Top 250 Documentary Movies, a list by GalacticBoy

8.9

/23670/

84

/313/

84

/253/

4.5

/48526/

100

/56/

98

/90/

4.0

age 15+

A chronicle of the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, whose high-profile murder trial exposed the extent of American racial tensions, revealing a fractured and divided nation.

86

8.9

/35829/

84

/1806/

84

/405/

4.2

/29822/

96

/23/

96

/76/

72

/5/

age 10+

The story of life on our planet by the man who has seen more of the natural world than any other. In more than 90 years, Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Addressing the biggest challenges facing life on our planet, the film offers a powerful message of hope for future generations.

86

67

8.9

/5070/

84

/210/

84

/85/

4.3

/8109/

89

/10/

Exposing the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture through drones, hidden & handheld cameras, the feature-length film explores the morality and validity of our dominion over the animal kingdom.

90

8.7

/23669/

85

/1120/

83

/342/

4.7

/172044/

100

/71/

97

/571/

94

/15/

3.5

A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.

87

85

8.6

/11345/

83

/391/

80

/216/

4.4

/26710/

100

/13/

96

/297/

75

/11/

British progressive rock band Pink Floyd perform at the ancient Roman Amphitheater in the ruins of Pompeii, Italy in 1971. Although the band perform a typical live set from the era, there is no audience beyond the basic film crew.

83

77

8.5

/8939/

79

/233/

78

/118/

4.2

/5671/

88

/241/

An on-the-scene documentary following the events of September 11, 2001 from an insider's view, through the lens of two French filmmakers who simply set out to make a movie about a rookie NYC fireman and ended up filming the tragic event that changed our lives forever.

84

8.5

/42828/

84

/1310/

82

/660/

4.3

/38272/

81

/26/

96

/21691/

3.0

A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.

86

8.5

/44794/

83

/1781/

80

/560/

4.4

/89050/

94

/51/

96

/1065/

82

/11/

age 16+

In 2001, Andrew Bagby, a medical resident, is murdered not long after breaking up with his girlfriend. Soon after, when she announces she's pregnant, one of Andrew's many close friends, Kurt Kuenne, begins this film, a gift to the child.

89

8.4

/5728/

85

/610/

84

/168/

4.5

/111008/

100

/13/

94

/134/

age 13+

An intimate concert film, in which Taylor Swift performs each song from her album 'folklore' in order, as she reveals the meaning and the stories behind all 17 tracks for the very first time.

87

8.4

/52920/

80

/1372/

79

/646/

4.0

/19131/

95

/133/

94

/2288/

84

/26/

4.0

age 14+

The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of individuals, films makers and free divers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate the hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The shocking discoveries were only the tip of the iceberg.

82

8.4

/39664/

81

/1418/

80

/663/

4.2

/36236/

75

/77/

87

/439/

65

/24/

4.0

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.

82

8.4

/83246/

83

/3479/

81

/1142/

4.3

/92587/

93

/121/

95

/1590/

79

/30/

2.5

age 13+

The remarkable story of Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna, charting his physical and spiritual achievements on the track and off, his quest for perfection, and the mythical status he has since attained, is the subject of Senna, a documentary feature that spans the racing legend's years as an F1 driver, from his opening season in 1984 to his untimely death a decade later.

83

8.3

/23042/

81

/1452/

79

/250/

4.1

/42347/

96

/104/

99

/58/

84

/19/

2.5

age 11+

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.

89

8.3

/29319/

79

/782/

76

/322/

4.4

/50913/

98

/60/

92

/881/

98

/19/

4.0

age 13+

Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.

86

8.3

/27950/

82

/1781/

80

/574/

4.2

/84419/

97

/256/

94

/735/

85

/41/

3.5

age 10+

For more than thirty years, and through his television program, Fred Rogers (1928-2003), host, producer, writer and pianist, accompanied by his puppets and his many friends, spoke directly to young children about some of life's most important issues.

85

8.2

/5776/

83

/509/

80

/77/

4.0

/19596/

100

/49/

97

/52/

74

/12/

3.5

age 10+

His unforgettable scores are an essential part of some of the most beloved movies of our time, over a career that spans decades. See and hear maestro John Williams' own story, with insights from filmmakers, musicians, and others he has inspired, complete with rare behind-the-scenes looks at the making of movie history.

