Documentaries
by marcelrunner | created - 28 May 2013 | updated - 16 Apr 2021 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Objectified (2009)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary
A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.
Director: Gary Hustwit | Stars: Paola Antonelli, Chris Bangle, Andrew Blauvelt, Erwan Bouroullec
Votes: 3,720 | Gross: $0.01M
2. 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: 8,170 | Gross: $0.20M
3. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
PG | 81 min | Documentary
A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.
Director: David Gelb | Stars: Jiro Ono, Yoshikazu Ono, Masuhiro Yamamoto, Daisuke Nakazama
Votes: 38,001 | Gross: $2.55M
4. 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: 21,442
5. The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)
PG-13 | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
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: 5,688 | Gross: $1.10M
6. Zeitgeist (2007 Video)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary, History
Mythology and belief in society today, presenting uncommon perspectives of common cultural issues.
Director: Peter Joseph | Stars: Chogyam Trungpa, Jordan Maxwell, George Carlin, Bill Hicks
Votes: 50,363
7. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War
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: 132,374 | Gross: $119.19M
8. 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: 148,712 | Gross: $21.58M
9. Zeitgeist: Moving Forward (2011)
Not Rated | 161 min | Documentary
A feature length documentary work which presents a case for a needed transition out of the current socioeconomic monetary paradigm which governs the entire world society.
Director: Peter Joseph | Stars: Peter Joseph, Robert Sapolsky, Gabor Maté, Richard Wilkinson
Votes: 18,742
10. 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: 18,687
11. Bukowski: Born into This (2003)
R | 130 min | Documentary, Biography
Documentary on Charles Bukowski, author of 'Notes of a Dirty Old Man', 'Love Is a Dog from Hell', and the autobiographical novels, 'Women', 'Hollywood', and 'Post Office'.
Director: John Dullaghan | Stars: Charles Bukowski, Bono, John Bryan, Linda Lee Bukowski
Votes: 3,641 | Gross: $0.30M
12. Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 95 min | Biography, Drama, History
History of Apple and Microsoft.
Director: Martyn Burke | Stars: Anthony Michael Hall, Noah Wyle, Joey Slotnick, J.G. Hertzler
Votes: 25,234
13. Walk the Line (2005)
PG-13 | 136 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Votes: 265,775 | Gross: $119.52M
14. No More to Say & Nothing to Weep For: An Elegy for Allen Ginsberg 1926-1997 (1997 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 52 min | Documentary
Director: Colin Still | Stars: Steve Allen, Eugene Brooks, William F. Buckley, Ann Charters
Votes: 37
15. Future by Design (2006)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Sci-Fi
Future by Design shares the life and far-reaching vision of Jacque Fresco, considered by many to be a modern day Da Vinci. Peer to Einstein and Buckminster Fuller, Jacque is a self-taught ... See full summary »
Director: William Gazecki | Stars: William Gazecki, Jacque Fresco, Larry King, Roxanne Meadows
Votes: 1,443
16. 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: 21,782 | Gross: $1.88M
17. 180° South (2010)
PG | 85 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
Director: Chris Malloy | Stars: Yvon Chouinard, Doug Tompkins, Keith Malloy, Alicia Salome Acuna Ika
Votes: 3,174 | Gross: $0.03M
18. 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: 72,885 | Gross: $3.97M
19.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Woody Allen: A Documentary
(2011)
Not Rated | 192 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary on Woody Allen that trails him on his movie sets and follows him back to Brooklyn as he visits his childhood haunts.
Director: Robert B. Weide | Stars: Woody Allen, Letty Aronson, Marshall Brickman, Josh Brolin
Votes: 5,285
20. 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: 113,253 | Gross: $11.53M
21. SOMM (2012)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary
Four sommeliers attempt to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world.
Director: Jason Wise | Stars: Bo Barrett, Shayn Bjornholm, Dave Cauble, Ian Cauble
Votes: 4,991 | Gross: $0.17M
22. Room 237 (I) (2012)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary
An exploration of various interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's horror film, The Shining (1980).
Director: Rodney Ascher | Stars: Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks, Juli Kearns, John Fell Ryan
Votes: 23,108 | Gross: $0.26M
23. Tim's Vermeer (2013)
PG-13 | 80 min | Documentary, History
Inventor Tim Jenison seeks to understand the painting techniques used by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer.
Director: Teller | Stars: Tim Jenison, Penn Jillette, Martin Mull, Philip Steadman
Votes: 8,556 | Gross: $1.66M
24. Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine Album (2000 Video)
60 min | Documentary, Music
Behind-the-scenes footage to document the production of one of John Lennon's most enduring works. A fluid context of conflict, community, and craftsmanship.
