Movie Ratings & Reviews

Last film added: January 25, 2021. There are currently 1678 films in the database (since 1996).

Documentaries and "True" Films (1996-2024)

Search returned all documentary/biography films out of 1678 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.
Apollo 11 (2019) 10
You know what happens, but it's exhilarating. Spectacular historical preservation of humanity at its united best.
Dance of Reality, The (2014) 10
Jodorowsky bares his soul through a dreamlike, mythical retelling of his childhood in Chile. Provocative.
Endless Poetry (2017) 10
Jodorowsky's vibrant retelling of his life continues. Chronicles personal and artistic development via magical realism.
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.
I Am Not Your Negro (2016) 10
James Baldwin's vital portrait of race in America. MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, the Kennedys.
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.
Searching for Sugar Man (2012) 10
The incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest 1970s rock icon who never was. Heartwarming.
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

12 Years a Slave (2013) 9
Gut-wrenching adaptation of the 1853 autobiography of free-born Solomon Northup who was abducted into slavery.
127 Hours (2011) 9
Mountain climber Aron Ralston's harrowing week trapped in a canyon. Survival instincts and prophetic visions.
13th (2016) 9
In-depth look at racial inequality, criminalization and the prison-industrial complex in the U.S. Essential. Tragic.
1917 (2019) 9
Mendes's remarkable achievement of continuous, uncut shots. The Écoust nighttime flare scene is surreal, breathtaking.
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012) 9
Documentary about the life of celebrated Chinese artist and outspoken dissident Ai Weiwei. Compelling humanity.
American Hustle (2013) 9
Fictionalization of the Abscam FBI sting operation of the early 1980s. Stylishly brilliant criminal behavior.
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.
Argo (2012) 9
Amazing CIA-Canadian secret operation, via Hollywood, to return six Americans during the Iran hostage crisis.
Atonement (2007) 9
One night in 1935 England, bearing false witness changes three lives forever. Keira Knightley stars.
Beginners (2011) 9
Mike Mills's story of a graphic artist whose terminally ill father announces that he's gay.
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011) 9
The story of puppeteer Kevin Clash, the heart and soul of Elmo. Touching and inspiring.
Blackfish (2013) 9
The horrors of SeaWorld. Shows the devastating consequences of keeping intelligent, sentient creatures in captivity.
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.
Citizenfour (2014) 9
Whistleblower Edward Snowden releases classified info about mass global surveillance by the NSA. Gripping, chilling.
Cold War (2018) 9
Doomed 1950s romance between a music director and singer, across communist Poland, Berlin, and Paris.
Cove, The (2009) 9
Activists infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose tragic abuses of dolphins. Thrilling investigation.
Cutie and the Boxer (2013) 9
The art and 40-year marriage of Ushio and Noriko Shinohara, Japanese artists in New York.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) 9
In 1985, Ron Woodroof defies the FDA and helps HIV/AIDS patients get medication. Empathic, remarkable.
Dark Days (2000) 9
A cinematic portrait of the homeless population living permanently in New York City's underground tunnels.
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.
Dunkirk (2017) 9
Nolan's depiction of Allied soldiers trapped by Nazi forces on the beaches of northern France.
Encounters at the End of the World (2008) 9
Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica and talks to wayward travelers and philosophers on the frontier.
Faces Places (2017) 9
French New Wave director Agnès Varda and muralist JR travel across France. Delightful creative collaboration.
