Documentaries
by dahliasummers | created - 28 Apr 2020 | updated - 4 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Cropsey (2009)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Crime, Horror
Realizing that the urban legend of their youth has actually come true, two filmmakers delve into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.
Directors: Barbara Brancaccio, Joshua Zeman | Stars: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio, Bill Ellis, Dorothy D'Eletto
Votes: 9,218 | Gross: $0.05M
2. A Dangerous Son (2018 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary
Documentary following three families each coping with a child affected by serious emotional or mental illness. The families explore treatment opportunities and grapple with the struggle of living with their child's condition.
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Tony Beliz, Creigh Deeds, Thomas Insel, Liza Long
Votes: 831
3. Chi-Town (2018)
82 min | Documentary, Sport
Basketballer Keifer Sykes is Marshall High' star point guard, Chi-Town follows his ambitions to make it in the NBA while loss, injury, and violence back home in Chicago punctuate his journey.
Director: Nick Budabin | Star: Keifer Sykes
Votes: 94
4. Flint Town (2018)
TV-MA | 45 min | Documentary, Crime
Documentary following the police department in Flint, Michigan as they struggle with dwindling resources and crumbling infrastructure in a community crippled by violence and a contaminated water crisis.
Stars: Tim Johnson, Bridgette Balasko, Robert Frost, Dion Reed
Votes: 4,082
5. River to the Heart (2017)
107 min | Documentary
Old black man meets old man river
Director: Eddy L. Harris
6. Satan & Adam (2018)
80 min | Documentary, Music
SATAN & ADAM chronicles the unlikely pairing of legendary one-man-band Sterling "Mr. Satan" Magee and harmonica master Adam Gussow. Shot over 20 years, the film showcases one of the ... See full summary »
Director: V. Scott Balcerek | Stars: The Edge, Harry Shearer, Al Sharpton, Sterling Magee
Votes: 498
7. Slay the Dragon (2019)
PG-13 | 101 min | Documentary
It influences elections and sways outcomes-gerrymandering has become a hot-button political topic and symbol for everything broken about the American electoral process. But there are those on the front lines fighting to change the system.
Directors: Chris Durrance, Barak Goodman | Stars: Stephen Wolf, Rick Pluta, Charles Williams II, Curt Guyette
Votes: 477
8. 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: 17,061 | Gross: $6.38M
9. Three Identical Strangers (2018)
PG-13 | 96 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
In 1980 New York, three young men who were all adopted meet each other and find out they're triplets who were separated at birth. But their quest to find out why turns into a bizarre and sinister mystery.
Director: Tim Wardle | Stars: Robert Shafran, Michael Domnitz, Howard Schneider, Ellen Cervone
Votes: 39,853 | Gross: $12.32M
10. 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: 11,105 | Gross: $0.03M
11. After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News (2020)
TV-MA | 95 min | Documentary
A look at the ongoing threat caused by the phenomenon of "fake news" in the U.S., focusing on the real-life consequences that disinformation, conspiracy theories and false news stories have on the average citizen.
Director: Andrew Rossi | Stars: Jack Burkman, Elizabeth Williamson, Molly McKew, Troy Michalik
Votes: 1,874
12. The Legend of Cocaine Island (2018)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary
A desperate man goes on a buried treasure hunt for $2 million worth of cocaine.
Director: Theo Love | Stars: Bo Butterworth, Bri Bryant, Edward Craig, Andy Culpepper
Votes: 3,540
13. The Last Dance (2020)
TV-MA | 49 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Led by Michael Jordan, the 1990s Chicago Bulls establish themselves as one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.
Stars: Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, David Aldridge
Votes: 152,395
14.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
(2019)
Not Rated | 114 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Musicians, scholars, family and friends reflect on the life of jazzer Miles Davis to reveal the man behind the legend. Full access to Davis' estate provides rare footage and photos, outtakes from recording sessions and new interviews.
Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Carl Lumbly, Miles Davis, Reginald Petty, Quincy Troupe
Votes: 3,283 | Gross: $0.19M
15. The Confession Killer (2019)
TV-14 | 48 min | Documentary, Crime
Henry Lee Lucas was known as America's most prolific serial killer, admitting to hundreds of murders, but, as DNA results contradict his confessions, will they expose the biggest criminal justice hoax in U.S. history?
Stars: Bob Prince, Nan Cuba, Hugh Aynesworth, Phil Ryan
Votes: 10,320
16. Waiting for Superman (2010)
PG | 111 min | Documentary
An examination of the current state of education in America today.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Charles Adams, Jonathan Alter, Robert Balfanz, Harriet Ball
Votes: 11,635 | Gross: $6.41M
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: 5,431 | Gross: $0.80M
18. The Central Park Five (2012)
Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A documentary that examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park. After having spent between 6 and 13 years each in prison, a serial rapist confessed to the crime.
