Movie Ratings & Reviews

Last film added: February 5, 2012. There are currently 1066 films in the database (since 1997).

Documentaries and "True" Films (1997-2012)

Search returned all documentary/biography films out of 1066 total rated films.

History films, war films and those "Based on a True Story" are also included.

MASTERPIECES

Adaptation. (2002) 10
A screenwriter writes himself into the screenplay he's trying to adapt from a nonfiction book.
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) 10
Compelling portrait of Banksy and many of the world's most infamous graffiti artists at work.
Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997) 10
A documentary about an elderly topiary gardener, a retired lion tamer and a robotics designer.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) 10
As your attorney, I advise you watch Johnny Depp as gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
Hurt Locker, The (2009) 10
An intense, complex war film. Intelligent, exhilarating psychological thriller about urban warfare in Iraq.
In the Realms of the Unreal (2004) 10
Visionary artist Henry Darger was a hospital janitor who privately authored a 15,000-page fantasy novel.
Inglourious Basterds (2009) 10
A funny, violent Tarantino film about guerrilla soldiers in Nazi-occupied France during World War II.
Persepolis (2007) 10
Autobiographical, cinematic graphic novel of a young outspoken girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
Planet Earth (2006) 10
Spectacular 11-part BBC documentary of the diversity of Earth's life, from the poles to deserts.
Social Network, The (2010) 10
Fincher's chronicle of the founding of Facebook. From Harvard in 2003 to 500 million friends.
Waltz with Bashir (2008) 10
Stunning. Folman interviews Israeli veterans of the 1982 Lebanon invasion to reconstruct his own memories.

EXCELLENT

American Movie (1999) 9
A hilarious documentary about an amateur filmmaker struggling to produce his latest horror film.
American Splendor (2003) 9
Welcome to the life of Harvey Pekar, a hospital clerk, music collector and comic-book writer.
Atonement (2007) 9
One night in 1935 England, bearing false witness changes three lives forever. Keira Knightley stars.
Capote (2005) 9
A profile of writer Truman Capote, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, set during the early 1960s.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011) 9
Inside France's Chauvet Cave, Werner Herzog idiosyncratically explores the history of art and human culture.
Cove, The (2009) 9
Activists infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose tragic abuses of dolphins. Thrilling investigation.
Departed, The (2006) 9
Martin Scorsese's gritty crime drama is centered on two cops, the Irish mob and rats.
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The (2007) 9
The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who was stricken with locked-in syndrome.
DMT: The Spirit Molecule (2010) 9
Strassman and Hancock explore connections between human spirituality and neuroscience through psychedelics.
Encounters at the End of the World (2008) 9
Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica and talks to wayward travelers and philosophers on the frontier.
Fighter, The (2010) 9
The early years of boxer Micky Ward and his blue-collar family who misguidedly exploit him.
Finding Neverland (2004) 9
Marc Forster presents Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.
Food, Inc. (2009) 9
A disturbing look inside America's corporate-controlled food industry. Necessary documentary about what we eat.
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008) 9
A fast-moving, entertaining portrait of late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, narrated by Johnny Depp.
Grizzly Man (2005) 9
Director Werner Herzog explores the life, death and values of grizzly bear activist Timothy Treadwell.
Helvetica (2007) 9
No modern typeface is more ubiquitous than Helvetica. What are the responsibilities of graphic designers?
How to Die in Oregon (2011) 9
Peter Richardson's respectful, heartbreaking documentary about physician-assisted suicide and the beauty of life.
In Pursuit of Panama (2009) 9
An allegorical, Kerouac-like documentary about two lifelong friends who embark on a seven-country road trip.
Inconvenient Truth, An (2006) 9
Al Gore's lecture about global warming and environmental responsibility is Carl Saganesque. It's PowerPoint cinema!
Into the Wild (2007) 9
Christopher McCandless abandons his privileged life and adventures to live alone in the Alaskan wilderness.
King's Speech, The (2010) 9
Inspiring portrait of the stammering King George VI of Britain and his ballsy speech therapist.
Meeting People Is Easy (1999) 9
A documentary about the band Radiohead. An OK Computer travelogue of the disorientation of touring.
Monster (2003) 9
Charlize Theron is nearly unrecognizable in her moving portrayal of serial-killer prostitute Aileen Wuornos.
No Man's Land (2001) 9
During the war between Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993, two opposing soldiers become stranded together.
Pianist, The (2002) 9
A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of WWII.
Pixar Story, The (2008) 9
Documentary about the history of animation, and the origin and successes of Pixar Animation Studios.
Squid and the Whale, The (2005) 9
Based on director Noah Baumbach's adolescence in Brooklyn. Two brothers deal with divorce during 1986.
Straight Story, The (1999) 9
A David Lynch and Disney anomaly. An old man rides his tractor across the Midwest.
Three Kings (1999) 9
The Gulf War aftermath, stolen Iraqi gold, skeet-shooting with Nerf footballs, and George Clooney. Fantastic.
Through the Wormhole - Season 1 (2010) 9
Compelling TV series that explores the deepest mysteries of human existence. Hosted by Morgan Freeman.
Turtles Can Fly (2005) 9
A grim and heartbreaking portrait of Iraq. Refugee children survive by collecting and selling mines.
Vera Drake (2004) 9
Set in 1950s London, this film portrays a modest working-class woman who also performs abortions.
When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions (2008) 9
Discovery's compelling six-part series about the race into space, the moon landings, shuttles, and beyond.
Winged Migration (2001) 9
Documentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over three years on all seven continents.

