancampDocumentary 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)
- DirectorJoshua OppenheimerStarsAdi RukunM.Y. BasrunVolker HanischA family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
- DirectorRob EpsteinJeffrey FriedmanStarsLily TomlinTony CurtisSusie BrightA documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film.
- DirectorFax BahrGeorge HickenlooperEleanor CoppolaStarsDennis HopperMartin SheenMarlon BrandoDocumentary 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.
- DirectorEvgeny AfineevskyStarsHis Beatitude SviatoslavSaid IsmagilovBishop AgapitA documentary on the unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014, as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsPaul HaggisJason BegheSpanky TaylorA documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.
- DirectorRob EpsteinStarsHarvey FiersteinHarvey MilkAnne KronenbergA documentary of the successful career and assassination of San Francisco's first elected gay city supervisor.
- DirectorJames MarshStarsPhilippe PetitJean François HeckelJean-Louis BlondeauA 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".
- DirectorKirsten JohnsonStarsKirsten JohnsonAisha BukarEric W. DavisExposing her role behind the camera, Kirsten Johnson reaches into the vast trove of footage she has shot over decades around the world. What emerges is a visually bold memoir and a revelatory interrogation of the power of the camera.
- DirectorSimon PummellSimon Pummell's epic movie tells the story of a human life, using found footage from the last 100 years of cinema, cut to a powerful score by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead.
- DirectorSam FederStarsLaverne CoxBianca LeighJen RichardsAn in-depth look at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people and the impact of those stories on transgender lives and American culture.
- DirectorSeth KramerDaniel A. MillerJeremy NewbergerStarsMorton Downey Jr.Glenn BeckVictoria JacksonBefore entire networks were built on populist personalities; before reality morphed into a TV genre; the masses fixated on a single, sociopathic star: controversial talk-show host Morton Downey, Jr.
- DirectorNebojsa SlijepcevicStarsNina BatinicMarin BlazevicSandra Dekanic"Srbenka" is a film about peer violence toward children of different nationality in Croatia. It examines how the generation born after the war copes with the dark shadows of history.
- DirectorTony SilverStarsDemonKase 2Eric HazeA documentary that exposes the rich growing subculture of hip-hop that was developing in New York City in the late '70s and early '80s, specifically focusing on graffiti art and breakdancing.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsJonny GreenwoodEhtisham Khan AjmeriNihal KhanMusician Jonny Greenwood travels to Rajasthan, where he performs with a multitude of Indian musicians.
- DirectorDavid DargPrice JamesStarsDavid ArquetteChristina McLarty ArquettePatricia ArquetteActor David Arquette attempts a rocky return to the sport that stalled his promising Hollywood career.
- DirectorChris SmithStarsJim CarreyDanny DeVitoMilos FormanA 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).
- DirectorChris BlumStarsTom WaitsMichael L. BlairRalph CarneyBringing his unique sense of humor to this bizarre and original piece of moviemaking, Tom Waits takes the audience through a musical journey with his jazzy, quirky, bluesy tunes presented as you would never, ever, ever expect.
- DirectorAva DuVernayStarsMelina AbdullahMichelle AlexanderCory BookerAn in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
- DirectorDavis GuggenheimStarsMichael J. FoxDavis GuggenheimTracy PollanFollows the life of beloved actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, exploring his personal and professional triumphs and travails, and what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.
- DirectorDziga VertovStarsMikhail KaufmanElizaveta SvilovaA man travels around a city with a camera slung over his shoulder, documenting urban life with dazzling invention.9/10
- DirectorHeidi EwingRachel GradyStarsMike PapantonioLou EngleBecky FischerA documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham.
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsKeith RichardsAnthony DeCurtisSteve JordanA portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.
- DirectorBrishkay AhmedStarsAfzal KohistaniKhawaja HaseebSereen JanIn a remote region of Northern Pakistan, young villagers learn that the line between public and private can become fatally blurred when digital media enters the room.
- DirectorChris MarkerStarsAmilcar CabralFlorence DelayArielle DombasleA woman narrates the contemplative writings of a seasoned world traveler, focusing on contemporary Japan.
