Top 50 Documentaries
by daytona-1 | created - 16 Feb 2013 | updated - 2 weeks ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Hoop Dreams (1994)
PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.
Director: Steve James | Stars: William Gates, Arthur Agee, Emma Gates, Curtis Gates
Votes: 27,997 | Gross: $7.83M
2. When We Were Kings (1996)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Sport
Boxing documentary on the 1974 world heavyweight championship bout between defending champion, George Foreman, and the underdog challenger, Muhammad Ali.
Director: Leon Gast | Stars: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown
Votes: 19,126 | Gross: $2.79M
3. 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: 78,916 | Gross: $4.31M
4. 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: 75,712 | Gross: $1.61M
5. The Wildest Dream (2010)
PG | 94 min | Documentary, Biography
Uses astonishing visuals to tell the intersecting stories of George Mallory, the first man to attempt a summit of Mount Everest, and Conrad Anker, the mountaineer who finds Mallory's frozen remains 75 years later.
Director: Anthony Geffen | Stars: Conrad Anker, Susan Robertson, Robert Macfarlane, Peter Gillman
Votes: 2,726 | Gross: $0.87M
6. Riding Giants (2004)
PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary detailing the origins and history of surf culture.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Laird Hamilton, Darrick Doerner, Dave Kalama, Jeff Clark
Votes: 4,669 | Gross: $2.28M
7. Touching the Void (2003)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Simon Yates, Joe Simpson, Brendan Mackey, Nicholas Aaron
Votes: 38,080 | Gross: $4.59M
8. Super Size Me (2004)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary
While 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.
Director: Morgan Spurlock | Stars: Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs, Chemeeka Walker, Dania Abu-Rmaileh
Votes: 113,223 | Gross: $11.53M
9. The Aristocrats (2005)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary, Comedy
One hundred superstar comedians tell the same very, VERY dirty, filthy joke--one shared privately by comics since Vaudeville.
Directors: Penn Jillette, Paul Provenza | Stars: George Carlin, Don Rickles, Chris Rock, Chris Albrecht
Votes: 17,058 | Gross: $6.38M
10. Pumping Iron (1977)
PG | 86 min | Documentary, Sport
Arnold 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.
Directors: George Butler, Robert Fiore | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Matty Ferrigno, Victoria Ferrigno
Votes: 24,871
11. The Corporation (2003)
Not Rated | 145 min | Documentary, History
Documentary that looks at the concept of the corporation throughout recent history up to its present-day dominance.
Directors: Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott | Stars: Mikela Jay, Rob Beckwermert, Christopher Gora, Nina Jones
Votes: 21,778 | Gross: $1.88M
12. 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
13. Amy (III) (2015)
R | 128 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.
Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Amy Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Russell Brand
Votes: 54,927 | Gross: $8.41M
14. Pantani: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist (2014)
PG | 96 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
Documents Marco Pantani's battle with addiction after winning Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 1998 until his death from cocaine poisoning six years later.
Director: James Erskine | Stars: Greg LeMond, Bradley Wiggins, Evgeni Berzin, Piotr Ugrumov
Votes: 2,065
15. Oasis: Supersonic (2016)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Oasis's breakthrough years documented into a detailed depiction of the infamous brothers from Manchester forming the band in the early 90's leading up to the legendary performance at Knebworth.
Director: Mat Whitecross | Stars: Paul Arthurs, Christine Biller, Mark Coyle, Debbie Turner
Votes: 12,377 | Gross: $0.24M
16. Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story (2014)
TV-14 | 104 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
This documentary is an intimate but explosive story about the man behind the greatest fraud in sporting history. Lance Armstrong enriched himself by cheating his fans, his sport and the truth.
