Documentaries: The top 100+

by DrWilhielmWonk | created - 03 Mar 2012 | updated - 11 Feb 2021 | Public
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1. Love, Marilyn (2012)

Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography

51 Metascore

Modern day celebrities interpret excerpts from memoirs written by people who knew Marilyn Monroe as well as her recently discovered personal journals and letters.

Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: F. Murray Abraham, Elizabeth Banks, Adrien Brody, Ellen Burstyn

Votes: 1,992

2. We Steal Secrets (2013)

R | 130 min | Documentary

76 Metascore

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: 8,178 | Gross: $0.16M

3. Inequality for All (2013)

PG | 89 min | Documentary

68 Metascore

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, Conan O'Brien, Candice Bergen, Lily Tomlin

Votes: 7,019 | Gross: $1.21M

4. Forks Over Knives (2011)

PG | 90 min | Documentary

57 Metascore

Examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.

Director: Lee Fulkerson | Stars: Lee Fulkerson, Matthew Lederman, Alona Pulde, T. Colin Campbell

Votes: 12,699

5. The Unbelievers (2013)

Not Rated | 77 min | Documentary

32 Metascore

Renowned scientists Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss cross the globe as they speak publicly about the importance of science and reason in the modern world.

Director: Gus Holwerda | Stars: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Woody Allen, Richard Dawkins, Daniel C. Dennett

Votes: 6,778

6. The Flaw (2011)

Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, History

An examination of the causes of the economic crisis of 2008.

Director: David Sington | Stars: Andrew Luan, Robert Shiller, Louis Hyman, George Cooper

Votes: 837

7. Transcendent Man (2009)

Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary

Ray Kurzweil is on a journey to bring his ideas to the world.

Director: Robert Barry Ptolemy | Stars: Tom Abate, Hugo de Garis, Peter Diamandis, Neil Gershenfeld

Votes: 1,894

8. No Job for a Woman: The Women Who Fought to Report WWII (2011)

Documentary

Follows reporters Ruth Cowan, Martha Gellhorn, and Dickey Chapelle as they circumvent restrictions and prohibitions placed on female reporters by U.S. government during WWII and push their reporting to focus on the human cost of war.

Director: Michele Midori Fillion | Stars: Deborah Copaken, Dorothea Harahan, Julianna Margulies, Kathleen McNenny

Votes: 13

9. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)

Not Rated | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

72 Metascore

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: 18,041 | Gross: $0.05M

10. The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)

R | 93 min | Documentary, Biography

75 Metascore

Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans (the film shares the same name as Evans's famous 1994 autobiography).

Directors: Nanette Burstein, Brett Morgen | Stars: Robert Evans, Eddie Albert, Peter Bart, Charlie Bluhdorn

Votes: 7,972 | Gross: $1.43M

11. 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

12. Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

PG-13 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Music

79 Metascore

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: 72,926 | Gross: $3.97M

13. Why We Fight (2005)

PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary, History, War

68 Metascore

Is American foreign policy dominated by the idea of military supremacy? Has the military become too important in American life? Jarecki's shrewd and intelligent polemic would seem to give an affirmative answer to each of these questions.

Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Gore Vidal, John McCain, Ken Adelman, John Ashcroft

Votes: 10,233 | Gross: $1.44M

14. The Gatekeepers (2012)

PG-13 | 101 min | Documentary, History, War

91 Metascore

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: 5,891 | Gross: $2.42M

15. Dirty Wars (2013)

Not Rated | 87 min | Documentary, Crime, History

76 Metascore

Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill is pulled into an unexpected journey as he chases down the hidden truth behind America's expanding covert wars.

Director: Rick Rowley | Stars: Jeremy Scahill, Nasser Al Aulaqi, Saleha Al Aulaqi, Muqbal Al Kazemi

Votes: 9,396 | Gross: $0.38M

16. Murder, Spies & Voting Lies: The Clint Curtis Story (2008)

68 min | Documentary

The true story of computer programmer Clint Curtis who, in 2000, claims he was asked by future Congressman Tom Feeney (R,Fl.) to create vote-rigging software for Florida's electronic voting... See full summary »

Director: Patty Sharaf | Stars: Cliff Arnebeck, Clint Curtis, Bob Fitrakis, Brad Friedman

Votes: 27

17. Chasing Madoff (2010)

Unrated | 91 min | Documentary

52 Metascore

A look at how one investigator spent ten years trying to expose Bernie Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme that scammed an estimated $18 billion from investors.

