Best Documentary Movies
This page is updated regularly. Subscribe, so you don't miss new recommendations. The list of "Best Documentary Movies" contains films with the following parameters. Style: realistic, suspense, disturbing, humorous, serious and talky. Plot: society, stand up, artists and showbiz, runaway, corruption, art, brutality, mentor, suprisingly clever and storytelling. Genre: Documentary, Comedy and War. Country: USA, UK and Canada.
Best Documentary Movies
TOP Movies: Project Nim (2011), The Pervert's Guide to Cinema (2006), City of Ghosts (2017), The Road to Guantanamo (2006), 42nd Street Forever, Volume 1 (2005), Van Gogh: Painted with Words (2010), Hamilton, One Shot to Broadway (2017), Peace One Day (2004), Born in China (2016), Bianca Beauchamp: All Access (2007), Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny (2010), Tom Segura: Completely Normal (2014), The Fluffy Movie (2014), Polar Bears: Ice Bear (2013), Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018), 89 (2017), Sleepless Nights Stories (2011), Tigers of the Snow (1997), Russell Peters: Outsourced (2006), Without Gorky (2011).
List of Best Movies
Genre: Documentary
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
From the team behind Man on Wire comes the story of Nim, the chimpanzee who in the 1970s became the focus of a landmark experiment which aimed to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child. ...
Style:
thought provoking, touching, sad, psychological, suspenseful ...
Plot:
chimpanzee, survival, human animal relationship, character study, twists and turns, fish out of water, science, experiment gone awry, power relations, teaching the ways of the world, captivity, human nature ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, 90s, 80s, 21st century ...
Place:
usa, new york
Is relevant ?
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 69 min.
Story:
Created by Mike Stoklasa of Red Letter Media, "The Phantom Menace Review" is a thoroughly informative, in-depth look at George Lucas's "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace", told from the perspective of an elderly ...
Style:
parody, funny
Plot:
star wars, serial killer, threat, phantom, internet, obsessed fan, absurd humor, filmmaker, titanic, prostitute, essay
Is relevant ?
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 71 min.
Story:
In her first comedy special post-health scare, Sarah Silverman shares a mix of fun facts, sad truths and yeah-she-just-went-there moments.
Style:
live comedy
Plot:
abortion, sexuality, topical humor, rape, sexual humor, intercourse, religion, christianity, sexual awakening, twitter, liberalism, flashback ...
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 79 min.
Story:
A look at the rise and fall of the subversive skateboarding magazine Big Brother, which rose to prominence in the mid-1990s and had a profound effect on the skating subculture with its unfiltered approach.
Plot:
skateboard, female nudity, feces, male nudity, publishing, drug use, jackass, disneyland, urination, pornography, defecation, alcohol ...
Is relevant ?
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Genre: Documentary
Country: UK, Austria, Netherlands
Duration: 150 min.
Story:
The Pervert's Guide to Cinema offers an introduction into some of Žižek's most exciting ideas on fantasy, reality, sexuality, subjectivity, desire, materiality and cinematic form. Whether he is untangling the famously baffling films of ...
Style:
intellectual, psychological, captivating, humorous, thought provoking ...
Plot:
filmmaking, philosophy, cause and meaning, social relations, artists and showbiz, society, philosopher, monologue, dark humor, distopia, crime gone awry, brutality ...
Time:
21st century, 20th century, contemporary
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, War
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
With unprecedented access, this documentary follows the extraordinary journey of “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently”—a group of anonymous citizen journalists who banded together after their homeland was overtaken by ISIS—as they risk their ...
Style:
exciting, semi documentary, disturbing, tense, rough ...
Audience:
boys' night, chick flick
Plot:
isis, journalist, terrorism, life risking, escape, rivalry, investigation, society, exile, runaway, risk, youth ...
Time:
contemporary, 21st century, 2010s
Place:
syria, turkey, germany
Is relevant ?
Genre: Drama, War
Country: UK
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Part drama, part documentary, The Road to Guantánamo focuses on the Tipton Three, a trio of British Muslims who were held in Guantanamo Bay for two years until they were released without charge.
Style:
rough, disturbing, realistic, intense, suspenseful ...
Plot:
terrorism, torture, muslim, survival, politics, british, military, pow, injustice, life is a bitch, dishonesty, rage ...