Director: Alex Holmes | Stars: Reed Albergotti, Betsy Andreu, Frankie Andreu, Kristin Armstrong
Votes: 3,076
17. The Armstrong Lie (2013)
R | 124 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A documentary chronicling sports legend Lance Armstrong's improbable rise and ultimate fall from grace.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Lance Armstrong, Reed Albergotti, Betsy Andreu, Frankie Andreu
Votes: 7,889 | Gross: $0.38M
18. Silicon Cowboys (2016)
Not Rated | 77 min | Documentary, History
Three friends dream up the Compaq portable computer at a Texas diner in 1981, and soon find themselves battling mighty IBM for PC supremacy. Their improbable journey altered the future of computing and shaped the world we now know.
Director: Jason Cohen | Stars: Rod Canion, Jim Harris, Bill Murto, Bill Fargo
Votes: 2,107 | Gross: $0.01M
19. Zeitgeist: Addendum (2008 Video)
Not Rated | 123 min | Documentary, History, War
Zeitgeist: Addendum attempts to locate the root causes of the pervasive social corruption, while also offering a solution.
Director: Peter Joseph | Stars: Jacque Fresco, Roxanne Meadows, John Perkins, George Carlin
Votes: 18,683
20. Requiem for the American Dream (2015)
Not Rated | 73 min | Documentary, Biography, News
Renowned academic and author Noam Chomsky elucidates 10 principles of concentration of wealth and power that have led to unprecedented inequality and the hollowing out of the American middle class.
Directors: Peter D. Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Alan Greenspan, Malcolm X, Richard Nixon
Votes: 9,882 | Gross: $0.13M
21. Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (2017)
TV-14 | 95 min | Documentary
The courtroom and publicity battles between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media explode in a sensational trial all about the limits of the First Amendment and the new no holds barred nature of celebrity life in an internet dominated society.
Director: Brian Knappenberger | Stars: A.J. Daulerio, Hulk Hogan, Charles Harder, David Folkenflik
Votes: 4,385
22. Indie Game: The Movie (2012)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary that follows the journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world.
Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky | Stars: Jonathan Blow, Brandon Boyer, Renaud Bédard, Anthony Carboni
Votes: 21,441
23. The 24 Hour War (2016)
99 min | Documentary, History, Sport
In the early 1960s, Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari went to war on the battlefield of Le Mans(TM). This epic battle saw drivers lose their lives, family dynasties nearly collapse and the development of a new race car that changed racing.
Directors: Nate Adams, Adam Carolla | Stars: Charlie Agapiou, Mario Andretti, A.J. Baime, Bob Bondurant
Votes: 2,291
24. AlphaGo (2017)
90 min | Documentary, Sport
Google's DeepMind has developed a program for playing the 3000 year old game Go using AI. They test AlphaGo on the European champion, then March 9-15, 2016, on the top player, Lee Sedol, in a best of 5 tournament in Seoul.
Director: Greg Kohs | Stars: Ioannis Antonoglou, Lucas Baker, Nick Bostrom, Yoo Changhyuk
Votes: 6,912
25. LA 92 (2017)
R | 114 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, filmmakers examine that tumultuous period through rarely seen archival footage.
Directors: Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin | Stars: Henry Alfaro, Danny Bakewell, John D. Barnett, Bart Bartholomew
Votes: 6,898
26. 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: 25,034 | Gross: $4.20M
27. Fyre (2019)
TV-MA | 97 min | Documentary, Crime, Music
An exclusive behind the scenes look at the infamous unraveling of the Fyre music festival.
Director: Chris Smith | Stars: Billy McFarland, Jason Bell, Gabrielle Bluestone, Shiyuan Deng
Votes: 52,010
28. Fahrenheit 11/9 (2018)
R | 128 min | Documentary
Filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics, particularly the Donald Trump presidency and gun violence, while highlighting the power of grassroots democratic movements.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Jim Acosta, Roger Ailes, Brooke Baldwin, Ashleigh Banfield
Votes: 20,382 | Gross: $6.35M
29. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
R | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: John Beard, Tim Belden, Barbara Boxer, George W. Bush
Votes: 20,105
30. Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)
TV-MA | 132 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
An authorized documentary on the late musician Kurt Cobain, from his early days in Aberdeen, Washington to his success and downfall with the grunge band Nirvana.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Kurt Cobain, Wendy O'Connor, Don Cobain, Jenny Cobain
Votes: 32,116
31. Lance (2020)
202 min | Documentary
A personal examination of the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong.