Director: Jeff Prosserman | Stars: Bernie Madoff, Frank Casey, Gaytri Kachroo, Harry Markopolos

Votes: 1,157

18. Religulous (2008)

R | 101 min | Documentary, Comedy, War

56 Metascore

Bill Maher's take on the current state of world religion.

Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Bill Maher, Tal Bachman, Jonathan Boulden, Steven Burg

Votes: 60,251 | Gross: $13.00M

19. Inside Job (2010)

PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary, Crime

88 Metascore

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: 78,997 | Gross: $4.31M

20. The Cove (2009)

PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

84 Metascore

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: 51,458 | Gross: $0.87M

21. William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe (2009)

Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary

62 Metascore

The life of the great American lawyer and advocate for the political underdog, William Kunstler.

Directors: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler | Stars: Herman Badillo, Harry Belafonte, Clyde Bellecourt, Daniel Berrigan

Votes: 342 | Gross: $0.06M

22. Rembrandt's J'Accuse...! (2008)

Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Mystery

76 Metascore

An 'essayistic' documentary in which Greenaway's fierce criticism of today's visual illiteracy is argued by means of a forensic search of Rembrandt's Nightwatch. Greenaway explains the ... See full summary »

Director: Peter Greenaway | Stars: Martin Freeman, Eva Birthistle, Jodhi May, Emily Holmes

Votes: 984

23. Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007)

Not Rated | 124 min | Documentary, Biography, Music

79 Metascore

As the front man of the Clash from 1977, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before.

Director: Julien Temple | Stars: Joe Strummer, Steve Jones, Mick Jones, The 101ers

Votes: 4,184 | Gross: $0.25M

24. In the Year of the Pig (1968)

Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary, History, War

A documentary chronicling the background to, and history of, the Vietnam War.

Director: Emile de Antonio | Stars: Harry S. Ashmore, Daniel Berrigan, Joseph Buttinger, William R. Corson

Votes: 1,919

25. Food, Inc. (2008)

PG | 94 min | Documentary, News

80 Metascore

An unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry.

Director: Robert Kenner | Stars: Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Richard Lobb, Vince Edwards

Votes: 52,229 | Gross: $4.42M

26. The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)

Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary

75 Metascore

An exploration of the life and work of Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, former Marine and military strategist, who was responsible for the publication of secret government documents that revealed the truth behind America's involvement in Vietnam.

Directors: Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith | Stars: Peter Arnett, Ben Bagdikian, Ann Beeson, John Dean

Votes: 2,421 | Gross: $0.45M

27. The Age of Stupid (2009)

Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary, History, News

A future archivist looks at old footage from the year 2008 to understand why humankind failed to address climate change.

Director: Franny Armstrong | Stars: Pete Postlethwaite, Jehangir Wadia, Alvin DuVernay, Layefa Malini

Votes: 4,705

28. The Ascent of Money (2008– )

120 min | Documentary

Niall Ferguson takes us on a historical adventure through the ascent of money, applying fact and opinion throughout.

Stars: Niall Ferguson, Gareth Armstrong, Richard Lintern

Votes: 831

29. Last Dance (1994 TV Movie)

90 min | Documentary, Drama, Music

A drama-documentary on the development, rise to fame and the aftermath of Studio 54.

Directors: Al Corley, Horst Königstein | Stars: F. Murray Abraham, Benny Andersson, Jellybean Benítez, Truman Capote

Votes: 24

30. Sicko (2007)

PG-13 | 123 min | Documentary, Drama

74 Metascore

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: 76,834 | Gross: $24.54M

31. Katastrofin aineksia (2008)

85 min | Documentary

What happens when a suburban family gives up all fossil fuel-based products, including plastic, for a whole year?

Director: John Webster | Stars: Anu Webster, Benjy Webster, John Webster, Samuel Webster

Votes: 401

32. Fitna (2008)

15 min | Documentary, Short

A short film in which Quran verses are shown alongside images from terrorist attacks.

Director: Scarlet Pimpernel | Star: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Votes: 2,467

33. No End in Sight (2007)

Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary, War

89 Metascore

A comprehensive look at the Bush Administration's conduct of the Iraq war and its occupation of the country.