VERY GOOD

180° South: Conquerors of the Useless (2010) 8
An outdoorsman retraces the epic 1968 journey of his hero Yvon Chouinard to Patagonia. Inspiring.
300 (2007) 8
An epic rendering of Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae. Stunning Spartan art-blood.
Abel Raises Cain (2005) 8
A documentary about world-class hoaxer Alan Abel, who exposes the media's obsession with the salacious.
Almost Famous (2000) 8
A high-school boy is given the opportunity to write about a rising 1970s rock band.
American Gangster (2007) 8
In Manhattan during the 1970s, heroin kingpin Frank Lucas smuggles drugs into America from Vietnam.
Bag It (2011) 8
Funny/disturbing environmental documentary about plastic bags, the ACC, BPA, phthalates and child development.
Beautiful Losers (2009) 8
A collective group of do-it-yourself artists and designers in 1990s New York find success.
Before Night Falls (2000) 8
A portrait of the life of Cuban author and exile Reinaldo Arenas, starring Javier Bardem.
Between the Folds (2008) 8
PBS documentary about artists and scientists who have devoted their lives to modern origami.
Blood Into Wine (2010) 8
Eccentric rocker Maynard James Keenan's journey from L.A. to running a world-class vineyard in Arizona.
Boogie Nights (1997) 8
About the Los Angeles pornography industry of the 1970s and 1980s. Heather Graham is Rollergirl.
Breaking the Huddle: The Integration of College Football (2008) 8
HBO chronicles the profound effect of the 1960s Civil Rights movement on college football programs.
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) 8
A documentary about aging and legendary Cuban musicians, brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder.
Catch Me If You Can (2002) 8
Successful con-artist and millionaire Leonardo DiCaprio holds multiple identities. FBI agent Tom Hanks gives chase.
Che: Part One (2009) 8
Soderbergh and Del Toro recount the Cuban Revolution: Castro, Che Guevara and the guerrilla army.
Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath, Oregon (2006) 8
A documentary about political conflict in an Oregon logging town, directed by Peter Richardson.
Constant Gardener, The (2005) 8
A story of corruption in the pharmaceutical industry and how AIDS-ravaged Africa is being exploited.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) 8
A searing indictment of the Bush monarchy. The huddled masses bring forth their moral indignation.
Fast Food Nation (2006) 8
A humanistic, fictionalized behind-the-scenes portrait of America's fast food and meat packing industries.
Freedom on the Fence (2005) 8
A documentary project about the culturally iconic art of Polish posters under the USSR regime.
Frost/Nixon (2008) 8
A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon.
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) 8
Simplifies historical conflict (1950s McCarthyism) to illustrate TV journalism's responsibility to question authority.
Hilary and Jackie (1998) 8
About the brilliant concert cellist Jacqueline du Pre, from the perspective of her sister Hilary.
How the Fire Fell (2011) 8
Edward P. Davee's haunting, dreamlike portrayal of Edmund Creffield's early-1900s cult in Corvallis, Oregon.
Hype! (1997) 8
Documentary covering the Seattle grunge music scene in the early 1990s and its cultural effect.
