50 fabulous documentary films, covering hard politics through to music, money and films that never were…
Thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, weve never had better access to documentaries.
Whats more, theyre all true too.
But with a new found glut of them comes the ever more impossible choice, whats worth your time?
Below is my pick of the 50 best modern feature length documentaries.
Im looking at you,Hoop Dreams.
After his death at the age of 39 in the Dolomites, his friends decided to honor him.
The result is this documentary, hands down one of the most thrilling sports-action films youll ever see.
See also:Life Itself review.
Quick film 101: a lot of docs can be split into Cinema Verite and Direct Cinema.
Theres obviously a lot of nuance in between, but thats your basics.
Whats not to like?
The same level of craftsmanship is being displayed, but in a more immediate genre.
One is a cocky 80s hotshot, the other a misfit with OCD.
Both are compelling characters.
Its genius viewing, whether or not your idea of a good time is watching video games.
As a sad coda though, director Seth Gordon would go on to makeIdentity Thief.
And its quite the life and career.
Ford were the company they went to, and McNamara eventually rose to become president of the company.
The documentary is an incredible insight into global security, and why certain decisions are made.
For a view from the inside, it cant be beaten.
The reason in this magnificent video essay by lecturer Thom Anderson?
It shows a future L.A. free of traffic jams.
Its fascinating, funny, furious.
After all, they make movies here Im told.
What if the son of Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Youssef was secretly a spy for the Israeli secret service?
Well incredibly thats exactly what Mosab Hassan Youssef was.
So this is likely to be the only look me and you will ever get at it.
Luckily for us Herzog made sure it was a good one.
Once again Herzogs trademark narration guides through the haunting images, with interviews with scientists interspersed throughout.
Being underground has never felt this good.
This is the story of Americas manned missions to the moon.
If youve ever looked up at the stars in wonder, this is the film for you.
And as a bonus, it also has a certain Gareth Edwards featuring in a visual effects credit.
Michael Perry, from Texas, was convicted of three murders and placed on death row.
The film profiles him, and includes interviews recorded days before his execution.
What makes this documentary so compelling beyond its subject is the lack of Herzog.
Take away the fact that to catfish someone has become a verb.
How much of it is genuinely a documentary is open to debate.
While it sweeps you up in its riveting narrative, it doesnt really hold up to post-film questioning.
But documentary has always dealt in degrees of authenticity.
After all, we are seeing the world through the lens of the filmmaker.
Here they create a compelling and self-aware film about the modern world.
Spoilers: the global economic crash wasnt the fault of a single polticial party.
But despite this grim set-up, its a film full of hope.
Its a film which finds the prefect balance between light and dark, and while informing, never judges.
The documentary is one that led to Trump labelling Baxter as a man with zero talent.
If that doesnt immediately interest you as a subject matter, then know that its handled spectacularly well.
85-year old Jiro Ono is considered by many to be the greatest sushi master in the world.
He holds three Michelin stars at his Tokyo restaurant.
Simple, elegant, and riveting who knew watching three men create sushi could be so enticing?
Back in the 80s he had put together a rough and ready presentation on a flip chart.
Producer Laurie David saw one these town hall shows, and decided the message had to spread wider.
Its thrilling, visceral, and lets you into a world you know, but know nothing about.
In short, everything a great documentary should be.
How could it be?
This is the epic tale of Philippe Petits 1974 walk across the Twin Towers for real.
For them its about the singing.
And ultimately, you learn that these singers have the longest and most fulfilling careers in the industry.
For good reason too.
If the film was poorly made, and easy to dispute, they may have had more luck.
The fact thats its a well researched and compelling piece of filmmaking has proven to be disastrous for Seaworld.
Did Bartley and OBriain, the Irish directing duo, manipulate images to their own end?
We may never know, but the result is a fascinating close-up examination into two sides of a coup.
16.The Act Of Killing(2013)
Directed by: Joshua Oppenheimer Co.D.
Its an unforgettable experience.
It was also filmed at his request.
I implore you to seek out and watch this film.
You cannot help but wait with anticipation to see what he does next to screw up.
As a cautionary tale,Overnightis superb, and hugely watchable.
Before GPS, carbon-fibre, and sailing as sports entertainment, ten sailors set out to circumnavigate the world.
Some of were the finest on the water.
Some were weekend sailors.
None remained unchanged from the experience.
But the most incredible and tragic story is the subject ofDeep Water.
Amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst entered the race to save his ailing business.
He then secretly quit the race, reported false positions, and disappeared.
This film attempts to understand him, and the nature of loneliness at sea.
What happened to Crowhurst is elegantly and beautifully examined here.
The fact that both bands reportedly hate the film is proof positive that its doing something right.
See also:Michael Moore interview.
You get the feeling that as long as the crowd is happy, theyre happy too.
You know the ending, but how many knew the man.
In 1993, young Texan boy Nicholas Barclay disappeared.
But in 1997 he was apparently found in Europe, and flown back home.
No thriller can compare to just what occurs within this film.
Through meeting fellow soldiers, friends, reporters, and psychologists, a terrible truth is revealed to him.
The use of animation is truly genre-bending, and makesWaltz With Bashira cinematic experience unlike any other.
The lesson of the Middle East has never been delivered so adroitly.
But that can only get you so far.
In Kevin MacDonalds hands, the ill-fated expedition to Siula Grande in Peru is a masterpiece of adventure survival.
Rarely do they do all of this at the same time.Grizzly Manis that rare documentary.
But the doc is so much more than their fate.
In the end the film becomes Treadwell vs Herzog, and their opposing world views.