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?
Hidden Figures (2017) 9
Spotlights NASA's black female mathematicians during the 1960s space race, especially Katherine Johnson. Vital history.
How to Die in Oregon (2011) 9
Peter Richardson's respectful, heartbreaking documentary about physician-assisted suicide and the beauty of life.
Hype! (1996) 9
The Seattle grunge music scene of the early 1990s and its effects on American culture.
In Pursuit of Panama (2009) 9
An allegorical, Kerouac-like documentary about two lifelong friends who embark on a seven-country road trip.
Incendies (2011) 9
Twins journey to the Middle East to discover their mysterious family history. Earth-shattering Greek tragedy.
Inconvenient Truth, An (2006) 9
Al Gore's lecture about global warming and environmental responsibility is Carl Saganesque. It's PowerPoint cinema!
Inexplicable Universe: Unsolved Mysteries, The (2013) 9
Six Neil deGrasse Tyson lectures exploring what we don't know about how the universe works.
Inside Job (2010) 9
Comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008. Corruption in politics, regulation and academia.
Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010) 9
Discovery Channel cosmology miniseries that discusses aliens, time travel and the history of the universe.
Into the Wild (2007) 9
Christopher McCandless abandons his privileged life and adventures to live alone in the Alaskan wilderness.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2012) 9
Documentary on 85-year-old Tokyo sushi master Jiro Ono. Inspiring example of dedication to a craft.
Jodorowsky's Dune (2014) 9
Behind Jodorowsky's ambitious, influential mid-1970s sci-fi film failure. With Dalí, Giger, Welles, Jagger, Pink Floyd.
King's Speech, The (2010) 9
Inspiring portrait of the stammering King George VI of Britain and his ballsy speech therapist.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Seasons 1-4 (2017) 9
The very best news satire program. Weekly updates from former 'Daily Show' host and correspondent.
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.
My Winnipeg (2008) 9
Haunting, personal portrait of filmmaker Guy Maddin's hometown of Winnipeg, and of his psyche. Unique.
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.
Room 237 (2013) 9
Explores the meaning of Kubrick's 'The Shining': Native American genocide, the Holocaust, Apollo moon landings?
Selma (2015) 9
Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via a 1965 Alabama march. Vital.
Senna (2011) 9
Poignant documentary of the rise and tragic death of Brazilian F1 racing driver Ayrton Senna.
Shine (1996) 9
Uplifting Geoffrey Rush film that's based on the true story of Australian pianist David Helfgott.
Spotlight (2015) 9
True story of Boston Globe journalists uncovering systematic child molestation cover-ups in the Catholic Church.
Squid and the Whale, The (2005) 9
Based on director Noah Baumbach's adolescence in Brooklyn. Two brothers deal with divorce during 1986.
Steve Jobs (2015) 9
Explores Jobs's ruthless drive to revolutionize computing. Behind the scenes of three iconic product launches.
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.
Torrey Pines (2016) 9
Stop-motion adventure of 1990s youth. Director Clyde Peterson also leads queercore band Your Heart Breaks.
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.
Wind Rises, The (2013) 9
Miyazaki shows Jiro Horikoshi's dream of flight in Japan, passing through both world wars. Fascinating.
Winged Migration (2001) 9
Documentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over three years on all seven continents.
Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) 9
An exploration of the life, lessons, and legacy of iconic children's television host, Fred Rogers.
Zero Dark Thirty (2012) 9
Riveting story of the decade-long manhunt for Osama bin Laden. Finale balances catharsis with despair.

