Documentaries - Essential
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- DirectorNicole RittenmeyerSeth SkundrickStarsGeorge W. BushJoe NapolitanoKelly EdwardsThe morning of September 11, 2001 is shown through multiple video cameras in New York City, from the moment the first WTC tower is hit until after both towers collapse.
- DirectorYann Arthus-BertrandStarsCristina FriasThe outcry of people whose lives have already been devastated by the impact of climate change, as well as the wake-up call of the scientific community.
- DirectorAva DuVernayStarsMelina AbdullahMichelle AlexanderCory BookerAn in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
- DirectorMichael OswaldStarsBen DysonAnne BelseyNoel Longhurst97% owned present serious research and verifiable evidence on our economic and financial system. This is the first documentary to tackle this issue from a UK-perspective and explains the inner workings of Central Banks and the Money creation process. When money drives almost all activity on the planet, it's essential that we understand it. Yet simple questions often get overlooked, questions like; where does money come from? Who creates it? Who decides how it gets used? And what does this mean for the millions of ordinary people who suffer when the monetary, and financial system, breaks down? Produced by Queuepolitely and featuring Ben Dyson of Positive Money, Josh Ryan-Collins of The New Economics Foundation, Ann Pettifor, the "HBOS Whistleblower" Paul Moore, Simon Dixon of Bank to the Future and Nick Dearden from the Jubliee Debt Campaign.
- DirectorErrol MorrisStarsStephen HawkingIsobel HawkingJanet HumphreyA film about the life and work of the cosmologist, Stephen Hawking, who despite his near total paralysis, was one of the great minds of all time.
- CreatorChristine ConnorStarsMarc A. HermannMichelle McNamaraJohn MirabellaA look back at famous cases from the past.
- StarsPlatonTinker HatfieldIan SpalterA look beyond blueprints and computers into the art and science of design, showcasing great designers from every discipline whose work shapes our world.
- DirectorDennis WiseStarsEva BraunWinston ChurchillCharles de GaulleAdolf Hitler, born in Braunau, a man who will forever change the history of the world.
- DirectorJanice SutherlandStarsShonti BreischJai BreischA minute-by-minute account of the Boxing Day 2004 Tsunami told through amateur video footage of people who were there.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughSimon BlakeneyBill RudolphAfrica, 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.
- StarsNicole ApelianSam LarsonBrooke WhippleTen survival "experts" attempt to survive alone. The winner receives $500,000.
- StarsEric MeyersMax BeesleyStephen ManganAmerica in Color showcases all the key moments from the 1920's to 1960's in high definition improved footage.
- StarsC.T. TaylorSeries exploring the incredible wildlife of America's most iconic national parks.
- StarsMartin SheenEvan ThomasJ. Randy TaraborrelliExplore the Kennedy family's rise to power and how personal relationships within the Kennedy dynasty shaped national and global events from the Cold War to the Wall Street crash.
- CreatorStephen FitzmeyerHenry HamptonStarsDavid McCulloughDavid Ogden StiersMichael MurphyA series showcasing documentaries on American history.
- StarsTom StreithorstRobert FirthGrant RossA non-fiction crime drama uniquely telling stories with a combination of Dramatisation, home video and documentary style material.
- StarsBill KurtisDennis HaysbertJohnnie L. Cochran Jr.Bill Kurtis hosts this documentary series that profiles criminal cases involving high profile murders, serial killers, and organized crime. Each episode culminating with the justice dispensed by the American legal system in each case.
- StarsAndrew MarrPierre MaraisJoe VazAndrew Marr's History of the World is a 2012 BBC documentary television series presented by Andrew Marr that covers 70,000 years of world history from the beginning of human civilisation, as African nomadic peoples spread out around the world and settled down to become the first farmers, up to the twentieth century.
- DirectorJ.F. MusialJosh VietzeStarsManuel BerglundChris GoodwinDan GreenawaltAPEX: The Story of the Hypercar spotlights a new class of exotic sports cars designed to blast from zero to 200 miles per hour in seconds.
- StarsMathieu KassovitzMartin SheenRudolf HessThis six-part series traces the Second World War, from the rise of the Nazis to the surrender of the Japanese, with detailed portraits of key figures.
- CreatorMichael O'NeillStarsRupert DegasRichard RoxburghTim FlanneryThe series looks back at some of the people, places and events that have shaped the country over the last 40,000 years.