Director: Charles Ferguson | Stars: Campbell Scott, Gerald Burke, Ali Fadhil, Omar Fekeiki

Votes: 8,631 | Gross: $1.43M

34. Sharkwater (2006)

PG | 89 min | Documentary

59 Metascore

An investigation of sharks' importance to ecosystems and humankind's mass destruction of shark species worldwide.

Director: Rob Stewart | Stars: Rob Stewart, Paul Watson, Erich Ritter, Boris Worm

Votes: 5,038 | Gross: $0.85M

36. Earthlings (2005)

95 min | Documentary

Using hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit.

Director: Shaun Monson | Star: Joaquin Phoenix

Votes: 19,811

37. Ninas resa (2005)

120 min | Drama

Nina's Journey is a feature film, but with an authentic narrator. We follow Nina and her family during six dramatic years, half of them spent in the Warsaw ghetto. The film tells the story ... See full summary »

Director: Lena Einhorn | Stars: Agnieszka Grochowska, Maria Chwalibóg, Andrzej Brzeski, Pawel Iwanicki

Votes: 378

38. The Fog of War (2003)

PG-13 | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, History

87 Metascore

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: 25,056 | Gross: $4.20M

39. The Day After Trinity (1981)

Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Biography

Scientists and witnesses involved in the creation and testing of the first ever atomic bomb reflect on the Manhattan project and its fascinating leader, J. Robert Oppenheimer, who upon ... See full summary »

Director: Jon Else | Stars: Hans Bethe, Holm Bursom, Haakon Chevalier, Stirling Colgate

Votes: 1,235

40. The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)

PG-13 | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Music

64 Metascore

A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.

Directors: David Leaf, John Scheinfeld | Stars: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Stew Albert, Tariq Ali

Votes: 5,689 | Gross: $1.10M

41. Super Size Me (2004)

PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary

73 Metascore

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: 113,306 | Gross: $11.53M

42. Game Over (2003)

PG | 90 min | Documentary

66 Metascore

In 1997, chess champion Garry Kasparov goes head-to-head against IBM's computer, Deep Blue, and accuses IBM of cheating its way to victory. Interviews with Kasparov, his manager and members of the Deep Blue team illuminate the controversy.

Director: Vikram Jayanti | Stars: Marc Ghannoum, Joel Benjamin, Michael Greengard, Anatoli Karpov

Votes: 1,395

43. Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy (2004 Video)

Not Rated | 61 min | Documentary

Greg Palast has been following the Bush family around for years as an investigative reporter for the BBC. This is some of the information he has found, as recorded in his book "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy".

Director: Steven Grandison | Stars: Clayton Roberts, Greg Palast, Jim Hightower, Bill White

Votes: 380

44. Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election (2002)

Unrated | 50 min | Documentary

Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election is the riveting story of the undermining of democracy in America. Focusing on events leading up to election day and the foiled attempt to count... See full summary »

Directors: Richard Ray Perez, Joan Sekler | Stars: Peter Coyote, James Baker III, Ed Baker, Corrine Brown

Votes: 668

45. Man with a Movie Camera (2002)

Short

A documentary on the amazing recent discovery of Dziga Vertov's notes describing the music meant to accompany his classic film.

Director: Star Tyner

Votes: 49

46. American Masters (1985– )
Episode: No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005)

Not Rated | 208 min | Documentary, Biography, History

A chronicle of Bob Dylan's strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to "voice of a generation" to rock star.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Bob Dylan, B.J. Rolfzen, Dick Kangas, Liam Clancy

Votes: 12,111

47. 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: 20,119

48. Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations (1938)

Not Rated | 111 min | Documentary, Sport

The document of the 1936 Olympics at Berlin.

Director: Leni Riefenstahl | Stars: David Albritton, Arvo Askola, Jack Beresford, Erwin Blask

Votes: 5,240

49. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)

Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

90 Metascore

Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.

Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman

Votes: 27,145 | Gross: $3.12M

50. Triumph of the Will (1935)

Not Rated | 110 min | Documentary, History

The infamous propaganda film of the 1934 Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg, Germany.

Director: Leni Riefenstahl | Stars: Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring, Max Amann, Martin Bormann

Votes: 18,332

51. Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)

Not Rated | 98 min | Biography, Drama, Music

A collection of vignettes highlighting different aspects of the life, work, and character of the acclaimed Canadian classical pianist.

