BEST DOCUMENTARIES, SCIENCE or NATURE SHOWS, BIOGRAPHIES
by filmsrcool | created - 10 Apr 2014 | updated - 3 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Cosmos (1980)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
Astronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.
Stars: Carl Sagan, Jaromír Hanzlík, Jonathan Fahn, Jean Charney
Votes: 44,063
2. Indie Game: The Movie (2012)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary that follows the journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world.
Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky | Stars: Jonathan Blow, Brandon Boyer, Renaud Bédard, Anthony Carboni
Votes: 21,442
3. The War (2007)
TV-14 | 124 min | Documentary, History, War
A seven-part series focusing on the many ways in which the Second World War impacted the lives of American families.
Stars: Keith David, Katharine Phillips, Tom Hanks, Paul Fussell
Votes: 5,664
4. 9/11: One Day in America (2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Documentary, History
In official collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, this documentary series take viewers through harrowing moments of the historic morning of September 11, 2001.
Stars: Joseph Pfeifer, Jay Jonas, Ronald Clifford, William Toti
Votes: 4,551
5. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
G | 83 min | Documentary
A homeless musician finds meaning to his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrots.
Director: Judy Irving | Stars: Mark Bittner, Maggie McCall, Ivan Stormgart, Gary Thompson
Votes: 3,103 | Gross: $3.06M
6. Everything or Nothing (2012)
TV-14 | 98 min | Documentary
A history of the James Bond films.
Director: Stevan Riley | Stars: Ken Adam, Maud Adams, John Barry, Shirley Bassey
Votes: 2,464
7. Surviving Hitler: A Love Story (2010)
66 min | Documentary
A Jewish teenager and an injured soldier join a doomed plot to kill Hitler. They face almost certain death, yet luck and love shine upon them as they outwit Nazi terror and become the first couple married in post-war Berlin.
Director: John Keith Wasson | Stars: Jutta Cords, Christopher Karl Johnson, Jim Tavaré
Votes: 252
8. Chariots of the Gods (1970)
G | 92 min | Documentary
Based on Erich Von Daniken's book purporting to prove that throughout history aliens have visited earth.
Director: Harald Reinl | Stars: Heinz-Detlev Bock, Klaus Kindler, Christian Marschall, Aleksandr Kazantsev
Votes: 1,742 | Gross: $25.95M
9. Moon Shot (1994 TV Movie)
188 min | Documentary
This mini-series is a documentary that chronicles the NASA space program from its inception up through the final moon mission of Apollo 17 with historical, archived NASA film footage.
Director: Kirk Wolfinger | Stars: Barry Corbin, Buzz Aldrin, Jay Barbree, Sam Beddingfield
Votes: 241
10. With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story (2010)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and career of the comic book writer and editor.
Directors: Terry Dougas, Nikki Frakes, Will Hess | Stars: Avi Arad, Jim Goodkind, Jeremy Piven, Sean Astin
Votes: 1,097
11. Life Itself (2014)
R | 121 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert.
Director: Steve James | Stars: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel, Martin Scorsese
Votes: 16,250 | Gross: $0.81M
12. World War II in Colour (2009)
TV-MA | 51 min | Documentary, History, War
Recounts the events of world War II in color.
Stars: Robert Powell, Swaylee Loughnane
Votes: 7,484
13. A Man Named Pearl (2006)
G | 78 min | Documentary
A Man Named Pearl tells the inspiring story of self-taught topiary artist Pearl Fryar. It offers a message that speaks to respect for both self and others, and shows what one person can ... See full summary »
Directors: Scott Galloway, Brent Pierson | Star: Pearl Fryar
Votes: 347 | Gross: $0.20M
14. The Civil War (1990)
TV-14 | 76 min | Documentary, History, War
A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.
Stars: David McCullough, Sam Waterston, Julie Harris, Jason Robards
Votes: 18,478
15. Atari: Game Over (2014)
TV-14 | 66 min | Documentary
A crew search for all of the old Atari 2600 game cartridges of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" that were tossed into a landfill in the 1980s.
Director: Zak Penn | Stars: Zak Penn, Joe Lewandowski, Robert Rentschler, Paul Sanchez
Votes: 6,093
16. Spellbound (2002)
G | 97 min | Documentary, Comedy, Thriller
Spellbound follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the 1999 National Spelling Bee.
