Documentaries
by Qorimayu | created - 19 Mar 2014 | updated - 6 days ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Grammar of Happiness (2012)
Not Rated | 52 min | Documentary, Biography, Mystery
The documentary follows the famous and controversial linguist Daniel Everett's field research of the indigenous Pirahã people in Amazonia and their language.
Directors: Michael O'Neill, Randall Wood | Star: Daniel Everett
Votes: 152
2. Magical Egypt (2001– )
Not Rated | 48 min | Documentary
Growing evidence is suggesting a missing chapter in human history. West explores evidence of a sophisticated science behind the unexplainable accomplishments of Ancient Egypt, the inheritor of knowledge from an even earlier civilization?
Stars: Derek Partridge, John Anthony West, Chance Gardner, Lon Milo DuQuette
Votes: 196
3. Gonzo (2008)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A portrait of the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Hunter S. Thompson, Johnny Depp, Joe Cairo, David Carlo
Votes: 8,505 | Gross: $1.25M
4. Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2011)
R | 97 min | Documentary, Music
Michael Rapaport documents the inner workings and behind the scenes drama that follows this innovative and influential band to this day.
Director: Michael Rapaport | Stars: Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White
Votes: 4,077 | Gross: $1.20M
5. Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on rap music and its rise to global prominence.
Directors: Ice-T, Andy Baybutt | Stars: Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Chuck D, Snoop Dogg
Votes: 3,620 | Gross: $0.29M
6. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Comedy, Crime
Following the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.
Director: Banksy | Stars: Banksy, Mr. Brainwash, Space Invader, Debora Guetta
Votes: 68,836 | Gross: $3.29M
7. We Steal Secrets (2013)
R | 130 min | Documentary
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
8. Mediastan (2013)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary
On the road with Wikileaks.
Director: Johannes Wahlström | Stars: Julian Assange, Vladimir Gubanov, Sultanbek Joumagulov, Bill Keller
Votes: 443
9. 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: 23,119 | Gross: $0.26M
10. 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: 72,926 | Gross: $3.97M
11. How to Make Money Selling Drugs (2012)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, Crime
Ten easy steps show you how to make money from drugs, featuring a series of interviews with drug dealers, prison employees, and lobbyists arguing for tougher drug laws.
Director: Matthew Cooke | Stars: 'Freeway' Ricky Ross, Susan Sarandon, David Simon, 50 Cent
Votes: 6,823 | Gross: $1.50M
12. We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary
A documentary on the workings and beliefs of the self-described "hacktivist" collective, Anonymous.
Director: Brian Knappenberger | Stars: Anon2World, Anonyops, Julian Assange, Aaron Barr
Votes: 10,422
13. Conscious Dreaming (2013)
31 min | Documentary, Short, News
Conscious Dreaming follows the journey of three beginners trying to get their first lucid dream with the help of lucid dreaming experts. Lucid dream is when the dreamer is aware that he or ... See full summary »
Director: Maija Koukkari
14. Wake Up! Exploring the Potential of Lucid Dreaming (2009)
36 min | Documentary, Short
What if a place existed beyond the borders of waking and dreaming? Where you are awake and asleep at the same time? This place is not a fantasy. It is called lucid dreaming, the awareness ... See full summary »
Directors: Chris Olsen, Kira Sass
15. The Imposter (2012)
R | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.
Director: Bart Layton | Stars: Adam O'Brian, Nicholas Barclay, Carey Gibson, Bryan Gibson
Votes: 50,476 | Gross: $0.89M
16. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
PG | 109 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
A prepubescent chess prodigy is encouraged to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.
Director: Steven Zaillian | Stars: Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley, Max Pomeranc, Joan Allen
Votes: 42,421 | Gross: $7.27M
17. Man on Wire (2008)
PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A 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".