Time:
contemporary, year 2004, year 2002, 2000s, year 2001 ...
Place:
iraq, middle east, palestine, england, london ...
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
DVD consisting of only movie trailers (grindhouse, horror, kung-fu, etc...)
Plot:
martial arts, exploitation, compilation
Is relevant ?
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Genre: Documentary, Biography
Country: UK
Duration: 80 min.
Story:
A drama-documentary presented by Alan Yentob, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role.
Style:
sincere, semi autobiographical, disturbing, thought provoking, sad
Plot:
art, painter, painting, artist, famous painting, obsession, loneliness, depression, anguish, mental illness, genius, art history
Time:
19th century
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
It’s the hit musical that changed Broadway forever and brought the genius of Lin Manuel Miranda to the attention of legions of fans across the world. A story of how a group of mavericks made an unlikely marriage of hip-hop and history to create ...
Style:
educational
Plot:
broadway, music history, playwright, historical figure, theatre play, music
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 225 min.
Story:
No overview found.
Plot:
exploitation, entertainment industry, movie actor, movie actress, film industry, actress, filmmaking, filmmaker, director, actor, writers, film history ...
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: UK
Duration: 80 min.
Story:
The story of Jeremy Gilley's attempts to persuade the global community via the United Nations to sanction officially a day without conflict; a ceasefire day; a global day of Peace.
Style:
sincere, serious, realistic, uplifting, political
Plot:
politics, against the odds, lobbyist, hopes, society, state affairs, follow your dream, obsessive quest, anti war, battles, determination, peace ...
Time:
contemporary, 21st century, september 11 2001
Place:
africa
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: UK, China, USA
Duration: 79 min.
Story:
Venturing into the wilds of China, "Born in China" captures intimate moments with a panda bear and her growing cub, a young golden monkey who feels displaced by his baby sister, and a mother snow leopard struggling to raise her two cubs.
Style:
nature documentary
Audience:
kids, preschoolers
Plot:
nature, panda, animals, birth, wildlife, wild animal, leopard, monkey, disney, spring, waterfall, winter ...
Place:
china
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: Canada
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Documents the sub-culture of latex fetishism. ALL ACCESS offers a visit inside the private and public circles of a fetish icons. It follows Bianca Beauchamp through three days and three nights during one of the Montreal Fetish Weekend. A party at ...
Plot:
fetish, backstage, fetishism, nudity (full frontal - brief), sex, female nudity, bondage, party, breasts
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 72 min.
Story:
Fresh off the heels of appearing in movies like Superhero Movie and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, fast-talking comedian Kevin Hart stars in his second live stand-up performance in Cleveland, Ohio, where he makes fun of everything and everybody - ...
Style:
realistic, humorous, not serious, witty, suspense ...
Plot:
disorder, society, adult virgin, artists and showbiz, silly humor, stand up comedian, stand up special, african american, stand up, fast talker
Time:
contemporary, 21st century
Place:
ohio
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 74 min.
Story:
An original stand-up comedy special written and performed by comedian Tom Segura.
Style:
humorous
Plot:
stand up special, stand up comedian, stand up
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
Stand-up comic Gabriel Iglesias delights audiences during his sold-out "Unity Through Laughter" tour, which spans more than 400 cities in 23 countries. During his set, Iglesias -- nicknamed "Fluffy" -- pounces on topics like ...
Style:
realistic, humorous, witty, not serious, biting ...
Plot:
performer's life, society, artists and showbiz, friends, on the road, cross country, theater, stand up, profanity
Time:
21st century, contemporary
Place:
usa
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: Canada
Duration: 51 min.
Story:
An enthralling look at the Arctic's biggest predator on ice, capturing rarely-seen behavior, and featuring breathtaking cinematography shot over 12 months in the Canadian Arctic.
Plot:
bear cub, abandoned, abandoned by mother, family abandonment, abandonment, abandoned baby, arctic, polar bear, bear, killing an animal
Is relevant ?
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Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Country: Australia
Duration: 69 min.
Story:
The Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby is taking an anti-comedy stance in her newest special.
Style:
queer cinema
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
sexual identity, lesbian, lgbt, gender, art, anger, comedian, stand up, female director
Place:
australia, tasmania
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
A record of McKellen's one-man Broadway show about the Bard.
