Documentaries I need to see
by whitney_valera | created - 15 Oct 2012 | updated - 30 Jan 2015 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. 50 Films to See Before You Die (2006 TV Movie)
195 min | Documentary
Celebrating the relaunch of Film4 as a free-to-air TV channel, Channel4 counts down their list of the fop 50 films to see before you die, as compiled by film critics and personalities.
Directors: Olivia Blythman, Richard Mortimer, Stuart Ramsay | Stars: Richard Teideman, David Aaronovitch, Jenny Agutter, Stephen Armstrong
Votes: 183
2. The Future of Food (2004)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary
THE FUTURE OF FOOD offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled grocery store shelves for the past decade.
Director: Deborah Koons Garcia | Stars: Charles Benbrook, Grace Booth, George W. Bush, Ignacio Chapela
Votes: 1,431 | Gross: $0.08M
3. Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home (2007)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary
Take your average urban family the Mcdonalds and ask them to keep every scrap of garbage they create for three months. Then take them on a journey to show them where it all goes and how it ... See full summary »
Director: Andrew Nisker | Stars: Glen McDonald, Michele McDonald, Ariel McDonald, Thomas McDonald
Votes: 26
4. Trashed (2012)
Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary
Jeremy Irons sets out to discover the extent and effects of the global waste problem, as he travels around the world to beautiful destinations tainted by pollution. This is a meticulous, ... See full summary »
Director: Candida Brady | Stars: Paul Connett, Jeremy Irons, Evangelos Kalafatis, Charles Moore
Votes: 695
5. Unacceptable Levels (2013)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary, Biography
Our bodies are changing, as synthetic chemicals are becoming an everyday experience for all of us. Every single human being on this planet is experiencing this, as we are constantly exposed... See full summary »
Director: Ed Brown | Stars: Ken Cook, Christopher Gavigan, Jeffrey Hollender, Stacy Malkan
Votes: 48
6. The Human Experiment (2013)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary
A documentary that explores chemicals found in everyday household products.
Directors: Don Hardy, Dana Nachman | Star: Sean Penn
Votes: 663
7. 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: 8,851 | Gross: $1.33M
8. Detropia (2012)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
A documentary on the city of Detroit and its woes, which are emblematic of the collapse of the U.S. manufacturing base.
Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady | Stars: Noah Stewart, Rachele Gilmnore, Michael Wanko, Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra
Votes: 1,625 | Gross: $0.36M
9. 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
10. 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: 78,770 | Gross: $4.31M
11. The Cove (2009)
PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.
Director: Louie Psihoyos | Stars: Richard O'Barry, Louie Psihoyos, Hardy Jones, Michael Illiff
Votes: 51,361 | Gross: $0.87M
12. 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: 85,126 | Gross: $23.81M
13. Tarnation (2003)
Unrated | 88 min | Documentary, Biography
Filmmaker Jonathan Caouette's documentary on growing up with his schizophrenic mother -- a mixture of snapshots, Super-8 film, answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, and more - culled from nineteen years of his life.
Director: Jonathan Caouette | Stars: Jonathan Caouette, Renee Leblanc, Adolph Davis, Rosemary Davis
Votes: 6,704 | Gross: $0.59M
14. Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010 Video)
Not Rated | 239 min | Documentary, Horror
Explore the origins of "dream demon" Freddy Krueger in this award-winning documentary that takes you behind the scenes of the most frightening and imaginative horror franchise in motion picture history!
Directors: Daniel Farrands, Andrew Kasch | Stars: Heather Langenkamp, Stacey Alden, Erika Anderson, Marshall Bell
Votes: 5,177
15. Sexy Baby (2012)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary
An ex adult film star, a 12 year old girl and a 22 year old who yearns for "normal" private parts are chronicled in this thought provoking doc about how porn, social media and pop culture affect women and girls. A FilmBuff Presentation.
Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus | Stars: Winnifred Bonjean Alpart, Nikita Cash, Laura Castle
Votes: 1,172
16. Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America (2009– )
55 min | Documentary, Comedy
Stars: Billy Crystal, Amy Sedaris, Leonard Maltin, Robert Klein
Votes: 187
17. Hookers at the Point (1996 Video)
94 min | Documentary
In this documentary, director and producer Brent Owens takes us to the streets of Hunts Point in South Bronx, for a candid documentary about the local sex workers. We learn about the past, ... See full summary »
Director: Brent Owens
Votes: 224
18. Taboo (2002–2014)
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary
Around the world there are people of different cultures who take actions and decisions that seem out of the ordinary to the average westerner. Considered taboo, these people and their stories are now being known.
Stars: Lance Lewman, Andres Williams, David McCallum, Peter Singer
Votes: 683
19. Yellowstone (2009– )
50 min | Documentary
Filmed over the course of a year in Yellowstone, this documentary tracks the area's wildlife as they grapple with life and death within one of America's last remaining wilderness regions.
Stars: Peter Firth, Mary Beth Schwartz, Dick Powell, Jeff Henry
Votes: 1,877
20. National Geographic: The Story of Earth (2011 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary
How the earth evolved and man's minuscule place in it. Excellent to understand what we know today as our earth's evolution.
Director: Yavar Abbas | Star: Matt Vasko
Votes: 175
21. National Geographic Specials (1965– )
60 min | Documentary, History
For over 30 years, the National Geographic Society has presented specials on nature, foreign culture, scientific breakthroughs, and things which fall under the general category of "neat stuff." Each special is self-contained.
