My Favorite Documentaries
by karolis_z | created - 01 Jan 2014 | updated - 02 May 2020 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Sans Soleil (1983)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, Drama
A woman narrates the contemplative writings of a seasoned world traveler, focusing on contemporary Japan.
Director: Chris Marker | Stars: Amilcar Cabral, Florence Delay, Arielle Dombasle, Riyoko Ikeda
Votes: 12,135 | Gross: $0.03M
2. Nanook of the North (1922)
Passed | 78 min | Documentary
In this silent predecessor to the modern documentary, film-maker Robert J. Flaherty spends one year following the lives of Nanook and his family, Inuits living in the Arctic Circle.
Director: Robert J. Flaherty | Stars: Allakariallak, Alice Nevalinga, Cunayou, Allegoo
Votes: 13,457
3. Megacities (1998)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
A look at the people who live precariously, but with an unusual level of resourcefulness and imagination, in four gigantic urban agglomerations: Mumbai, New York City, Moscow and Mexico City.
Director: Michael Glawogger
Votes: 1,028
4. Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
G | 99 min | Documentary
Film-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Doug MacAyeal
Votes: 19,258 | Gross: $0.94M
5. Baraka (1992)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary
A collection of expertly photographed scenes of human life and religion.
Director: Ron Fricke | Star: Patrick Disanto
Votes: 40,998 | Gross: $1.33M
6. Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Music
A collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.
Director: Godfrey Reggio | Stars: Edward Asner, Pat Benatar, Jerry Brown, Johnny Carson
Votes: 41,502 | Gross: $1.72M
7. Samsara (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 102 min | Documentary, Music
Filmed over nearly five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, and shot on seventy-millimetre film, Samsara transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders.
Director: Ron Fricke | Stars: Balinese Tari Legong Dancers, Ni Made Megahadi Pratiwi, Puti Sri Candra Dewi, Putu Dinda Pratika
Votes: 38,056 | Gross: $2.67M
8. Chronos (1985)
Not Rated | 43 min | Documentary, Short
Carefully picked scenes of nature and civilization are viewed at high speed using time-lapse cinematography in an effort to demonstrate the history of various regions.
Director: Ron Fricke
Votes: 3,844
9. The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner (1974)
45 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
A study of the psychology of a champion ski-jumper, whose full-time occupation is carpentry.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Walter Steiner, Werner Herzog
Votes: 2,884
10. Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (1972)
G | 92 min | Documentary, Music
Live versions of the songs, filmed in an old Pompeii amphitheater. Songs included are Echoes (split into 2 parts), Careful with that axe, Eugene, A saucerful of secrets, One of those days, ... See full summary »
Director: Adrian Maben | Stars: David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason
Votes: 9,673
11. Evidence (1995)
8 min | Documentary, Short
A haunting look at children watching television.
Director: Godfrey Reggio | Star: Angelica Preziosi
Votes: 487
12. Reindeerspotting - Escape from Santaland (2010)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary
This documentary tells the story of Jani, a 19-year-old drug addict living on social welfare among with his friends. Tired of his life in a remote city in Rovaniemi, he decides to travel by... See full summary »
Director: Joonas Neuvonen | Star: Jani Raappana
Votes: 3,626
13. Hobo (1992 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary
Part-time hobos and full time philosophers, who narrates their way through the incredible scenery of the Northwest and gives us his views on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Director: John T. Davis | Stars: Beargrease, Scott Caribou, Minot Louis, Big Red
Votes: 136
14. 1/2 Mensch (1986)
48 min | Documentary, Music
A visual documentary of Einstuerzende Neubauten, the German underground band, by Japanese cult director Sogo Ishii, made during their 1985 tour of Japan. The band makes an elaborate and ... See full summary »
Director: Gakuryû Ishii | Stars: Einstürzende Neubauten, Blixa Bargeld, Mark Chung, FM Einheit
Votes: 327
15. La Soufrière (1977)
31 min | Documentary, Short, Biography
Herzog takes a film crew to the island of Guadeloupe when he hears that the volcano on the island is going to erupt. Everyone has left, except for one old man who refuses to leave. Herzog ... See full summary »
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein, Edward Lachman
Votes: 2,304
16. Deliver Us from Evil (2006)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
Documentary about Father Oliver O'Grady, a Catholic priest who was relocated to various parishes around the United States during the 1970s in an attempt by the Catholic Church to cover up his rape of dozens of children.
