25.)
Inside Job (2010)The winner for Best Documentary in 2010, Inside Job takes a look at the 2008 financial crisis, tracing its roots all the way back to behaviors from the Clinton administration. Let Matt Damon guide you through this frustrating piece about how people got rich off the backs of the lower and middle class.
24.)
RBG (2018)Watch Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg vigorously workout to make sure she stays alive long enough for a non-Republican president. RBG is a fiery take no prisoners type of person who is not interested in your BS. She recently just celebrated her 87th birthday and there's a great line about how Senator (and former MLB pitcher) Jim Bunning rejoiced about how she was going to die soon, but he's dead now and she's not. Like RBG and you'll love it, if you don't then you probably will find it to be liberal propaganda. It was nominated for Best Documentary.
23.)
13th( 2016)A 2016 Best Documentary nominee, Ava DuVernay builds of her successful film Selma with this look at the prison system in America. You may have started to notice a trend that a lot of these are going to be very left leaning Docs, so if that's not your thing, then I guess stop reading here. For those unfamiliar the 13th amendment abolished slavery and indentured servitude, however it does not protect anyone from these practices if they are being used a punishment for a crime. This Doc touches on that issue as well.
22.)
The Resurrection of Jake the Snake (2015)Some of you may not know that I am a closet WWE wrestling fan, unless of course you were in my sixth grade class and watched my thrilling book report on Mankind's autobiography, Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks, which Mrs. Scott still remembers to this day. I'd say this is a break from all the heavy stuff, but really it's just more of it. Jake "The Snake" Roberts was one of my favorite wrestlers growing up and now he's a shell of his former self thanks to years of injuries and heavy drinking. The Doc follows him trying to put his life back together with the help of former wrestler "Diamond" Dallas Page.
21.)
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)Another 2016 Best Documentary nominee about race in America. This time let Samuel L. Jackson calmly walk through the work of James Baldwin set against current events. I was not familiar with Baldwin's work, though I have recently watched If Beale Street Could Talk. His words are so carefully chosen and his poignant takes are thought provoking and shares insight of what it was like to be in the middle of the Civil Rights movement.
20.)
Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)I was surprised that this wasn't nominated for Best Documentary, but it's still a great look at Fred Rogers and his life philosophy. It highlights some of his defining achievements and even some moments he wished would have been different.
19.)
Undefeated (2011)If you like Last Chance U and are unfamiliar with this Best Documentary winner, then check it out. It chronicles the life of three young men from a Memphis high school and the volunteer coaches that have to help the players get through life on and off the field.
18.)
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)This Best Documentary nominee is an inside look at the world of street artists. Starring and directed by the famous street artist Banksy, he takes two people who are trying to figure out his true identity and brings them along to meet some of the more interesting characters and the lengths they go to getting their art seen.
17.)
Icarus (2018)What happens when you are doing a story about doping in cycling and accidentally stumble upon one of the biggest Olympic scandals ever? Well Bryan Fogel found out when he met a Russian scientist working in a lab that helps Russian athletes cover up their use of performance enhancing drugs. When the truth is exposed there are unexpected consequences, especially when the government finds out what's going on.
16.)
The Invisible War (2012)Kirby Dick is one of my favorite documentarians and his 2012 Best Documentary nominee is a powerful look at sexual assault in the military. This was years ahead of its time as it fits right in with the MeToo movement about the difficulties and nightmares that female soldiers face. I know that there are people who don't believe that women should be in the service, but there is absolutely no justification for the treatment of these women and the lack of accountability placed on their perpetrators.
15.)
Hoop Dreams (1994)Two Chicago high school basketball players try to make their way to college and eventually the NBA. The film follows them through their trials and tribulations as they are heavily recruited, but struggle to stay on the court due to injuries or academics. The big note about this Doc is that it wasn't nominated for Best Doc because the voters turned it off after 15 minutes, but it did earn a nomination for Film Editing. Critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel were so puzzled that it wasn't nominated that they learned about the ludacris process about how documentary films were selected. They along with other entertainment outlets, applied pressure on the Academy and the rules were changed so that actual documentarians were the ones voting for the award.
14.)
Murderball (2005)The rivalry between Canada and the U.S. has never been bigger than in this movie. This Best Documentary nominee follows two teams of quadriplegics that participate in full contact wheelchair rugby, affectionately titled "Murderball". The two rivals are gearing up for the 2004 Paralympic Game in Athens, Greece.
13.)
Hitchcock: Shadow of Genius (1999)This is a detailed look at the work of Alfred Hitchcock and those who worked alongside him. I don't think my interest in Alfred Hitchcock would have been as big had I not watched this documentary. It's just a series of clips and insight and I was so drawn in by what I saw that I tried to watch any movie of his that I could find. As of right now, I've watched all but one of his theatrical releases (Secret Agent) from 1935 until his final film in 1976.
12.)
