Documentaries
by matejangjic | created - 03 Apr 2023 | updated - 2 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The World at War (1973–1974)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary, History, War
A groundbreaking 26-part documentary series narrated by the actor Laurence Olivier about the deadliest conflict in history, World War II.
Stars: Laurence Olivier, Averell Harriman, Anthony Eden, Albert Speer
Votes: 29,521
2. Making a Murderer (2015–2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Crime
Filmed over a 10-year period, Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime.
Stars: Steven Avery, Dolores Avery, Laura Nirider, Allan Avery
Votes: 102,887
3. 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: 128,758
4. The Blue Planet (2001)
TV-G | 49 min | Documentary
Mammoth series, five years in the making, taking a look at the rich tapestry of life in the world's oceans.
Stars: David Attenborough, Pierce Brosnan, Peter Scoones
Votes: 42,725
5. Planet Earth (2006)
TV-PG | 49 min | Documentary, Family
A 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.
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, David Attenborough, Nikolay Drozdov, Thomas Anguti Johnston
Votes: 220,357
6. The Vietnam War (2017)
TV-MA | 99 min | Documentary, History, War
A comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.
Stars: Peter Coyote, Huy Duc, James Willbanks, Duong Van Mai Elliott
Votes: 28,001
7. A Perfect Planet (2021)
TV-PG | 41 min | Documentary
Perfect Planet analyzes, in five episodes, how the forces of nature, including the power of the Sun or even humans, drive and shape life on Earth.
Stars: David Attenborough, Toby Nowlan, Chadden Hunter, Rolf Steinmann
Votes: 3,078
8. Our Planet (2019–2023)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary
Explores and unravels the mystery of how and why animals migrate, showing some of the most dramatic and compelling stories in the natural world through spectacular and innovative cinematography.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 51,201
9. The Last Dance (2020)
TV-MA | 49 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Led by Michael Jordan, the 1990s Chicago Bulls establish themselves as one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.
Stars: Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, David Aldridge
Votes: 152,346
10. Blue Planet II (2017)
TV-G | 52 min | Documentary
David 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.
Stars: David Attenborough, Peter Drost, Roger Munns, Roger Horrocks
Votes: 46,610
11. Life (2009)
TV-G | 43 min | Documentary
David 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.
Stars: Oprah Winfrey, David Attenborough, Doug Allan, Roger Munns
Votes: 42,823
12. Planet Earth II (2016)
TV-G | 50 min | Documentary
David Attenborough returns with a new wildlife documentary that shows life in a variety of habitats.
Stars: David Attenborough, Chadden Hunter, Gordon Buchanan, Elizabeth White
Votes: 158,324
13. Cosmos: Possible Worlds (2020)
TV-PG | 45 min | Documentary, Animation, Family
"Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey" returns for a second season. Ann Druyan, original creative collaborator to Carl Sagan, serves as executive producer.
Stars: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Seth MacFarlane, Sasha Sagan, Trang Vo
Votes: 7,797
14. The Planets (2019)
59 min | Documentary
Welcome to the greatest story that's never been told. In a new, ground breaking series we'll be telling the story of the planets as never before.
Stars: Brian Cox, Fran Bagenal, John Grotzinger, Julie Webster
Votes: 3,849
15. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020 TV Movie)
PG | 83 min | Documentary, Biography
One man has seen more of the natural world than any other. This unique feature documentary is his witness statement.
Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Jonathan Hughes, Keith Scholey | Stars: David Attenborough, Max Hughes
Votes: 34,569
16. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020)
TV-14 | 55 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The rise and fall of Harshad Mehta, a stockbroker who single-handedly took the stock market to great heights, is depicted.
Stars: Pratik Gandhi, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Hemant Kher, Anjali Barot
Votes: 157,388
17. The Hunt (II) (2015)
TV-PG | 64 min | Documentary
The fascinating relationship between predators and their prey, and the strategies predators use to catch their food and prey use to escape death.
Stars: David Attenborough, Jamie McPherson, Huw Cordey, Damien Boisseau
Votes: 4,368
18. Life Story (2014–2015)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
David Attenbourough narrates on the greatest of all adventures - the journey through life.
Stars: David Attenborough, Rolf Steinmann, Emma Napper, Sophie Lanfear
Votes: 2,338
19. Africa (2013)
TV-PG | 51 min | Documentary
Africa, 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.
Stars: David Attenborough, Simon Blakeney, Bill Rudolph, Justine Evans
Votes: 17,132
20. The Rescue (2021)
PG | 107 min | Documentary, Action, Mystery
A chronicle of the enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.
Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi | Stars: Bancha Duriyapunt, Apakorn Youkongkaew, Anan Surawan, Woranan Ratrawiphukkun
Votes: 20,630 | Gross: $1.06M
21. Icarus (2017)
TV-MA | 120 min | Documentary, Sport
When Bryan sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller.
Director: Bryan Fogel | Stars: Bryan Fogel, Dave Zabriskie, Don Catlin, Grigory Rodchenkov
Votes: 54,729
22. Before the Flood (2016)
PG | 96 min | Documentary, News
A look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet.
Director: Fisher Stevens | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ban Ki-moon, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mike Brune
Votes: 28,881
23. Free Solo (2018)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary, Adventure, Sport
Alex Honnold faces the biggest challenge of his career, climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He pursues it Free Solo, which means climbing without a rope and alone.
Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi | Stars: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Jimmy Chin, Cheyne Lempe
Votes: 77,468 | Gross: $17.54M
24. 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: 78,994 | Gross: $4.31M
25. Dynasties (2018–2022)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
A nature documentary series on five vulnerable or endangered species known to form enduring populations: chimpanzee, emperor penguin, lion, tiger and African wild dog.