Stars: Lance Armstrong, Betsy Andreu, Grace Elizabeth Armstrong, George Hincapie
Votes: 1,338
32. The Dawn Wall (2017)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
In an unbelievable story of perseverance, free climber Tommy Caldwell and climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson attempt to scale the impossible 3000ft Dawn Wall of El Capitan.
Directors: Josh Lowell, Peter Mortimer | Stars: John Branch, Tommy Caldwell, Kevin Jorgeson
Votes: 21,220 | Gross: $1.08M
33. Beastie Boys Story (2020)
TV-MA | 119 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Here's a little story they're about to tell... Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz share the story of the band, Beastie Boys, and 40 years of friendship in a live documentary experience directed by friend and collaborator, Spike Jonze.
Director: Spike Jonze | Stars: Beastie Boys, Mike D, Adam Horovitz, Adam Yauch
Votes: 7,897
34. 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: 72,857 | Gross: $3.97M
35. Diego Maradona (2019)
TV-14 | 130 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
Constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, this documentary centers on the career of celebrated football player Diego Maradona, who played for S.S.C. Napoli in the 1980s.
Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Diego Maradona, Dalma Maradona, Pelé, Corrado Ferlaino
Votes: 18,237
36. Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In (2021)
PG-13 | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A look at the life and legend of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
Director: Jason Ferguson | Stars: Eric Cantona, Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs, Jason Ferguson
Votes: 6,089
37. Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2019)
103 min | Documentary
Based on Thomas Piketty's No. 1 New York Times Bestseller, Capital in the Twenty-First Century explores one of the most important and controversial subjects of our time: wealth, and who gets a share of the dividends.
Director: Justin Pemberton | Stars: Michael Douglas, Vanessa Redgrave, Ronald Reagan, Daniel Huttlestone
Votes: 3,028
38. Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015)
R | 128 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at the personal and private life of the late Apple CEO, Steve Jobs.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Steve Jobs, Alex Gibney, Steve Wozniak, Michael S. Malone
Votes: 6,497 | Gross: $0.49M
39. Life After the Navigator (2020)
91 min | Documentary
A documentary that not only celebrates the classic film Flight of the Navigator (1986), but also looks at the life of its child star, Joey Cramer.
Director: Lisa Downs | Stars: Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young, Howard Hesseman
Votes: 527
40. The Stone Roses: Made of Stone (2013)
97 min | Documentary, Music
Shane Meadows documents the reunion of iconic British band, The Stone Roses.
Director: Shane Meadows | Stars: Shane Meadows, Ian Brown, John Squire, The Stone Roses
Votes: 2,715
41. Console Wars (2020)
TV-PG | 92 min | Documentary
It was 1990: Sega, startup gaming co. assembled a team to take on Nintendo, world's greatest video game company. A make or break conflict pit brother against brother, Sonic against Mario and, American capitalism against Japanese tradition.
Directors: Blake J. Harris, Jonah Tulis | Stars: Howard Phillips, Shinobu Toyoda, Paul Rioux, Tom Kalinske
Votes: 2,224
42. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
Filmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Salvador Allende
Votes: 148,677 | Gross: $21.58M
43. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Sport
Documentary about the pioneering 1970s Zephyr skating team.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Jeff Ament
Votes: 13,350 | Gross: $1.29M
44. 9/11: Inside the President's War Room (2021)
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, History
9/11 from the President's perspective, with exclusive access to information from the one's that had to take decisions during the World Trade Center's attack.