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.
50/50 (2011) 8
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a 27-year-old who was just diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
5 Broken Cameras (2012) 8
Intimate study of a small West Bank village's protests against Israeli soldiers. Injustice, violence, resolve.
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.
Art & Copy (2009) 8
Documents advertising's history and influence. Wisdom and inspiration from creative artists behind the campaigns.
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.
Big Short, The (2015) 8
Breaks the fourth wall to reenact the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s.
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.
Bowling for Columbine (2002) 8
Michael Moore explores the roots of America's propensity for gun violence and the fear-mongering media.
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.
City Dark, The (2012) 8
Documentary about the human and global consequences of modern light pollution and the disappearing stars.
Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath, Oregon (2006) 8
A documentary about political conflict in an Oregon logging town, directed by Peter Richardson.
CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap (2015) 8
Exposes the lack of women and minorities in tech. Explores reasons why and possible solutions.
Conjuring, The (2013) 8
Creepy-as-hell 1971 paranormal investigation of a haunted Rhode Island farmhouse by Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Constant Gardener, The (2005) 8
A story of corruption in the pharmaceutical industry and how AIDS-ravaged Africa is being exploited.
Constantly Wrong: The Case Against Conspiracy Theories (2020) 8
Kirby Ferguson documentary about the cultural fight, and collective fantasy, of conspiracy theories. Very entertaining.
Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey - Episodes 1-7 (2014) 8
Neil deGrasse Tyson picks up where Carl Sagan left off. The story of our universe.
Dangerous Method, A (2011) 8
How the relationships between Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud and Sabina Spielrein gave birth to psychoanalysis.
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020) 8
The witness statement of 93-year-old Attenborough. An urgent plea to save the world, and ourselves.
David Lynch: The Art Life (2017) 8
Lynch discusses his early life, his art and his creative process. Meditative smoking and painting.
Everything is a Remix (2012) 8
Four-part video series by Kirby Ferguson about the culture of copying, transforming and combining media.
Experimenter (2015) 8
True story of social psychologist Stanley Milgram's experiments on human obedience, by using electric shock.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) 8
A searing indictment of the Bush monarchy. The huddled masses bring forth their moral indignation.
Farewell, The (2019) 8
A far-flung family reunites in China. Their grandmother has terminal cancer, but it's a secret.
Fast Food Nation (2006) 8
A humanistic, fictionalized behind-the-scenes portrait of America's fast food and meat packing industries.
Finding Vivian Maier (2013) 8
Fascinating investigation into the mysteries of an eccentric, secretive nanny with a prolific photographic legacy.
Forks Over Knives (2011) 8
Vast evidence that a whole foods, plant-based diet can reverse diseases caused by animal-based foods.
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.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee - Seasons 1-2 (2017) 8
Weekly news satire, with particular attention to women's issues, from the former 'Daily Show' correspondent.
Gather (2020) 8
Portrait of Indigenous Americans working to reclaim their spiritual and cultural identities through food sovereignty.
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) 8
Simplifies historical conflict (1950s McCarthyism) to illustrate TV journalism's responsibility to question authority.
Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman, A (2015) 8
History of Aardman Animations, the acclaimed British stop-motion animation studio behind Morph, Wallace & Gromit.
Grandmaster, The (2013) 8
Kar-Wai Wong's dazzling tale of Ip Man, the legendary kung-fu master who trained Bruce Lee.
Green Book (2018) 8
Affectionate, predictable comedy about racism and segregation during a 1962 Deep South piano concert tour.
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.
Imitation Game, The (2014) 8
How Alan Turing helped crack Germany's Enigma code during WWII and saved millions of lives.
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) 8
The surviving crew members from NASA's Apollo missions tell their story in their own words.
In This Corner of the World (2017) 8
In Hiroshima during World War II, a daydreaming girl confronts the devastating horrors of war.
Indie Game: The Movie (2012) 8
Follows the emotional journeys of independent game development, featuring Super Meat Boy, Fez and Braid.

