Documentaries to Blow Your Mind
Documentaries that enlighten, delight, and amaze. No preaching, no guilting.
Always in progress...
Always in progress...
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- DirectorVanessa GouldStarsErik D. DemaineMartin L. DemaineVincent FlodererDepicts a cast of fine artists and eccentric scientists (from MIT and NASA) who have devoted their lives to the unlikely medium of modern origami. Through their determination to reinterpret the world in paper, they arouse a fascinating mix of sensibilities towards art, form, expressiveness, creativity and meaning.
- DirectorMick JacksonStarsClaire DanesJulia OrmondDavid StrathairnA biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry.
- DirectorCindy MeehlStarsBuck BrannamanGary MyersBibb FrazierAn examination of the life of acclaimed 'horse whisperer' Buck Brannaman, who recovered from years of child abuse to become a well-known expert in the interactions between horses and people.
- StarsMartin ReesDavid MaloneThought provoking Channel 4 series in which Sir Martin Rees investigates the great unanswered questions of science.
- DirectorWilliam ArntzBetsy ChasseMark VicenteStarsMarlee MatlinElaine HendrixBarry NewmanInterviews with scientists and authors, animated bits, and a storyline involving a deaf photographer are used in this docudrama to illustrate the link between quantum mechanics, neurobiology, human consciousness and day-to-day reality.
- DirectorJames MarshStarsPhilippe PetitJean François HeckelJean-Louis BlondeauA 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".
- DirectorDavid WachsStarsJack BeersArthur HillerKatherine Oliver94-year-old New Yorker, Jack Beers, has broken the age barrier full force. He can do what most young men can, and his diverse lifetime achievements would take many to accomplish. The film begins with Mayor Bloomberg acknowledging Jack, we see Jack's name on the marquee of Radio City Music Hall, and at 94 he rips a telephone book into 4 pieces with his hands. Jack was raised in poverty in Manhattan, was a strongman, built Radio City Music Hall, at The Manhattan Project he invented something that shortened WW2, erected the Empire State Building spire, was a professional dog trainer, was a film actor in 200+ films, beat terminal illnesses, and today rides 5 miles on a stationary bike. He's "goin' for 100!"
- StarsKeith DavidKatharine PhillipsTom HanksA seven-part series focusing on the many ways in which the Second World War impacted the lives of American families.Anything by Ken Burns is great...
- StarsDavid McCulloughSam WaterstonJulie HarrisA comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.Anything by Ken Burns is great...
- StarsPeter CoyoteWilliam CrononDayton DuncanThe history of the U.S. National Parks system, including the initial ideas which led to the world's first national parks and the expansion of the system over 150 years.Anything by Ken Burns is great...
- StarsDorothy Christenson WiliamsonDonald WorsterTimothy EganA documentary about the 1930s drought of North American prairie farm land, and its consequences during the great depression.Anything by Ken Burns is great...
- StarsOliver StoneAlan ShearmanJim WardOliver Stone 's re-examination of under-reported events in American history.Stone's series is fascinating but I take off at least a point for his idealization of the Soviets and Stalin.
- StarsPaul GiamattiLaura LinneyJohn DossettThe life of one of the USA's Founding Fathers, its second President, and his role in the nation's first 50 years.
- DirectorEric MerolaStarsJoe BartonStanislaw BurzynskiRichard JaffePh.D biochemist, Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, won one of the largest legal battles against the Food & Drug Administration in U.S. history. Dr. Burzynski and his patients endured a treacherous 14-year journey in order to obtain FDA-approved clinical trials for a new cancer-fighting drug. His groundbreaking medical and legal battles have brought revolutionary cancer treatment to the public. Upon completion, his treatment will be available the world over - sending a shock wave through the cancer industry.
- DirectorBenh ZeitlinStarsQuvenzhané WallisDwight HenryLevy EasterlyFaced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.May not be classified as documentary, but Katrina through the eyes of a child is an amazing story.
