The Greatest Documentaries For Feature Documentary Fanatics
by Easty7 | created - 02 Oct 2011 | updated - 06 May 2012 | PublicThe definitive list of the most entertaining and attention grabbing documentary features.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. 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: 24,926
2. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
PG-13 | 79 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
Die-hard gamers compete to break world records on classic arcade games.
Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Steve Wiebe, Billy Mitchell, Mark Alpiger, Adam Wood
Votes: 37,576 | Gross: $0.68M
3. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Crime
Nick Broomfield's second documentary about serial killer Aileen Wuornos, focusing on her mental state on death row.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill | Stars: Aileen Wuornos, Nick Broomfield, Terry Humphreys-Slay, Leitha Prather
Votes: 6,951 | Gross: $0.10M
4. The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)
TV-PG | 98 min | Documentary, History
Documentary about the art of film editing. Clips are shown from many groundbreaking films with innovative editing styles.
Director: Wendy Apple | Stars: Kathy Bates, Zach Staenberg, Jodie Foster, Michael Tronick
Votes: 3,197
5. 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: 148,743 | Gross: $21.58M
6. More Than a Game (2008)
PG | 105 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
This documentary follows NBA superstar LeBron James and four of his talented teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Ohio and James' journey to fame.
Director: Kristopher Belman | Stars: LeBron James, Dru Joyce, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton
Votes: 5,663 | Gross: $0.94M
7. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, Crime
A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood, Dick Clay
Votes: 18,142
8. 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: 61,887 | Gross: $3.17M
9. Murderball (2005)
R | 88 min | Documentary, Sport
Quadriplegics, who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs, overcome unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Directors: Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro | Stars: Joe Soares, Keith Cavill, Mark Zupan, Robert Soares
Votes: 10,458 | Gross: $1.52M
10. Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman (2006 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 115 min | Documentary, History
The history of the comic book superhero, Superman in his various media incarnations.
Director: Kevin Burns | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Gerard Jones, Forrest J. Ackerman, Elliot S. Maggin
Votes: 1,398
11. Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade (2007)
R | 90 min | Documentary
1982's Video Game World Champions share their philosophies on joysticks, groupies and life.
Director: Lincoln Ruchti | Stars: Walter Day, Ben Gold, Steve Sanders, Kent Farries
Votes: 1,443
12. My Date with Drew (2004)
PG | 90 min | Documentary
Since the second grade, Brian has had a crush on Drew Barrymore and now 20 years later he wants to fulfill his dream by asking her on a date.
Directors: Jon Gunn, Brian Herzlinger, Brett Winn | Stars: Brian Herzlinger, Drew Barrymore, John August, Stephanie Bedell Quartararo
Votes: 4,736 | Gross: $0.09M
13. 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: 19,337 | Gross: $1.16M
14. Touching the Void (2003)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Simon Yates, Joe Simpson, Brendan Mackey, Nicholas Aaron
Votes: 38,102 | Gross: $4.59M
15. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson
Votes: 25,951 | Gross: $1.21M
16. My Flesh and Blood (2003)
Unrated | 83 min | Documentary
Documentary following Susan Tom of Fairfield, California and her 11 adopted special needs children.
Director: Jonathan Karsh | Stars: Susan Tom, Anthony Tom, Faith Tom, Joe Tom
Votes: 1,766
17. Living with Michael Jackson: A Tonight Special (2003 TV Movie)
110 min | Documentary
Martin Bashir conducts a rare interview with Michael Jackson and is given unprecedented access to the reclusive performer's private life.
Director: Julie Shaw | Stars: Michael Jackson, Martin Bashir, Gavin Arvizo, Janet Arvizo
Votes: 1,206
18. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman
Votes: 27,121 | Gross: $3.12M
19. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Alex Gibney exposes the haunting details of the USA's torture and interrogation practices during the War in Afghanistan.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Brian Keith Allen, Moazzam Begg, Christopher Beiring
Votes: 16,804 | Gross: $0.27M
20. 9/11 (2002 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 112 min | Documentary
A real life documentary following the events of September 11 from an insider's view, through the lens of James Hanlon and two French filmmakers who were in Manhattan that one day.
Directors: James Hanlon, Gédéon Naudet, Jules Naudet | Stars: Tony Benatatos, Yusuf Baran Bilgic, Jamal Braithwaite, Steve Buscemi
Votes: 8,643
21. Root of All Evil? (2006 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary
Richard Dawkins' highly critical documentary attacks the pulsing heart of all mainstream religion- faith; with special focus on Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Contains repeated ... See full summary »
Director: Russell Barnes | Stars: Yousef Al-Khattab, Richard Dawkins, Ted Haggard, Richard Harries
Votes: 3,867
22. Confessions of a Superhero (2007)
R | 92 min | Documentary
Chronicles the lives of four mortal men and women who work as characters on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard.
Director: Matthew Ogens | Stars: Christopher Lloyd Dennis, Maxwell Allen, Jennifer Wenger, Joe McQueen
Votes: 2,270
23. Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film (2009)
Unrated | 96 min | Documentary, Horror
An exploration of the appeal of horror films, with interviews of many legendary directors in the genre.
Director: Andrew Monument | Stars: Lance Henriksen, Larry Cohen, Joe Dante, John Carpenter
Votes: 2,890
24. 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: 19,804
25. Lake of Fire (2006)
Unrated | 152 min | Documentary
A graphic documentary on both sides of the abortion debate.
Director: Tony Kaye | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Bill Baird, Flip Benham, Dallas Blanchard
Votes: 2,735 | Gross: $0.02M
Tell Your Friends