GOOD

InnSæi: The Sea Within (2016) 7
A global journey to reconnect human intuition within our modern world of distraction and stress.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) 8
Coen Brothers adaptation about a young singer navigating the Greenwich Village folk scene in 1961.
Insider, The (1999) 8
Based on a true story about malpractices in the tobacco industry and powerful Big Tobacco.
Invisible War, The (2012) 8
Investigation of the rape epidemic in the U.S. military and its profound consequences. Tragic, appalling.
King Corn (2007) 8
Good-natured introduction to industrialized agriculture. We subsidize the Happy Meals, but not the healthy ones.
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, The (2007) 8
Curiously compelling documentary about a classic arcade battle between two Donkey Kong video game champions.
Kundun (1997) 8
Martin Scorsese directs the true story of Tibet's 14th Dalai Lama, from childhood to exile.
Light Bulb Conspiracy: The Untold Story of Planned Obsole... (2011) 8
History of planned obsolescence, the hidden mechanism at the heart of our wasteful consumer society.
Lincoln (2012) 8
Spielberg's portrait of a deeply conflicted Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Incredibly well-written dialogue.
Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World (2016) 8
Werner Herzog explores the Internet's evolution, ponders its societal influence. Cyberwarfare, AI, telepathy, etc.
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?
Loving Vincent (2017) 8
The last days of Vincent van Gogh. A detective story exquisitely rendered with oil-painted animation.
Man on the Moon (1999) 8
Jim Carrey is eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman, a television star and self-declared intergender wrestling champion.
Messenger, The (2009) 8
Poignant military tale about soldiers assigned to notify families of casualties during the Iraq War.
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.
Miss Hokusai (2016) 8
Japanese ukiyo-e painter Hokusai, as seen from the eyes of his artist daughter, Katsushika O-Ei.
Moneyball (2011) 8
Billy Beane's management of the Oakland A's baseball team through new computer-based analysis. Intelligent.
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.
My Octopus Teacher (2020) 8
A filmmaker befriends an octopus living in a South African kelp forest through daily visits.
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.
Purge (2013) 8
A young woman running from Russian sex-traffickers meets an older version of herself. Gut-wrenching.
RBG (2018) 8
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's incredible legal legacy since the 1970s. Plus memes of her later years.
Reel Injun (2009) 8
How depictions of Native Americans in cinema have shaped perceptions of their cultures and histories.
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.
Road to Roma (2020) 8
Alfonso Cuarón's childhood memories, period details and creative choices that shaped the making of Roma.
Rock-afire Explosion, The (2008) 8
The inventor behind (and fans of) the Showbiz Pizza and Chuck E. Cheese's animatronic puppets.
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.
Social Dilemma, The (2020) 8
Societal dangers of the tech industry's surveillance capitalism, algorithmic manipulation of users, addiction, fake news.
Startup.com (2001) 8
Examines the start-up phenomenon by documenting the existence of new media company govWorks.com.
Strange Negotiations (2019) 8
Heartfelt documentary exploring the spiritual, artistic, and personal journey of musician David Bazan (Pedro the Lion).
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.
Tangerines (2015) 8
An Estonian tangerine farmer refuses to leave during the bloody Abkhaz-Georgian conflict. Powerful humanity.
Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak (2009) 8
Diary-style documentary by Spike Jonze about Maurice Sendak, the unconventional author of iconic children's books.
Terms and Conditions May Apply (2013) 8
Documentary examines the erosion of privacy in the digital age. How corporations and governments spy.
These Amazing Shadows: The Movies That Make America (2011) 8
The National Film Registry's history and the cultural, historical and aesthetic significance of motion pictures.
Thin Red Line, The (1998) 8
Terrence Malick presents a remake of the novel about the 1943 Guadalcanal conflict during WWII.
This is Not a Conspiracy Theory (2020) 8
Seven-part (2014-2020) episodic documentary by Kirby Ferguson about the hidden forces that shape our lives.
Theory of Everything, The (2014) 8
Touching biography of physicist Stephen Hawking. Explores his personal life as ALS ravages his body.
Tim's Vermeer (2013) 8
Ingenious. Inventor Tim Jenison works to replicate the painting techniques of Dutch master Johannes Vermeer.
Topsy-Turvy (1999) 8
After Gilbert and Sullivan's latest play is critically panned, the frustrated team threatens to disband.
Trump, QAnon and the Return of Magic (2020) 8
Kirby Ferguson's 2020 documentary about the far-right conspiracy theory and the insanity of Trump's America.
Vanishing of the Bees (2011) 8
Investigation into implications of the worldwide collapse of the honeybee. Slow death by systemic pesticides.
Waiting for 'Superman' (2010) 8
Devastating portrait of the failing U.S. public school system and its consequences for the future.
Waste Land (2011) 8
Uplifting documentary highlighting the transformative power of art and the beauty of the human spirit.
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.
Across the Universe (2007) 7
