Documentaries
by smepsted | created - 11 May 2016 | updated - 25 Jun 2019 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Bitter Lake (2015)
136 min | Documentary
An experimental documentary that explores Saudi Arabia's relationship with the U.S. and the role this has played in the war in Afghanistan.
Director: Adam Curtis | Stars: George Bush, George W. Bush, Joanne Herring, Hamid Karzai
Votes: 3,519
2. 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
3. If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (2011)
Unrated | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A rare behind-the-curtain look at the Earth Liberation Front, the radical environmental group that the FBI calls America's 'number one domestic terrorist threat.'
Directors: Marshall Curry, Sam Cullman | Stars: Daniel McGowan, Lisa McGowan, Tim Lewis, Kirk Engdall
Votes: 3,314 | Gross: $0.06M
4. Joy Division (2007)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Music
A chronological account of the influential late 1970s English rock band.
Director: Grant Gee | Stars: Richard Boon, Anton Corbijn, Kevin Cummins, Bob Dickinson
Votes: 3,861
5. Blackfish (2013)
PG-13 | 83 min | Documentary
A documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite | Stars: Tilikum, Dave Duffus, Samantha Berg, Dean Gomersall
Votes: 72,360 | Gross: $2.07M
6. 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: 148,665 | Gross: $21.58M
7. 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
8. 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
9. Crumb (1994)
R | 119 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
An intimate portrait of controversial cartoonist Robert Crumb and his traumatized family.
Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Charles Crumb, Maxon Crumb
Votes: 21,578 | Gross: $3.17M
10. We Live in Public (2009)
Unrated | 91 min | Documentary
A documentary focusing on the life of dot-com entrepreneur Josh Harris, and his exploits over the last decade.
Director: Ondi Timoner | Stars: Josh Harris, Tom Harris, Carlos Alvarez, David Amron
Votes: 1,983 | Gross: $0.04M
11. What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Nina Simone, Lisa Simone Kelly, Roger Nupie, Al Schackman
Votes: 14,815
12. Bobby Fischer Against the World (2011)
TV-14 | 93 min | Documentary, Biography, History
'Bobby Fischer Against the World' is a documentary feature exploring the tragic and bizarre life of the late chess master Bobby Fischer. The drama of Bobby Fischer's career was undeniable, ... See full summary »
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Bobby Fischer, David Edmonds, Anthony Saidy, Susan Polgar
Votes: 7,403
13. All American High Revisited (2014)
Not Rated | 82 min | Documentary, Comedy, History
A time capsule of teenage life in the 1980s.
Director: Keva Rosenfeld
Votes: 216
14. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)
Not Rated | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
The story of programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz, who took his own life at the age of 26.
Director: Brian Knappenberger | Stars: Aaron Swartz, Tim Berners-Lee, Cindy Cohn, Gabriella Coleman
Votes: 18,031 | Gross: $0.05M
15. Dreams of a Life (2011)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
A filmmaker sets out to discover the life of Joyce Vincent, who died in her bedsit in North London in 2003. Her body wasn't discovered for three years, and newspaper reports offered few details of her life - not even a photograph.
Director: Carol Morley | Stars: Zawe Ashton, Alix Luka-Cain, Alistair Abrahams, Mandy Allen
Votes: 3,430 | Gross: $0.01M
16. Good Hair (2009)
PG-13 | 96 min | Documentary, Comedy
Chris Rock explores the wonders of African-American hairstyles.
Director: Jeff Stilson | Stars: Chris Rock, Maya Angelou, Al Sharpton, Tanya Crumel
Votes: 6,213 | Gross: $4.16M
17. 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: 24,870
18. 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
19. 1971 (2014)
Unrated | 79 min | Documentary, History, Thriller
The story of a notorious 1971 activist burglary of an FBI office that led to the Bureau's numerous abuses against dissidents being exposed.