- StarsSimon ReeveCraig FosterSimon Reeve goes on a journey around Australia.
- StarsMark BurrowsAdam ShandPeter HoystedSeries 1 and 2 originally premiered on the Crime + Investigation channel on Foxtel as Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals and was re-branded by the Nine Network as Australian Crime Stories.
- DirectorPeter W. KunhardtStarsKenan AkanselSaul BishtSusie Buffet Jr.The legendary investor started out as an ambitious, numbers-obsessed boy from Nebraska and ended up becoming one of the richest and most respected men in the world.
- DirectorRachel BoyntonThe film's central story follows a small group of American explorers at Dallas-based oil company Kosmos Energy. Between 2007 and 2011, with unprecedented, independent access, Big Men's two-person crew filmed inside the oil company as Kosmos and its partners discovered and developed the first commercial oil field in Ghana's history. Simultaneously the crew filmed in the swamps of Nigeria's Niger Delta, following the exploits of a militant gang to reveal another side of the economy of oil: people trying to profit in any way possible, because they've given up on waiting for the money to trickle down. So what happens when a group of hungry people discover a massive and exquisitely rare pot of gold in one of the poorest places on earth?
- DirectorJoshua OppenheimerAnonymousChristine CynnStarsAnwar CongoHerman KotoSyamsul ArifinA 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.
- In China, luxury is about more than owning private yachts, expensive houses and designer clothing-although there's plenty of that, too. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, takes an unfiltered look at the new moneyed lives of China's richest denizens
- StarsDavid AttenboroughPeter DrostRoger MunnsDavid 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.
- DirectorKen BurnsStarsPaul RoeblingJulie HarrisArthur MillerThis documentary chronicles the world-famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The difficult construction process is described in interesting detail; later parts of the film interview current notables who describe the effects that the Brooklyn Bridge has had upon New York society and beyond.
- StarsEtta SmithJon SmithJon and Etta Smith build a self-sustaining bison ranch in a remote corner of northwestern Montana.
- StarsEdgar RamírezAlexander ScheerFadi Abi SamraThe story of Venezuelan revolutionary Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, who founded a worldwide terrorist organization and raided the 1975 OPEC meeting.
- StarsJake RademacherRoss HuguetMick FoleyAdventurers and their teams battle Mother Nature to build unique homes in remote areas. From Montana to the North Pole, from yurts to log cabins to Earthships, will they build in time to beat their deadlines?
- 2014– 39mTV-G8.5 (13)TV EpisodeStarsDrew PattersonRichart and his son build an eco-friendly island in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
- DirectorAndrew JareckiStarsArnold FriedmanJesse FriedmanDavid FriedmanDocumentary 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.
- DirectorJeff Orlowski-YangStarsJames BalogSvavar JónatanssonLouie PsihoyosFollow National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.
- DirectorJeff Orlowski-YangStarsAndrew AckermanPim BongaertsNeal CantinCoral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.
- StarsJim Al-KhaliliAndrea SellaHal SosabowskiSeries in which Jim Al-Khalili traces the story of how the elements, the building blocks that make up our entire world, were discovered and mapped.
- StarsKenneth ClarkIan RichardsonRonald LaceySir Kenneth Clarke walks through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilization in Western man.
- StarsKenneth BranaghAnatoli DobryninRobert McNamaraA 24-part series which deals with the relations between the United States, the Soviet Union and their respective allies between the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
- DirectorBilly CorbenStarsJon RobertsAl SunshineSam BurstynThe story of how Miami became the cocaine capital of the United States in the early 1980's and the police officers who turned the tide on crime.
- StarsJames BurkeKenneth KendallBruce BoaFollow James Burke through the history of science and technology in this collection of 10 1-hour episodes, starting with "The Trigger Effect."
- DirectorTerry ZwigoffStarsRobert CrumbAline Kominsky-CrumbCharles CrumbAn intimate portrait of controversial cartoonist Robert Crumb and his traumatized family.
- StarsTyler HayseBrian KramerMary Ellen O'TooleThe series delves into the psychological showdown that takes place inside actual police interrogation rooms and dissects what happens to yield a confession.
- StarsNeil deGrasse TysonChristopher EmersonKeythe FarleyAn exploration of our discovery of the laws of nature and coordinates in space and time.
- CreatorAnn DruyanCarl SaganSteven SoterStarsCarl SaganJaromír HanzlíkJonathan FahnAstronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.
