This is it. The end of the lists. Finally! So the other day I posted the best documentaries of the decade as selected by a group of acclaimed documentary filmmakers. Now, we’ve got The Documentary Blog’s own top 50 docs of the decade. I was originally aiming for 25 but I just couldn’t cut it down, so 50 will have to do. Let me stress that this list represents my own personal opinion and nothing more. Hopefully some people can use this as a starting point to check out some great films. Feel free to share your own lists in the comments and let me know what I missed! One thing’s for sure; it has been a great decade for documentaries!
50. Rize (LaChapelle, 2005) — Trailer
49. The Smashing Machine (Hyams, 2002) — Trailer
48. Lost in La Mancha (Fulton & Pepe, 2002) — Trailer
47. Dig! (Timoner, 2004) — Trailer
46. Protagonist (Yu, 2007) — Trailer
45. Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story (Berger & Klores, 2005) — Trailer
44. Bowling for Columbine (Moore, 2002)
43. Rank (Hyams, 2006) — Trailer
42. Our Daily Bread (Geyrhalter, 2005) — Trailer
41. Helvetica (Hustwit, 2007) — Trailer
40. New World Order (Meyer & Neel, 2009) — Trailer
39. Best Worst Movie (Stephenson, 2009) — Trailer
38. The Cove (Psihoyos, 2009) — Trailer
37. Kurt Cobain: About a Son (Schnack, 2006) — Trailer
36. Tyson (Toback, 2008) — Trailer
35. Anvil! The Story of Anvil (Gervasi, 2008) — Trailer
34. When the Levee’s Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (Lee, 2006)
33. Bus 174 (Padilha & Lacerda, 2002)
32. God Grew Tired of Us (Quinn & Walker, 2006) — Trailer
31. The Bridge (Steel, 2006) — Trailer
30. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (Kuenne, 2008) — Trailer
29. 9/11 (Hanlon, Klug & Naudet, 2002) — Clip
28. The White Diamond (Herzog, 2004) — Clip
27. Deep Water (Osmond & Rothwell, 2006) — Trailer
26. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (Nelson, 2006) — Trailer
25. Murder on a Sunday Morning (de Lestrade, 2001)
24. Hell House (Ratliff, 2001) — Trailer
23. Dark Days (Singer, 2000) — Trailer
22. Billy the Kid (Venditti, 2007) — Trailer
21. Crazy Love (Klores & Stevens, 2007) — Trailer
20. Young @ Heart (Walker & George, 2007) — Trailer
19. Fog of War (Morris, 2003) — Trailer
18. Zoo (Devor, 2007) — Trailer
17. Stevie (James, 2002) — Trailer
16. Man on Wire (Marsh, 2008) — Trailer
15. Spellbound (Blitz, 2002) — Trailer
14. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Gordon, 2007) — Trailer
13. This American Life (Series) (Glass, 2007) — Trailer
12. Standard Operating Procedure (Morris, 2008) — Trailer
11. Touching the Void (Macdonald, 2003) — Trailer
10. Lake of Fire (Kaye, 2006) — Trailer
9. Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (Berlinger & Sinofsky, 2004) — Trailer
8. Encounters at the End of the World (Herzog, 2007) — Trailer
7. Manda Bala (Send a Bullet) (Kohn, 2007) — Trailer
6. The Staircase (de Lestrade, 2004) — Clip
5. Capturing the Friedmans (Jarecki, 2003) — Trailer
4. The English Surgeon (Smith, 2007) — Trailer
3. Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (Berlinger & Sinofsky, 2000) — Clip
2. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (Feuerzeig, 2005) — Trailer
1. Grizzly Man (Herzog, 2005) — Trailer
Thanks for putting the list together Jay, gonna start ticking them off slowly now, hopefully most are on iTunes.
No 49 Up? Do you even like documentaries?
Nice, finally a list I can take to go through some classics.
#30 would be my #1, but #1 would be my #2. Great list, Jay.
Jim the Movie Freak
These are some great ones! I love when you post lists like these because I always end up finding something I haven’t seen yet. Thanks, Jay!
Matthew my dear: I considered 49 Up but I feel that film works best as a series along with the others, so I will be saving it for my updated ‘best of all time’ type list.
BTW….I miss you. And your Dr.Pepper too.
Nice call on Manda Bala – I’d forgotten about that one.
Missing tv documentaries
Great list, Jay as I agree with you on many choices.
