Essential Documentaries

40 documentaries

A starting point: the documentaries most worth seeing first.

Where to start if you're new to documentaries, or want to fill the gaps. These are the films everything else gets compared to. The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War and Free Solo are a good first weekend.

Dear Zachary poster
1

Dear Zachary

2008 · 1h 34m

8.594%
Free Solo poster
2

Free Solo

2018 · 1h 40m

8.197%
The Thin Blue Line poster
3

The Thin Blue Line

1988 · 1h 43m

7.9100%
The Fog of War poster
4

The Fog of War

2003 · 1h 47m

8.096%
Man on Wire poster
5

Man on Wire

2008 · 1h 34m

7.7100%
The Jinx poster
6

The Jinx

2015 · 12 eps

8.6
O.J.: Made in America poster
7

O.J.: Made in America

2016 · 7h 47m

8.9100%
For Sama poster
8

For Sama

2019 · 1h 40m

8.598%
Hoop Dreams poster
9

Hoop Dreams

1994 · 2h 54m

8.398%
They Shall Not Grow Old poster
10

They Shall Not Grow Old

2018 · 1h 39m

8.299%
Inside Job poster
12

Inside Job

2010 · 1h 49m

8.298%
Apollo 11 poster
13

Apollo 11

2019 · 1h 33m

8.199%
13th poster
14

13th

2016 · 1h 40m

8.297%
The Act of Killing poster
15

The Act of Killing

2012 · 2h 39m

8.296%
Senna poster
16

Senna

2010 · 1h 46m

8.493%
When We Were Kings poster
17

When We Were Kings

1996 · 1h 29m

7.9100%
Searching for Sugar Man poster
18

Searching for Sugar Man

2012 · 1h 25m

8.295%
The King of Kong poster
19

The King of Kong

2007 · 1h 23m

8.097%
Citizenfour poster
20

Citizenfour

2014 · 1h 53m

8.096%
Jiro Dreams of Sushi poster
21

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

2011 · 1h 22m

7.899%
Going Clear poster
22

Going Clear

2015 · 2h

8.095%
Exit Through the Gift Shop poster
23

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2010 · 1h 26m

7.996%
Bowling for Columbine poster
24

Bowling for Columbine

2002 · 2h

7.995%
Amy poster
25

Amy

2015 · 2h 8m

7.896%
Making a Murderer poster
26

Making a Murderer

2015 · 20 eps

8.5
Touching the Void poster
27

Touching the Void

2003 · 1h 46m

7.993%
Capturing the Friedmans poster
29

Capturing the Friedmans

2003 · 1h 47m

7.697%
American Movie poster
30

American Movie

1999 · 1h 44m

7.894%
Icarus poster
31

Icarus

2017 · 2h 1m

7.992%
Three Identical Strangers poster
32

Three Identical Strangers

2018 · 1h 37m

7.696%
Grizzly Man poster
33

Grizzly Man

2005 · 1h 43m

7.893%
Restrepo poster
34

Restrepo

2010 · 1h 33m

7.497%
Grey Gardens poster
35

Grey Gardens

1975 · 1h 35m

7.595%
Stories We Tell poster
36

Stories We Tell

2012 · 1h 49m

7.594%

Know one that belongs here? Suggest a documentary