- DirectorBeth MurphyStarsSusan RetikPatti QuigleyTom FlemingSusan Retik and Patti Quigley are two ordinary soccer moms living in the affluent suburbs of Boston until tragedy strikes. Rather than turning inwards, grief compels these women to focus on the country where the terrorists who took their husbands' lives were trained: Afghanistan. Over the course of two years, as they cope with loss and struggle to raise their families as single mothers, these extraordinary women dedicate themselves to empowering Afghan widows whose lives have been ravaged by decades of war, poverty and oppression - factors they consider to be the root causes of terrorism. As Susan and Patti make the courageous journey from their comfortable neighborhoods to the most desperate Afghan villages, they discover a powerful bond with each other, an unlikely kinship with widows halfway around the world, and a profound way to move beyond tragedy. From the ruins of the World Trade Center to those of Kabul and back, theirs is a journey of personal strength and international reconciliation, and a testament to the vision that peace can be forged - one woman at a time.
- DirectorJackie MowStarsGregory AclandGustavo D. AguirreMike ChristmanNational Geographic looks at dogs and investigates how humans have taken an active role in shaping their appearance and behavior through selective breeding.
- DirectorStephen WalkerSally GeorgeStarsJoe BenoitHelen BostonLouise CanadyA documentary on a chorus of senior citizens from Massachusetts who cover songs by Jimi Hendrix, Coldplay, Sonic Youth, and other unexpected musicians.
- DirectorJim WhitakerStarsTim BrownNicholas ChirlsBrian LyonsFilmed over the ensuing years after the attack on New York's World Trade Center, this documentary takes a look a the physical and emotional healing process involved in the aftermath of such a tragedy.
- DirectorRicki SternAnne SundbergStarsNicholas KristofBrian SteidleA documentary that exposes the genocide raging in Darfur, Sudan as seen through the eyes of a former U.S. marine who returns home to make the story public.
- DirectorBarny RevillStarsMartin ClunesSpecial uncovers how the true success of the canine species is our mutually beneficial relationship.
- DirectorRoss FinkelTrevor MartinJon PaleyStarsJean Carlos BatistaMiguel Angel SanoJohn LeguizamoTwo top baseball prospects in the Dominican Republic face fierce competition and corruption as they chase their big league dreams.
- DirectorCruz AngelesStarsMike BritoStanley M. BrooksAl Campanis"The Natural is supposed to be a blue-eyed boy who teethed on a 36-ounce Louisville Slugger. He should run like the wind and throw boysenberries through brick. He should come from California." Steve Wulf, Sports Illustrated, 1981. So how was it that a pudgy 19-year-old Mexican left-handed pitcher from a remote village in the Sonoran desert, unable to speak a word of English, could sell out stadiums across America and become a rock star overnight? In Fernando Nation, Mexican-born and Los Angeles-raised director Cruz Angeles traces the history of a community that was torn apart when Dodger Stadium was built in Chavez Ravine and then revitalized by one of the most captivating pitching phenoms baseball has ever seen. Nicknamed "El Toro" by his fans, Fernando Valenzuela ignited a fire that spread from LA to New York -- and beyond. He vaulted himself onto the prime-time stage and proved with his signature look to the heavens and killer screwball that the American dream was not reserved for those born on U.S. soil. In this layered look at the myth and the man, Cruz Angeles recalls the euphoria around Fernando's arrival and probes a phenomenon that transcended baseball for many Mexican-Americans. Fernando Valenzuela himself opens up to share his perspective on this very special time. Even 20 years later, "Fernandomania" lives.
- DirectorPatrick ReedAcclaimed doctor James Orbinski, former head of Doctors Without Borders, returns to Africa to confront the harsh reality of conditions there and explores what it means to be a humanitarian.
- DirectorSherry HormannStarsSoraya Omar-ScegoIdriss Abdillahi HoufanehAwa Saïd DararWaris Dirie, born 1965 in Somalia, flees at thirteen when sold to be a mans fourth wife. She works as a maid at the Somalian embassy in London, then in a McDonald's where she's discovered and becomes an international top model. Then, in 1997 she speaks up against female genital mutilation.