Anyway, three docs are missing and I don’t know if you’ve seen them and if you have not you should do so as I consider both to be outstanding.
First one is MY KID COULD PAINT THAT (2007) which is about a very young girl who creates all those abstract paintings. It has been discussed whether she got some advice or more form her dad and it’s also a film about the value of art plus about the value of documentaries as the filmmaker reflects on his own work during the film. Very entertaining and thought-provoking stuff, Jay. I am sure you like it!
Second one is CHILDREN UNDERGROUND (2001) which depicts life of a group of Romanian street kids. This is very hard to watch and it left my quite depressed. Anyway I think it’s a film one should not miss as you really get an idea how life on the streets could be like (I guess to know it can only be gained if really doing it). The filmmaker shows the whole complexity of this topic as the kids are mostly runaways. Maybe you cannot believe how they can live under the conditions shown in the film but getting deeper into the background of the kids one begins to understand.
Third one being HOME (2009) which focusses on pur planet. Using only shots taken from high above it’s an awesome looking love letter to earth. It works very much with the combination of stunning imagery and music which I think you really like (in filmjunk you often mention how much music affects you in docs, like Philip Glass or Brian Eno). And it shows the danger mankind has created to its home. Totally without all those figures and data Guggenheim used in his film but ony with imagery and narration. It’s my #1 doc of the decade.
btw: as PARADISE LOST 2 ranks that high on your list. Have you watched the first part? I think it’s so much better as it wasn’t taking any sides. That the second part did and I really disliked that. It’s just an exploitation-flick about this pitiful guy.
Here’s a short list of my favorite docs of the decade:
01. HOME (2009)
02. MY KID COULD PAINT THAT (2007)
03. JESUS CAMP (2006)
04. SPELLBOUND (2002)
05. THE COVE (2009)
06. ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD (2007)
07. CHILDREN UNDERGROUND (2001)
08. MAN ON WIRE (2008)
09. ETRE ET AVOIR (2000)
10. THE KING OF KONG (2007)
11. CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (2003)
12. THE WHITE DIAMOND (2004)
13. INSIDE DEEP THROAT (2004)
14. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006)
15. DELIVER US FROM EVIL (2006)
[…] Sinofsky, 2000) 2. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (Feuerzeig, 2005) 1. Grizzly Man (Herzog, 2005) The Documentary Blog’s Top 25 Documentaries of the Decade – The Documentary Blog __________________ {EVAN} ::: POSTERS […]
[…] Cheel’s The Documentary Blog lays it in with purpose – “Grizzly Man,” Number […]
But do you miss our late night trips to Wal-Mart?
*sigh*
One of these days I need to be on the Film Junk podcast so I can ask Greg if you seductively touch him every time you sit down, or if that was just your special gift to me.
I think “Mad Hot Ballroom” needs to be on this list.
Thanks Jay, this will guide my netflix queueing for the next few months.
Great list
I especially agree with
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (Nelson, 2006) 
Murder on a Sunday Morning (de Lestrade, 2001)
Billy the Kid (Venditti, 2007) 
Crazy Love (Klores & Stevens, 2007)
Lake of Fire (Kaye, 2006)
The English Surgeon (Smith, 2007)
but what about No End in Sight
the best and definitive film on the invasion of Iraq
Oh thanks JayC for providing me , such a collection of classics. I really love to watch some reality videos and nothing is better than documentaries
Rolf: I did enjoy My Kid Could Paint That, but couldn’t find a spot for it on my list. I also liked The Children Underground. I have yet to watch Home, but it’s on my to-do list.
I have seen the first Paradise Lost and I enjoy it quite a bit. However, it seems as though I’m one of the few people who prefers part 2. I think Revelations sums up much of the content of part one while providing a more character driven experience. I always prefer character over plot and I’m not offended by a doc filmmaker taking advantage of cinematic conventions in their storytelling.
Jenny: I wasn’t really a fan of No End in Sight. I prefer a more personal, character driven experience. I enjoyed The War Tapes.
American Movie and Supersize Me could feel right at home on this list.
Honorable mention to King of Kong.
I’ve seen only a handful of these, so I’ve got to get going, but given what you’ve said on the podcast, I would’ve thought you would have MAN ON WIRE higher up. Still a great list, though.
I love Grizzly Man and watch it a couple of times per year. Man, I wish I could hear that tape! Do you think that crazy chick really destroyed it?
Grizzlyman is a true masterpiece..
herzog is a genius..