A psychedelic love story musical set in the 1960s, using the songs of The Beatles.
Agora (2010) 7
Condemning historical drama of ancient conflict between science and superstition, centered on Hypatia of Alexandria.
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).
Big River (2010) 7
An update/companion to 2007's King Corn. Explores the ecological consequences of industrial corn production.
Big Sur (2013) 7
Depressed alcoholic Beat writer Jack Duluoz/Kerouac retreats to a small cabin in California's Big Sur.
Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975, The (2011) 7
Found footage shot by Swedish journalists documenting the Black Power Movement. Great Angela Davis interviews.
Blank City (2011) 7
Snapshot of late 1970s underground/punk filmmaking in New York during the No Wave movement.
Bomb It (2008) 7
A global history of street art. Explores cultural/political issues of tagging, graffiti and art activism.
Boys Don't Cry (1999) 7
Hilary Swank plays a young man who is actually a woman. Romantic, ugly, and tragic.
Brief History of Graphics, A (2014) 7
Five-part series by Stuart Brown of XboxAhoy covering the history/milestones of video game graphics/techniques.
Calles Hablan, Las (2013) 7
Documentary about graffiti art in Barcelona, Spain, pitting an artistic community versus a restrictive government.
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.
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011) 7
Behind the scenes of Conan O'Brien's frenetic 2010 comedy tour. Revealing but not especially funny.
Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World (2014) 7
The dark surrealism of Swiss artist H.R. Giger interspersed with documentation of his final years.
Dolphin Tale (2011) 7
Charming family film based on a true story. The actual dolphin involved stars as herself.
Drakmar: A Vassal's Journey (2008) 7
A sensitive 14-year-old escapes to the medieval fantasy kingdom of Adria to survive his adolescence.
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.
FL: Unpremeditated Movie (2013) 7
No-budget documentary by MTO that chronicles his controversial graffiti art and intervention in Sarasota, Florida.
For No Good Reason (2014) 7
Depp visits Ralph Steadman to discuss the motivation/process behind his deranged/Gonzo art. A bit congratulatory.
From Hell (2001) 7
A stylized whodunit set in Victorian Era London, starring clairvoyant police detective Johnny Depp.
From One Second to the Next (2013) 7
Short documentary chronicling the devastating consequences of texting and driving, directed by Werner Herzog.
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.
Great Directors (2010) 7
Conversations with 10 of the world's greatest living directors, including David Lynch and Richard Linklater.
Hello World: Confronting Bias in Software (2020) 7
Insightful reflections on the tech industry's history and the social justice of diversity and inclusion.
Hieronymus Bosch, Touched by the Devil (2016) 7
New infrared photography of the late-medieval artist's fantastical paintings. Too much focus on inter-museum politics.
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.
Ingredients (2009) 7
Compares America's industrialized food system to a rising local-growth movement, from Oregon to New York.
Into the Inferno (2016) 7
Werner Herzog explores the cultural power of volcanoes in Vanuatu, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Iceland, North Korea.
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.
Journey of the Universe (2011) 7
Explores of the epic history of the cosmos, Earth and humanity. Sometimes goofy but also profound.
Just Like Being There (2012) 7
Celebrates gig posters by contemporary artists nearly 50 years after the first iconic concert posters.
Kill Your Darlings (2013) 7
A 1944 murder draws together Beat Generation greats Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs.
Knee Deep (2007) 7
In rural Maine, a young, hardworking dairy farmer is betrayed by family. A humanistic documentary.
Lawless (2012) 7
The bootlegging Bondurant gang were outlaw heroes during Prohibition. Brutal violence. Tom Hardy is indestructible.
Last Days of the Arctic (2011) 7
Follows photojournalist Ragnar Axelsson on an evocative photographic journey among the people of the Arctic.
Pearl Jam: Let's Play Two (2017) 7
Eddie Vedder's Chicago Cubs fandom during their 2016 World Series run, plus Wrigley Field concerts.
Live from Baghdad (2002) 7
Robert Wiener's memoirs of CNN reporters in Iraq during the Gulf War bombing in 1991.
Malèna (2001) 7
In WWII Italy, Monica Bellucci provokes sensual awakenings in adolescent boys and scorn from townsfolk.
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things (2016) 7
Inside the lives of minimalists striving to exist meaningfully with less. A familiar anti-consumerism premise.
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2010) 7
Werner Herzog and David Lynch! A disturbed man mysteriously slays his mother with a sword.
My Week with Marilyn (2011) 7
Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in 1956, through the eyes of a London film student.
Nowhere Boy (2010) 7
Chronicle of John Lennon's emotional teenage years, marked by the reentrance of his absentee mother.
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.
Radiant City (2007) 7
Faux-documentary about the disaggregated, unwalkable, intolerant nature of modern suburbia. Mocking.
Religulous (2008) 7
Bill Maher's provocative, smartass dialogue with Jews, Christians and Muslims. An irreverent but smug rant.
Rewind This! (2013) 7