- StarsHuey MorganSteven TylerKurt AndersenTHE '80s GREATEST is a television series that offers a challenging and stimulating view of one of history's most enigmatic periods, shining a light on the people and events that shaped the decade while illuminating the trends that helped design our future.
- StarsHuey MorganPerez HiltonDavid SirotaWhen the '90s kicked off, the Berlin Wall has just fallen down, and soon other walls were coming downtown - between public and private, news and entertainment, reality and fantasy. The winds of change brought new voices speaking hard truth and thrust sex and celebrity into the limelight like never before. Our collective tabloid obsessions were fueled by the birth of the internet, heralding a new era of mass information...and misinformation.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsWerner HerzogRichard LopezMichael PerryConversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.
- StarsRobert DurstAndrew JareckiJ. Patrick BurnsFilmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes.
- StarsSteven AveryDolores AveryLaura NiriderFilmed 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.
- DirectorJoe BerlingerBruce SinofskyStarsTony BrooksDiana DavisTerry WoodA horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.
- DirectorRod BlackhurstBrian McGinnStarsAmanda KnoxMeredith KercherRaffaele SollecitoAmerican exchange student Amanda Knox is charged with the 2007 death of another student in Italy.
- 20184 epsTV-MA7.5 (31K)TV Mini SeriesStarsTrey BorzillieriJerry ClarkJason WickThe extraordinary story of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.
- StarsMichael PetersonDavid RudolfRon GueretteThe high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.
- StarsGemma HoskinsAbbie SchaubVirginia AnzengruberA seven-part docuseries about the unsolved murder of a nun and the horrific secrets and pain that linger nearly five decades after her death.
- DirectorLiz GarbusStarsJesse TempleBrad KatinasDiane SchulerThis documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother?
- DirectorJames D. SolomonJessica RobinsonStarsWilliam GenoveseShannon BeebyAaron AdlerThe brother of Kitty Genovese investigates the circumstances of her murder and the truth of the story that dozens of locals witnessed the crime and did nothing to intervene.
- StarsChris PackhamBrian LadoonChris Packham examines some of the weirdest natural events on the planet. With the help of footage taken by eyewitnesses and news crews, he unravels the facts behind each story.
- DirectorJeremy WorkmanStarsMatt GreenFor over six years, and for reasons he can't explain, Matt Green, 37, has been walking every block of every street in New York City - a journey of more than 8,000 miles. THE WORLD BEFORE YOUR FEET tells the story of one man's unusual personal quest and the unexpected journey of discovery, humanity, and wonder that ensues.
- DirectorAlan LoweryJohn PilgerStarsJohn PilgerStuart EwenMelvin GoodmanThought-provoking documentary on war propaganda: how governments manipulate the facts and how most media let them get away with it.
- DirectorAlan LoweryJohn PilgerStarsPramoedya Ananta ToerGeorge MonbiotDita SariThe myths of globalisation have been incorporated into much of our everyday language. "Thinking globally" and "the global economy" are part of a jargon that assumes we are all part of one big global village, where national borders and national identities no longer matter. But what is globalisation? And where is this global village? In 2001, John Pilger made 'The New Rulers of the World', a film exploring the impact of globalisation. It took Indonesia as the prime example, a country that the World Bank described as a 'model pupil' until its 'globalised' economy collapsed in 1998. Globalisation has not only made the world smaller. It has also made it interdependent. An investment decision made in London can spell unemployment for thousands in Indonesia, while a business decision taken in Tokyo can create thousands of new jobs for workers in north-east England. This might seem a very natural development if you live in a country like Britain, with its long international history as a trading nation and imperial power. Bringing the world closer together may throw up new opportunities for cultural and economic interaction, but it also exposes us to the negative aspects of life on a shrinking planet, whether it be the threat of global warming, the international traffic in women for sexual exploitation or the spread of AIDS throughout Africa and Asia.
- DirectorSteve ConnellyJohn PilgerStarsJohn PilgerJohn BoltonReed BrodyA critical documentary about the war on terror since 9-11.
- StarsJohn NashRobert SpitzerJerome WakefieldThe many ways in which Western notions of personal and political freedom are changing in the 21st Century are explored in this three-part documentary from writer and filmmaker Adam Curtis.
- StarsGilles KepelWilliam KristolMelvin GoodmanA series of three documentaries about the use of fear for political gain.