Director: François Girard | Stars: Colm Feore, Derek Keurvorst, Katya Ladan, Devon Anderson

Votes: 3,918 | Gross: $1.57M

52. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

PG | 96 min | Documentary

75 Metascore

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: 85,226 | Gross: $23.81M

53. Bowling for Columbine (2002)

R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama

72 Metascore

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: 148,769 | Gross: $21.58M

54. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War

67 Metascore

Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder

Votes: 132,408 | Gross: $119.19M

55. The Goebbels Experiment (2005)

Not Rated | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, History

67 Metascore

Through archival footage and dramatic readings of his personal writings, the life of Nazi Germany's Propaganda Minister, Josef Goebbels, is examined.

Director: Lutz Hachmeister | Stars: Udo Samel, Kenneth Branagh, Heinrich Brüning, Winston Churchill

Votes: 1,021 | Gross: $0.05M

56. Citizenfour (2014)

R | 114 min | Documentary, Biography

88 Metascore

A documentarian and a reporter travel to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Edward Snowden.

Director: Laura Poitras | Stars: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, William Binney, Jacob Appelbaum

Votes: 57,993 | Gross: $2.80M

57. Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief (2015)

Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

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: 40,920

58. VPRO Backlight (2002– )
Episode: The Wall Street Code (2013)

50 min | Documentary

Story of genius Wall Street algorithm builder and former high frequency trader Haim Bodek, who now warns against the system he was once part of.

Director: Marije Meerman | Stars: Haim Bodek, Blair Hull, Eric Scott Hunsader, Bart Kellerman

Votes: 82

59. Happy (2012)

Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary, Drama, Family

Happy takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy.

Director: Roko Belic | Stars: Marci Shimoff, Ed Diener, Richard Davidson, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Votes: 3,382

60. Goldman Sachs - La banque qui dirige le monde (2012 TV Movie)

72 min | Documentary

A French documentary about one of the worlds biggest banks and its influence in everyday life.

Directors: Jérôme Fritel, Marc Roche | Star: Steve Bannon

Votes: 453

61. Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden (2013)

TV-14 | 102 min | Documentary, History, War

Filled with testimony and recollections from actual C.I.A. agents, this in-depth account reveals the remarkable true story of the pursuit of the world's most notorious terrorist, Osama bin Laden.

Director: Greg Barker | Stars: Osama bin Laden, Nada Bakos, Marty Martin, Cindy Storer

Votes: 1,172

62. Locked Up Abroad (2007– )
Episode: The Real Midnight Express (2010)

TV-14 | 47 min | Documentary, Drama

In intimate detail, Locked Up Abroad reveals Billy Hayes' real-life experience behind the Oscar-winning 1978 film, "Midnight Express."

Director: Ben Chanan | Stars: Robbie Jarvis, Billy Hayes, Alexandre Ottoveggio

Votes: 72

63. Last Days in Vietnam (2014)

Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary, History, War

86 Metascore

During the final days of the Vietnam War, North Vietnamese forces closed in on Saigon as South Vietnamese resistance crumbled. An unlikely group of heroes emerged as Americans and South Vietnamese took matters into their own hands.

Director: Rory Kennedy | Stars: Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Stuart Herrington, Juan Valdez

Votes: 4,099 | Gross: $0.47M

64. Chimpanzee (2011)

G | 78 min | Documentary, Family

57 Metascore

Meet adorable young chimp Oscar and his fellow mayhem-creating buddies, who see the world as their playground. Full of curiosity, joy and a love for mimicking others, these are some of the most extraordinary personalities in the jungle.

Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield | Star: Tim Allen

Votes: 6,368 | Gross: $28.97M

65. Finding Vivian Maier (2013)

Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary, Biography, Mystery

75 Metascore

A documentary on the late Vivian Maier, a nanny whose previously unknown cache of 100,000 photographs earned her a posthumous reputation as one of the most accomplished street photographers.

Directors: John Maloof, Charlie Siskel | Stars: Vivian Maier, John Maloof, Daniel Arnaud, Simon Amédé

Votes: 15,087 | Gross: $1.51M

66. The Rape of Europa (2006)

Unrated | 117 min | Documentary, History, War

77 Metascore

The story of Nazi Germany's plundering of Europe's great works of art during World War II and Allied efforts to minimize the damage.