86

75

8.2

/5620/

81

/650/

79

/118/

3.9

/4595/

100

/11/

96

/11/

age 8+

Never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas, skies, and lands, Earth found its rhythm when we came to a stop.

83

8.2

/5967/

78

/444/

75

/78/

3.9

/18454/

100

/31/

88

/92/

82

/8/

Storyteller and Conceptual Magician Derek DelGaudio attempts to understand the illusory nature of identity and answer the deceptively simple question 'Who am I?'

78

75

8.2

/8415/

81

/295/

77

/112/

4.0

/5085/

68

/28/

100

59

/13/

age 14+

Carved from over 1,200 hours of footage spanning the band’s career, Pearl Jam: Twenty is the definitive portrait of Pearl Jam. Part concert film, part intimate insider-hang, and part testimonial to the power of music.

80

69

8.2

/7893/

80

/227/

72

/77/

3.7

/1164/

94

/219/

Filmmaker Adam Scorgie explores the illegal marijuana industry in British Columbia, revealing how the international business is most likely more profitable than it would be if it was lawful in this enlightening documentary. Marijuana growers, law enforcement officials, physicians, politicians, criminologists, economists and celebrities—including comedian Tommy Chong—shed light on this topical subject in a series of compelling interviews.

74

50

8.2

/6823/

79

/122/

75

/31/

3.1

/773/

In a collection of intimate interviews with some of America's most provocative black conservative thinkers, Uncle Tom takes a different look at being black in America.

82

77

8.2

/7277/

79

/540/

77

/134/

4.2

/16258/

96

/28/

93

/21/

66

/8/

age 16+

Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, LA 92 immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage.

72

8.2

/29558/

80

/1650/

77

/805/

3.7

/17852/

76

/33/

77

/188/

63

/10/

2.0

age 10+

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.

87

8.2

/40441/

81

/2362/

77

/636/

4.1

/57021/

99

/155/

91

/438/

91

/27/

4.0

age 16+

A documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of Armistice Day, and the end of the war.

87

8.2

/7279/

82

/236/

75

/110/

4.3

/22626/

100

/22/

92

/186/

80

/5/

4.0

age 15+

This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastover's refusal to sign a contract (when the miners joined with the United Mine Workers of America) led to the strike, which lasted more than a year and included violent battles between gun-toting company thugs/scabs and the picketing miners and their supportive women-folk. Director Barbara Kopple puts the strike into perspective by giving us some background on the historical plight of the miners and some history of the UMWA. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with New York Women in Film & Television in 2004.

84

8.2

/7086/

79

/166/

72

/115/

4.1

/11024/

96

/27/

94

/282/

3.5

age 14+

Harvey Milk was an outspoken human rights activist and one of the first openly gay U.S. politicians elected to public office; even after his assassination in 1978, he continues to inspire disenfranchised people around the world.

87

8.2

/8852/

79

/206/

78

/89/

3.9

/2409/

96

/97/

94

/1228/

89

/28/

4.0

Chronological look at the fiasco in Iraq, especially decisions made in the spring of 2003 - and the backgrounds of those making decisions - immediately following the overthrow of Saddam: no occupation plan, an inadequate team to run the country, insufficient troops to keep order, and three edicts from the White House announced by Bremmer when he took over.

80

8.2

/6553/

78

/204/

76

/93/

4.2

/6876/

90

/42/

90

/191/

68

/9/

3.0

age 15+

Many times during his presidency, Lyndon B. Johnson said that ultimate victory in the Vietnam War depended upon the U.S. military winning the "hearts and minds" of the Vietnamese people. Filmmaker Peter Davis uses Johnson's phrase in an ironic context in this anti-war documentary, filmed and released while the Vietnam War was still under way, juxtaposing interviews with military figures like U.S. Army Chief of Staff William C. Westmoreland with shocking scenes of violence and brutality.

88

8.2

/5772/

82

/204/

79

/101/

4.2

/10066/

100

/27/

92

/21/

92

/14/

4.0

Andrew Dominik's One More Time With Feeling is a remarkable black and white documentary which chronicles the creation of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' album Skeleton Tree. Originally a performance based concept, the film evolved into something much more significant as Dominik delved into the tragic backdrop of the writing and recording of the album. The result is stark, fragile and raw, and a true testament to an artist trying to find his way through the darkness. It documents the writing, recording and performing of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ sixteenth studio album, Skeleton Tree.