The cultural and historical impact of the VHS tape. How home video changed the world.
Rise and Fall of the Seattle CHOP, The (2020) 7
Popular Front documentary showing the rise and fall of the Seattle CHOP/CHAZ from the ground.
Rosewater (2014) 7
Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari is jailed in Iran under suspicion of espionage. Jon Stewart directs.
Rum Diary, The (2011) 7
Hard-drinking American journalist Johnny Depp takes a newspaper job in Puerto Rico during the 1950s.
Saving Capitalism (2017) 7
Robert Reich's demoralizing yet hopeful account of how American politics became rigged by crony capitalism.
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.
Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang (2016) 7
The grand celestial ambitions of Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang, famous for his pyrotechnic displays.
Snowden (2016) 7
A paranoid thriller, plus ethical dilemma, about leaking the NSA's illegal surveillance techniques. Gordon-Levitt stars.
Soaked in Bleach (2015) 7
Compelling docudrama about the last days of Kurt Cobain. Re-open the death investigation, Seattle PD.
Sons of Perdition (2010) 7
Three teenagers exiled from an FLDS polygamist cult try to survive in mainstream America. Distressing.
Son of the Congo (2015) 7
Basketball star Serge Ibaka returns to the Congo with the hope of uplifting communities. Heartwarming.
Stanley Kubrick's Boxes (2008) 7
Kubrick's incredible attention to detail revealed in 1,000+ boxes of his meticulously sorted film materials.
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.
Surviving Picasso (1996) 7
Natascha McElhone is Francoise Gilot, Pablo Picasso's only lover strong enough to withstand his cruelty.
Teach Us All (2017) 7
Devastating cycles of unfulfilled promises of educational equality to Black and Latino children since desegregation.
Unlikely (2019) 7
Investigates America's college dropout crisis and innovative ways to close the higher education opportunity divide.
Vegucated (2011) 7
Three New Yorkers adopt a vegan diet for six weeks, get educated about animal agriculture.
Vine of the Soul: Encounters with Ayahuasca (2010) 7
Explores sacred plant medicine. Two Canadians visit the Amazon to drink the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca.
Who is Dayani Cristal? (2014) 7
Moving portrait of border-crossing migrant workers. Begins with an unidentified body in the Arizona desert.
Who Took Johnny (2015) 7
Examination into the famous 1982 disappearance of Iowa paperboy Johnny Gosch. Case appears essentially solved.
Wild Man Blues (1997) 7
A documentary about Woody Allen's life as he tours with his New Orleans jazz band.
WITH: A Documentary & Concert Film About Sylvan Esso (2020) 7
Fun 60-minute documentary and live concert film capturing Sylvan Esso on their 2019 WITH tour.
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.
Beat Hotel, The (2012) 6
Collects fragments of 1950s-era Ginsberg, Corso, Burroughs and Gysin living in a rundown Paris hotel.
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.
Colony (2010) 6
Slow and unfocused documentary about beekeeping, and the struggle to cope with colony collapse disorder.
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.
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics (2020) 6
The benefits and hazards of hallucinogens, mostly related via celebrity stoner tales and goofy reenactments.
Hidalgo (2004) 6
American Viggo Mortensen and his horse enter a 3,000 mile survival race across Arabia.
Hot Girls Wanted (2015) 6
Superficial documentary of lost and confused young women being exploited in the amateur porn industry.
How Beer Saved the World (2011) 6
Simplifies human history to exaggerate the importance of beer to civilization. BEER! Extreme hyperbole!
Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) 6
On the eve of WWII, Bill Murray is FDR and Laura Linney is his mistress.
Ingenious (2009) 6
Likable rags-to-riches comedy based on the true story of an Arizona inventor of novelty items.
Kingdom, The (2007) 6
FBI agents are sent to investigate a Saudi bombing. It's really just a revenge movie.
Lovelace (2013) 6
Superficially explores the story of one-time porn star Linda Lovelace and her sleazy, abusive husband.
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.
On the Road (2012) 6
I struggled to get into this disappointing yet interesting-enough adaptation of the 1957 Kerouac novel.
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.
Salinger (2013) 6
Invades the privacy of J. D. Salinger. Engaging speculation, but trumpeted through a flawed, self-important lens.
Soloist, The (2009) 6
Downey Jr., Foxx and Keener are great, but this biography feels slightly heavy-handed and exploitive.
Student Services (2011) 6
A 19-year-old freshman in France, desperate for cash, is enticed into a life of prostitution.
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.
Extinction Variations, The (2021) 5
Rachmaninoff accompanying Oregon landscapes. Heart's in the right place, but disempowering. Heavy-handed, bleak spoken word.
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.
Planet of the Humans (2020) 5
Armed with questionable science, brutally exposes the flaws of renewable energy. Offers no practical solutions.
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

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 324 films

bell curve

6.5

CRAP

7.7

10:

4.9%

21.9%

32.4%

26.9%

10.2%

2.5%

CRAP:

1.2%

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Movie Ratings & Reviews

Documentaries and "True" Films (1996-2024)