Documentaries
by den_quixote | created - 3 months ago | updated - 3 weeks ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Roger & Me (1989)
R | 91 min | Documentary
After General Motors closes its factory in Flint, Michigan, eliminating 35,000 jobs, filmmaker Michael Moore undertakes a quixotic quest to interview General Motors' chairman, Roger B. Smith.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Roger B. Smith, Rhonda Britton, Fred Ross
Votes: 27,514 | Gross: $6.71M
2. 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: 148,750 | Gross: $21.58M
3. 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: 132,395 | Gross: $119.19M
4. Sicko (2007)
PG-13 | 123 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories including shotgun deaths.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Tucker Albrizzi, Tony Benn, George W. Bush
Votes: 76,831 | Gross: $24.54M
5. Where to Invade Next (2015)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Comedy
To learn what the USA can learn from other nations, Michael Moore playfully "invades" them to see what they have to offer.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Johnny Fancelli, Christina Fancelli, Lorena Lardini
Votes: 25,704 | Gross: $3.82M
6. 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: 43,871 | Gross: $14.36M
7. Inside Job (2010)
PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary, Crime
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: 78,975 | Gross: $4.31M
8. Hearts and Minds (1974)
R | 112 min | Documentary, History, War
A startling and courageous landmark documentary that unflinchingly confronted the United States' involvement in Vietnam at the height of the controversy that surrounded it.
Director: Peter Davis | Stars: Tin Chan, Chau Diem, Ngo Dinh Diem, John Foster Dulles
Votes: 6,108 | Gross: $0.03M
9. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)
PG | 103 min | Documentary
A heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.
Director: Barbara Kopple | Stars: John L. Lewis, Carl Horn, Norman Yarborough, Logan Patterson
Votes: 6,632
10. The Fog of War (2003)
PG-13 | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, History
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: 25,052 | Gross: $4.20M
11. Orwell Rolls in His Grave (2003)
Unrated | 84 min | Documentary
A documentary analyzing the role of the modern American media and its effects on democracy.
Director: Robert Kane Pappas | Stars: Vincent Bugliosi, Jeff Cohen, Dennis Kucinich, Charles Lewis
Votes: 1,148 | Gross: $0.02M
12. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
G | 83 min | Documentary
A homeless musician finds meaning to his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrots.
Director: Judy Irving | Stars: Mark Bittner, Maggie McCall, Ivan Stormgart, Gary Thompson
Votes: 3,104 | Gross: $3.06M
13. Spellbound (2002)
G | 97 min | Documentary, Comedy, Thriller
Spellbound follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the 1999 National Spelling Bee.
Director: Jeffrey Blitz | Stars: Angela Arenivar, Ubaldo Arenivar, Jorge Arenivar, Scott McGarraugh
Votes: 12,460 | Gross: $5.73M
14. The Weather Underground (2002)
Unrated | 92 min | Documentary, History, War
The remarkable story of The Weather Underground, radical activists of the 1970s, and of radical politics at its best and most disastrous.
Directors: Sam Green, Bill Siegel | Stars: Lili Taylor, Pamela Z, Jim Lange, Evan White
Votes: 3,769 | Gross: $0.56M
15. Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed (2004)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary
A documentary on Brooklyn-based Congresswoman Shirley's Chisholm's 1972 presidential bid.
Director: Shola Lynch | Stars: Shirley Chisholm, Walter Cronkite, George Wallace, Ralph Abernathy
Votes: 325
16. Knuckleball! (2012)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Sport
A documentary that showcases baseball's most unpredictable pitch.
Directors: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg | Stars: Tim Wakefield, Dave Lennon, Jim Bouton, Charles Hough
Votes: 1,783
17. Woodstock (1970)
R | 184 min | Documentary, History, Music
Oscar-winning musical chronicle that brilliantly captures the three-day rock concert and celebration of peace and love that became a capstone for the Sixties.
Director: Michael Wadleigh | Stars: Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker
Votes: 18,467 | Gross: $50.00M
18. The Last Waltz (1978)
PG | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison
Votes: 20,170 | Gross: $0.32M
19. Don't Look Back (1967)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary covering Bob Dylan's 1965 tour of England, which includes appearances by Joan Baez and Donovan.
Director: D.A. Pennebaker | Stars: Bob Dylan, Albert Grossman, Bob Neuwirth, Joan Baez
Votes: 10,011
20. Monterey Pop (1968)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, History, Music
A film about the greatest pre-Woodstock rock music festival.
Director: D.A. Pennebaker | Stars: Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar, Country Joe McDonald
Votes: 4,926 | Gross: $0.00M
21. Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (1987)
PG | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
This documentary movie covers two concerts at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri, to celebrate Chuck Berry's 60th birthday, and also discusses his life and career.
Director: Taylor Hackford | Stars: Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley
Votes: 1,569 | Gross: $0.72M
22. Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me (2014)
PG | 104 min | Documentary, Biography, Family
As he struggles with Alzheimer's disease, country-music legend Glen Campbell embarks on his farewell tour in the U.S., Australia, and Europe.