Directors: Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon | Stars: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana
Votes: 7,937 | Gross: $0.27M
19. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
PG-13 | 93 min | Documentary, History
Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.
Director: Raoul Peck | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
Votes: 23,519 | Gross: $7.12M
20. For Sama (2019)
TV-PG | 100 min | Documentary, Biography, War
FOR SAMA is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war.
Directors: Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts | Stars: Waad Al-Kateab, Sama Al-Khateab, Hamza Al-Khateab, Afra
Votes: 12,824 | Gross: $0.04M
21. 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: 7,085 | Gross: $0.07M
22. City of Ghosts (2017)
R | 92 min | Documentary, War
A documentary that follows the efforts of "Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently," a handful of anonymous activists who banded together after their homeland was taken over by ISIS in 2014. ... See full summary »
Director: Matthew Heineman | Stars: Abdelaziz Alhamza, Mohamad Almusari, Hamoud Almousa, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi
Votes: 4,127 | Gross: $0.13M
23. One Child Nation (2019)
R | 83 min | Documentary, History
After becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China's one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.
Directors: Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang | Stars: Nanfu Wang, Zaodi Wang, Zhimei Wang, Tunde Wang
Votes: 7,207 | Gross: $0.18M
24. Long Strange Trip (2017)
R | 238 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A look at the 30-year career of The Grateful Dead.
Director: Amir Bar-Lev | Stars: John Perry Barlow, Tom Constanten, Sam Cutler, Jerry Garcia
Votes: 1,897
25. Nas: Time Is Illmatic (2014)
TV-14 | 74 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The story behind Nas's groundbreaking debut album 'Illmatic, ' and the early life of one of the most talented rappers of all time. Featuring Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Q-Tip, and Busta Rhymes.
Director: One9 | Stars: Nas, Cornel West, Pharrell Williams, Swizz Beatz
Votes: 3,338 | Gross: $0.11M
26. Ear Buds: The Podcasting Documentary (2016)
106 min | Documentary
A documentary exploring the deep personal connection between podcasters and fans that doesn't exist in any other medium.
Director: Graham Elwood | Stars: Graham Elwood, Chris Mancini, Aisha Tyler, Chris Hardwick
Votes: 141
27. Helvetica (2007)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
A documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture.
Director: Gary Hustwit | Stars: Manfred Schulz, Massimo Vignelli, Rick Poynor, Wim Crouwel
Votes: 8,172 | Gross: $0.20M
28. Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on rap music and its rise to global prominence.
Directors: Ice-T, Andy Baybutt | Stars: Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Chuck D, Snoop Dogg
Votes: 3,620 | Gross: $0.29M
29. 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: 37,691
30. American Factory (2019)
TV-14 | 110 min | Documentary
In post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a factory in an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring two thousand Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
Directors: Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert | Stars: Junming 'Jimmy' Wang, Robert Allen, Sherrod Brown, Dave Burrows
Votes: 23,885
31. The Devil Next Door (2019)
TV-MA | 46 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A Cleveland grandfather is brought to trial in Israel, accused of being the infamous German death camp guard known as Ivan the Terrible.
Stars: Yoram Sheftel, Eli Gabay, Michael Shaked, Eli Rosenbaum
Votes: 15,093
32. Cartel Land (2015)
R | 100 min | Documentary
Filmmaker Matthew Heineman examines the state of the ongoing drug problem along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Director: Matthew Heineman | Stars: Tim Foley, José Manuel 'El Doctor' Mireles, Paco Valencia, Chaneque
Votes: 18,831 | Gross: $0.70M
33. 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: 6,489 | Gross: $0.41M
34. Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America's Elections (2020)
TV-14 | 91 min | Documentary
Finnish hacker and election expert Harri Hursti investigates election-related hacks, uncovering just how unprotected voting systems really are.
Directors: Simon Ardizzone, Russell Michaels, Sarah Teale | Stars: J. Alex Halderman, Sue Halpern, Nathaniel Herz, Harri Hursti
Votes: 747
35. The Killing Season (2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Documentary, Crime
The Killing Season is an immersive series that follows documentarians Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate one of the most bizarre unsolved serial killer cases of our time.
Stars: Joshua Zeman, Rachel Mills, Peter Brendt, Thomas Hargrove
Votes: 1,566
36. Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2011)
R | 97 min | Documentary, Music
Michael Rapaport documents the inner workings and behind the scenes drama that follows this innovative and influential band to this day.