- StarsDavid TennantA nature documentary about a bird's-eye view of the natural world, joining the journeys of snow geese, cranes, albatrosses, eagles and other birds across six continents. Beginning in North America, snow geese face their biggest predator, pelicans glide under San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, bald eagles in Alaska swoop among brown bears, and on the Great Plains, cowbirds dive under the feet of fighting bison.Stunning.
- StarsTarkanAlec BaldwinStephen FryGreat Migrations takes viewers on the epic journeys animals undertake to ensure the survival of their species.
- DirectorNadav SchirmanStarsMosab Hassan YousefGonen Ben YitzhakSheikh Hassan YousefThe son of a founding leader in the Palestinian organization, Hamas, becomes a spy for the Israelis.Makes you think about the true meaning of integrity.
- DirectorChapman WayMaclain WayStarsLou RussellKurt RussellKen WheelerIn 1973, Hollywood actor Bing Russell starts an independent minor league baseball team in Portland consisting of outcasts and misfits, and turns them into unlikely overnight success.
- DirectorDavid WeissmanBill WeberStarsEd WolfDaniel GoldsteinGuy ClarkA deep and reflective look at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco and how individuals rose to the occasion during the first years of this unimaginable crisis.The power of grief and community.
- StarsDaniel OkrentGeorge F. WillJohn ChancellorA documentary on the history of the sport with major topics including Afro-American players, player/team owner relations and the resilience of the game.Another Ken Burns winner.
- DirectorDavid RussellStarsMarvin BakerJane ElliottKrishnan Guru-MurthyJane Elliot house a social experiment in Britain to find out how racist participants really are.
- StarsWaleed AbdalatiDavid AdamecCharlie BristowEARTH FROM SPACE is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet.
- StarsAvery BrooksCharlie PaullTim Le BasIn this National Geographic special, we look at what most call "The Final Frontier". Using the newest data gathered from scientists all over the world and the latest advancements in computer generated imaging, we are able to explore some of the most dramatic landscapes the Earth has to offer. From the tallest mountain to fissures that would engulf entire countries, the ocean floor is truly a sight to behold.
- StarsB.B. KingIke TurnerPinetop PerkinsA documentary series about the origin and history of The Blues.
- CreatorAnn DruyanCarl SaganSteven SoterStarsCarl SaganJaromír HanzlíkJonathan FahnAstronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.
- StarsNeil deGrasse TysonChristopher EmersonKeythe FarleyAn exploration of our discovery of the laws of nature and coordinates in space and time.
- DirectorPeter AnthonyStarsStanislav PetrovKevin CostnerSergey ShnyryovRetired Soviet Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov, who saved the world from WW3, talks about his life as retiree and shares his opinions on the Cold War with actor Kevin Costner in this melancholic mixture of documentary and reenacted footage.
- StarsRobert PowellSwaylee LoughnaneRecounts the events of world War II in color.
- DirectorJeff Orlowski-YangStarsJames BalogSvavar JónatanssonLouie PsihoyosFollow National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.
- DirectorGary HustwitStarsManfred SchulzMassimo VignelliRick PoynorA documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture.
- DirectorWilliam ArntzBetsy ChasseMark VicenteStarsMarlee MatlinElaine HendrixJohn Ross BowieA fictional photographer's quest to spiritually rediscover herself is interspersed with documentary footage of scientists and theologians discussing the philosophical aspects of quantum physics.
- DirectorPeter OxleyStarsKirk JohnsonDavid LoopeCameron McLeanThe shaping of North America, including palm trees that once thrived in Alaska and an eruption that nearly tore the Midwest in two.Wonderful cg effects to show the dramatic changes of tout continent.
- DirectorGwyn WilliamsStarsChuck BonnerDoug BoyerKirk JohnsonHow life emerged in North America; and why the continent was home to many iconic dinosaurs, including the T. rex. Included: a trip to the Badlands of North Dakota and desert wilderness of southern Utah highlights dinosaur discoveries.Finding the largest number of dinosaur fossils in the world.
- DirectorRon MannStarsLarry EvansGary LincoffFungi documentary exploring their longevity, environmental roles, cultural relevance, and mushroom foraging.