81

79

8.2

/5584/

78

/334/

77

/201/

4.0

/12769/

91

/699/

From the earliest versions of the script to the blockbuster debuts, explore the creation of the Star Wars Trilogy.

87

8.2

/19359/

79

/620/

75

/192/

4.1

/18341/

100

/26/

94

/393/

4.0

A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.

79

78

8.2

/8423/

74

/523/

78

/192/

3.7

/2429/

82

/17/

83

/40/

81

/5/

age 13+

An unlikely team of activists and innovators hatches a bold mission to save endangered species.

84

8.2

/20665/

83

/1046/

79

/521/

4.5

/201027/

98

/65/

88

/215/

82

/22/

3.0

Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, PARIS IS BURNING offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion "houses," from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women — including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza.

83

8.2

/44200/

80

/1188/

78

/750/

4.3

/81646/

91

/23/

91

/1147/

3.0

Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.

81

8.2

/8206/

81

/595/

78

/158/

3.9

/2481/

87

/51/

Iconic snowboarder Travis Rice and friends redefine what is possible in the mountains. Experience the highs, as new tricks are landed and new zones opened, alongside the lows, where avalanches, accidents, and wrong-turns strike.

86

8.2

/75800/

81

/2296/

78

/990/

4.1

/66859/

95

/133/

92

/1194/

79

/32/

4.0

age 14+

Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock 'n' roller, Rodriguez.

86

8.2

/82400/

78

/3319/

77

/1003/

3.9

/29303/

98

/147/

91

/2237/

88

/27/

4.0

A film that exposes the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, Inside Job traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia.

73

8.1

/10135/

79

/606/

78

/71/

4.0

/29224/

61

/28/

77

/4822/

69

/14/

2.5

age 13+

Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.

84

8.1

/17696/

80

/1363/

77

/212/

4.0

/31730/

99

/156/

95

/98/

78

/35/

3.5

age 15+

A short kid from a Canadian army base becomes the international pop culture darling of the 1980s—only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?

83

81

8.1

/6165/

80

/347/

76

/72/

3.9

/13544/

96

/53/

93

/55/

78

/12/

The story of the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees. The iconic trio, who found early fame in the 1960s, went on to write over 1,000 songs and have 20 No. 1 hits throughout their career, transcending more than five decades of changing tastes and styles.

87

8.1

/25359/

79

/852/

79

/397/

4.2

/61516/

100

/34/

94

/534/

95

/7/

3.5

A chronicle of the production problems — including bad weather, actors' health, war near the filming locations, and more — which plagued the filming of Apocalypse Now, increasing costs and nearly destroying the life and career of Francis Ford Coppola.

87

8.1

/28385/

81

/2668/

79

/678/

4.1

/43139/

99

/191/

90

/311/

88

/35/

4.0

age 5+

A look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin.

83

8.1

/84383/

80

/4596/

79

/1441/

4.1

/207948/

97

/159/

93

/460/

83

/25/

3.0

age 11+

Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000 foot high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this would arguably be the greatest feat in rock climbing history.

81

72

8.1

/5093/

82

/114/

75

/92/

3.9

/2644/

78

/9/

94

/177/

A film about the noted American linguist/political dissident and his warning about corporate media's role in modern propaganda.

80

67

8.1

/6600/

77

/288/

77

/96/

3.9

/5757/

90

/15/

In the shady campgrounds of Yosemite valley, climbers carved out a counterculture lifestyle of dumpster-diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service. And up on the walls, generation after generation has pushed the limits of climbing, vying amongst each other for supremacy on Yosemite's cliffs. "Valley Uprising" is the riveting, unforgettable tale of this bold rock climbing tradition in Yosemite National Park: half a century of struggle against the laws of gravity -- and the laws of the land.

84

8.1

/21795/

80

/616/

76

/296/

4.2

/42320/

98

/58/

94

/927/

84

/16/

3.0

age 13+

Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.

73

69

8.1

/18972/

73

/410/

70

/220/

3.4

/1662/

A presentation of a case for a needed transition out of the current socioeconomic monetary paradigm which governs the entire world society. This subject matter will transcend the issues of cultural relativism and traditional ideology and move to relate the core, empirical 'life ground' attributes of human and social survival, extrapolating those immutable natural laws into a new sustainable social paradigm called a 'Resource-Based Economy'.

88

8.1

/19347/

78

/519/

75

/286/

4.2

/16640/

100

/26/

92

/580/

95

/9/