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) 8
The surviving crew members from NASA's Apollo missions tell their story in their own words.
Insider, The (1999) 8
Based on a true story about malpractices in the tobacco industry and powerful Big Tobacco.
Kundun (1997) 8
Martin Scorsese directs the true story of Tibet's 14th Dalai Lama, from childhood to exile.
Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup (2009) 8
Investigates the conspiracy theory that 9/11 was an inside job. An example of history repeating?
Man on the Moon (1999) 8
Jim Carrey is eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman, a television star and self-declared intergender wrestling champion.
Milk (2008) 8
Van Sant's biography of openly gay politician Harvey Milk. An empathic portrayal by Sean Penn.
Mindscape of Alan Moore, The (2003) 8
Creative philosophies from the brilliant comic writer of Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell.
More Tales from the Script (2010) 8
Fascinating unheard stories from top Hollywood screenwriters. A 47-minute continuation of Tales from the Script.
Motorcycle Diaries, The (2004) 8
Dramatization of an epic motorcycle road trip a young Che Guevara took through South America.
Oceans (2010) 8
Exquisite cinematography of majestic undersea creatures with terribly dull, sentimental Pierce Brosnan narration.
October Sky (1999) 8
The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who became a rocket scientist.
Paragraph 175 (2000) 8
German historian interviews survivors of Nazi persecution of homosexuals under the Paragraph 175 penal code.
Persuaders, The (2004) 8
The cultures of marketing and advertising influence what Americans buy and how they view themselves.
Regret to Inform (1998) 8
The filmmaker goes on a pilgrimage to the Vietnamese countryside where her husband was killed.
Rescue Dawn (2007) 8
American pilot Christian Bale is shot down in Laos during a top-secret Vietnam War mission.
Russian Ark (2002) 8
300 years of Russian history displayed in a single continuous shot at the Hermitage Museum.
Séraphine (2009) 8
Moving, evenhanded historical drama about the difficult but ecstatic life of French painter Séraphine Louis.
Startup.com (2001) 8
Examines the start-up phenomenon by documenting the existence of new media company govWorks.com.
Syriana (2005) 8
A thriller of corruption and power related to the oil industry, with four parallel stories.
Tales from the Script (2009) 8
Veteran Hollywood screenwriters share their triumphs and failures, insider insights, anecdotes and artistic compromises.
Thin Red Line, The (1998) 8
Terrence Malick presents a remake of the novel about the 1943 Guadalcanal conflict during WWII.
Topsy-Turvy (1999) 8
After Gilbert and Sullivan's latest play is critically panned, the frustrated team threatens to disband.
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within (2010) 8
Never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews with friends and colleagues of the influential postmodernist novelist.
Zeitgeist: The Movie (2007) 8
Important, incendiary exploration of global societal control through religion, 9/11, foreign wars and central banks.
Zodiac (2007) 8
A cerebral, gripping thriller based on actual unresolved 1970s case files about the Zodiac Killer.