Stars: David Attenborough, John Brown, Sophie Darlington, Justine Evans
Votes: 5,127
26. Frozen Planet (2011–2012)
TV-PG | 33 min | Documentary
Focuses on life and the environment in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
Stars: David Attenborough, Alec Baldwin, Chadden Hunter, Michael Kelem
Votes: 33,004
27. Racing Extinction (2015)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Adventure, News
A documentary that follows undercover activists trying to stave off a man-made mass extinction.
Director: Louie Psihoyos | Stars: Elon Musk, Joel Sartore, Louie Psihoyos, Charles Hambleton
Votes: 8,196
28. Explained (2018–2021)
TV-MA | 18 min | Documentary
A documentary series that looks to explore the big questions of today.
Stars: Estelle Caswell, Samira Wiley, Maria Bello, Kyle MacLachlan
Votes: 9,944
29. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)
Not Rated | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
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: 18,040 | Gross: $0.05M
30. The Social Dilemma (2020)
PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Drama
Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking; tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.
Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano
Votes: 89,487
31. 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: 58,687 | Gross: $2.96M
32. Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In (2021)
PG-13 | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A look at the life and legend of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
Director: Jason Ferguson | Stars: Eric Cantona, Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs, Jason Ferguson
Votes: 6,102
33. 13th (2016)
TV-MA | 100 min | Documentary, Crime, History
An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker, Dolores Canales
Votes: 37,689
34. They Shall Not Grow Old (II) (2018)
R | 99 min | Documentary, History, War
A documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of the end of the war.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Thomas Adlam, William Argent, John Ashby, Attwood
Votes: 38,476 | Gross: $17.96M
35. Seaspiracy (2021)
TV-14 | 89 min | Documentary, Adventure
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species - and uncovers alarming global corruption.
Director: Ali Tabrizi | Stars: Ali Tabrizi, Richard O'Barry, Lucy Tabrizi, Lori Marino
Votes: 34,154
36. Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief (2015)
Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary
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
37. The Grand Tour (2016–2024)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy, Sport, Talk-Show
Jeremy, Richard and James embark on an adventure across the globe, driving new and exciting automobiles from manufacturers all over the world.
Stars: Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond, Abbie Eaton
Votes: 83,518
38. Human Flow (2017)
PG-13 | 140 min | Documentary
Human Flow is director and artist Ai Weiwei's detailed and heartbreaking exploration into the global refugee crisis.
Director: Ai Weiwei | Stars: Israa Abboud, Hiba Abed, Rami Abu Sondos, Fadi Abou Akleh
Votes: 2,799 | Gross: $0.53M
39. American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary, Crime
In 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters disappear in Colorado. With the heartbreaking details emerging, the family's story made headlines around the world.
Director: Jenny Popplewell | Stars: Nickole Atkinson, Jim Benemann, Luke Epple, Mark Jamieson
Votes: 32,773
40. Pumping Iron (1977)
PG | 86 min | Documentary, Sport
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno face off in a no-holds-barred competition for the title of Mr. Olympia in this critically-acclaimed film that made Schwarzenegger a household name.
Directors: George Butler, Robert Fiore | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Matty Ferrigno, Victoria Ferrigno
Votes: 24,951
41. 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021)
TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary, Adventure, Sport
Fearless Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to summit all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks in seven months.
Director: Torquil Jones | Stars: Nirmal Purja, Suchi Purja, Klára Kolouchová, Reinhold Messner
Votes: 30,432
42. The Dawn Wall (2017)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
In an unbelievable story of perseverance, free climber Tommy Caldwell and climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson attempt to scale the impossible 3000ft Dawn Wall of El Capitan.
Directors: Josh Lowell, Peter Mortimer | Stars: John Branch, Tommy Caldwell, Kevin Jorgeson
Votes: 21,240 | Gross: $1.08M
43. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
PG-13 | 93 min | Documentary, History
Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.
Director: Raoul Peck | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
Votes: 23,513 | Gross: $7.12M
44. Dirty Money (2018–2020)
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Crime
A Netflix Original Series documenting various stories about exposing the greed, corruption, and crime spreading through the global economy.
Stars: Matt Taibbi, Fisher Stevens, Alex Gibney, Fahmi Quadir
Votes: 10,189
45. The First World War (2003)
500 min | Documentary, History, War
A comprehensive survey of the history of World War I.
Stars: Jonathan Lewis, Voja Tankosic, Andrée Bernard, Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Votes: 1,453
46. Frozen Planet II (2022–2023)
TV-PG | 49 min | Documentary
Following life in the frozen regions of the planet, including polar bears, Siberian tigers, snow monkeys, and penguins.
Stars: David Attenborough, Jamie McPherson, Helen Hobin, Bertie Gregory
Votes: 2,076
47. Dynasties II (2022)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
A sequel to the Attenborough's great nature show following the lives of different dynasties from the animal kingdom.
Stars: David Attenborough, Daan Smit, Mark MacEwen, John Shier
Votes: 645
48. Life on Our Planet (2023– )
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
The incredible story of life's epic, four-billion-year journey on Earth comes alive in this series from Steven Spielberg and the team behind "Our Planet."
Star: Morgan Freeman
Votes: 5,427
49. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones (2023)
TV-14 | 39 min | Documentary, Adventure
Travel around the world with author Dan Buettner to discover five unique communities where people live extraordinarily long and vibrant lives.
Stars: Dan Buettner, Marion Nestle
Votes: 3,208
Tell Your Friends