Director: Michael Rapaport | Stars: Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White
Votes: 4,077 | Gross: $1.20M
37. 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: 6,907
38. Gone: The Forgotten Women of Ohio (2017)
TV-14 | Documentary
A gripping eight-part documentary series follows Academy Award nominated filmmaker, Joe Berlinger, as he investigates a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances in the small rust-belt town of Chillicothe, Ohio.
Stars: Joe Berlinger, Angela Clemente, Steve Bongardt, George W. Lavender Jr.
Votes: 287
39. Rhyme & Reason (1997)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Music
A study in the world of hip-hop, done mostly with interviews, in order to see why it is as popular as it is today and what the future holds.
Director: Peter Spirer | Stars: B-Real, Kurtis Blow, Da Brat, Chuck D
Votes: 923 | Gross: $1.59M
40. I Am Evidence (2017)
TV-MA | 89 min | Documentary
An investigation into the way sexual assault cases are handled by police departments across the United States.
Directors: Trish Adlesic, Geeta Gandbhir | Stars: Gail Abarbanel, Richard Bell, Joe Biden, Carol Blass
Votes: 750
41. Urbanized (2011)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
A documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world's foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.
Director: Gary Hustwit | Stars: Amanda M. Burden, Rem Koolhaas, Norman Foster, Jan Gehl
Votes: 2,304
42. Hot Coffee (2011)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary
How the infamous McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit and similar cases were exploited as part of a right wing crusade to weaken civil justice.
Director: Susan Saladoff | Stars: Chuck Allen, Judy Allen, Jay Angoff, David Arredondo
Votes: 4,016
43. 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: 3,033
44. 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
45. Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill
Votes: 13,959 | Gross: $4.95M
46. 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: 10,424 | Gross: $0.10M
47. The Seven Five (2014)
R | 104 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Meet the dirtiest cop in NYC history. Michael Dowd stole money and dealt drugs while patrolling the streets of 80s Brooklyn.
Director: Tiller Russell | Stars: Mike Dowd, Ken Eurell, Walter Yurkiw, Chickie
Votes: 6,278 | Gross: $0.01M
48. Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief (2015)
Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary
A documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Paul Haggis, Jason Beghe, Spanky Taylor, David Miscavige
Votes: 40,921
49. The Bridge (I) (2006)
R | 94 min | Documentary, Drama
Filmmakers use hidden cameras to capture the various suicide attempts at the Golden Gate Bridge - the world's most popular suicide destination. Interviews with the victims' loved ones describe their lives and mental health.
Director: Eric Steel | Stars: Eric Geleynse, Chris Brown, Susan Ginwalla, Caroline Pressley
Votes: 12,222 | Gross: $0.18M
50. Darwin's Nightmare (2004)
107 min | Documentary
A documentary on the effect of fishing the Nile perch in Tanzania's Lake Victoria. The predatory fish, which has wiped out the native species, is sold in European supermarkets, while starving Tanzanian families have to make do with the leftovers.
Director: Hubert Sauper | Stars: Elizabeth 'Eliza' Maganga Nsese, Raphael Tukiko Wagara, Dimond Remtulia, Marcus Nyoni
Votes: 5,663 | Gross: $0.20M
51. 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: 20,120
52. Client 9 (2010)
R | 117 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at the rise and fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, including interviews with the scandalized, former politician.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Eliot Spitzer, Alex Gibney, Hulbert Waldroup, Lloyd Constantine
Votes: 2,593 | Gross: $0.19M
53. March of the Penguins (2005)
G | 80 min | Documentary, Family
In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
Director: Luc Jacquet | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Romane Bohringer, Charles Berling, Jules Sitruk
Votes: 59,962 | Gross: $77.44M
54. WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn (2021)
TV-MA | 104 min | Documentary
An account of the six-week death spiral that brought down the company's IPO, a behind-the-scenes look at WeWork's frat-boy culture.
Director: Jed Rothstein | Stars: Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashton Kutcher, Rebekah Paltrow Neumann, Farah White
Votes: 3,764
55. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
PG-13 | 118 min | Documentary, History, Music
Documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity.
Director: Questlove | Stars: Dorinda Drake, Barbara Bland-Acosta, Darryl Lewis, Ethel Beatty
Votes: 13,887
56. The Movies That Made Us (2019–2021)
TV-PG | 44 min | Documentary, Family, History
Unwrap the real stories behind these iconic blockbusters, thanks to insider interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks.
Stars: Danny Wallace, Donald Ian Black, Jennifer Julian, Ryan Turek
Votes: 7,226
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