My Favorite Documentaries
by tarek47 | created - 01 Mar 2019 | updated - 2 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Hitler: A Career (1977)
Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, History
This meticulously assembled film dissects the Third Reich with an analytical blade, charting Hitler's improbable rise, his mastery of crowd psychology and his consummate skill in exploiting others' weaknesses.
Directors: Joachim Fest, Christian Herrendoerfer | Stars: Gert Westphal, Stephen Murray, Artur Axmann, General Bergeret
Votes: 3,036
2. 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: 128,816
3. Apocalypse: The Second World War (2009)
TV-MA | 60 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: 14,297
4. Inside the Mossad (2017)
60 min | Documentary
For years the Mossad, Israel's legendary foreign intelligence agency, has been sealed off to the media. Now, for the first time since its founding, a dozen of Mossad's former spies give us ... See full summary »
Stars: Aylam Orian, Ram Ben Barak, Gad Shimron, Yossi Alpher
Votes: 1,138
5. The Keepers (II) (2017)
TV-MA | 62 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
A seven-part docuseries about the unsolved murder of a nun and the horrific secrets and pain that linger nearly five decades after her death.
Stars: Gemma Hoskins, Abbie Schaub, Virginia Anzengruber, Jean Hargadon Wehner
Votes: 25,077
6. The Spy Who Fell to Earth (2019)
94 min | Documentary, Mystery
An ambitious historian unmasks the worlds greatest spy, setting in motion the very events that lead to the spy's mysterious death.
Director: Thomas Meadmore | Stars: Henry Kissinger, Muammar Gaddafi, Moshe Dayan, Anwar Sadat
Votes: 1,184
7. Explained (2018–2021)
TV-MA | 18 min | Documentary
A documentary series that looks to explore the big questions of today.
Stars: Estelle Caswell, Samira Wiley, Maria Bello, Kyle MacLachlan
Votes: 9,946
8. The Royal House of Windsor (2017)
296 min | Documentary, History
The history of Britain's ruling dynasty, the Windsors, over the last 100 years, starting with the time around the outbreak of WWI.
Stars: Gwilym Lee, Christian Wolf, Piers Brendon, Sarah Gristwood
Votes: 1,755
9. Room 237 (I) (2012)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary
An exploration of various interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's horror film, The Shining (1980).
Director: Rodney Ascher | Stars: Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks, Juli Kearns, John Fell Ryan
Votes: 23,120 | Gross: $0.26M
10. 78/52 (2017)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary
An unprecedented look at the iconic shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), the "man behind the curtain", and the screen murder that profoundly changed the course of world cinema.
Director: Alexandre O. Philippe | Stars: Marli Renfro, Alfred Hitchcock, Tere Carrubba, Alan Barnette
Votes: 3,873 | Gross: $0.04M
11. Le serment des Hitler (2014 TV Movie)
56 min | Documentary
Documents the lineage of Adolf Hitlers descendants, focusing on William Patrick Hitler, the nephew of Adolf Hitler. Cataloguing his attempts to use Hitlers celebrity in the early years, his... See full summary »
Director: Emmanuel Amara | Stars: Florian M. Beierl, Fabrice d'Almeida, David Gardner, Adolf Hitler
Votes: 197
12.
Lundi en histoires (2014– )
Episode:
Elles étaient en guerre (1914 - 1918)
(2014)
95 min | Documentary, History
Trace the overlapping journeys of exceptional women swept up in World War I and hear their tales of bravery on history's front lines.
Directors: Fabien Beziat, Hugues Nancy | Stars: Nathalie Baye, Edith Wharton, Louise Bodin, Emmeline Pankhurst
Votes: 156
13. The Edge of Democracy (2019)
TV-14 | 121 min | Documentary, History
Political documentary and personal memoir collide in this exploration into the complex truth behind the unraveling of two Brazilian presidencies.
Director: Petra Costa | Stars: Dilma Rousseff, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva, Sergio Moro
Votes: 15,732
14.
Lundi en histoires (2014– )
Episode:
Elles étaient en guerre: 1939-1945
(2015)
91 min | Documentary, History
Mothers, nurses, soldiers and deportees - these women fought against persecution for freedom and survival amid the turbulence of World war II.
Directors: Fabien Beziat, Hugues Nancy | Stars: Nathalie Baye, Berthe Wild, Henri Frenay, Lucie Aubrac
Votes: 80
15. El Pepe: A Supreme Life (2018)
74 min | Documentary, Biography
An examination of the life, times, and legacy of Uruguay's last president, José "Pepe" Mujica.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Star: Pepe Mujica
Votes: 2,134
16. They Shall Not Grow Old (II) (2018)
R | 99 min | Documentary, History, War
A documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of the end of the war.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Thomas Adlam, William Argent, John Ashby, Attwood
Votes: 38,479 | Gross: $17.96M
17. Who Killed Malcolm X? (2019–2020)
43 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Activist Abdur-Rahman Muhammad begins his own investigation into the perplexing details surrounding the assassination of civil rights leader Malcolm X.