- DirectorKirk WolfingerStarsJohn ChattertonRichard KohlerDavid ConcannonTitanic's Final Moments: Missing Pieces has made international headlines announcing their location of two new pieces of the legendary ship at 12,400 ft below the Atlantic, These pieces shed new light on the World's most famous ship wreck.
- StarsJosh BrolinRichard MachowiczJames MeigsFrom the power of science to how physics and biology combined to shape our shared journey, experience the human story like it's never been told before.
- DirectorRichard TrankStarsKevin CostnerDyab Abou JahjahMilo AdonerEver Again examines the sweeping resurgence of antisemitism in 21st century Europe and its connection to global terrorism.
- DirectorAndré SingerStarsHelena Bonham CarterJasper BrittonLeonard BerneyResearchers 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.
- DirectorJames MollStarsMeryl StreepEva Koos-SmithAndreas Frangou15-minute documentary on the history of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp.
- DirectorJanet TobiasStarsChris NicolaFruzsina PelikánSaul StermerA cave exploration in Ukraine leads to the unearthing of a story of World War II survivors who once found shelter in the same cave.
- StarsPeter CoyotePete HamillCatherine Gilbert MurdockThe story of the American activist struggle against the influence of alcohol, climaxing in the failed early 20th century nationwide era when it was banned.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughPierce BrosnanPeter ScoonesMammoth series, five years in the making, taking a look at the rich tapestry of life in the world's oceans.
- DirectorRoberta GrossmanStarsMina AlonRichard J. CarsonEddie CohenA group of Jewish American war pilots smuggle planes out of the U.S. and fly for Israel in its War of Independence.
- DirectorGini RetickerStarsJanet Johnson BryantEtweda CooperVaiba FlomoA group of women rise up to peace to Liberia and help bring to power the country's first female head of state.
- StarsMorgan FreemanRobert ThurmanAmir HussainMorgan Freeman presents his quest in order to find how most religions perceive life after death, what different civilizations thought about the act of creation and other big questions that mankind has continuously asked.Freeman's curiosity is humble, rational and non-judgemental clearing up misinformation, delving into hard questions, and ultimately, leaving the viewer to make up our own minds.
- DirectorAmy BergStarsCat PowerJanis JoplinKarleen BennettMusician Cat Power narrates this documentary on Janis Joplin's evolution into a star from letters that Joplin wrote over the years to her friends, family, and collaborators.Goes deep into what drove her to create the music she created, showing how vulnerable and honest she was. Will make you cry.
- DirectorJohnny BurkeAndrew HintonStarsLobsang PhuntsokTashi DrolmaTenzin DrolmaA man creates a remarkable community for abandoned children, with no higher purpose than giving its young members the joys of childhood.A quietly stunning account of miracles. An HBO special.
- DirectorDexter FletcherStarsTaron EgertonHugh JackmanTom CostelloThe story of Eddie Edwards, the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics.Not a documentary but a true story of a boy with impossible dreams.
- StarsOprah WinfreyDavid AttenboroughDoug AllanDavid Attenborough's legendary BBC crew explains and shows wildlife all over planet earth. From giving an overview of the challenges facing life to hunting the deep sea and various major evolutionary groups of creatures.
- StarsJohn HurtRoger MunnsA cinematic experience bringing you the most amazing human stories in the world. Humans and wildlife surviving in the most extreme environments on Earth
- StarsShane SmithGianna ToboniThomas MortonDocumentary series featuring startling, groundbreaking stories from around the world.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughSimon BlakeneyBill RudolphAfrica, the world's wildest continent. David Attenborough takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through one of the most diverse places in the world. We visit deserts, savannas, and jungles and meet up with some of Africa's amazing wildlife.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughBarack ObamaDavid Attenborough revisits the Great Barrier Reef after nearly 60 years. His visit takes him from the most exposed part of the reef as well as down to 300m below the surface discovering corals never seen before.