- DirectorBonni CohenJon ShenkStarsMaggie NicholsGina NicholsJohn NicholsFollow the Indianapolis Star reporters that broke the story about USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's abuse and hear from gymnasts like Maggie Nichols.
- DirectorMarcelo GomesA small village in the Brazilian outback is considered the nation's capital of jeans. It's also a microcosm that depicts modern day capitalism and its transgressions.
- DirectorBryan FogelStarsBryan FogelDave ZabriskieDon CatlinWhen 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.
- DirectorHenrique Cirne-LimaJosue PellotStarsGinger ValdezJulissa Ortiz-RosadoJolizza ColonA documentary film focusing on a trans gender, youth beauty pageant, taking place in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. Characters offer a glimpse of their lifestyle as they prepare to compete against each other.
- DirectorDoug PrayStarsThe AlliesA-TrakCrazeThe story of the hip-hop DJ from the birth of hip-hop to the invention of scratching and "beat-juggling" vinyl, to the more recent "turntablism" movement. Underdogs and virtuosos who have radically changed the way we hear and create music.
- DirectorJosh GreenbaumStarsDana CarveyRobert SmigelBill HaderCreators, cast and network executives recount the strange history of the Dana Carvey Show, the irreverent prime time sketch comedy show that aired for eight episodes on ABC, following its star's meteoric run on Saturday Night Live.
- DirectorNicholas Zeig-OwensStarsTrixie MattelBenjamin PutnamCaldwell TidicueTrixie charmed audiences and judges as winner of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. But the grind of performing and the pressure of the title proves that heavy is the head that wears the tiara.
- DirectorErrol MorrisStarsJoyce McKinneyPeter ToryTroy WilliamsA documentary on a former Miss Wyoming who is charged with abducting and imprisoning a young Mormon Missionary.
- DirectorDave LaMattinaChad N. WalkerStarsCaroll SpinneyJim HensonFrank OzCaroll Spinney has been Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since 1969; at 78-years-old, he has no intention of stopping.
- DirectorKarim AmerJehane NoujaimStarsBrittany KaiserDavid CarrollPaul-Olivier DehayeThe Cambridge Analytica scandal is examined through the roles of several affected persons.
- DirectorEllen HovdeAlbert MayslesDavid MayslesStarsEdith Bouvier BealeEdith 'Little Edie' Bouvier BealeBrooks HyersMeet a mother and daughter, high-society dropouts, reclusive cousins of Jackie O., managing to thrive together amid the decay and disorder of their East Hampton, NY, mansion, making for an eerily ramshackle echo of the American Camelot.
- DirectorPrinceDavid HoganAlbert MagnoliStarsPrinceSheila E.Sheena EastonHighlights from Prince's 1987 European concert tour, including selections from the rock star's album of the same title.
- DirectorJulie M. ThompsonStarsAllard K. LowensteinMidge CostanzaDavid HalberstamChronicles the life of Allard K. Lowenstein, the political activist and Congressman known for his tireless anti-war and civil rights activism.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsMichael DouglasAnkie SpitzerJamal Al GasheyThe Palestinian terrorist group Black September holds Israeli athletes hostage at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich.
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsFred RogersMargaret WhitmerTom JunodAn exploration of the life, lessons, and legacy of iconic children's television host Fred Rogers.
- DirectorKirby DickStarsKirby DickKimberly PeirceDarren AronofskyKirby Dick's exposé about the American movie ratings board.
- DirectorOrson WellesGary GraverOja KodarStarsOrson WellesOja KodarFrançois ReichenbachA documentary about fraud and fakery.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsEliot SpitzerAlex GibneyHulbert WaldroupAn in-depth look at the rise and fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, including interviews with the scandalized, former politician.
- DirectorDon HahnStarsDon HahnSarah GillespieShirley AshmanThe story of songwriter Howard Ashman who penned the lyrics for Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast before he died of AIDS at the height of the AIDS crisis in 1991.
- DirectorMatt WolfStarsKathelin GrayMarie HardingWilliam DempsterA look at the group of people who built the Biosphere 2, a giant replica of the earth's ecosystem, in 1991.