Great list Jay
WHERE THE FUCK IS NO DIRECTION HOME? DOCUMENTARY BLOG IS FAIL
Kudos for the inclusion of the The English Surgeon.
Excellent list, although “Dear Zachary” would be my number one also!
What about The Carter doc Lil Wayne’s Documentary
i mean if ur going with Metallica Wayne’s is a hell lot better
What about Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control? Also, Project Grizzly is phenomenal.
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[…] The Documentary Blog’s Top 50 Documentaries of the Decade […]
anyone saw the fall of fujmori if you like mala bala youll like this one to, i personally think the the fall of fujmori was a bit better
Where is Objectified? I am surprised you don’t have it on your list. Most people I know who watched the film enjoyed it more than Helvetica.
I personally liked Helvetica better because it was a bit technical and offered a cross-cultural/historical view point. I think designers would find the latter film more engaging because the ideas raised are more conceptual and philosophical.
Also on Grizzly Man; I remember watching it at school in 2006 and thinking it was a good film but never realizing how good it actually was.
Don’t you just hate people with opinions.
Here isn’t my list because I know nobody really cares about people who comment in blogs. If your list is so superior make your own fucking blog.
Cheers Jay great Job, although “The white diamond” would be my number one. MEGA LOLZ ROFLCOPTER etc….
After watching The White Diamond by Herzog I was craving more awesome documentaries, and your blog was one of the first results for “best documentaries”. I was excited to find a list which also appreciated Herzog’s masterpieces, and I will definitely be checking out a bunch of these.
Thanks!
What a great list!
I found your list about two weeks ago and saw King of Kong because it was listed. It was terrific.
I have emailed recommendations as “MUST SEES” for K of K and English Surgeon to many in the last few days, and am glad I could tell them about these great movies.
These because of your great blog, thank you very much.
You might want to see The Man Who Souled the World, I think it and Dog Town and Z Boys would both be in my top 50 list.
CHEERS!
check out Big River Man. great character documentary.
1. dark days
2. the bridge
3. the devil and daniel johnston
Great site, Thanks for building a blog specifically for us Documentary nuts!
really glad to see touching the void on there. for me personally my favourite type of documentaries are those that cover incredible feats of humans that are pushed to the extremes. if Void makes it then ‘the beckoning silence’ must also. told by joe simpson from void it is a truly fascinating story set on the Eiger in the alps.
1. Touching the void
2. HOME
3. The beckoning silence
4. Grizzly man
5. Man on wire
I love ‘ The kid stays in the picture’
Also- Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Jackpot! Thank you!
great list, but somebody needs to mention these classics!!
salesman
grey gardens
silverlake life – the view from here
sans soleil
hoop dreams
gates of heaven
streetwise
southern comfort
sorrow and pity
devils playground
titticut follies (everything frederick wiseman)
black tar heroin
harlan county USA
shoah
my flesh and blood
sound and fury
word wars
saltmen of tibet
ahh
“best documentaries of the decade”
doh
I have to say I absolutely love doumentaries also. I love when a documentary makes you think about it for day and weeks after you have seen it. I would have put “Billy the Kid alot higher up on the list and also added “Sister Helen” an unconventional nun determined to help substance abusers in the South Bronx.
Love it.
Also, if you are looking for an objective argument as to why weed is illegal/why it should be legal with celebrities, doctors, real people (not just hippies so they can get high all the time) watch:
The Union: The Business Behind Getting High.
Good stuff
Why no Murder Ball?
I also love Confessions of a Super Hero. Have you seen these two films? What’s your take on them?
[…] Ideas for Documentaries Filed under: Uncategorized — ehogshead @ 4:17 am http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2010/01/05/the-documentary-blogs-top-25-documentaries-of… […]
Children of the Decree..
For music documentaries I would add
Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King
We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
and Air Guitar Nation
For documentaries about fascinating artists I would add
In the Realms of the Unreal
Monster Road
The Revolution will not be Televised is one of all time favourites. It was shot by two Irish film-makers who were inside the Venezuelan Presidential Palace during the 2003 CIA-backed coup. It still sends shivers down my spine when I watch it.
Groovy list … have seen many on your list (Dear Zachary is by far, my fav) and others I have not (but adding to my Netflix que now).
If you haven’t seen “Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo” or “Winnebago Man” – rent them now. Pronto.
Umm…HOOP DREAMS…hello?