Director: Andrew Solt | Stars: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector, George Harrison
Votes: 479
25. Bottled Life: Nestle's Business with Water (2012)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
Do you know how to turn ordinary water into a billion-dollar business? In Switzerland there's a company which has developed the art to perfection - Nestlé. This company dominates the global... See full summary »
Director: Urs Schnell | Stars: Peter Brabeck, Res Gehriger, Hanspeter Müller
Votes: 859
26. Aftermath: Population Zero (2008 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary, Sci-Fi
Ever wondered what the world would be like without any humans?
Star: Reg E. Cathey
Votes: 1,493
27. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
TV-PG | 43 min | Documentary
An exploration of our discovery of the laws of nature and coordinates in space and time.
Stars: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Christopher Emerson, Keythe Farley, Piotr Michael
Votes: 128,470
28. Particle Fever (2013)
Not Rated | 99 min | Documentary
As the Large Hadron Collider is about to be launched for the first time, physicists are on the cusp of the greatest scientific discovery of all time -- or perhaps their greatest failure.
Director: Mark Levinson | Stars: David Kaplan, Fabiola Gianotti, Sherwood Boehlert, Joel Hefley
Votes: 7,584 | Gross: $0.87M
29. A Year in Burgundy (2013)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary, Drama, Family
The film follows seven wine-making families in the Burgundy region of France through the course of a full year, and delves into the cultural and creative process of making wine, as well as ... See full summary »
Director: David Kennard | Star: Martine Saunier
Votes: 596
30. Print the Legend (2014)
100 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
Follows the people racing to bring the hot new 3D printing technology to your home, documenting the "Macintosh Moment" of this revolution and exploring what it takes to live the American Dream.
Directors: Luis Lopez, Clay Tweel | Stars: Chris Anderson, Bruce Bradshaw, Craig Broady, Bill Buel
Votes: 2,050
31. Video Games: The Movie (2014)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, History
Learn how video games are made, marketed, and consumed by looking back at gaming history and culture through the eyes of game developers, publishers, and consumers.
Director: Jeremy Snead | Stars: Sean Astin, Al Alcorn, Peter Armstrong, Cliff Bleszinski
Votes: 5,593 | Gross: $0.02M
32. Linotype: The Film (2012)
Not Rated | 75 min | Documentary, History, News
Called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by Thomas Edison, the Linotype revolutionized printing and society. The film tells the surprisingly emotional story of the people connected to the Linotype and how it impacted the world.
Director: Douglas Wilson | Stars: Matthew Carter, Ray DesChamps, Elln Hagney, Allan Haley
Votes: 248
33. The Blues (2003)
770 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary series about the origin and history of The Blues.
Stars: B.B. King, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, Dick Waterman
Votes: 1,247
34. Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music (1993)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary about American blues musicians.
Director: Ken Mandel | Stars: Keith David, Albert Murray, Robert Palmer, Albert Ammons
Votes: 29
35. The Wrecking Crew! (2008)
PG | 101 min | Documentary, History, Music
A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew", a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby.
Director: Denny Tedesco | Stars: Brian Wilson, Dick Clark, Cher, Herb Alpert
Votes: 3,674 | Gross: $0.80M
36. Living on One Dollar (2013)
TV-14 | 56 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
Four young friends set out to live on just $1 a day for two months in rural Guatemala. Armed with only a video camera, they battle hunger, parasites, and extreme financial stress as they attempt to survive life on the edge.
Directors: Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard, Chris Temple | Stars: Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard, Ryan Christoffersen
Votes: 4,882
37. 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: 26,572
38. 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: 3,380
39. Back in Time (2015)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Family, History
A look at the immense cultural impact of the Back to the Future trilogy 30 years after McFly and Brown went on an epic adventure.
Director: Jason Aron | Stars: Steven Spielberg, Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, Christopher Lloyd
Votes: 4,318
40. Pump (2014)
PG | 88 min | Documentary
A documentary that tells the story of America's addiction to oil, from its corporate conspiracy beginnings to its current monopoly today, and explains clearly and simply how we can end it - and finally win choice at the pump.
Directors: Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell | Stars: Adhemar Altieri, Greg Anderson, Edwin Black, David Blume
Votes: 658 | Gross: $0.07M
41. Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
G | 105 min | Documentary, Music
Aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers.
Director: Wim Wenders | Stars: Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Octavio Calderon
Votes: 20,517 | Gross: $7.00M
42. 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: 55,005 | Gross: $8.41M
43. Cooked (2016)
60 min | Documentary
As he tries his hand at baking, brewing and braising, acclaimed food writer Michael Pollan explores how cooking transforms food and shapes our world.
Stars: Michael Pollan, Samin Nosrat, Isaac Pollan
Votes: 3,139
44. 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
45. The Genius of Design (2010)
60 min | Documentary
Stars: Denis Lawson, Jonathan Glancey, Stephen Bayley, Peter Saville
Votes: 139
46. Cheat You Fair: The Story of Maxwell Street (2006)
90 min | Documentary, History
This 90 minute, 3-act documentary details the rise & fall of Maxwell Street, Chicago's great outdoor market, the birthplace of the electric blues and where "the only color that mattered was green".