Best Worst Movie (2009)Troll 2 is arguably my favorite bad movie ever made and this documentary reunites the cast and crew to look at the cult status of the film. Directed by one of the film's main characters, Michael Paul Stephenson (Joshua), he finds out why people love to watch this movie 20 years later. He also speaks with Troll 2 director Claudio Fragasso, who has no idea why the audience is laughing at his work.
11.)
Restrepo (2010)A film crew follows the men of the Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in one of the deadliest parts of Afghanistan. The camp is named after Private First Class Juan Sebastian Restrepo who was a platoon medic that was KIA. It earned a Best Documentary nominee and spawned the sequel Korengal in 2014, which is named after the valley so heavily contested.
10.)
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)I was so mad while I was watching this movie. Nominated for Best Documentary, this Doc follows the rise and fall of Enron and all the garbage things they did to make one of the most corrupt companies that did everything from cook the books to cause rolling blackouts in California. Kenneth Lay is one of the worst kind of human beings out there.
9.)
O.J.: Made in America (2016)I had this list all made up, but then this came on during the week and who can resist a nearly eight hour Best Documentary winner? No stone is left unturned in a well detailed Doc about O.J. Simpson from his budding career both in sports and entertainment, his personality behind the scenes, and his ultimate downfall. This movie did nothing to convince me that O.J. didn't kill Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, but it did convince me that the LAPD and the prosecution botched the case beyond belief and their ineptitude denied justice for those two families.
8.)
Deliver Us From Evil (2006)The child sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church certainly rocked my faith and trust. This awful story tells about a priest who is moved from parish to parish to hide his disgusting actions and place more children in danger. The priest in question discusses how he often spent more time figuring out how he would commit these atrocities compared to planning his sermons. Like the failings of the military to protect members of their branches, church leaders across the country failed to protect those who sat in the pews every Sunday.
7.)
Jesus Camp (2006)2006 was a big year for religious documentaries that were nominated by the Academy. Jesus Camp follows children as they attend an evangelical church camp, Kids on Fire. Throughout the process of the film you begin to wonder if these kids are learning about God or are they being brainwashed to serve a purpose and a will that is not their own. Becky Fisher, who runs the camp, brings some of the children to tears when she pronounces that Harry Potter is a warlock and against God and no child should read Harry Potter because he is an enemy of the Lord. While I find that notion completely ridiculous, it's not an uncommon view as the books have been banned in schools across the country.
6.)
Street Fight (2005)An eye opening look at the politics of Newark, NJ, a city with a horrible crime problem and corruption with one common denominator, longtime Mayor Sharpe James. This Best Documentary nominee follows the 2002 election when City Councilman, a young Cory Booker, runs against the popular mayor. The fight is nasty and draws out ugly notions about Booker with James using his power to shape the narrative. Years later Booker would replace James as mayor of Newark before moving on the US Senate and eventual failed presidential bid. James meanwhile, would be sentenced to 27 months in prison for fraud after serving as mayor from 1986-2006.
5.)
Dear Zachary: A Letter to His Son About His Father (2008)I have never cried so hard as I did while watching this late one night in my bed. The most devastating endings to a story as it starts about being a memorial to the director's murdered friend to his friend's son, but soon there's a twist. His friend's ex, who is also a suspect in his murder, is pregnant with their second child. The friend's parents try to gain custody as the girlfriend spirals out of control. It then turns into a custody battle that highlights some of the issues that the courts are faced with.
4.)
The Cove (2009)This is such a powerful film about the ugly world of dolphins, either to be held in captivity or killed and sold for meat. Former dolphin trainer Richard O'Barry leads a group of activists to Japan where they set up cameras to find a secret cove that is the setting for some heinous acts. O'Barry is also a huge detractor of Sea World and the captivity of those animals. The film won that year's award for Best Documentary.
3.)
The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014)The feistiest minor league baseball team you'll ever meet. Started by Kurt Russell's father, actor Bing Russell, the Portland Mavericks are a ragtag bunch of former MLB players, a guy who might be in the C.I.A., the guy who invented Big League Chew, and of course Kurt Russell himself. The fact that the Angels dropped some of their best players down to the same level to ensure the Mavericks wouldn't win. Portland was distinctive from the rest of the minor league clubs at the time because they had no affiliations. It's truly a fun ride if you love baseball. Also, the batboy goes on to be Academy Award nominated writer and producer Todd Field.
2.)
Free Solo (2018)There's no doubt this was deserving of Best Documentary because it is engrossing and unbelievably dangerous film. Alex Honnold is a free climber who lives out of his van and dreams of climbing El Capitan at Yosemite State Park. Facing death with every grip and foot hold, Honnold finds peace and purpose on the faces of these mountains. It's also so incredibly shot thanks to the talented people at National Geographic.
1.)
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)Who knew that Arcade Game World Records could be so interesting, and also so catty. Billy Mitchell is the record holder for many arcade games until Steve Wiebe submits a tape that would become the new world record. However, there's a lot of push back from Mitchell's cronies who want to keep the king of Donkey Kong on top. The lengths they go to discredit Wiebe are absurd and Mitchell comes off as one of the great villains in cinema history.
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