Director: James Marsh | Stars: Philippe Petit, Jean François Heckel, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Annie Allix
Votes: 58,688 | Gross: $2.96M
18. The Endurance (2000)
G | 97 min | Documentary, History
A retelling of Sir Ernest Shackleton 's ill-fated expedition to Antarctica in 1914-1916, featuring new footage of the actual locations and interviews with surviving relatives of key ... See full summary »
Director: George Butler | Stars: Liam Neeson, Julian Ayer, John Blackborow, David Cale
Votes: 2,195 | Gross: $2.45M
19. 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: 38,033 | Gross: $2.55M
20. Marley (2012)
PG-13 | 144 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley, Rita Marley, Jimmy Cliff
Votes: 14,500 | Gross: $1.41M
21. Brainman (2005 TV Movie)
60 min | Documentary
Director: Martin Weitz | Stars: Simon Baron-Cohen, Brooks Moore, Fran Peek, Kim Peek
Votes: 95
22. Wheel of Time (2003)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
Wheel of Time is Werner Herzog's photographed look at the largest Buddhist ritual in Bodh Gaya, India.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: The Dalai Lama, Lama Lhundup Woeser, Takna Jigme Sangpo, Matthieu Ricard
Votes: 2,739
23. The Century of the Self (2002)
59 min | Documentary
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
24. The Power of Nightmares (2004)
60 min | Documentary, History
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
25. The Farthest (2017)
PG | 121 min | Documentary, History
It is one of humankind's greatest achievements. More than 12 billion miles away a tiny spaceship is leaving our Solar System and entering the void of deep space - the first human-made object ever to do so.
Director: Emer Reynolds | Stars: Frank Drake, Carolyn Porco, John Casani, Lawrence Krauss
Votes: 4,585 | Gross: $0.01M
26. Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee (2016)
TV-MA | 97 min | Documentary, Crime
Tech tycoon John McAfee made millions from his antivirus software. Now, he may be best known his bizarre and scandalous lifestyle.
Director: Nanette Burstein | Stars: Allison Adonizio, Nanette Burstein, Mark Coker, John McAfee
Votes: 3,607
27. The Act of Killing (2012)
Not Rated | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.
Directors: Joshua Oppenheimer, Anonymous, Christine Cynn | Stars: Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin, Ibrahim Sinik
Votes: 40,829 | Gross: $0.49M
28. Crumb (1994)
R | 119 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
An intimate portrait of controversial cartoonist Robert Crumb and his traumatized family.
Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Charles Crumb, Maxon Crumb
Votes: 21,602 | Gross: $3.17M
29. Grizzly Man (2005)
R | 103 min | Documentary, Biography
A devastating and heart-rending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzly bears in Alaska.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Timothy Treadwell, Amie Huguenard, Werner Herzog, Carol Dexter
Votes: 61,929 | Gross: $3.17M
30. The Divided Brain (2019)
78 min | Documentary
A film which explores a radical new idea - is there an imbalance between our brain hemispheres that is affecting how we live in our modern society?
Director: Manfred Becker | Stars: Iain McGilchrist, Seana McKenna
Votes: 124
31. Tawai: A Voice from the Forest (2017)
101 min | Documentary
Explorer Bruce Parry travels the world, living with indigenous peoples, delving deeper then ever on a journey into the heart of our collective human conscience.
Directors: Bruce Parry, Mark Ellam | Stars: Bruce Parry, Ingrid Lewis, Jerome Lewis, Iain McGilchrist
Votes: 290
32.
30 for 30 (2009– )
Episode:
9.79*
(2012)
TV-G | 81 min | Documentary, Biography, History
In the history of the Olympics, there's never been a controversy quite like what ensued over the 100 meter race at Seoul in 1988. The match brought together Carl Lewis (USA) and Ben Johnson... See full summary »
Director: Daniel Gordon | Stars: Don Catlin, Linford Christie, Robson da Silva, Joe Douglas
Votes: 1,009
33. Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008)
PG-13 | 105 min | Documentary, Sport
An examination of America's win-at-all-cost culture from the perspective of bodybuilding and performance enhancing drugs, as it focuses on a pair of siblings chasing their dream.