- DirectorGreg BarkerStarsPeter BergenKerry CahillRobert McBurneyHOMEGROWN: THE COUNTER-TERROR DILEMMA explores the real and perceived threat of homegrown Islamic extremism in America today through first-hand accounts from those on the front lines of this battle - family members of convicted terrorists, those trying to persuade young people from embracing extremism, Muslim Americans facing fear and suspicion in their communities, victims of terrorist attacks, and insights from experts and prosecutors who worked homegrown terrorist cases. Among the questions the film raises: Why are American citizens signing up for ISIS? How big is the threat, and how effective have the efforts of US counter-terrorism agencies been in combatting homegrown terrorism? What are the unintended consequences of such efforts? And, what freedoms and values do we sacrifice in our efforts to track down established and nascent extremists in our midst?
- DirectorDavid HolbrookeStarsMadeleine AlbrightChristiane AmanpourRina AmiriTHE DIPLOMAT tells the remarkable story of the life and legacy of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, whose singular career spanned fifty years of American foreign policy - from Vietnam to Afghanistan.
- DirectorBrian OakesStarsJames FoleyUnai AranzadiZac BaillieAn in-depth look at the life and work of American journalist James Foley, who was killed by ISIS terrorists in 2014.
- DirectorChristian FreiStarsJames NachtweyChristiane AmanpourHans-Hermann KlareDocumentary about war photographer James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever.
- StarsH.W. BrandsChris ConnellyGil TroyA documentary series focusing on the Reagan presidency, the AIDS crisis, the end of the Cold War, Wall Street corruption, the tech boom, the expansion of television, and the evolving music industry.
- DirectorDavid SingtonStarsHerbert A. FuchsSammy SilverwatchNick YarrisA convicted murderer who has spent 23 years on Death Row tells his story.
- StarsAlice RobertsNeil OliverMike LoadesAnthropologist Alice Roberts and archaeologist Neil Oliver embark on an expedition to unravel the enigmatic ancient Celtic civilization, tracing their footsteps across various regions.
- DirectorBill GuttentagMichael WareStarsAbu Musab Al-ZarqawiMichael WareAustralian journalist Michael Ware's experiences in Iraq during the 2003 war and after.Warning: extremely graphic.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughChadden HunterGordon BuchananDavid Attenborough returns with a new wildlife documentary that shows life in a variety of habitats.
- StarsSigourney WeaverDavid AttenboroughNikolay DrozdovA documentary series on the wildlife found on Earth. Each episode covers a different habitat: deserts, mountains, deep oceans, shallow seas, forests, caves, polar regions, fresh water, plains and jungles. Narrated by David Attenborough.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough's ground-breaking exploration of a group of organisms that are vast in number, yet often too small to be noticed: the invertebrates.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughGuy ChapellierDavid Attenborough presents a collection of his favourite natural curiosities found throughout the animal kingdom from armoured giants to crafty insects.
- StarsTinker HatfieldPlatonIan SpalterA look beyond blueprints and computers into the art and science of design, showcasing great designers from every discipline whose work shapes our world.
- DirectorFriedrich MoserStarsWilliam BinneyJesselyn RadackKirk WiebeHow a group of NSA code-breakers had a chance of preventing 9/11.Do not watch if you cannot handle having your faith in our US government shaken to the core. This is not a conspiracy-nut documentary. It is a simple presentation of the story by sane, credible insiders of not only how 9/11 could have been avoided entirely, but how this fact was actively, intentionally covered up by General Michael Hayden, the then head of the NSA, who went on to become the head of National Intelligence and the CIA.
- StarsWaldemar JanuszczakIn this series critic and writer Waldemar Januszczak challenges the traditional review that the European Renaissance originated in southern Europe, advocating a case for the north instead.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughPeter DrostRoger MunnsDavid Attenborough returns to the world's oceans in this sequel to the acclaimed documentary filming rare and unusual creatures of the deep, as well as documenting the problems our oceans face.
- DirectorKristi ZeaStarsAshley Nicole BaptisteAnna Deavere SmithShining a light on a lost generation of American youth, Anna Deavere Smith brings to life the stories of 18 real-life people, among them current and former inmates, protesters, educators and politicians.