Directors: Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen, Nicole Newnham | Stars: Joan Allen, E. Randol Schoenberg, Maria Altmann, Wolfgang Fischer

Votes: 1,658

67. Stealing Klimt (2007)

92 min | Documentary

Stealing Klimt recounts the struggle by 90-year-old Maria Altmann to recover five Gustav Klimt paintings stolen from her family by the Nazis in Vienna. From the end of the War up until last... See full summary »

Director: Jane Chablani | Stars: Maria Altmann, Michael J. Bazyler, Hubertus Czernin, Gerbert Frodl

Votes: 96

68. Merchants of Doubt (2014)

PG-13 | 96 min | Documentary

70 Metascore

A documentary that looks at pundits-for-hire who present themselves as scientific authorities as they speak about topics like toxic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and climate change.

Director: Robert Kenner | Stars: Frederick Singer, Naomi Oreskes, Jamy Ian Swiss, Sam Roe

Votes: 3,934 | Gross: $0.19M

69. 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: 3,527

70. The Century of the Self (2002)

59 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

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: 6,363

71. The Power of Nightmares (2004)

60 min | Documentary, History

78 Metascore

A series of three documentaries about the use of fear for political gain.

Stars: Gilles Kepel, William Kristol, Melvin Goodman, Richard Perle

Votes: 4,546

72. All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace (2011)

60 min | Documentary

A series of films about how humans have been colonized by the machines we have built. Although we don't realize it, the way we see everything in the world today is through the eyes of the computers.

Stars: Adam Curtis, Stewart Brand, Al Gore, Alvin Toffler

Votes: 2,136

73. It Felt Like a Kiss (2009)

54 min | Documentary, History, Music

The story of America's rise to power starting with 1959; it uses archive footage and American pop music to highlight the consequences to the rest of the world and in the peoples' minds.

Director: Adam Curtis | Stars: H. Rap Brown, Nikita Khrushchev, Richard Nixon

Votes: 932

74. The Gangster and the Pervert Peer (2009 TV Movie)

60 min | Documentary

A look at the connection and scandal between Lord Robert Boothby and the Kray Twins.

Director: Richard Bond | Star: Mark Strong

Votes: 9

75. Watchers of the Sky (2014)

Not Rated | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, History

85 Metascore

Four modern stories of remarkable courage while setting out to uncover the forgotten life of Raphael Lemkin, the man who coined the term 'genocide'. Inspired by Samantha Power's Pulitzer ... See full summary »

Director: Edet Belzberg | Stars: Benjamin Ferencz, Raphael Lemkin, Matt Mitler, Luis Moreno Ocampo

Votes: 305 | Gross: $0.02M

76. Blackfish (2013)

PG-13 | 83 min | Documentary

83 Metascore

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: 72,482 | Gross: $2.07M

77. Pink Floyd: The Story of Wish You Were Here (2012)

Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary, Music

Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright and others tell the story of the creative process of the album "Wish You Were Here", released in September 1975.

Director: John Edginton | Stars: Syd Barrett, Joe Boyd, Venetta Fields, Jill Furmanovsky

Votes: 1,868

78. Mitt (2014)

94 min | Documentary, Biography, Family

64 Metascore

Mitt Romney and his family are followed through their U.S. Presidential campaigns for the Republic Party.

Director: Greg Whiteley | Stars: Mitt Romney, Candy Crowley, Eric Draper, Jim Lehrer

Votes: 2,650

79. The Pity of War (2014 TV Movie)

50 min | Documentary, History, War

The causes of World War I, the effects of Britain's entry and the alternative paths history could have taken are debated.

Director: Adrian Pennink | Star: Niall Ferguson

Votes: 31

80. The Forecaster (2014)

PG | 100 min | Documentary, Biography

51 Metascore

Martin Armstrong, once a Wall Street-based financial advisor, was arrested on charges of orchestrating a 3 billion dollar Ponzi scheme, which he still disputes to this day. After 11 years in prison, he's ready to set the record straight.

Directors: Marcus Vetter, Karin Steinberger | Stars: Martin Armstrong, Vicky Armstrong, Oliver Brown, Michael Campbell

Votes: 1,257

81. The Salt of the Earth (2014)

PG-13 | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, History

83 Metascore

The life and work of photographer Sebastião Salgado, who has spent forty years documenting societies in hidden corners of the world.

Directors: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders | Stars: Sebastião Salgado, Wim Wenders, Lélia Wanick Salgado, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado

Votes: 23,478 | Gross: $1.34M

82. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014)

Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary

Follow the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing environmental issues and true path to sustainability.

