Thought provoking documentaries
by ravi-john | created - 14 May 2013 | updated - 20 Apr 2019 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Craigslist Joe (2012)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Adventure
In a time when America's economy was crumbling and sense of community was in question, one guy left everything behind to see if he could survive solely on the support and goodwill of the 21st century's new town square: Craigslist.
Director: Joseph Garner | Stars: Joseph Garner, Kristos Andrews, Gina Keatley, Michael Kuciak
Votes: 3,845
2. GasLand (2010)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary
An exploration of the fracking petroleum extraction industry and the serious environmental consequences involved.
Director: Josh Fox | Stars: Josh Fox, Dick Cheney, Pete Seeger, Richard Nixon
Votes: 11,103 | Gross: $0.03M
3. Life in a Day (2011)
PG-13 | 95 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary shot by film-makers all over the world that serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on the twenty-fourth of July, 2010.
Directors: Tegan Bukowski, Loressa Clisby, Kevin Macdonald, Hiroaki Aikawa, Natalia Andreadis, Jack Attridge, Cristina Bocchialini, Zillah Bowes, Andrea Dalla Costa, Lisa Cottrell-Bentley, Alejo Crisóstomo, Sócrates Cuadri, Ayman El Gazwy, Shawn Gadberry, Seth Grant, Jane Haubrich, Soma Helmi, Jennifer M. Howd, Clementine Isaac, Aditya Kolli, Gabor Kukucska, Francesco La Regina, Frederic Lumiere, Marek Mackovic, Zuqy Cruz Marquez, Linda Matarasso, Kevin McMahon, Joseph Michael, Joaquin Montalvan, Lilit Movsisyan, Emmanuelle Pickett, Christopher Redmond, Alejandro Romeo, Alaa Sheikh Hassan, Marcus Tedenryd | Stars: Hiroaki Aikawa, Cindy Baer, Teagan Bentley, Ester Brym
Votes: 15,561 | Gross: $0.25M
4. This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)
Unrated | 98 min | Documentary
Kirby Dick's exposé about the American movie ratings board.
Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Kirby Dick, Kimberly Peirce, Darren Aronofsky, Atom Egoyan
Votes: 28,617 | Gross: $0.30M
5. Jesus Camp (2006)
PG-13 | 87 min | Documentary
A documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham.
Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady | Stars: Mike Papantonio, Lou Engle, Becky Fischer, Ted Haggard
Votes: 28,767 | Gross: $0.90M
6. Man on Wire (2008)
PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A 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".
Director: James Marsh | Stars: Philippe Petit, Jean François Heckel, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Annie Allix
Votes: 58,651 | Gross: $2.96M
7. 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
8. Sicko (2007)
PG-13 | 123 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories including shotgun deaths.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Tucker Albrizzi, Tony Benn, George W. Bush
Votes: 76,813 | Gross: $24.54M
9. 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: 25,872 | Gross: $1.21M
10. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Alex Gibney exposes the haunting details of the USA's torture and interrogation practices during the War in Afghanistan.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Brian Keith Allen, Moazzam Begg, Christopher Beiring
Votes: 16,799 | Gross: $0.27M
11. Restrepo (2010)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A year with one platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan.
Directors: Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger | Stars: The Men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Juan 'Doc Restrepo, Dan Kearney, LaMonta Caldwell
Votes: 24,418 | Gross: $1.33M
12. Best Worst Movie (2009)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Comedy
A look at the making of the film Troll 2 (1990) and its journey from being crowned the "worst film of all time" to a cherished cult classic.
Director: Michael Paul Stephenson | Stars: George Hardy, Pita Ray, Micki Knox, Tommy Bice
Votes: 8,522 | Gross: $0.10M
13. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Comedy, Crime
Following the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.
Director: Banksy | Stars: Banksy, Mr. Brainwash, Space Invader, Debora Guetta
Votes: 68,785 | Gross: $3.29M
14. Marjoe (1972)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Biography
This Oscar-winning documentary explores the life of one-time child evangelist and faith healer Marjoe Gortner. The son of professional evangelists, Gortner was preaching on the Southern tent-revival circuit by the age of 3.
Directors: Sarah Kernochan, Howard Smith | Stars: Agnes Benjamin, Marjoe Gortner, Vernon Gortner, Sarah Kernochan
Votes: 1,737
15. Senna (2010)
PG-13 | 106 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34.
Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Ayrton Senna, Reginaldo Leme, John Bisignano, Neyde Senna
Votes: 75,699 | Gross: $1.61M
16. 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: 7,278 | Gross: $0.68M
17. The Tillman Story (2010)
R | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, Mystery
Chronicles the life of the late Pat Tillman, who walked away from a multimillion-dollar contract with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals in 2002 to join the Army but died from friendly fire in Afghanistan.
Director: Amir Bar-Lev | Stars: Pat Tillman, Josh Brolin, Mary Tillman, Russell Baer
Votes: 5,430 | Gross: $0.80M
18. Girl Model (2011)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, Thriller
A documentary on the modeling industry's 'supply chain' between Siberia, Japan, and the U.S., told through the experiences of the scouts, agencies, and a 13-year-old model.
Directors: David Redmon, Ashley Sabin | Stars: Ashley Arbaugh, Rachel Blais, Olivia Arben, Tigran Khachatrian
Votes: 2,306 | Gross: $0.02M
19. 9 to 5: Days in Porn (2008)
Not Rated | 113 min | Documentary
9to5 - Days in Porn focuses on the people behind a controversial and multi-billion dollar industry "The Adult Entertainment industry". It depicts their stories, each one different, ... See full summary »
Director: Jens Hoffmann | Stars: Otto Bauer, Audrey Hollander, Belladonna, Jim Powers
Votes: 2,213
20. Erasing David (2010)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
Director David Bond finds out how much private companies and government know about him by attempting to disappear. Tracked by two ruthless private investigators, his chilling journey forces him to contemplate the loss of privacy.