Director: Amy Berg | Stars: Oliver O'Grady, Thomas Doyle, Adam, Jeff Anderson
Votes: 10,827 | Gross: $30.58M
17. Earthlings (2005)
95 min | Documentary
Using hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit.
Director: Shaun Monson | Star: Joaquin Phoenix
Votes: 19,809
18. 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: 61,909 | Gross: $3.17M
19. Burden of Dreams (1982)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary
A documentary following German auteur Werner Herzog as he deals with difficult actors, bad weather and getting a boat over a mountain, all in an effort to make his film Fitzcarraldo (1982).
Director: Les Blank | Stars: Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards
Votes: 8,138
20. My Best Fiend (1999)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography
The love-hate relationship between Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski, the deep trust between the director and the actor, and their independently and simultaneously hatched plans to murder one another.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, Eva Mattes
Votes: 12,200 | Gross: $0.10M
21. Anima Mundi (1991)
28 min | Documentary, Short
Image and music are intertwined in this third collaboration between director Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass. The film was produced to celebrate the World Wildlife Fund's ... See full summary »
Director: Godfrey Reggio
Votes: 1,356
22. Fun Without Limits (1998)
45 min | Documentary
Whether in the countryside or on the edge of the city, amusement parks or fun fairs are hot across Europe. Their names, amusement parks and fun fairs, say it all: People want to be amused, they want to have fun.
Director: Ulrich Seidl | Star: Dorothea Spohler-Claussen
Votes: 105
23. The Charles Bukowski Tapes (1985)
Not Rated | 240 min | Documentary
Barbet Schroeder interviews Bukowski.
Stars: Charles Bukowski, Barbet Schroeder, Linda Lee Bukowski
Votes: 519
24. General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait (1974)
Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary
A documentary on the military dictator of Africa's Uganda.
Director: Barbet Schroeder | Stars: Idi Amin, Fidel Castro, Golda Meir
Votes: 2,019
25. From Moscow to Pietushki: A Journey with Benedict Yerofeyev (1990 TV Movie)
45 min | Documentary
The film is about revisiting the locations of the world-famous Russian novel 'Moscow-Petushki' by Venedikt Yerofeyev. At the consecutive railway stations, passengers recall the writer who ... See full summary »
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Votes: 163
26. The Pervert's Guide to Cinema (2006)
150 min | Documentary
Slavoj Zizek examines famous films in a philosophical and a psychoanalytic context.
Director: Sophie Fiennes | Star: Slavoj Zizek
Votes: 7,342
27. 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: 18,469 | Gross: $50.00M
28. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Sport
Documentary about the pioneering 1970s Zephyr skating team.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Jeff Ament
Votes: 13,361 | Gross: $1.29M
29. 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: 20,548 | Gross: $7.00M
30. Winged Migration (2001)
G | 89 min | Documentary
Documentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over the course of three years on all seven continents.
Directors: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud, Michel Debats | Stars: Jacques Perrin, Philippe Labro
Votes: 12,370 | Gross: $10.76M
31. Alone in the Wilderness (2004 TV Movie)
57 min | Documentary
In 1968, one man films his attempt to build a cabin and live in the Alaskan wilderness. He goes weeks or months at a time without human contact.
Director: Dick Proenneke | Stars: Dick Proenneke, Bob Swerer Jr., Wendy Ishii, Pamela Guest
Votes: 4,019
32. Genesis (2004)
G | 81 min | Documentary
A storyteller relates the creation of the world. A tall tale like all yarns. But this tall tale is a true tale - it is our very own story. The birth of the universe, the formation of the ... See full summary »
Directors: Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou | Star: Sotigui Kouyaté
Votes: 1,513 | Gross: $0.01M
33. Knjiga rekorda Sutke (2005)
78 min | Documentary
A documentary about bizarre residents of Shutka, a Macedonian village built on the former city dump area.