Style:
one man show
Plot:
lecture, filmed play
Is relevant ?
861
Genre: Documentary, Sport
Country: UK
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
89 tells the incredible story of one of football’s greatest triumphs: when against all odds Arsenal snatched the Championship title from Liverpool at Anfield in the last minute of the last game of the 1988/89 season. It’s a universal tale of a ...
Style:
factual, captivating, sentimental, tense, exciting ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
soccer, football, football team, sport team, football player, sports history, playing football, victory, soccer fan, ambition, coach, celebrity interview ...
Time:
20th century
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
Director Jonas Mekas travels through New York nights, through apartments, studios, backstage rooms, galleries, bars, and clubs. Encountering old acquaintances like Ken and Flo Jacobs, Yoko Ono, friends, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. Mr. ...
Plot:
lizard, poetry, tree, camera, drinking wine, drinking alcohol
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 56 min.
Story:
There are only about 300 remaining Siberian Tigers in the wild, restricted to a section of far Eastern Russia, near the coast. Wildlife biologists risk life and limb to track the tiger and research its movements and habits. They sedate the animals ...
Plot:
russian, conservation, tiger, captivity, endangered species, animal death, tranquilizer dart
Place:
siberia, russia
Is relevant ?
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Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 72 min.
Story:
Russell’s last DVD and CD, Outsourced, was taped before a sold out audience at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, and gives viewers and listeners an excellent overview of Russell’s comedic genius.
Plot:
comedian, live performance, stand up special, stand up, canadian humor
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: UK
Duration: 58 min.
Story:
Without Gorky is a personal journey into a powerful family tragedy. At the centre of the film are the conversations between the director, Cosima, and her grandmother, Mougouch. The whole family has been shaped by the legacy left by Cosima's ...
Plot:
armenian genocide, famous painting, painter, artist, armenian, family history, suicide, genocide, immigrants
Place:
armenia
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Action, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Jackass 3.5 is a 2011 sequel to Jackass 3D, composed of unused footage shot during the filming of Jackass 3D and interviews from cast and crew
Style:
funny, humorous, melancholic, stylized, entertaining ...
Audience:
teens, boys' night, girls' night
Plot:
stupidity, police investigation, adaptation, internet, vengeance, twists and turns, prank, disorder, friends, goofy hero, vandalism, buddies ...
Time:
21st century, contemporary
Place:
usa, tokyo
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Biography, Sport
Country: UK
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
Fully authorized, access-all-areas feature doc on the hugely charismatic and globally adored Usain Bolt – officially the fastest man alive. With never-before-seen archive footage of his youth in Jamaica, through to original footage that will be ...
Style:
inspirational
Plot:
track and field, game, jamaican, black history, olympic athlete, champion, runner, athlete, race, rivalry, training, physical therapy ...
Time:
2010s, year 2012, 2000s, year 2008, year 2016 ...
Place:
beijing china, rio de janeiro, jamaica
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
Everyone has a skeleton or two in his or her closet, but what about the director behind some of the most successful thrillers ever to hit the silver screen? Could M. Night Shyamalan be hiding a deep, dark secret that drives his macabre cinematic ...
Style:
serious
Plot:
uncover truth, filmmaking, showbiz, found footage, water, conspiracy, crow, ouija board, alien, backstage, childhood trauma, shaman ...
Time:
contemporary, 21st century
Place:
philadelphia, pennsylvania
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Crime
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.
Style:
psychological, disturbing, factual, talky, suspense ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
crimes, justice, investigation, psychologist, judge, mentor, manipulation, violence, greed, obsession, tragedy, betrayal ...
Time:
70s, 60s
Place:
san francisco, poland, california, los angeles, usa ...
Is relevant ?
Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 82 min.
Story:
Town Hall, New York City, 26 June 2000. An evening with Eddie Izzard in which he moves back and forth in time, with religion as the loose but constant theme.
Style:
talky, not serious, realistic, witty, suspense ...
Plot:
transvestism, performer's life, society, artists and showbiz, physical appearance, gender bending, theater, space travel, lgbtq, gender, renaissance, catholicism ...
Time:
21st century, contemporary
Place:
new york, greece, spain, britain, amsterdam ...
Is relevant ?
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