Stars: Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, Muhammad A. Aziz, Zak A. Kondo, David Garrow
Votes: 2,382
18. Chuck Norris vs. Communism (2015)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, Comedy, History
In the oppressive 1980s communist Romania, the smuggled VHS tapes of banned Hollywood films become an inspirational ray of hope. A hybrid feature about the magic of film and the power it has to change lives.
Director: Ilinca Calugareanu | Stars: Irina Margareta Nistor, Teodor Zamfir, Mircea Cojocaru, Vlad Craioveanu
Votes: 2,460
19. Coronavirus, Explained (2020)
TV-PG | 69 min | Documentary
In 2020, the world changed. This topical series examines the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts to combat it and ways to manage its mental health toll.
Stars: Idris Elba, Laura Linney, J.K. Simmons, Ali Mattu
Votes: 2,427
20. Fear City: New York vs the Mafia (2020)
TV-MA | 52 min | Documentary, Crime
Five Mafia families ruled New York with a bloody fist in the 1970s and '80s, until a group of federal agents tried the unthinkable: taking them down.
Stars: John Alite, Michael Franzese, Jim Kossler, John Joyce
Votes: 8,448
21. The Social Dilemma (2020)
PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Drama
Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking; tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.
Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano
Votes: 89,494
22. History 101 (2020– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Documentary, History
It is a new type of history show for a new type of audience: Big History delivered in an unadulterated hit of premium archive and jaw-dropping infographics.
Star: Natalie Silverman
Votes: 4,848
23. Tahrir 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Politician (2011)
90 min | Documentary
Months after Hosni Mubarak stepped down, Egyptians country-wide seem determined to maintain the insurgency until their demands are met.
Directors: Ayten Amin, Tamer Ezzat, Amr Salama, Ahmad Abdalla
Votes: 231
24. Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb (2020)
TV-PG | 113 min | Documentary, History
After unearthing a tomb that had been untouched for 4,400 years, Egyptian archaeologists attempt to decipher the history of the astonishing find.
Director: James Tovell | Stars: Ahmed Zikrey Abdellhak, Ghareeb Ali Mohammed Abushousha, Nabil Eldaleel, Sabry Mohyeldin Farag
Votes: 7,179
25. American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary, Crime
In 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters disappear in Colorado. With the heartbreaking details emerging, the family's story made headlines around the world.
Director: Jenny Popplewell | Stars: Nickole Atkinson, Jim Benemann, Luke Epple, Mark Jamieson
Votes: 32,793
26. Kingdom of Silence (2020 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's life, work, and murder. Featuring interviews and footage that explore his personal and professional relationships with Saudi rulers, jihadists and fellow global journalists.
Director: Rick Rowley | Stars: Nasser Faris, Lawrence Wright, Ali Soufan, Jamal Khashoggi
Votes: 974
27. What Would Sophia Loren Do? (2021)
TV-14 | 32 min | Documentary, Short, Biography
An Italian-American grandmother and film buff finds strength and joy in the life of her screen idol, Sophia Loren.
Director: Ross Kauffman | Stars: Nancy Kulik, Sophia Loren, Edoardo Ponti
Votes: 858
28. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
TV-MA | 59 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A look inside the mind of serial killer Ted Bundy, featuring interviews with him on death row.
Stars: Stephen Michaud, Bob Keppel, Kathleen McChesney, Ward Lucas
Votes: 32,943
29. The Look of Silence (2014)
PG-13 | 103 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer | Stars: Adi Rukun, M.Y. Basrun, Volker Hanisch, Amir Hasan
Votes: 13,889 | Gross: $0.11M
30. The Ripper (2020)
TV-MA | 49 min | Documentary, Crime
Investigators and witnesses recall how a modern-day Jack the Ripper terrorized the north of England during the late 1970s.
Stars: Alan Whitehouse, Keith Hellawell, Andrew Laptew, Christa Ackroyd
Votes: 10,862
31. Long Shot (2017 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 40 min | Documentary, Crime, Sport
When Juan Catalan is arrested for a murder he didn't commit, he builds his case around raw footage from the popular TV show, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000).
Director: Jacob LaMendola | Stars: Tasha Boggs, Juan Catalan, Melissa Catalan, Miguel Catalan
Votes: 8,669
32. How to Become a Tyrant (2021)
TV-14 | 23 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Ruling with an iron fist requires an aspiring dictator to know the playbook for absolute power, as history's despots prove in this sardonic docuseries.
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Waller Newell, Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Votes: 11,384
33. Lift Like a Girl (2020)
92 min | Documentary
With the guidance of her relentless coach, a teen weightlifter emerges from a scrappy training camp in Egypt to compete at the championship level.