Director: Aleksandar Manic | Stars: Jasar Destani, Bajram Severdzan
Votes: 1,097
34. Microcosmos (1996)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
A documentary on insect life in meadows and ponds.
Directors: Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou | Stars: Kristin Scott Thomas, Jacques Perrin
Votes: 11,654 | Gross: $1.57M
35. Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
Not Rated | 68 min | Documentary
A man travels around a city with a camera slung over his shoulder, documenting urban life with dazzling invention.
Director: Dziga Vertov | Stars: Mikhail Kaufman, Elizaveta Svilova
Votes: 28,001
36. Magic Trip: Ken Kesey's Search for a Kool Place (2011)
R | 107 min | Documentary
A freewheeling portrait of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters' fabled road trip across America.
Directors: Alison Ellwood, Alex Gibney | Stars: Stanley Tucci, Ken Kesey, Timothy Leary, Jim Meskimen
Votes: 1,674 | Gross: $0.15M
37. A Dog's Life (1962)
Approved | 108 min | Documentary, Horror
A "shockumentary" consisting of a collection of mostly real archive footage displaying mankind at its most depraved and perverse, displaying bizarre rites, cruel behavior and bestial violence.
Directors: Paolo Cavara, Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi | Stars: Stefano Sibaldi, Rossano Brazzi, Yves Klein, Henning Skaarup
Votes: 4,410
38. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
PG-13 | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Daniel Johnston, manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist is revealed in this portrait of madness, creativity and love.
Director: Jeff Feuerzeig | Stars: Daniel Johnston, Mabel Johnston, Bill Johnston, Laurie Allen
Votes: 10,535 | Gross: $0.33M
39. 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: 8,504 | Gross: $1.25M
40. 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: 3,644 | Gross: $0.30M
41. Joy Division (2007)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Music
A chronological account of the influential late 1970s English rock band.
Director: Grant Gee | Stars: Richard Boon, Anton Corbijn, Kevin Cummins, Bob Dickinson
Votes: 3,870
42. Pina (2011)
PG | 103 min | Documentary, Music
A tribute to the late German choreographer Pina Bausch, as her dancers perform her most famous creations.
Director: Wim Wenders | Stars: Pina Bausch, Regina Advento, Malou Airaudo, Ruth Amarante
Votes: 15,951 | Gross: $3.52M
43. American Movie (1999)
R | 107 min | Documentary, Comedy
Documentary about an aspiring filmmaker's attempts to finance his dream project by finally completing the low-budget horror film he abandoned years before.
Director: Chris Smith | Stars: Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank, Tom Schimmels, Monica Borchardt
Votes: 19,348 | Gross: $1.16M
44. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Not Rated | 142 min | Documentary, Biography
The career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise.
Director: Jan Harlan | Stars: Katharina Kubrick, Malcolm McDowell, Stanley Kubrick, Barbara Kroner
Votes: 12,206
45. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
R | 96 min | Documentary
Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems--nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director.
Directors: Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola | Stars: Dennis Hopper, Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, George Lucas
Votes: 23,237 | Gross: $1.32M
46. The Pervert's Guide to Ideology (2012)
Not Rated | 136 min | Documentary
Philosopher Slavoj Zizek examines the hidden themes and existential questions asked by world renowned films.
Director: Sophie Fiennes | Star: Slavoj Zizek
Votes: 7,529 | Gross: $0.07M
47. Powaqqatsi (1988)
G | 99 min | Documentary, Music
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
Director: Godfrey Reggio | Stars: Christie Brinkley, David Brinkley, Patrick Disanto, Pope John Paul II
Votes: 8,878 | Gross: $0.59M
48. 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: 148,763 | Gross: $21.58M
49. It Felt Like a Kiss (2009)
54 min | Documentary, History, Music
The story of America's rise to power starting with 1959; it uses archive footage and American pop music to highlight the consequences to the rest of the world and in the peoples' minds.