Directors: Kip Andersen, Keegan Kuhn | Stars: Bruce Hamilton, Kip Andersen, Al Gore, Heather Cooley

Votes: 26,589

83. Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)

TV-MA | 132 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography

83 Metascore

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: 32,146

84. Dick Cavett's Vietnam (2015 TV Movie)

55 min | Documentary, History, War

The history and controversy of America's involvement in the Vietnam War, illustrated by interviews from "The Dick Cavett Show".

Director: John Scheinfeld | Stars: Dick Cavett, Wesley Clark, Fredrik Logevall, Tim Naftali

Votes: 30

85. The Spy in the Hanoi Hilton (2015 TV Movie)

TV-14 | 51 min | Documentary, Biography, History

In 1973, 591 American POWs returned home from the Vietnam War, bringing with them harrowing tales of survival. But there was an even more remarkable -- and secret -- story to tell: a feat ... See full summary »

Director: Vincent Kralyevich | Stars: Allen Farmer, James B. Stockdale II, Jeremiah Denton, Robert W. Wallace

Votes: 69

86. More Than Honey (2012)

Unrated | 95 min | Documentary

70 Metascore

An in-depth look at honeybee colonies in California, Switzerland, China and Australia.

Director: Markus Imhoof | Stars: Fred Jaggi, Randolf Menzel, John Miller, Liane Singer

Votes: 4,320 | Gross: $0.07M

87. 1971 (2014)

Unrated | 79 min | Documentary, History, Thriller

73 Metascore

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: 915

88. Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015)

R | 128 min | Documentary, Biography

72 Metascore

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: 6,501 | Gross: $0.49M

89. The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002)

Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary

72 Metascore

A film about the war crimes of the American diplomat, Henry Kissinger.

Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Brian Cox, Henry Kissinger, Anna Chennault, Daniel Davidson

Votes: 2,094 | Gross: $0.52M

90. Zero Days (2016)

PG-13 | 116 min | Documentary

77 Metascore

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: 10,423 | Gross: $0.10M

91. 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

92. Cosmos (1980)

TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary

Astronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.

Stars: Carl Sagan, Jaromír Hanzlík, Jonathan Fahn, Jean Charney

Votes: 44,188

93. When You're Strange (2009)

R | 86 min | Documentary, Music

55 Metascore

A look at the late '60s and early '70s rock band The Doors, including rare exclusive footage.

Director: Tom DiCillo | Stars: Johnny Depp, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek

Votes: 10,276 | Gross: $0.24M

94. Salinger (2013)

PG-13 | 120 min | Documentary

40 Metascore

An unprecedented look inside the private world of J.D. Salinger, the reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye.

Director: Shane Salerno | Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton, Judd Apatow, John Cusack

Votes: 2,689 | Gross: $0.58M

95. Night Will Fall (2014)

Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary, History, War

85 Metascore

Researchers discover film footage from World War II that turns out to be a lost documentary shot by Alfred Hitchcock and Sidney Bernstein in 1945 about German concentration camps.

Director: André Singer | Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Jasper Britton, Leonard Berney, George Leonard

Votes: 3,451

96. An Honest Liar (2014)

Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy

76 Metascore

The life and career of the renowned stage magician turned scientific skeptic of the paranormal, James Randi.

Directors: Tyler Measom, Justin Weinstein | Stars: James Randi, Penn Jillette, Teller, Ray Hyman

Votes: 10,501 | Gross: $0.12M

97. The Central Park Five (2012)

Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, History

79 Metascore

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

98. The Wall Street Conspiracy (2012)

Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary

About the Film The collapse of the US banking system in 2008 had been forecasted years before it happened by the people in this film. But no one wanted to listen. Instead our country fell ... See full summary »

Director: Kristina Leigh Copeland | Stars: Helen Avery, G. Robert Blakey, Patrick Byrne, Wes Christian

Votes: 86

99. The Hitch (2014)

82 min | Documentary

The life of Christopher Hitchens as told through his own words and through archive footage.

Director: Kristoffer Seland Hellesmark | Stars: Christopher Hitchens, Fidel Castro, Richard Dawkins, Daniel C. Dennett

Votes: 185

100. Revolution (II) (2012)

PG | 85 min | Documentary, Adventure, Family

53 Metascore

Filmmaker Rob Stewart advances the theory that though humans depend on the natural world for subsistence, humans are nature's greatest enemy.

Director: Rob Stewart | Stars: Nnimmo Bassey, Krystyna Bednarska, Adrienne Maree Brown, Lester Brown

Votes: 456



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