Director: Jeffrey Blitz | Stars: Angela Arenivar, Ubaldo Arenivar, Jorge Arenivar, Scott McGarraugh
Votes: 12,461 | Gross: $5.73M
17. The Farthest (2017)
PG | 121 min | Documentary, History
It is one of humankind's greatest achievements. More than 12 billion miles away a tiny spaceship is leaving our Solar System and entering the void of deep space - the first human-made object ever to do so.
Director: Emer Reynolds | Stars: Frank Drake, Carolyn Porco, John Casani, Lawrence Krauss
Votes: 4,581 | Gross: $0.01M
18. Hoop Dreams (1994)
PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.
Director: Steve James | Stars: William Gates, Arthur Agee, Emma Gates, Curtis Gates
Votes: 28,016 | Gross: $7.83M
19. Sea Monsters: A Walking with Dinosaurs Trilogy (2003)
Not Rated | 87 min | Documentary, Animation, Adventure
Adventurous zoologist Nigel Marven embarks on an underwater expedition through time to explore the seven deadliest seas in Earth's history, coming face to face with strange and dangerous prehistoric sea monsters.
Stars: Nigel Marven, Christopher Cook, Karen Hayley, Michael Davis
Votes: 1,357
20. The Announcement (2012 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at the career of NBA star Earvin "Magic" Johnson and the days leading up to and the years following his announcement to the world that he was HIV-positive.
Director: Nelson George | Stars: Magic Johnson, Cookie Johnson, Pat Riley, James Worthy
Votes: 574
21. Prophets of Science Fiction (2011–2012)
45 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The science-fiction imaginings of the writers of the past are now becoming the science realities of our day.
Stars: Ridley Scott, Jonathan Adams, Michio Kaku, Kim Stanley Robinson
Votes: 696
22. Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)
TV-14 | 30 min | Documentary, Animation, History
Documentary-style series about the era of the dinosaurs, mixing real locations and CGI.
Stars: Nikolay Drozdov, Kenneth Branagh, Avery Brooks, Craig Sechler
Votes: 6,881
23. The Movies That Made Us (2019–2021)
TV-PG | 44 min | Documentary, Family, History
Unwrap the real stories behind these iconic blockbusters, thanks to insider interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks.
Stars: Danny Wallace, Donald Ian Black, Jennifer Julian, Ryan Turek
Votes: 7,226
24. Heart of Batman (2018)
98 min | Documentary
When animators Paul Dini and Bruce Timm were tasked with creating an animated #Batman cartoon, no one knew whether the team would be able to reinvent the character away from his campy ... See full summary »
Director: Alexander Gray | Stars: Kevin Altieri, Stan Berkowitz, Alan Burnett, Mike Carlin
Votes: 154
25. Chased by Dinosaurs (2002–2003)
29 min | Documentary, Animation, History
This two-part series, a sequel to Walking with Dinosaurs featured Nigel and his "team of fellow explorers" encountering prehistoric life over a large range of time, and seeing creatures not featured in the original series.
Star: Nigel Marven
Votes: 877
26. Pepsi, Where's My Jet? (2022)
TV-MA | 39 min | Documentary, History
When a 20-year-old attempts to win a fighter jet in a Pepsi sweepstakes, he sets the stage for a David versus Goliath court battle for the history books.
Stars: John Leonard, Todd Hoffman, Michael Patti, Jeff Mordos
Votes: 12,343
27. Walking with Prehistoric Beasts (2001)
Not Rated | 30 min | Animation, Documentary
Using the latest digital technology, the era between the dinosaurs and man is superbly recreated by the BBC and Discovery Channel in another winning production from the coalition.
Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Stockard Channing, Larry Agenbroad, Frank Fish
Votes: 3,278
28. The Toys That Made Us (2017–2019)
TV-14 | 46 min | Documentary, Comedy, History
The minds behind history's most iconic toy franchises discuss the rise (and sometimes fall) of their billion-dollar creations.
Stars: Donald Ian Black, Kirk Bozigian, Mark Bellomo, David Vonner
Votes: 6,155
29.
Chased by Dinosaurs (2002–2003)
Episode:
The Giant Claw
(2002)
TV-14 | 29 min | Documentary, Animation, History
Nigel Marven travels back in an Early Cretaceous Mongolia to find the dinosaur with the largest claws: Therizinosaurus.
Directors: Tim Haines, Jasper James | Star: Nigel Marven
Votes: 367
30. The Lost Arcade (2015)
Not Rated | 79 min | Documentary
The story of Chinatown Fair, the legendary arcade located in the heart of New York's Chinatown. This documentary explores how the arcade became a shelter to a community as diverse as the city surrounding it and changed lives in doing so.