@Shawn Hoop Dreams was made in 1994
The White Diamond would be my number 1
I would also put Jandek On Corwood on the list
One that I haven’t seen on here yet but would definitely be high in my list (like, within my top two or three) is Into the Arms of Strangers (2000).
This is sophomoric.
The protagonist should be higher.
The king of kong is entertaining but top fifty, get real.
Terrors advocate isn’t even on your list, pathetic, where is the panama deception?
The fog of war is 19, but where is errol morris, you’re obvioulsy a step away from offering werner herzog a bj but for shit’s sakes, where’s errol morris? Mr. Death, the thin blue line, holy shit, did i say the thin blue line?
Man, i’m going to check out some of your stuff, but this is a top fifty, not the “fifty i’ve seen”.
How about “A Touch of Greatness”.
That’s it i’m done, Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
And just in case you didn’t know, I send no good tiding to your mother.
Dean
yeah, the bridge, forget it i’m done, seriously, no good tidings
aww hell, didn’t see “of the decade”. For my partial defense, it wasn’t what was said in the google search.
Some of what i said rings true, but but chicken butts.
dean
Thanks for the great comments and suggestions Dean!
I will send your regards to my Mother.
Jay
Great List … but how can Why We Fight not be on this list it’s beyond comprehension …
Loose Change?
Intimidad. I think this is unfortunately overlooked.
Incredible : http://www.lesinrocks.com/scripts/concours_speciaux/fredperry/vote.php?id=138&grp=Venustre&img=venustre.bmp
Great list! Slowly working my way through it, i watched ‘The English Surgeon’ lastnight it was terrific!
I feel ‘Up the Yangtze’ should be on this list too
There’s this shocking documentary called ‘Catfish’. Watch the trailer here:
http://bit.ly/anE6RZ
Where’s SHOAH?
great list thanks for sharing.
Weapons of mass deception. Check it out please.It’s my number 1 of this decade for sure.
Excellent list, Jay. Thank you!
Grizzy Man is superb.
I would have included “My Flesh and Blood” too.
have you seen Trouble the Water, if not i think you would like it. thanks for this blog!
LIFE OF CRIME 2
[…] For the more documentaries try the Netflix Top 25 Documentaries or check out the Documentary Blog. […]
Great list! I’ve seen a few of these, but will start making my way down the list.
Zen and Zero is a great documentary. Also, Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist.
Zen and Zero is my all time favorite I think. Sick was just disturbing and unforgettable. But somehow ironically sad and inspirational, after all.
Great list though! I have seen most of them and the ones I have not seen I will see now after reading this list.
[…] TOP 50 […]
Great list but I also love these in no particular order:
Born into Brothels
Poverty
The Corporation
Shark Water
Ghosts of Rwanda
Oh yeah and I totally forgot about Boy Interrupted
I love the list the only two I would add because I have seen all these on your list is The Trials of Darryl Hunt and American Experience The Murder of Emmett Till both are just priceless examples of reality and very character driven.
I to loved Paradise lost 2 better, to me it showcased the truth and the struggle of the people where as the first was one sided in my viewpoint and done in a more text book way where as two felt personal.
where is Garbage warrior, Super size me, Jesus camp, Home, Food inc and most of all Zeitgeist
My Top 6 for the decade would be
1-ĂŠtre et Avoir
2-Jesus camp
3-Stone Reader
4-The Fog of War
5-No Direction Home
6-Man On Wire
7-The Cove
8-Art & Copy
9- It Might Get Loud
10- Grizzly Man
but thats just my personal taste
Great list
hoop dreams should be on there though. top 10
Really useful list. Thanks man.
A few things that didn’t get a mention which are exceptional:
Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator
Dogtown and Z-Boys
The Kid Stays in the Picture
Here’s a few more…
Occupation 101
Martial Law 9-11: Rise of the Police State
ENDGAME: Blueprint for Global Enslavement
The Obama Deception
Fall Of The Republic: The Presidency Of Barack H Obama
TERRORSTORM
Reflections & Warnings: An Interview With Aaron Russo
Police State 4: The Rise Of FEMA
Camp FEMA
The 9/11 Chronicles Part One: Truth Rising
Movies that aren’t exactly documentaries but dramas/thrillers/horrors based on true events…
The Killing Room
The Experiment [American Version]
Das Experiment [German Version]
i enjoyed alot of the docos on this list
one which hasnt been mentioned yet which i alsoreally like is
Pedal
its about bike messengers and is easily in my top ten
where is “The City Of Photographers”?!?!