Director: Mayye Zayed
Votes: 250
34. 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: 57,995 | Gross: $2.80M
35. Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018)
TV-MA | 48 min | Documentary, Crime
The extraordinary story of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.
Stars: Trey Borzillieri, Jerry Clark, Jason Wick, Lamont King
Votes: 31,037
36. The Tinder Swindler (2022)
TV-MA | 114 min | Documentary, Crime
Posing as a wealthy, jet-setting diamond mogul, he wooed women online, then conned them out of millions of dollars. Now some victims plan for payback.
Director: Felicity Morris | Stars: Simon Leviev, Cecilie Fjellhøy, Ayleen Charlotte, Karan Pugal
Votes: 73,083
37. Three Songs for Benazir (2021)
TV-14 | 22 min | Documentary, Short
Even as Shaista's love for Benazir is palpable, the choices he must make to build a life with her have profound consequences.
Directors: Elizabeth Mirzaei, Gulistan Mirzaei
Votes: 2,829
38. Stalin in Color (2014 TV Movie)
85 min | Documentary
Through colorized archive material rich in previously unseen footage, and many accounts from the period including some from Stalin himself, this documentary tells the story of a man who turned a dream into a nightmare.
Directors: Serge de Sampigny, Yvan Demeulandre, Mathieu Schwartz | Stars: Serge de Sampigny, Joseph Stalin
Votes: 46
39. From Meir, to Meir (2021)
62 min | Documentary
The filmmaker goes to discover Meir the village where her great-grandparents were born, the place her grandparents left, but continued to love. When she goes, she discovers a village that people are trying to leave.
Director: Maggie Morgan
Votes: 95
40. Girl in the Picture (2022)
TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
A young mother's mysterious death and her son's subsequent kidnapping blow open a decades-long mystery about the woman's true identity and the murderous federal fugitive at the center of it all.
Director: Skye Borgman | Stars: Karen Parsley, Charles Engles, Merle Bean, Ernest Bean
Votes: 21,703
41. Inside the Mind of a Cat (2022)
TV-PG | 67 min | Documentary
Cat experts dive into the mind of the feline to reveal the true capabilities of the pouncing pet in this captivating and cuddly documentary.
Director: Andy Mitchell | Stars: Neil Wilson, Bruce Kornriech, Kristyn Vitale, Saho Takagi
Votes: 6,689
42. Mickey: The Story of a Mouse (2022)
TV-G | 89 min | Documentary, Biography
Mickey Mouse is one of the most enduring symbols in our history. Those three simple circles take on meaning for virtually everyone on the planet.
Director: Jeff Malmberg | Stars: Caden Chambers, Ezra Riley, Kii Arens, Mel Birnkrant
Votes: 943
43. Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis (2022)
TV-MA | 91 min | Documentary, Crime
In August 1988, two armed bank robbers keep German and Dutch police at bay for 54 hours during a hostage-taking drama that ends badly.
Director: Volker Heise | Stars: Dieter Degowski, Hans-Jürgen Rösner
Votes: 3,039
44. Fire of Love (2022)
PG | 98 min | Documentary, Biography
Intrepid scientists and lovers Katia and Maurice Krafft died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that brought them together: unraveling the mysteries of volcanoes by capturing the most explosive imagery ever recorded.
Director: Sara Dosa | Stars: Miranda July, Katia Krafft, Maurice Krafft, Roland Haas
Votes: 14,447
45. January 6th (2022)
TV-MA | 150 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Follows the events of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th of 2021, told by those who witnessed the chaos firsthand.
Directors: Gédéon Naudet, Jules Naudet | Stars: Liz Cheney, Nancy Pelosi, Steven Sund
Votes: 512
46. Making Athena (2022)
37 min | Documentary, Short
Go behind the scenes with Romain Gavras and his team in this exclusive look at the production process of his technically stunning modern tragedy.
Directors: Kourtrajmeuf, Benjamin Weill | Stars: Anthony Bajon, Abdoulaye Barry, Younès Benbakki, Dali Benssalah
Votes: 67
47. Rooting for Roona (2020)
40 min | Documentary, Short, Drama
A little girl named Roona Begum is born in the North East of India with an unprecedented head size caused by a birth defect. This is the story of one family and how they raise a child against insurmountable odds.
Directors: Pavitra Chalam, Akshay Shankar
Votes: 513
48. Society of the Snow: Who Were We on the Mountain? (2024 TV Special)
TV-MA | 36 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at the creative process behind Society of the Snow (2023), featuring cast, crew, director J.A. Bayona and even real-life survivors.
Director: Manuel Romo | Stars: J.A. Bayona, Roberto Canessa, Carlitos Paez, Nando Parrado
Votes: 655
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