Director: Johanna Hamilton | Stars: Bonnie Raines, John Raines, Bob Williamson, Keith Forsyth
Votes: 912
20. Dior and I (2014)
R | 90 min | Documentary
Get inside the storied world of the Christian Dior fashion house with a privileged, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Raf Simons' first haute couture collection as its new artistic director.
Director: Frédéric Tcheng | Stars: Christian Dior, Omar Berrada, Raf Simons, Pieter Mulier
Votes: 4,029 | Gross: $1.03M
21. Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends (1998–2000)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
Louis Theroux documents some of the US's most bizarre happenings, events and rituals, by getting involved himself.
Stars: Louis Theroux, David Paul, J.J. Michaels, Randy James
Votes: 3,327
22. Louis Theroux: A Place for Paedophiles (2009 TV Movie)
45 min | Documentary
Louis visits Coalinga Mental Hospital in California, home to over 500 convicted paedophiles, and spends some time with those undergoing treatment.
Director: Emma Cooper | Star: Louis Theroux
Votes: 2,264
23. America's Most Hated Family in Crisis (2011)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
Louis returns to the Phelps family to find that several members have left the cult, and that they are being sued.
Director: Emma Cooper | Stars: Louis Theroux, Lauren Drain, Steve Drain, Betty Phelps
Votes: 2,708
24. Comic Book Confidential (1988)
Unrated | 90 min | Documentary, History
A survey of the artistic history of the comic book medium and some of the major talents associated with it.
Director: Ron Mann | Stars: Lynda Barry, Charles Burns, Sue Coe, Robert Crumb
Votes: 1,081
25. The Queen of Versailles (2012)
PG | 100 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they begin construction on a mansion inspired by Versailles. During the next two years, their empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis.
Director: Lauren Greenfield | Stars: Jaqueline Siegel, David Siegel, Lorraine Barrett, June Downs
Votes: 13,701 | Gross: $2.40M
26. 13th (2016)
TV-MA | 100 min | Documentary, Crime, History
An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker, Dolores Canales
Votes: 37,649
27. Bill Cunningham New York (2010)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A profile of the noted and extraordinarily cheerful veteran New York City fashion photographer.
Director: Richard Press | Stars: Bill Cunningham, Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, Editta Sherman
Votes: 5,667 | Gross: $1.51M
28. Finders Keepers (I) (2015)
R | 82 min | Documentary
A story about fame, addiction and a custody battle over a man's leg.
Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel | Stars: John Wood, Shannon Whisnant, Mark Hamilton, Lisa Whisnant
Votes: 2,795 | Gross: $0.04M
29. Weiner (2016)
R | 96 min | Documentary
An examination of disgraced New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign and today's political landscape.
Directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg | Stars: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin, Jordan Zain Weiner, Barbara Morgan
Votes: 10,532 | Gross: $1.61M
30. The Square (2013)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Drama, History
A group of Egyptian revolutionaries battle leaders and regimes, risking their lives to build a new society of conscience.
Director: Jehane Noujaim | Stars: Ahmed Hassan, Khalid Abdalla, Magdy Ashour, Ramy Essam
Votes: 9,400 | Gross: $0.12M
31. I Am Divine (2013)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
How Divine, aka Harris Glenn Milstead, became John Waters' cinematic muse and an international drag icon.
Director: Jeffrey Schwarz | Stars: Divine, Michael Musto, Mark Payne, Greg Gorman
Votes: 3,124 | Gross: $0.06M
32. 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: 6,708 | Gross: $0.59M
33. HyperNormalisation (2016)
166 min | Documentary
Adam Curtis explains how, at a time of confusing and inexplicable world events, politicians and the people they represent have retreated in to a damaging over-simplified version of what is happening.
Director: Adam Curtis | Stars: Adam Curtis, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Victor Gotbaum
Votes: 7,363
34. The Century of the Self (2002)
59 min | Documentary
A documentary about the rise of psychoanalysis as a powerful means of persuasion for both governments and corporations.
Stars: Adam Curtis, Robert Reich, Ann Bernays, Alfred Pritz
Votes: 6,355
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