Director: Kurt Vincent | Stars: Anthony Cali, Henry Cen, Akuma Hokoru, Seth Killian
Votes: 395 | Gross: $0.01M
31. Walking with Monsters (2005)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
The final installment in the "Walking with" series is a 90-minute documentary about the evolution of life before the dinosaurs.
Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Edward Gero
Votes: 2,411
32. Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (2011)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and work of the renowned film visual effects artist and producer.
Director: Gilles Penso | Stars: Ray Harryhausen, Peter Jackson, Terry Gilliam, Guillermo del Toro
Votes: 1,364
33. Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010)
88 min | Documentary
In this comprehensive cosmology series Stephen Hawking looks at the entire universe, from the Big Bang to the end of time.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Hawking, Melissa Ricci, Christopher Goh
Votes: 5,548
34. Killer Stress: A National Geographic Special (2008 TV Movie)
50 min | Documentary
National Geographic investigates the root causes and eventual effects of stress.
Director: John Heminway | Stars: Elizabeth Blackburn, Elissa Epel, Marcus Lovett, Michael Marmot
Votes: 263
35. Monsters Resurrected (2009– )
Documentary
Long-extinct giant beasts and the strange world they once inhabited areresurrected through fossil evidence and other scientific data in this Discovery Channel program that reveals how these creatures once lived and flourished.
Stars: J.V. Martin, Thomas Holtz, Andrea Leanza, Lawrence Witmer
Votes: 108
36.
National Geographic Explorer (1985– )
Episode:
The Battle for Midway
(1999)
Not Rated | 82 min | Documentary, History
National Geographic follows underwater explorer Bob Ballard as he searches for the aircraft carrier sunk during the Battle of Midway.
Directors: Brian Breger, Peter Schnall | Stars: Peter Coyote, Yuji Akamatsu, Robert Ballard, Richard Halsey Best
Votes: 138
37. Chaos on the Bridge (2014 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 59 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The story of the struggle to create the television series, Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987).
Director: William Shatner | Stars: William Shatner, D.C. Fontana, David Gerrold, Maurice Hurley
Votes: 1,353
38.
Biography (1987– )
Episode:
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
(1994)
Not Rated | 45 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A video tribute to a martial arts legend, Bruce Lee. Examined are his early years in Hong Kong and his journey to Hollywood, his role of Kato on the TV series 'The Green Hornet', and his ... See full summary »
Director: Jude Gerard Prest | Stars: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Alex Ben Block, Linda Lee Cadwell, Raymond Chow
Votes: 211
39. Jackie Chan: My Story (1998 Video)
PG-13 | 74 min | Documentary
About Jackie Chan is written and filmed very much. A living legend, a unique creative personality, one of the biggest movie stars in the history of cinema, a man whose enthusiastic love for... See full summary »
Director: Jackie Chan | Stars: Jackie Chan, Willie Chan, Charles Chan, Stanley Tong
Votes: 782
40. Super Size Me (2004)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary
While examining the influence of the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock personally explores the consequences on his health of a diet of solely McDonald's food for one month.
Director: Morgan Spurlock | Stars: Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs, Chemeeka Walker, Dania Abu-Rmaileh
Votes: 113,269 | Gross: $11.53M
41. UFOs: The Secret History (2010)
102 min | Documentary
A documentary that traces the beginning of UFO reports from the beginning of the 19th century to today.
Director: David Cherniack | Stars: David Cherniack, Thomas Bullard, Budd Hopkins, David Jacobs
Votes: 153
42. Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2010)
Not Rated | 97 min | Documentary
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead is an American documentary that chronicles Australian Joe Cross's 60-day journey across the United States, where he embarks on a juice-only fast in a quest to reclaim his health.
Directors: Joe Cross, Kurt Engfehr | Stars: Joe Cross, Amy Badberg, Merv Cross, Virginia Cross
Votes: 8,917
43. Steve Jobs: One Last Thing (2011 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 56 min | Documentary, Biography
Friends, fans, colleagues, and rivals reflect on the talents and achievements of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Includes excerpts from an interview with Bill Gates and Jobs shortly after his cancer diagnosis.
Directors: Sarah Hunt, Mimi O'Connor | Stars: Bill Fernandez, Robert Palladino, Dean Hovey, Ross Perot
Votes: 830
44. Back in Time (2015)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Family, History
A look at the immense cultural impact of the Back to the Future trilogy 30 years after McFly and Brown went on an epic adventure.