Director: Phil Ranstrom | Stars: Florence Scala, Cheryl Arena, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy
Votes: 21
47. SOMM: Into the Bottle (2015)
90 min | Documentary
The history, politics, pleasure, and BS of wine told through opening ten very different bottles.
Director: Jason Wise | Stars: Silvia Altare, Brian Carmody, Ian Cauble, Jean-Louis Chave
Votes: 1,930
48. Steak (R)evolution (2014)
Not Rated | 135 min | Documentary
Gourmet road trip looking for the best steak in the world. Breeders, farmers, butchers, cooks, historians and business men all around the world (France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, UK,... See full summary »
Director: Franck Ribière | Stars: Jacques Abbatucci, Mario de Beni Arrigoni, Marcos Bassi, Joe Beef
Votes: 558
49. Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police (2012)
Not Rated | 79 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Based on the acclaimed memoir One Train Later by rock guitarist Andy Summers, Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police follows Summers' journey from his early days in the psychedelic '... See full summary »
Directors: Andy Grieve, Lauren Lazin | Stars: Sting, Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland, The Police
Votes: 864 | Gross: $0.02M
50. 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: 9,884 | Gross: $0.13M
51. Keep on Keepin' On (2014)
R | 84 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows jazz legend Clark Terry over four years to document the mentorship between Terry and 23-year-old blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin as the young man prepares to compete in an elite, international competition.
Director: Alan Hicks | Stars: Clark Terry, Justin Kauflin, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock
Votes: 1,054 | Gross: $0.16M
52. Janis: Little Girl Blue (2015)
TV-MA | 103 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Musician 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.
Director: Amy Berg | Stars: Cat Power, Janis Joplin, Karleen Bennett, Laura Joplin
Votes: 5,642 | Gross: $0.41M
53. Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (2015)
TV-14 | 240 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
SINATRA: All or Nothing at All is an up-close and personal examination of the life, music and career of the legendary entertainer. Told in his own words from hours of archived interviews, ... See full summary »
Stars: Nancy Sinatra, Tina Sinatra, Nancy Barbato Sinatra, Nelson Riddle
Votes: 2,484
54. The Sunshine Makers (2015)
101 min | Documentary, History
The story of Nicholas Sand and Tim Scully, the unlikely duo at the heart of 1960s American drug counter-culture.
Director: Cosmo Feilding-Mellen | Stars: Tim Scully, Nick Sand, Alice Einhorn, Billy Hitchcock
Votes: 1,488 | Gross: $0.01M
55. Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things (2015)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary
How might your life be better with less?
Director: Matt D'Avella | Stars: Dan Harris, Ryan Nicodemus, Rick Hanson, Jesse Jacobs
Votes: 16,719
56. Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
PG-13 | 90 min | Documentary
The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky's ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of the seminal science fiction novel.
Director: Frank Pavich | Stars: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux, H.R. Giger, Chris Foss
Votes: 27,540 | Gross: $0.65M
57. 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: 13,950 | Gross: $4.95M
58. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
R | 127 min | Documentary, Crime, History
An examination of the social costs of corporate interests pursuing profits at the expense of the public good.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, William Black, Jimmy Carter, Elijah Cummings
Votes: 43,860 | Gross: $14.36M
59. Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary (2016)
Not Rated | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, History
An exploration of the global power and impact of the music of John Coltrane where the passions, experiences and forces that shaped his life and revolutionary sounds are revealed.
Director: John Scheinfeld | Stars: Denzel Washington, Reggie Workman, Ravi Coltrane, Ashley Kahn
Votes: 2,497 | Gross: $0.41M
60. Beep: A Documentary History of Game Sound (2016)
115 min | Documentary, History
Beep is a documentary history of game sound, from the Victorian penny arcades through pinball and the video games right up to 2015.
Director: Karen Collins | Stars: Becky Allen, Yoshino Aoki, Simon Ashby, Clint Bajakian
Votes: 163
61. No Safe Spaces (2019)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary, News, War
No Safe Spaces contends that identity politics and the suppression of free speech are spreading into every part of society and threatening to divide America.
Director: Justin Folk | Stars: Adam Carolla, Dennis Prager, Jordan B. Peterson, Ben Shapiro
Votes: 2,723
62. The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith (2015)
Not Rated | 87 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Art, obsession and anxiety permeate a dilapidated Manhattan loft building in Mid-century: The first movie to use photographer W. Eugene Smith's massive, fly-on-the-wall archive of photos ... See full summary »
Director: Sara Fishko | Stars: David Amram, Carla Bley, John Cohen, Harry Colomby
Votes: 199
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