- DirectorMatt HamiltonStarsDavid AttenboroughAttenborough narrates the story of a vast island wilderness - ancient forests, pristine rivers and spectacular coastline. Seasons vary from dry heat, strong winds and cold bringing wombats, wallabies and platypus out in daylight.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughAnthony GeffenMartin WilliamsFilmed in one of the most extreme and hard-to-reach locations in the world, 'Galapagos' explores the unique environments and species of the Galapagos. It will take viewers on a voyage to understand the stunning archipelago which changed the way we see the world and has long-remained a place of true interest with the nation's favourite naturalist.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughEach of the twelve 50-minute episodes features a different aspect of the journey through life, from birth to adulthood and continuation of the species through reproduction.
- DirectorJames BogleStarsJack BarnsAndrew BlaikieSebastian CraigA visual journey into the life and legacy of one of Australia's most celebrated artists, Brett Whiteley.
- StarsDavid StrattonJill BilcockJacki WeaverFor most people, movies are entertainment. For one man, they're a way of life.
- DirectorDominic BrigstockeStarsRicky GervaisStirling GallacherRicky Gervais entertains a live audience in his first stand-up routine.
- DirectorJohn MoffittStarsRicky GervaisStand-up comedian Ricky Gervais in his second HBO special.
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn ForsytheDrew BarrymoreDebbie AllenA look back into the first thirty years of Disneyland's history. Featuring old news footage of opening day back in 1955, with Walt Disney himself, giving a speech. There is also a celebration, in different sections of the park with some very special musical guests, including Roy Clark, David Hasselhoff, Marie Osmond, Donna Summer, and many others. Also, some guest appearances by stars of NBC programming, Harry Anderson, The Cosby Kids, and more. Hosted by John Forsythe and a young Drew Barrymore. Good Music. Great Finale. The Magic of Disney. Enjoy it.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughJohn BrownSophie DarlingtonA nature documentary series on five vulnerable or endangered species known to form enduring populations: chimpanzee, emperor penguin, lion, tiger and African wild dog.
- StarsIain StewartLeo HouldingVictor BakerIn each episode, geologist Dr. Iain Stewart explains the effects and importance of a specific force of nature, such as wind or volcanism. He also examines the various ways in which it shapes planet earth itself and influences life on it, often in conjunction with other natural forces, and sometimes with lifeforms, as in the 'apocalyptically' grave case of global warming.
- DirectorShaun MonsonStarsJoaquin PhoenixUsing 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.
- StarsDavid TennantA nature documentary about a bird's-eye view of the natural world, joining the journeys of snow geese, cranes, albatrosses, eagles and other birds across six continents. Beginning in North America, snow geese face their biggest predator, pelicans glide under San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, bald eagles in Alaska swoop among brown bears, and on the Great Plains, cowbirds dive under the feet of fighting bison.
- StarsYann Arthus-BertrandDanielle MitterrandTake a remarkable trip across the globe to discover beautiful lands, from steep mountains to lush jungles. Your itinerary includes flights above Yellowstone, the Amazon, the Rocky Mountains and China.
- StarsMichael CarrollPeter WellerJ.J. HuckinA series of documentaries that go over the world's history and it's many accomplishments.
- DirectorBanksyStarsBanksyMr. BrainwashSpace InvaderFollowing the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.
- DirectorFrederick WisemanStarsPaul HoldengräberElvis CostelloPatti SmithA look within the walls of the New York Public Library.
- StarsBrian CoxThomas M. IliffeDoug AllanProfessor Brian Cox combines some of the most spectacular sights on Earth with our deepest understanding of the universe to reveal how the planet's beauty is created by just a handful of forces.
- DirectorKen BurnsLynn NovickStarsEdward HerrmannPhilip BoscoJulie HarrisA biography of the life and work of the American architect.
- DirectorWilliam GazeckiStarsWilliam GazeckiJacque FrescoLarry KingFuture by Design shares the life and far-reaching vision of Jacque Fresco, considered by many to be a modern day Da Vinci. Peer to Einstein and Buckminster Fuller, Jacque is a self-taught futurist who describes himself most often as a "generalist" or multi-disciplinarian -- a student of many inter-related fields. He is a prolific inventor, having spent his entire life (he recently celebrated his 100th birthday) conceiving of and devising inventions on various scales which entail the use of innovative technology. As a futurist, Jacque is not only a conceptualist and a theoretician, but he is also an engineer and a designer.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughAlec BaldwinChadden HunterFocuses on life and the environment in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
- StarsJeff WilburnBenjamin LoehJohn S. Howell Sr.Documentaries about great American thinkers, and how their ideas have changed the world.