Director: James Keach | Stars: Glen Campbell, Kim Campbell, Ronald Petersen, Dave Kaplan
Votes: 1,730 | Gross: $0.37M
23. Lightning in a Bottle (2004)
PG-13 | 103 min | Documentary, Music
Antoine Fuqua's documentary on the blues, shot at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Director: Antoine Fuqua | Stars: Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Buddy Guy, Solomon Burke, Mavis Staples
Votes: 740 | Gross: $0.20M
24. Barbra: The Concert (1994 TV Special)
125 min | Music
Barbra Streisand's New Year's concert at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California on New Year's Weekend circa 1993-94.
Directors: Barbra Streisand, Dwight Hemion | Stars: Barbra Streisand, Steve Susskind, Judith Gordon, Philip Austin
Votes: 534
25. Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (2002 TV Movie)
93 min | Documentary
The history of the irreverent "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" and the content battles it fought with its television network.
Director: Maureen Muldaur | Stars: Joan Baez, Jack Benny, David Bianculli, Allan Blye
Votes: 296
26. Make It Funky! (2005)
Not Rated | 110 min | Documentary, Music
MAKE IT FUNKY! tells the story of New Orleans through words, sound and picture in this extraordinary documentary featuring the best of New Orleans' musicians, plus special guests Ahmet Ertegun, Bonnie Raitt, and Keith Richards.
Director: Michael Murphy | Stars: Aaron Neville, Allen Toussaint, Amadee Castenell, Anthony Brown
Votes: 84
27. Hungry i reunion (1981)
90 min | Documentary
San Francisco's world famous nightclub was the breeding ground of rising comedy and folk music talent. This 1980 reunion concert and related documentary captures many of the entertainment ... See full summary »
Director: Thomas A. Cohen | Stars: Maya Angelou, Enrico Banducci, Lenny Bruce, Irwin Corey
Votes: 10
28. Koko: A Talking Gorilla (1978)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows Dr. Penny Patterson's current scientific study of Koko, a gorilla who communicates through American Sign Language.
Director: Barbet Schroeder | Stars: Koko, Penny Patterson, Saul Kitchener, Carl Pribram
Votes: 944
29. Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night (1988 TV Special)
Not Rated | 64 min | Documentary, Music
Rock 'n' roll legend Roy Orbison and some friends, legends in their own right, get together and perform some of Orbison's songs.
Stars: Roy Orbison, Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello
Votes: 1,186
30. Rodney Carrington: Live at the Majestic (2007 TV Special)
57 min | Comedy
Rodney Carrington brings his Southern shtick to the stage in this live performance delivered with a Texas drawl. With his down-home attitude, the stand-up comedian's fare is fit for fans of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.
Director: David Newman | Stars: Rodney Carrington, Bob Hoban, Ashlie Rhey
Votes: 160
31. Vernon, Florida (1981)
Not Rated | 55 min | Documentary
A documentary on the eccentric residents of Vernon, Florida.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Albert Bitterling, Roscoe Collins, George Harris, Joe Payne
Votes: 3,586
32. The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (1998)
PG | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
The life and career of Hank Greenberg, the first major Jewish baseball star in the Major Leagues.
Director: Aviva Kempner | Stars: Reeve Brenner, Hank Greenberg, Walter Matthau, Alan Dershowitz
Votes: 817 | Gross: $1.70M
33. 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
34. 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: 59,952 | Gross: $77.44M
35. 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: 113,285 | Gross: $11.53M
36. A Lawyer Walks Into a Bar... (2007)
Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary
A lurid tale of lawyers, lawsuits and America's fascination with both.
Director: Eric Chaikin | Stars: Tricia Rockman, Donald Baumeister, Sam Garrett, Cassandra Hooks
Votes: 196 | Gross: $0.01M
37. Crazy Love (I) (2007)
PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Romance
The bizarre true story of Linda Riss and Burt Pugach.
Directors: Dan Klores, Fisher Stevens | Stars: Burt Pugach, Linda Pugach, Bob Janoff, Sylvia Hoffman
Votes: 2,828 | Gross: $0.30M
38.
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
39. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
PG | 96 min | Documentary
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: 85,214 | Gross: $23.81M
40. Incident at Oglala (1992)
PG | 89 min | Documentary, History
This film describes the events surrounding a 1975 shootout at the Pine Ridge reservation in S. Dakota where two FBI agents were killed.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Robert Redford, Norman Zigrossi, Robert Sikma, Darelle 'Dino' Butler
Votes: 1,288 | Gross: $0.54M
41. Why We Fight (2005)
PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary, History, War
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
42. The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival (2007 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary, Music
An unvarnished chronicle of Bob Dylan's metamorphosis from folk to rock musician via appearances at the Newport Folk Festival between 1963 and 1965.
Director: Murray Lerner | Stars: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Freedom Singers, N. Paul Stookey
Votes: 443
43. How Sweet the Sound (2009 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary
The Bio of Joan Baez, her life, her Country Music.
Directors: Mary Wharton, Joe Berlinger | Stars: Joan Baez, David Crosby, Bob Dylan, Gabriel Harris
Votes: 39
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