Directors: David Bond, Melinda McDougall | Stars: Frank M. Ahearn, David Bond, Phil Booth, Cameron Gowlett
Votes: 420
21. The Interrupters (2011)
Unrated | 125 min | Documentary, Crime
A year in the life of a city grappling with urban violence.
Director: Steve James | Stars: Tio Hardiman, Ameena Matthews, Toya Batey, Cobe Williams
Votes: 3,616 | Gross: $0.28M
22. Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
PG-13 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.
Director: Malik Bendjelloul | Stars: Rodriguez, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore
Votes: 72,849 | Gross: $3.97M
23. 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: 50,383 | Gross: $0.89M
24. 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: 5,885 | Gross: $2.42M
25. Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012)
TV-14 | 106 min | Documentary
Alex Gibney explores the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all the way to the Vatican.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Terry Kohut, Gary Smith, Pat Kuehn
Votes: 4,082
26. Bones Brigade: An Autobiography (2012)
PG | 90 min | Documentary, Sport
When six teenage boys came together as a skateboarding team in the 1980s, they reinvented not only their chosen sport but themselves too - as they evolved from insecure outsiders to the most influential athletes in the field.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Tony Alva, Steve Caballero, Fred Durst, Shepard Fairey
Votes: 2,729
27. Hell and Back Again (2011)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Action, History
What does it mean to lead men in war? What does it mean to come home? Hell and Back Again is a cinematically revolutionary film that asks and answers these questions with a power and ... See full summary »
Director: Danfung Dennis | Stars: Nathan Harris, Ashley Harris, The Marines of Echo Company, Christian Cabaniss
Votes: 2,347 | Gross: $0.04M
28. We Steal Secrets (2013)
R | 130 min | Documentary
A documentary that details the creation of Julian Assange's controversial website, which facilitated the largest security breach in U.S. history.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Julian Assange, Adrian Lamo, John 'FuzzFace' McMahon, Alex Gibney
Votes: 8,176 | Gross: $0.16M
29. 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
30. To the Arctic 3D (2012)
G | 40 min | Documentary, Short
A journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her two seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home.
Director: Greg MacGillivray | Stars: Meryl Streep, Leanne Allison, Karsten Heuer, Bjorne Kvernmo
Votes: 1,134 | Gross: $14.55M
31. No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka (2013)
49 min | Documentary, Crime
No Fire Zone: In the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka is an investigative documentary about the final weeks of the Sri Lankan Civil War.
Director: Callum Macrae | Stars: Rufus Sewell, Bashana Abeywardene, Vany Viji, Benjamin Dix
Votes: 382
32. Climbed Every Mountain: The Story Behind the Sound of Music (2012 TV Movie)
48 min | Documentary
The Sound of Music is one of the most enduring popular films ever made, yet behind it lies an even more astonishing family story. Sue Perkins travels to Salzburg, Ellis Island and Vermont ... See full summary »
Director: Christopher Walker | Stars: Nicholas Hammond, Sue Perkins, Peter Husty, Elizabeth Campbell Peters
Votes: 25
33. How to Make Money Selling Drugs (2012)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, Crime
Ten easy steps show you how to make money from drugs, featuring a series of interviews with drug dealers, prison employees, and lobbyists arguing for tougher drug laws.
Director: Matthew Cooke | Stars: 'Freeway' Ricky Ross, Susan Sarandon, David Simon, 50 Cent
Votes: 6,819 | Gross: $1.50M
34. 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
35. Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel (2009)
R | 124 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at the battles Hugh Hefner fought over the years against the U.S. government, the religious right, and militant feminists.
Director: Brigitte Berman | Stars: Larry Adler, Bobbie Arnstein, Joan Baez, Count Basie
Votes: 752 | Gross: $0.02M
36. Four Horsemen (2012)
Not Rated | 97 min | Documentary, News
The modern day Four Horsemen continue to ride roughshod over the people who can least afford it. Crises are converging when governments, religion and mainstream economists have stalled. 23 ... See full summary »
Director: Ross Ashcroft | Stars: Dominic Frisby, Gillian Tett, Lawrence Wilkerson, David Morgan
Votes: 2,918
37. Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie (2012)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
Before 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.
Directors: Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger | Stars: Morton Downey Jr., Glenn Beck, Victoria Jackson, Bob Pittman
Votes: 1,037 | Gross: $0.02M
38. 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: 40,769 | Gross: $0.49M
39. Inequality for All (2013)
PG | 89 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich as he looks to raise awareness of the country's widening economic gap.
Director: Jacob Kornbluth | Stars: Robert Reich, Dolly Parton, Candice Bergen, Lily Tomlin
Votes: 7,016 | Gross: $1.21M
40. Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
G | 99 min | Documentary
Film-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Doug MacAyeal
Votes: 19,233 | Gross: $0.94M
41. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, History
Footage shot by a group of Swedish journalists documenting the Black Power Movement in the United States is edited together by a contemporary Swedish filmmaker.
Director: Göran Hugo Olsson | Stars: Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Abiodun Oyewole
Votes: 2,496 | Gross: $0.26M
42. 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
43. Best of Enemies (2015)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary on the series of televised debates in 1968 between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley.
Directors: Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville | Stars: Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley, Dick Cavett, Noam Chomsky
Votes: 6,493 | Gross: $0.89M
44. Wild Wild Country (2018)
TV-MA | 67 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: 35,029
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