- DirectorCathy PearsonStarsChristiane AmanpourMartine FranckStanley GreenMeet John G Morris, 95, a legend of photojournalism, whose unerring eye for the best shot has moved and changed the world. Morris, former Picture Editor of Life Magazine & New York Times was instrumental in the early years of Magnum with his friends and peers Robert Capa & Henri Cartier Bresson. This film covers serious subjects; the coverage of conflict through photojournalism, a sensitive view of humanity and a search for peace in the world.
- DirectorZak BagansNick GroffStarsZak BagansBrian CluneDebby ConstantinoIn this full-length documentary movie that inspired the hit Travel Channel series, Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin visit the Old Washoe Club in Virginia City, Nevada, and the Goldfield Hotel in Goldfield, Nevada-two of the most notorious haunted sites in the Country. During the height of their existence, the two infamous locations were the scene of rape, murder, and other crimes of passion...a recipe for trapped souls. Prepare yourself for the creepiest footage ever caught on tape: where others won't set foot, the team witnesses a full-bodied apparition, a poltergeist that sends them running, and more shocking evidence that proves ghosts exist.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsPaul HaggisJason BegheSpanky TaylorA documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.
- DirectorAlex GibneyStarsHunter S. ThompsonJohnny DeppJoe CairoA portrait of the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
- StarsJim Al-KhaliliVicki SmithGraham ApplebyProfessor Jim Al-Khalili investigates the science of gravity, recreating ground-breaking scientific experiments including the moment when Galileo first discovered how to measure gravity.
- StarsPeter FirthMary Beth SchwartzJeff HenryFilmed over the course of a year in Yellowstone, this documentary tracks the area's wildlife as they grapple with life and death within one of America's last remaining wilderness regions.
- StarsBenedict CumberbatchMike RoweRichard WollocombeA documentary series on life in and adapted to the conditions of the Southern part of the Pacific Ocean, a vast aquatic region with an unequaled number of islands. Both wildlife and human cultures developed in a unique variety, largely determined by such natural conditions as huge distances, sea depths, currents and winds.
- DirectorPaul ReddishStarsDavid AttenboroughDavid Attenborough travels to the forests of Papua New Guinea, where 38 of the 42 kinds of bird of paradise are found.
- StarsBernard HillAn in-depth look at some of China's most impressive natural sites such as the ancient Han kingdom, the Mongol steppes, the Silk Road and the Tibetan Plateau.
- StarsMichelle DockeryPeter DrostGraham MacFarlaneStunning 3-part BBC documentary about the natural world and wildlife of Japan's islands: Honshu, Hokkaido and the Southernmost Islands.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughJoe StevensShane MooreThis exploration of the planet's most breathtaking natural events follows vast migrations, huge ocean convergences, powerful weather systems and mighty floods.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughTim CraggAnthony Geffen3D technology reveals a whole new dimension in the lives of plants, from the most bizarre to the most beautiful. In this sensational series, shot over the course of a year, David Attenborough explores their fascinating world. Using 3D time-lapse and pioneering techniques in 3D macro photography, he traces them from their beginnings on land to their vital place in nature today, exposing new revelations along the way. He moves from our time scale to theirs, revealing the true nature of plants as creatures that are every bit as dynamic and aggressive as animals. David discovers a microscopic world that's invisible to the naked eye, where insects feed and breed, where flowers fluoresce and where plants communicate with each other and with animals using scent and sound. He meets the extraordinary animals and fungi that have unbreakable ties with the plant world, from hawk moths and bats to tiny poison dart frogs, a giant tortoise and a fungus that can control the mind. And he does all this in one unique place, a microcosm of the whole plant world where, some 90% of all known plant species are represented: The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. This spectacular adventure through the Kingdom of Plants is so immersive and compelling it has the capacity to amaze even the least green-fingered.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughAlan HendersonDavid Attenborough uses the latest 3D technology to bring to life the extreme and deadly unseen world of bugs.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughA nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough, that looks at the evolution and habits of amphibians and reptiles.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughSeries exploring the natural history of Antarctica.