I must be strange, none of the documentaries that came to mind have been mentioned:
Dancing Outlaw + The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
Anvil
Air Guitar Nation
American Movie (1999)
Overnite (2003)
Exit Thru the Gift Shop
Sweet Misery
Fat Head
Sicko
King Corn
Future Of Food
WordPlay
Beyond the Mat
Bigger Stronger Faster
Scared Straight
Michael Apted’s Up
Zero 9/11
Out Of The Blue
The Yes Men
Hearts of Darkness
Confessions of a Superhero
The Forgotten Woman
Born Into Brothels
There was also a great tv show featuring a series of short documentaries (not Errol Morris, Ken Burns), some dorky looking british guy and covered things like porn, kkk, etc. Very good stuff too!
Finally not quite a doc, but still good: sea inside
i agree, 49 up has to be in there
Ohh wow! this is really an awesome blog for documentary movies. I saw very few documentary movies and desperate to watch a good documentary movies. Thanks for sharing guys.
I put Salesman on my list.
Doesn’t it matter that large chunks of A Fist Full of Quarters was fabricated, that he edited the story in a way that was totally inadiquate?
“Capitalism, A Love Story” has to be in there too.
C’mooooooon, ya gotta have “Murderball” on this list.
Earthlings!
My own experience with documentaries is woefully lacking, but I would like to say that Heavy Metal in Baghdad was surprisingly entertaining. Don’t know if it’s top 50 material, but worth checking out. Thanks for giving me a great place to start watching!
Best for me is Michael Glawogger’s Workingman’s Death. Give it a try, I’m sure it’ll make it into your top 5.
Forgot “In the Realms of the Unreal”, documentary about famous outsider artist Henry Darger, directed by Jessica Yu.
why do i not see zeitgeist, Zeitgeist Addendum, loose change, esoteric agenda or America freedom to fascism on any list anywhere on the internet
Thank you for the list. I am working my way through the ones I have not seen (from the list and from the comments — thanks everyone).
Allow me to offer: Prodigal Sons.
I don’t think I blinked once through the entire thing.
And I agree with tanya from 8.26.19 about Trouble the Water. One of the best things I’ve ever seen.
“When we were kings” about the greatest of all time the great Mohammad Ali. Should at least be on the top 5
[…] TOP 50 […]
These are really rare but awesome if you can find them:
“A year in the life of crime” parts 1 and 2.Directed by Jon Alpert HBO.
Jon follows 2 petty criminals for 10 years.Amazing.
“Titicut follies” directed by Fredric Weisman.Mental institution in the 60″s.Harsh.
What a great list!!!
thanks for this!!
greetz from the netherlands
Hi great list! But you really should have links to the full documentary to watch, otherwise it’s useless.. thanks for trying anyway.
How can “Smartest People in the Room” not even crack the top 50?
What about Fudge 44.. about creatures spotted in Tokyo in the nineties.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jac2-XMGd1w
You’re missing “Hands on a Hard Body” My personal favorite.
god metallica is so overrated in every way..
I can’t believe Sharkwater is not on this list! Absolute amazing cimetography for a good cause- you will look at sharks differently after watching it!
Great list.
If you can, see One Man Village — truly a piece of art.
The first full feature documentary filmed in HD 3D is about to be released.
The 100 year old chief. http://www.100yearoldchief3dfilm.com/
The trailer looks really good.
http://vimeo.com/16911187
Thanks for the list.
“The Bridge”, “Dear Zachery”, “Man On Wire”, and “Grizzly Man” lingered long in the soul after the final credits. I would echo previous posters in recommending “Deliver us from evil”.
Looking forward to revisting a few on the list and introducing myself to the rest.
Thank you
wow really… Grizzly man was your #1 that was the worst documentary iv ever seen in my life. it was just a fucking retard thinking he was a bear. oooo real compelling story there… your an idiot sir. that documentary shouldnt even be on the list
Nice list.
I really liked “Planet B-Boy” also.
Just wanted to pass along a thank you for the great resource. Documentaries are my favorite movies. I’ve seen some on the list and am very excited to see a lot more on the list you provided. Very much appreciated!
Thanks for the great list.
Thanks for making this list. I’ll make sure to check the documentaries you listed.
In my opinion there are several documentaries missing in this list that should be in the top 50 or so in any list:
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
An Inconvenient Truth
No End in Sight
Murderball
Deliver Us from Evil
Food Inc.