Director: Adam Curtis | Stars: H. Rap Brown, Nikita Khrushchev, Richard Nixon
Votes: 930
50. Gates of Heaven (1978)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
A documentary about a pet cemetery in California, and the people who have pets buried there.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Lucille Billingsley, Zella Graham, Cal Harberts, Dan Harberts
Votes: 6,296
51. Dark Days (2000)
Not Rated | 82 min | Documentary
A cinematic portrait of the homeless population who live permanently in the underground tunnels of New York City.
Director: Marc Singer | Star: Marc Singer
Votes: 7,182 | Gross: $0.43M
52. When You're Strange (2009)
R | 86 min | Documentary, Music
A look at the late '60s and early '70s rock band The Doors, including rare exclusive footage.
Director: Tom DiCillo | Stars: Johnny Depp, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek
Votes: 10,276 | Gross: $0.24M
53. Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (2010)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary
Director Tamra Davis pays homage to her friend in this definitive documentary but also delves into Basquiat as an iconoclast. His dense, bebop-influenced neoexpressionist work emerged while... See full summary »
Director: Tamra Davis | Stars: Jean Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel, Larry Gagosian, Bruno Bischofberger
Votes: 2,485 | Gross: $0.26M
54. Journey to the Edge of the Universe (2008 TV Movie)
91 min | Documentary, Family
A journey through space and time.
Director: Yavar Abbas | Stars: Alec Baldwin, Sean Pertwee, Paul Essiembre
Votes: 4,420
55. 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: 27,588 | Gross: $0.65M
56. Ceský sen (2004)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Comedy
Two students from the Czech Film Academy commission a leading advertising agency to organize a huge campaign for the opening of a new supermarket named Czech Dream. The supermarket however ... See full summary »
Directors: Vít Klusák, Filip Remunda | Stars: Varhan Orchestrovich Bauer, Jaromír Kalina, Vít Klusák, Martin Prikryl
Votes: 2,368 | Gross: $0.02M
57. Henry Miller Asleep & Awake (1975)
Not Rated | 35 min | Documentary, Short
A voyage through writing, sex, spirituality, nightmares, and New York that captures the warmth and high animal spirits of singular American artist and auteur, Henry Miller, on an intimate ... See full summary »
Director: Tom Schiller | Star: Henry Miller
Votes: 65
58. 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: 68,834 | Gross: $3.29M
59. 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: 40,914
60. À Propos de Nice (1930)
Not Rated | 24 min | Documentary, Short, Comedy
What starts off as a conventional travelogue turns into a satirical portrait of the town of Nice on the French Cote d'Azur, especially its wealthy inhabitants.
Directors: Boris Kaufman, Jean Vigo
Votes: 4,633
61. Home (I) (2009)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary, Family
With aerial footage from fifty-four countries, 'Home' is a depiction of how Earth's problems are all interlinked.
Director: Yann Arthus-Bertrand | Stars: Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Glenn Close, Jacques Gamblin
Votes: 23,053
62. The Wolfpack (2015)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
Confined in an apartment from a New York housing project, the six Angulo brothers learned everything they know about the world through watching films and spend their time reenacting their favorite movies with intricate homemade costumes.
Director: Crystal Moselle | Stars: Mukunda Angulo, Narayana Angulo, Susanne Angulo, Bhagavan Angulo
Votes: 13,517 | Gross: $1.30M
63. Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016)
PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary
Werner Herzog's exploration of the Internet and the connected world.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Elon Musk, Lawrence Krauss, Lucianne Walkowicz, Kevin Mitnick
Votes: 13,413 | Gross: $0.59M
64. Paris Is Burning (1990)
R | 78 min | Documentary
A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.
Director: Jennie Livingston | Stars: Brooke Xtravaganza, André Christian, Dorian Corey, Paris Duprée
Votes: 17,620 | Gross: $3.78M
65. Wild Wild Country (2018)
TV-MA | 67 min | Documentary, Crime
When Osho, the world's most controversial guru, builds an Utopian city deep in the Oregon country, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
Stars: Ma Anand Sheela, Philip Toelkes, Jane Stork, George Meredith
Votes: 35,112
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