- DirectorSteve JamesStarsThomas SungHwei Lin SungCyrus Vance Jr.A small financial institution called Abacus becomes the only company criminally indicted in the wake of the United States' 2008 mortgage crisis.
- DirectorLeslie IwerksStarsStacy KeachJohn LasseterBrad BirdThe 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.
- DirectorMarina ZenovichStarsRobin WilliamsMark RasmussenStan WilsonAn intimate look into the life and work of the revered master comedian and actor, Robin Williams.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogThis film surveys the disaster of the Kuwaiti oil fields in flames, with little narration and scarcely any interviews. Hell on Earth is presented in such transcendent visions and music that one can only be fascinated by it.
- DirectorNanfu WangJialing ZhangStarsNanfu WangZaodi WangZhimei WangAfter becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China's one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.
- DirectorMichael MooreStarsMichael MooreGeorge W. BushBen AffleckMichael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- DirectorKeith MaitlandStarsMonty MuirViolett BeaneCole Bee WilsonAnimation, testimony, and archival footage combine to relate the events of August 1, 1966 when a gunman opened fire from the University of Texas clock tower, killing 16 people.
- DirectorJan HarlanStarsKatharina KubrickMalcolm McDowellStanley KubrickThe career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise.
- DirectorMorgan SpurlockStarsMorgan SpurlockDaryl IsaacsChemeeka WalkerWhile 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.
- DirectorRobert StoneStarsHugh AynesworthDavid BellinHale BoggsAn unprecedented account of how the JFK assassination reverberated through American society, triggering a culture of conspiracy that resonates to this very day.
- DirectorRebecca Cammisa"Which Way Home" is a feature documentary film that follows unaccompanied child migrants, on their journey through Mexico, as they try to reach the United States. We follow children like Olga and Freddy, nine-year old Hondurans, who are desperately trying to reach their parents in the US.; children like Jose, a ten-year old El Salvadoran, who has been abandoned by smugglers and ends up alone in a Mexican detention center; and Kevin, a canny, streetwise fourteen-year old Honduran, whose mother hopes that he will reach the U.S. and send money back to her. These are stories of hope and courage, disappointment and sorrow. They are the children you never hear about; the invisible ones.
- DirectorJames FrancoStarsDoug AbelesJames AndersonFred ArmisenWith unprecedented access to the behind the scenes process of the writers, actors and producers, Franco and his crew document what it takes to create one full episode of Saturday Night Live.
- DirectorLawrence ShapiroStarsCharlie AdlerPamela AdlonCarlos AlazraquiSeveral voice actors discuss their art and their careers.
- DirectorNeil BerkeleyStarsGilbert GottfriedDave AttellJoy BeharGILBERT is a wildly funny and unexpectedly poignant portrait of the life and career of one of comedy's most iconic figures, Gilbert Gottfried.
- DirectorJohn-Paul DavidsonTrudie StylerStarsJohn GoodmanTom JonesEartha KittSting's wife Trudie Styler documents the turbulent bureaucracy both Sting and the filmmakers went through in order to complete The Emperor's New Groove (2000), a Disney film that underwent extensive storyline changes from start to finish.
- 20141h 37mNot Rated7.5 (4.4K)DirectorDavid GregoryStarsRichard StanleyKier-La JanisseMichael GingoldA behind the scenes chronicle of how clash of vision, bad creative decisions, lack of interest and really bad weather plagued the disastrous production of the infamous The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996).
- DirectorSteve HooverStarsRocky BraatSteve HooverAnithaDocumentarian visits best friend in India to see the mutual unconditional love that keeps his buddy bonded to a village hostel housing AIDS-afflicted children.
- DirectorFrida BarkforsLasse BarkforsStarsWilliam J. Fuery Jr.Tracy HutchinsonJames BroderickPervert Park follows the everyday lives of the sex offenders in the park as they struggle to reintegrate into society.