GOOD

Across the Universe (2007) 7
A psychedelic love story musical set in the 1960s, using the songs of The Beatles.
Aimée & Jaguar (1999) 7
Set in 1943 Berlin, a Nazi wife has a love affair with a Jewish lesbian.
Amistad (1997) 7
A somber, mushy American courtroom drama about the mutiny aboard an African slaveship in 1839.
Angela's Ashes (1999) 7
Based on Frank McCourt's autobiography about his childhood in the Limerick slums. Stars Emily Watson.
Atom Smashers, The (2008) 7
How does life exist? Documentary chronicles the search for the Higgs boson by Fermilab physicists.
Beautiful Mind, A (2001) 7
The struggles of a mathematical genius, inspired by the life of John Forbes Nash, Jr.
Bernard and Doris (2008) 7
An HBO Films picture about tobacco heiress Doris Duke (Sarandon) and her gay butler (Fiennes).
Boys Don't Cry (1999) 7
Hilary Swank plays a young man who is actually a woman. Romantic, ugly, and tragic.
Cat's Meow, The (2001) 7
Fictionalized story of the Hollywood murder that occurred aboard William Randolph Heart's yacht in 1924.
Che: Part Two (2009) 7
Soderbergh and Del Toro depict Che Guevara in the ill-fated revolutionary guerrilla war in Bolivia.
Dolphin Tale (2011) 7
Charming family film based on a true story. The actual dolphin involved stars as herself.
East/West (1999) 7
In 1946, Stalin invited self-exiled Russians to return home, only to execute or imprison them.
FairyTale: A True Story (1997) 7
Two young girls in 1917 take a photograph, believed to confirm the existence of fairies.
From Hell (2001) 7
A stylized whodunit set in Victorian Era London, starring clairvoyant police detective Johnny Depp.
Gia (1998) 7
Frequently naked Angelina Jolie is Gia Carangi, a top fashion model from the late 1970s.
Gods and Monsters (1998) 7
Explores the last days of Frankenstein director James Whale, starring Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser.
Good Shepherd, The (2006) 7
The early history of the CIA, viewed through a fictional man's life. Serious and tedious.
Home (2009) 7
A film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand featuring aerial footage from around the globe. Beautiful but tedious.
Hurricane, The (1999) 7
The story of Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, starring Denzel Washington.
Iris (2002) 7
True story of novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from youth to Alzheimer's.
It Might Get Loud (2009) 7
Documentary on the electric guitar starring rock musicians Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White.
Jarhead (2005) 7
Explores the psychological effects of being a soldier in Desert Storm, guarding oil, fighting no-one.
Knee Deep (2007) 7
In rural Maine, a young, hardworking dairy farmer is betrayed by family. A humanistic documentary.
Live from Baghdad (2002) 7
Robert Wiener's memoirs of CNN reporters in Iraq during the Gulf War bombing in 1991.
Objectified (2009) 7
Documentary about how humans relate to manufactured objects, featuring designers like Dieter Rams and Apple.
Pompeii: The Last Day (2003) 7
A dramatized recreation of the destruction of Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.
Pollock (2000) 7
The life, career, and artistic techniques of American painter Jackson Pollock, played by Ed Harris.
Quills (2000) 7
A Napoleonic era asylum confines the pleasure-seeking Marquis de Sade, with laundry maid Kate Winslet.
Saving Private Ryan (1998) 7
During WWII, three brothers are killed. The Army tries to save the sole surviving brother.
Seven Years in Tibet (1997) 7
Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber, becomes friends with the Dalai Lama. A true story.
Shadow of the Vampire (2000) 7
This amusing cannibalization of cinematic history muddles Max Schreck's convincing turn as vampire Count Orlok.
Summer of Sam (1999) 7
Spike Lee explores the Son of Sam murders in a South Bronx neighborhood during 1977.
Super Size Me (2004) 7
Spurlock only eats McDonald's food for one month to see what happens to his body.
Wild Man Blues (1997) 7
A documentary about Woody Allen's life as he tours with his New Orleans jazz band.
World's Fastest Indian, The (2005) 7
Burt Munro sets the land-speed world record on his home-built 950cc Indian motorcycle in 1967.