Born into Brothels
March of the Penguins
Trouble the Water
Burma VJ
Super Size Me
Tupac: Resurrection
Jesus Camp
Darwin’s Nightmare
The Weather Underground
I also personally think “Encounters at the End of the World” was a waste of time.
You truly are a legend mate! ths is gonna keep me going for ages! Cheers.
Good list but American Movie must be on any list of best documentaries.
I agree, but it wasn’t made between 2000-2010. This is a best docs of the decade list.
Thank you so much for this list! I watched “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” and it was such a moving film. Thank you!
Fail. As before, Zeitgeist (the most watched doc online EVER?)& Addendum, Esoteric Agenda, Age of the Self, Ring of Power, i could go on..
Best art/mainstream ‘Monica del Raval’ Autobiography of a whore (not porn, fascinating look into the life of a random spanish woman, who also happens to be ‘entertaining’ to the eye – and is a prostitute)
Pharmacratic Inquisition as well
To Cha Cha and everyone else pushing Zeitgeist: While I think the internet has created some sensational and oddly addictive viewing content, films like Zeitgeist are, in my opinion, generally poorly made, poorly designed, uninspired, ugly pieces of shit. If that’s the future of documentary filmmaking (which it isn’t), I’ll just blow my face off right here and now.
Having said that, to each his own! I’ve gotten some enjoyment out of stuff like Loose Change, although I would NEVER consider it great or important filmmaking. Those videos have the cinematic vision of an episode of Dateline NBC. I would never include them on a best of the decade list. I DID however include Luke Meyer and Andrew Neel’s New World Order, which is awesome and definitely worth checking out. Less about the conspiracy theories, more about the conspiracy theorists.
Thanks for this list! I was happy that 13 of the titles are available to watch for free on streaming Netflix! I’ve seen 10 of them and am looking forward to watching more. “The Bridge” is one of my very favorites!
I think the documentaries are just great not even one all of them
My top 10 (about to watch Murder on a Sunday Morning, Murderball, The Cove and Grizzly Man…so it could change).
1.The King of Kong (brilliant stuff)
2.Farenheit 9/11
3.Jonesville:The life and death of the people’s temple
4.Religulous
5.Capitalism a love story
6.Jesus Camp
7.Bowling for Colombine
8.Spellbound
9.Tyson
10.Sicko
Where is Zeitgeist??
180° South would have been my number one….exit through the gift show was amazing as well
[…] Documentaries Blog Posted a list of the 50 best documentaries. Im going to try and work my way through them. Lets see how far I get before I start to hate the world. […]
You can drop the Moore docs, especially Bowling and add:
-Bigger, Stronger, Faster
-Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator
-The Staircase
-I am Trying to Break Your Heart
-Overnight
65 Red Roses will be on this list once it reaches the US and more people from the US are able to see it.
PLEASE
go to
http://www.65redroses.com
and order the DVD / watch the documentary / spread the word
DIG! Would be in the Number ONE !
American Movie? No? Seriously.
You all forgot about 2 of my faves! “Exit Through the Gift Shop” and “Beautiful Losers”! Also, no “Food Inc.?” BUT, excited to check out “Grizzly Man” even though I’m sure it’ll turn me into a blubbering mess… Kickin’ list, there’s a bunch on there to check out on Netflix… a few are even streaming:)
No Food, Inc?
“THE THIN BLUE LINE” by Errol Morris is the best documentary ever!!!
It is a must see for all.
plus, for all docu lovers out there. check out Frontline…just brilliant work.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/?utm_campaign=homepage&utm_medium=topnav&utm_source=topnav
Watched a few more and my top 10 has changed to:
1.The Staircase
2.The King of Kong
3.Grizzly Man
4.Murder On a Sunday Morning
5.Farenhiet 9/11
6.Jonesville:The life and death of the people’s temple
7.Religulous
8.Capitalism a love story
9.Jesus Camp
Jnt.10.Bowling for Colombine/Collapse
1. The Last Days of Left-eye.
Hands down.
and nobody mentions it….
that’s it. She predicts her death soon and then it is caught on tape at the end….are you kidding.. this doc stayed with me for years…Good vs Evil fight to the end….
Paul Watson….Dennis O’rourke…Phil Grabsky eg The Boy Who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan…Anthony Thomas…Alex Gibney.
A few that I didn’t see on the list.
Tarnation is a highly emotional and personal documentary that was 20 years in the making.