Director: Jason Aron | Stars: Steven Spielberg, Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, Christopher Lloyd
Votes: 4,318
45. Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics (2010 Video)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, History
The history of the longstanding American comic book company that launched such legendary superhero characters such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
Director: Mac Carter | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Levitz, Gerard Jones, Mark Waid
Votes: 1,329
46. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (2021– )
TV-MA | 44 min | Documentary, Action, Adventure
An exploration of the warring kingdoms of feudal Japan when several powerful warlords fought to become absolute ruler.
Stars: Hiro Kanagawa, Hayate Masao, Stephen Turnbull, Nathan Ledbetter
Votes: 5,151
47. The Last Blockbuster (2020)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary
This nostalgic documentary reveals the real story of Blockbuster's demise, and how one last location in Bend, Oregon keeps the spirit of a bygone era alive.
Director: Taylor Morden | Stars: Lauren Lapkus, Tom Casey, Kevin Smith, Sandi Harding
Votes: 6,145
48. American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary, Crime
In 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters disappear in Colorado. With the heartbreaking details emerging, the family's story made headlines around the world.
Director: Jenny Popplewell | Stars: Nickole Atkinson, Jim Benemann, Luke Epple, Mark Jamieson
Votes: 32,721
49. Lord Montagu (2013)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The fascinating inside story of Lord Edward Montagu, one of England's most controversial and iconic aristocrats of the Twentieth Century.
Director: Luke Korem | Stars: Oliver Tobias, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, Prince Michael of Kent, Jackie Stewart
Votes: 159
50. High Score (2020)
TV-14 | 42 min | Documentary, History
Traces the history of classic video games, featuring insights from the innovators who brought these worlds and characters to life.
Stars: Charles Martinet, Rebecca Ann Heineman, Nolan Bushnell, John Romero
Votes: 8,904
51. Spielberg (2017 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 147 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary on Steven Spielberg, filmmaker. Includes interviews with relatives, film critics, peers and people who have worked with him.
Director: Susan Lacy | Stars: Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Richard Dreyfuss, Bill Butler
Votes: 8,304
52. The Curse of the Dragon (1993)
R | 90 min | Documentary, Action, Biography
Documentary of the life of actor Bruce Lee, with interviews with cast members and crews who worked with him.
Directors: Tom Kuhn, Fred Weintraub | Stars: George Takei, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Votes: 974
53.
VFXcool (2017– )
Episode:
Flight of the Navigator
(2021)
Documentary
Director: Alan Melikdjanian | Star: Alan Melikdjanian
54. Attack on Pearl Harbor: Minute by Minute (2021)
60 min | Documentary, History
Ahead of the 80th Anniversary of the deadly Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor, this documentary provides a detailed account of events - from planning to the aftermath.
Stars: Russell Boulter, Jonathan Parshall, Laura Lawfer Orr, J. Michael Wenger
Votes: 385
55. Ancient Apocalypse (2022)
TV-MA | 30 min | Documentary, History
What if everything we know about prehistory is wrong? Journalist Graham Hancock visits archaeological sites around the world investigating if a civilization far more advanced than we ever believed possible existed thousands of years ago.
Stars: Graham Hancock, Joe Rogan, Martin Sweatman, Randall Carlson
Votes: 10,221
56. 9/11: One Day in America (2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Documentary, History
In official collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, this documentary series take viewers through harrowing moments of the historic morning of September 11, 2001.
Stars: Joseph Pfeifer, Jay Jonas, Ronald Clifford, William Toti
Votes: 4,551
57. QT8: The First Eight (2019)
TV-MA | 103 min | Documentary
A documentary that focuses on the first 21 years of Quentin Tarantino's career and includes interviews with his frequent collaborators.
Director: Tara Wood | Stars: Zoë Bell, Louis Black, Bruce Dern, Robert Forster
Votes: 5,068 | Gross: $0.05M
58. Sly (2023)
R | 95 min | Documentary, Biography
The nearly fifty year prolific career of Sylvester Stallone, who has entertained millions, is seen in retrospective in an intimate look of the actor, writer, director-producer, paralleling with his inspirational life story.
Director: Thom Zimny | Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Frank Stallone, John Herzfeld, Wesley Morris
Votes: 11,038
59. American Nightmare (2024)
TV-MA | 45 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
After a harrowing home invasion and kidnapping in 2015, a couple is accused of staging the ordeal when the woman reappears in this true-crime docuseries.
Stars: Denise Huskins, Aaron Quinn, Henry Lee, David Sesma
Votes: 17,397
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