FAIR

9 Songs (2005) 6
Over 69 minutes, a young couple's intense sexual encounters are interspersed with nine rock concerts.
Blow (2001) 6
Johnny Depp plays George Jung, who established the American cocaine market in the 1970s.
Blue Crush (2002) 6
Blonde surfer girl Kate Bosworth prepares for a surf competition while looking extremely attractive.
Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary (2009) 6
A metadocumentary. This film about making documentaries should have been richer, deeper and edited better.
Civil Action, A (1998) 6
Lawyer John Travolta stars in this courtroom drama about a company's responsibility for toxic waste.
Enemy at the Gates (2001) 6
Two Russian and German snipers play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad.
Erin Brockovich (2000) 6
Single mother Julia Roberts becomes a legal assistant and brings down a toxic power company.
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) 6
A fictionalized, metaphorical account of the formation of artist Diane Arbus. Nicole Kidman is brilliant.
Girl, Interrupted (1999) 6
Account of an 18-month stay at a mental hospital in the 1960s, starring Winona Ryder.
Hidalgo (2004) 6
American Viggo Mortensen and his horse enter a 3,000 mile survival race across Arabia.
How Beer Saved the World (2011) 6
Simplifies human history to exaggerate the importance of beer to civilization. BEER! Extreme hyperbole!
Kingdom, The (2007) 6
FBI agents are sent to investigate a Saudi bombing. It's really just a revenge movie.
Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, The (1999) 6
Young Milla Jovovich receives a vision to rid 15th century France of its oppressors. Stylish.
New World, The (2005) 6
Malick depicts Pocahontas's life in 1600s Virginia. It's epic, sluggish, and burdened by disjointed voiceovers.
Permanent Midnight (1998) 6
Ben Stiller plays desperate comedy writer and heroin addict Jerry Stahl. Maria Bello also stars.
Pushing Tin (1999) 6
John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton are air traffic controllers playing a game of one-upmanship.
Soloist, The (2009) 6
Downey Jr., Foxx and Keener are great, but this biography feels slightly heavy-handed and exploitive.
Trekkies (1999) 6
A somewhat affectionate documentary about the phenomenon of Star Trek fandom in its many-splendored geekiness.
Tulse Luper Suitcases: The Moab Story, The (2003) 6
This Peter Greenaway multimedia project is too ambitious, difficult, and intertextual. Caroline Dhavernas still shines.
Veronica Guerin (2003) 6
Irish journalist Cate Blanchett is murdered by drug dealers she exposed in her newspaper articles.
We Were Soldiers (2002) 6
Details a major battle in the Vietnam War, starring Mel Gibson and trout-lipped Madeleine Stowe.
Wild Blue Yonder, The (2005) 6
Werner Herzog fashions a boring sci-fi documentary from beautiful undersea Antarctica footage and NASA video.
Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic (2008) 6
Irritating modern opera rehearsals dominate the story of Oppenheimer and the 1945 Trinity atomic test.

ADEQUATE

Amityville Horror, The (2005) 5
While overproduced and derivative, this horror remake starring Ryan Reynolds exceeded my expectations.
Glitch in the Grid (2011) 5
Three artists find spiritual renewal in this imaginative but self-indulgent film by the Leiser Brothers.
K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) 5
Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson star in this dull tale of a malfunctioning nuclear submarine.
Martian Child (2007) 5
It's emotional manipulation from Mars. This is K-PAX with a six-year-old instead of Kevin Spacey.
Remember the Titans (2000) 5
A story of high school racial integration in the early 1970s, starring Denzel Washington.
Stuck (2008) 5
The callous aftermath of a hit-and-run. I winced at the bad acting and grisly suffering.

FROM BAD TO WORSE

(NO! MY EYES! MY EYES!)

54 (1998) CRAP
A story about famous 1970s disco nightclub Studio 54, starring Ryan Phillippe and Salma Hayek.
Patch Adams (1998) CRAP
Robin Williams stars in this emotionally manipulative story about the power of laughter as medicine.
Pearl Harbor (2001) CRAP
Jerry Bruckheimer presents Ben Affleck. And Kate Beckinsale. Trying to act. Together.
Prey (2007) CRAP
A poorly written movie about Americans in Africa who are stalked by lions. Embarrassingly bad.

Statistical ratings distribution of these 163 films

bell curve

6.5

CRAP

7.6

10:

6.7%

20.9%

30.7%

21.5%

14.1%

3.7%

CRAP:

2.5%

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Movie Ratings & Reviews

Documentaries and "True" Films (1997-2012)