Stars: Alexander Scourby, Leslie Nielsen, Richard Kiley, Joseph Campanella
Votes: 338
22. Great Barrier Reef (2012)
Not Rated | Documentary
Monty Halls explores Australia's Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders of the world and the largest living structure on our planet. Monty explores its full 2000-kilometre length, ... See full summary »
Stars: Monty Halls, Dan Nachtrab, Karl Stefanovic
Votes: 781
23. The Great Rift: Africa's Greatest Story (2010– )
176 min | Documentary
The Great Rift Valley in Africa was created when the African and Arabian tectonic plates separated about 35 million years ago. This series investigates the forces that created the rift and focuses on the landscape and wildlife.
Stars: Hugh Quarshie, Justin Maguire, Tim Fogg, Martin Dohrn
Votes: 660
24. Nature's Great Events (2009)
49 min | Documentary, Family
This exploration of the planet's most breathtaking natural events follows vast migrations, huge ocean convergences, powerful weather systems and mighty floods.
Stars: David Attenborough, Joe Stevens, Shane Moore, Owen Newman
Votes: 3,369
25. Häxan (1922)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary, Fantasy, Horror
Fictionalized documentary showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in Eastern Europe.
Director: Benjamin Christensen | Stars: Benjamin Christensen, Elisabeth Christensen, Maren Pedersen, Clara Pontoppidan
Votes: 16,611
26. The Overnighters (2014)
PG-13 | 102 min | Documentary, Drama
Broken, desperate men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor risks everything to help them.
Director: Jesse Moss | Stars: Jay Reinke, Andrea Reinke, Alan Mezo, Shelly Schultz
Votes: 2,549 | Gross: $0.11M
27. The Hunting Ground (2015)
PG-13 | 103 min | Documentary
An exposé of rape crimes on U.S. college campuses, their institutional cover-ups, and the devastating toll they take on students and their families.
Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Andrea Pino, Annie Clark, Claire Potter, Melinda Manning
Votes: 6,481 | Gross: $0.41M
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: 7,077 | Gross: $0.07M
29. Playboy Real Couples II: Best Sex Ever (1996 Video)
Unrated | 55 min | Documentary, Adult
A soft core porn that is supposedly about monogamous couples having sexual relations.
Director: James Wvinner | Stars: Kendall, Sass Lynn, Angela Cornell, Lauren Montgomery
Votes: 455
30. Doctor Who: Tales from the TARDIS (2013 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 43 min | Documentary
Behind-the-scenes stories from the cast and crew across 50 years of Doctor Who.
Director: James Brailsford | Stars: Gareth Pierce, Matt Smith, David Tennant, Anneke Wills
Votes: 464
31. Ethos (I) (2011)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary
Hosted by twice Oscar nominated actor Woody Harrelson, Ethos explores the mechanisms in our systems that work against democracy, the environment and our own personal liberty.
Director: Pete McGrain | Stars: Woody Harrelson, Justin Lewis, Bill Hogan, Noam Chomsky
Votes: 1,252
32. The Crisis of Civilization (2011)
Not Rated | 82 min | Documentary, History, News
The Crisis Civilization is a documentary feature film investigating how global crises like ecological disaster, financial meltdown, dwindling oil reserves, terrorism and food shortages are ... See full summary »
Director: Dean Puckett | Stars: Nafeez Mossadeq Ahmed, Francis Fukuyama, Samuel Huntington
Votes: 203
33. Heist: Who Stole the American Dream? (2011)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary, History, News
Heist: Who Stole the American Dream? reveals how American corporations orchestrated the dismantling of middle-class prosperity through rampant deregulation, the outsourcing of jobs, and tax... See full summary »
Directors: Frances Causey, Donald Goldmacher | Stars: Elizabeth Warren, Nomi Prins, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Robert Crandall
Votes: 185
34. Do the Math (2013)
50 min | Documentary
Bill McKibben in a David-vs-Goliath battle fights the fossil fuel industry to change the terrifying math of the climate crisis.
Directors: Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott | Stars: Lester Brown, Mike Brune, Majora Carter, Susan Casey-Lefkowitz
Votes: 111
35. Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood (2008)
66 min | Documentary, Family, Fantasy
Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and ... See full summary »
Directors: Adriana Barbaro, Jeremy Earp | Stars: Daniel Acuff, Enola Aird, Michael Brody, George W. Bush
Votes: 592
36. The Superior Human? (2012)
73 min | Documentary
A documentary that systematically challenges the common human belief that humans are superior to other life forms. The documentary reveals the absurdity of this belief while exploding human bias.
Director: Samuel McAnallen | Stars: Steven Best, Nick Gylaw, Bernard Rollin, Richard Ryder
Votes: 192
37. The End of Poverty? (2008)
Not Rated | 106 min | Documentary
A phenomenal discourse on why poverty exists when there is so much wealth in the world. A must see for anyone wanting to understand not only the US economic system but the foundations of today's global economy.
Director: Philippe Diaz | Stars: Martin Sheen, Amartya Sen, John Perkins, Eric Toussaint
Votes: 466 | Gross: $0.06M
38. End of the Road: How Money Became Worthless (2012)
Unrated | 55 min | Documentary
In 2008 the world experienced financial turmoil. Markets crashed, stocks plummeted, and financial institutions thought to be invincible, collapsed. Was the financial crisis solved or were the problems merely kicked down the road?
Director: Tim Delmastro | Stars: Adam Fergusson, G. Edward Griffin, Mike Maloney, Bill Murphy
Votes: 508
39. 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: 658 | Gross: $0.07M
40. We Were Here (I) (2011)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A deep and reflective look at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco and how individuals rose to the occasion during the first years of this unimaginable crisis.
Directors: David Weissman, Bill Weber | Stars: Ed Wolf, Daniel Goldstein, Guy Clark, Eileen Glutzer
Votes: 2,276
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