Director: Chris Bell | Stars: Chris Bell, Mike Bell, Mark Bell, Hank Aaron
Votes: 13,817 | Gross: $0.31M
34. Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football (2018)
97 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
Carlos "Kaiser" Henrique Raposo was a professional footballer. But he never actually played a game. By convincing others of his abilities (with help from journalist friends) he moved from club to club, avoiding football but partying hard.
Director: Louis Myles | Stars: José Carlos Araújo, Bebeto, Priscila Buiar, Bernardo De Paula
Votes: 588
35.
Breakthrough (2015– )
Episode:
The Age of Aging
(2015)
TV-PG | 43 min | Documentary
In recent years, close study of the aging process has opened up new ways that could help us all live healthier for longer. Can we move beyond treating individual diseases, and instead treat... See full summary »
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Steven Austad, Nir Barzilai, Sarah Crane, Laura Deming
Votes: 37
36. Louis Theroux's Altered States (2018)
60 min | Documentary
Louis Theroux explores the unusual ways modern America deals with birth, love and death.
Stars: Louis Theroux, Trina Williams, Isaiah Stuck, Ari Lund
Votes: 650
37. Fantastic Fungi (2019)
Not Rated | 81 min | Documentary
Fantastic Fungi is a descriptive time-lapse journey about the magical, mysterious and medicinal world of fungi and their power to heal, sustain and contribute to the regeneration of life on Earth that began 3.5 billion years ago.
Director: Louie Schwartzberg | Stars: Brie Larson, Andrew Weil, Giuliana Furci, Paul Stamets
Votes: 11,555
38. One Strange Rock (2018)
TV-PG | 47 min | Documentary
The extraordinary story of Earth and why it is special and uniquely brimming with life among a largely unknown but harsh cosmic arena; astronauts tell the story of Earth through a unique perspective.
Stars: Will Smith, Chris Hadfield, Jerry Linenger, Mae C. Jemison
Votes: 8,290
39. Trip of Compassion (2017)
83 min | Documentary
Thousands of victims of PTSD in Israel live with no hope. In recent years an innovative treatment for PTSD was developed - psycho active substances. The film documents victims of PTSD, over... See full summary »
Director: Gil Karni
Votes: 106
40. The Cove (2009)
PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 51,459 | Gross: $0.87M
41. The Last Shaman (2016)
77 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
James gives himself 12 months before he has 'a license to kill himself', he sets off to the amazon rainforest with hopes of finding a shaman who can save his life.
Director: Raz Degan | Stars: Guillermo Arevalo, James Freeman
Votes: 2,022 | Gross: $0.02M
42. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997)
PG | 80 min | Documentary
An exploration of the careers of four unrelated professionals: a lion tamer, a robotics expert, a topiary gardener, and a naked mole rat specialist.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Dave Hoover, George Mendonça, Rodney Brooks, Raymond A. Mendez
Votes: 3,983 | Gross: $0.83M
43. Tiger King (2020–2021)
TV-MA | 45 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot.
Stars: Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, John Reinke, Jeff Lowe
Votes: 87,039
44. Unabomber: In His Own Words (2020)
43 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
The beginning of the Unabomber's campaign of terror from 1978 to 1985; a look into his childhood to discover what might have turned the young mathematical genius with few friends, Ted Kaczynski, into a sociopathic terrorist.
Stars: Joel Moss, Kevin Fagan, David Kaczynski, Peter Vronsky
Votes: 4,269
45. Road to Roma (2020)
72 min | Documentary
Director Alfonso Cuaron reflects on the creative decisions behind ROMA.
Directors: Andres Clariond, Gabriel Nuncio | Stars: Yalitza Aparicio, Odín Ayala, Eugenio Caballero, Zarela Lizbeth Chinolla Arellano
Votes: 754
46. The Phenomenon (2020)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary
This documentary examines unidentified aerial phenomenon. With testimony from high-ranking government officials, and NASA Astronauts, Senator Harry Reid says it "makes the incredible credible."
Director: James Fox | Stars: Peter Coyote, Chris Mellon, William T. Coleman, Kim Arnold
Votes: 4,354
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