Director: Adam Wishart | Stars: Richard Keil, George W. Bush, Andrew Card, Condoleezza Rice
Votes: 3,597
45. From Bedrooms to Billions (2014)
150 min | Documentary
'From Bedrooms to Billions' is a 2 and a half hour feature length documentary movie telling the remarkable, true story of the British Video Games Industry from 1979 to the present day. ... See full summary »
Directors: Anthony Caulfield, Nicola Caulfield | Stars: Shahid Ahmad, Nigel Alderton, Nick Alexander, Chris Anderson
Votes: 552
46. The Last Mountain (2021)
R | 107 min | Documentary
The unforgettable story of the 30-year-old climber Tom Ballard who disappeared on the so-called killer mountain, Nanga Parbat, in 2019
Director: Christopher Terrill | Stars: Kate Ballard, Tom Ballard, Karim Hayat
Votes: 589
47. Try Harder! (2021)
85 min | Documentary
Seniors at one the best public high schools in the country face the pressure of applying to elite colleges.
Director: Debbie Lum | Stars: Alvan Cai, Shealand Fairchild, Rachael Schmidt, Richard Shapiro
Votes: 495
48. Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story (2018)
TV-14 | 105 min | Documentary, Music
It's a documentary about the life of eccentric comedian Frank Sidebottom who wore a huge papier-mache' head and whose true identity was a closely guarded secret until after he died. The ... See full summary »
Director: Steve Sullivan | Stars: Johnny Vegas, Ross Noble, John Cooper Clarke, Chris Sievey
Votes: 777
49. Panic: The Untold Story of the 2008 Financial Crisis (2018)
TV-14 | 96 min | Documentary, History
As the 2008 financial crisis loomed, frantic efforts to save the US from economic collapse happened in secret. VICE News explores the untold stories of powerful people leading the way.
Director: John Maggio | Stars: Gary Ackerman, Steve Bannon, Ben Bernanke, Jill Biden
Votes: 761
50. The Three Kings (2020)
104 min | Documentary, Sport
An insight into three of the greatest Scottish football managers and how they lead their clubs to success.
Director: Jonny Owen | Stars: Patrick Barclay, George Best, Richard Burton, Matt Busby
Votes: 371
51. Val (I) (2021)
R | 109 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary centering on the daily life of actor Val Kilmer, featuring never-before-seen footage spanning 40 years.
Directors: Ting Poo, Leo Scott | Stars: Val Kilmer, Jack Kilmer, Mercedes Kilmer, Joanne Whalley
Votes: 14,333
52. Oasis Knebworth 1996 (2021)
110 min | Documentary, Music
On 10th and 11th August 1996, 250,000 young music fans converged on Knebworth Park to see Oasis play two record breaking, era defining shows. The landmark concerts sold out in under a day ... See full summary »
Director: Jake Scott | Stars: Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Paul Arthurs, Alan White
Votes: 1,300
53. The Beatles: Get Back (2021)
PG-13 | 156 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
In January 1969, The Beatles set out to write and record new songs for their first live show in more than two years, culminating in an impromptu concert atop their Savile Row studio.
Votes: 28,004
54. 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: Katia Krafft, Maurice Krafft, Miranda July, Alka Balbir
Votes: 14,349
55. Stan Lee (2023)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography
100 years of dreaming. 100 years of creating. 100 years of Stan Lee.
Director: David Gelb | Stars: Kevin Feige, Jack Kirby, J.C. Lee, Joan Lee
Votes: 2,593
56. The Alpinist (2021)
PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography
Marc-André Leclerc climbs alone, far from the limelight. The free-spirited 23-year-old makes some of the boldest solo ascents in history. With no cameras and no margin for error, Leclerc's approach is the essence of solo adventure.
Directors: Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen | Stars: Marc-André Leclerc, Peter Mortimer, Alex Honnold, Jason Kruk
Votes: 14,347
57. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019)
TV-14 | 119 min | Documentary, Crime
The story of Theranos, a multi-billion dollar tech company, its founder Elizabeth Holmes, the youngest self-made female billionaire, and the massive fraud that collapsed the company.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Elizabeth Holmes, Dan Ariely, Roger Parloff
Votes: 15,184
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