Grey Gardens is a haunting and affectionate portrait of an unconventional lifestyle.
The UP Series is in my opinion the most remarkable and poignant use of the documentary format. It literally watches and tracks not only human growth, but society’s growth and change. A document for the ages.
What about:
Herb & Dorothy
Confessions of Superhero
Iranian Kidney Bargain Sale
Friends of God & Trials of Ted Haggard with Alexandra Pelosi
My Flesh and Blood
12th & Delaware
Cracked Not Broken
Every F-ing Day of My Life
Life and Death of a Serial Killer, the Aileen Wuornos Story
Gasland
Born Into Brothels
At the Death House Door
Deliver Us From Evil
Red Without Blue
Outrage
Which Way Home
Thank you for listing the Bridge, Dear Zachary, Dark Days, Man on Wire and Grizzly Man…those are definitely some of the best docs out there. Almost all the ones I listed above either seriously moved me or haunted me for months after seeing them….much like Capturing the Friedmans which took a really long time to get out of my head. That movie is pretty close to epitomizing the word haunting and unsettling for me.
Some others that are worth mentioning:
I Know I’m Not Alone
The Corporation
If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise/When The Levees Broke
Food, Inc.
Earthlings, Torture & Testing with Joaquin Phoenix (REALLY disturbing)
This has inspired me to create my own list, thanks! I’m a HUGE documentary fan…a docuphile if you will.
Children Underground is great…I know I saw it mentioned above.
Check out Chernobyl Heart and Random Lunacy from the Road Less Traveled.
I’ve already added a whole bunch to my queue from your list and some comments. THANKS!
I second your opinion on Zeitgeist…it’s not for docuphiles.
Hello Jay, I´m writting from Brazil. Have you seen “Estamira”? I really believe you´d like it. But you probably did anyway… Thanks for the list and the blog.
I challenge anyone to watch this whole documentary and not be moved when it is over.
“Arna’s Children”…..you can watch the whole thing on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6EXrA3UFwM
I was wondering if anyone here would help me track a documentary I saw years ago. I remember it was about capitalism, production and social inequality. It is quite unique in the sense that it is all in a music/soudtrack version, all the information is passed through different beats and songs….one particular part its basically a verse repeating: rice, beans, rice and beans.
I know this is a long shot, but could anyone help?
Too bad that in the top Food Inc. its not listed . Im sure it could get a place in it but , people who made the top didnt consider it interesting for the society . But how can be that ? Is food not important ?
~ Flow for the love of water ~
@daniel
Maybe Koyaanisqatsi?
Exit through the gift shop ?
Two of my favorites which haven’t been mentioned here:
RIP: A Remix Manifesto & The Green Wave
Hello World.. I am …….
What about Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey? I mean, if a documentary on Metallica is going to make the list, why wouldn’t this one make it?
The Business of Being Born is a great doc
In my opinion, The History Channell produces the best documentaries, but whenever I see a list anywhere of the best documentaries nothing produced on the History Channel ever makes the list – why is that?
Jamie Paszko, Publisher, Film Slate Magazine
I just have to second Born Into Brothels. I watched it 3 weeks ago and I still think about it every day.
Tnx for this list, and this wonderful comments from all of this people..
I also think that ‘Grizzly man’ is overrated,and please update this list with documentaries in 2010 and 2011.
It’s almost entertaining how upset everyone is getting about this list.
If you don’t like it…who cares!
If I made a documentary I’d call it: ‘Bored To Tears: The Day I Judged Someone’s List Because It Wasn’t The Same As Mine’.
It would be about a bunch of lonely internet surfers who have rubbed out one too many and now out of complete and utter boredom they cruise the internet in search of a list that doesn’t compare to their own. In which case they then begin to whine about it in the comments for ages and ages until it becomes a pain in the arse for anybody who accidentally reads it, and probably even more of a pain in the arse for the person who wrote the original article as they probably get an email to alert them every time some moron doesn’t quite agree with numbers 2,7,14, and thinks 9 and 10 are the wrong way around.
Move on with your lives!