- DirectorAlexandra DeanStarsHedy LamarrMel BrooksJennifer HomThe life and career of the hailed Hollywood movie star and underappreciated genius inventor, Hedy Lamarr.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsAlex GibneyDave KaplanBob CostasAfter the Chicago Cubs blow an opportunity to reach the World Series in 2003, Cubs fans blame the team's misfortune on fellow fan Steve Bartman, who interfered with a foul ball and prevented Moises Alou from making a catch.
- 2017– 1h 43m8.6 (65)TV EpisodeDirectorKevin PerjurerStarsDaniel BeckerNate BegleKevin PerjurerA balanced, thorough history and explanation of how the Disney parks got to the FastPass ticketing system, and why they got rid of it.
- DirectorJeff FeuerzeigStarsLaura AlbertBruce BendersonTerrence OwensThe story behind literary persona JT LeRoy, the fictional writer created by American author Laura Albert.
- DirectorMatthew HeinemanStarsTim FoleyJosé Manuel 'El Doctor' MirelesPaco ValenciaFilmmaker Matthew Heineman examines the state of the ongoing drug problem along the U.S.-Mexican border.
- DirectorJosh L.StarsChristine Weston ChandlerChris DuckworthJosh L.A brief history of the life of Christian Weston Chandler, an autistic comic book artist who rose to legendary levels of internet infamy in the mid-2000's with his comic, "Sonichu."
- DirectorDaniel BittonStarsWesley WillisVaginal CroutonsThe Causey WayDocumentary about the late Chicago artist and musician Wesley Willis. Filmmaker Daniel Bitton follows Willis throughout the Chicago area, riding the bus, talking to friends and strangers alike, selling his CDs to record shops and going about his day. Willis was memorable to many for being schizophrenic as well as 6'6" and over 300 pounds, but was loved by his fans and friends for his quirky, oddball music, artistic talent and for being a real gentle giant. He was a testament to the human drive to survive and create, as he himself was a survivor of extreme poverty, mental illness, child abuse, racism, and obesity. The fact that he lived to see 40 was incredible, but his having a successful music career and being able to function was even more so. Also included on the DVD is a complete Los Angeles concert with Willis' punk band "Wesley Willis Fiasco".
- 1985– 3h 12mNot Rated7.7 (5.3K)TV EpisodeDirectorRobert B. WeideStarsWoody AllenLetty AronsonMarshall BrickmanA documentary on Woody Allen that trails him on his movie sets and follows him back to Brooklyn as he visits his childhood haunts.
- DirectorJeremy SneadStarsSean AstinAl AlcornPeter ArmstrongLearn how video games are made, marketed, and consumed by looking back at gaming history and culture through the eyes of game developers, publishers, and consumers.
- DirectorAdam CurtisStarsGeorge BushGeorge W. BushJoanne HerringAn experimental documentary that explores Saudi Arabia's relationship with the U.S. and the role this has played in the war in Afghanistan.8/10
- DirectorJon ElseStarsHans BetheHolm BursomHaakon ChevalierScientists and witnesses involved in the creation and testing of the first ever atomic bomb reflect on the Manhattan project and its fascinating leader, J. Robert Oppenheimer, who upon completion of his wonderful and horrible invention became a powerful spokesperson against the nuclear arms race.
- DirectorFenton BaileyRandy BarbatoStarsRuPaulTammy Faye BakkerVirginia FairchildTwelve years after the dramatic collapse of the Christian empire of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, this documentary tells for the first time what really happened when they lost control of the first and most successful TV ministry of its kind.
- DirectorNick BroomfieldJoan ChurchillStarsAileen WuornosNick BroomfieldTerry Humphreys-SlayNick Broomfield's second documentary about serial killer Aileen Wuornos, focusing on her mental state on death row.
- DirectorRyan WiseStarsJon Mikl ThorJohn HolmstromNik TurnerJon Mikl Thor was a bodybuilding, steel bending, brick smashing rock star in the 70's and 80's whose theatrical band, Thor, never quite made it big. Years later he attempts a comeback that nearly kills him.
- DirectorJohn MaloofCharlie SiskelStarsVivian MaierJohn MaloofDaniel ArnaudA 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.