Fantastic site… Thanks to others who have included their recommendations as well, as I will enjoy checking out the ones I haven’t seen. Every person will have their own list and everyone’s list is correct… Why? Because we all have different tastes and interests, and some films will affect some people more than others…
Thank you for this list! And I have bee dying of laughter at all the people who visit this blog and get offended that the author didn’t list THEIR OWN favorite documentaries….how dare the author of this site make a list of his own favorites!! What’s wrong with you, Jay? Everyone, if you don’t like his list GO MAKE YOUR OWN. This is not a definitive, world list or ruling that only the above documentaries are worth noting for the past decade. It’s only one person’s opinion, a person who went to the trouble of watching and writing up his opinions. You’re (that’s right, it’s you’re not your) all incredible morons. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so embarrassing to see so many whiners.
Rice, beans, rice and beans -> it’s from ‘Surplus – Terrorized into being consumers’
@daniel
sounds like Lucky People Center International.
MARWENCOL ?
great list of documentaries. thanks
[…] weet kunnen je soms verbazen en schokken. Capturing the Friedmans is zo’n documentaire, die in de top 50 van The Documentary Blog werd genoemd. Zonder enige voorkennis besloot ik de film te kijken en Capturing the Friedman […]
The proliferation of documentaries in recent years is a wondrous thing! Thanks to Jay for his original list and thanks to all who added more titles via comments. The master list could easily include 100 docs, just since 2000.
Here are ten more that deserve watching…
Definitely Worthy of inclusion:
FOREVER, Heddy Honigmann, NL, 2006, http://tinyurl.com/34hmng
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS, James Longley, USA, 2006, http://tinyurl.com/2gmc6u
THE SINGING REVOLUTION, James Tusty, USA/Estonia, 2007, http://tinyurl.com/5luzaw
A MAN NAMED PEARL, Scott Galloway, USA, 2008, http://tinyurl.com/5bbycz
THE CATS OF MIRIKITANI, Linda Hattendorf, USA, 2007, http://tinyurl.com/252sbp
Honorable mention:
THE WRECKING CREW, Denny Tedesco, USA, 2008, http://tinyurl.com/nz2e7m
DO NOT GO GENTLY, Melissa Godoy, USA, 2007, http://tinyurl.com/3d76llf
NANKING, Bill Guttentag, USA, 2007, http://tinyurl.com/2w69mw
YOUSSOU N’DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE, Elizabeth Vasarhelyi, Senegal/USA, 2008, http://tinyurl.com/n7sp7h
FULL BATTLE RATTLE, Tony Gerber & Jesse Moss, USA, 2008, http://tinyurl.com/4xfa2bc
~~~~~~~~~~~
[…] and shock you and Capturing the Friedmans is one of those documentaries, which has a spot in The Documentary Blog’s Top 50. Without knowing anything about it I started watching it and its story is shocking. As the […]
[…] and shock you and Capturing the Friedmans is one of those documentaries, which has a spot in The Documentary Blog’s Top 50. Without knowing anything about it I started watching it and its story is shocking. As the […]
Grizzly Man, Winged Migration, Home are one of the best for me. Truly unfogetable films. You can also Watch full documentaries online for free.
Where is Boy Interrupted??? :O
This is a good list of documentaries. I am so stoked for Pearl Jam’s new documentary PJ 20 which is coming out this fall http://www.pj20.com/
You should really have included TV documentaries. I had the opportunity to watch Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children, and it had me weeping on the floor. Too distressing for words. If you have the stomach for it, you can watch it here:
http://documentaryparadise.com/world-documentaries/bulgarias-abandoned-children/
The impact that this documentary had on the European countries that broadcasted it was unprecedented. The Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament were being hammered from all the other countries to fix this issue. In terms of the political impact that it had, this is one of the most groundbreaking documentaries I have ever seen or are likely to see.
I can’t wait to watch a lot of these films. Thursday I’m watching King of Kong. I would recommend GLASTONBURY if you like music festivals and learning about things that have happened over the last three decades (film came out in 2007)
Thank you for the list.
I have now got this list on my blog as test to myself to stretch my own watching experiences.
I would love to see a top 50 best ever if you ever get around to it!
loved the list, mine would be very similar but you must must must watch grey gardens the original 1975 classic, with your humanistic tastes im sure youd love it
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THE DOCUMENTARY is “zeitgeist”. 3 films released to date. Watch them and spread the word. It will help open your eyes. Watch it Sheeple!
Thank you for the list. Gave me some new titles to check out. Would love to see an “all time” list from you.
[…] available on Netflix Instant Streaming. Therefore, I am going to watch and review what some, like The Documentary Blog have called the greatest documentary of the 2000s. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the […]
Thank you so much for this list, both the original list, and the recommendations from all those who commented. I am building up an inventory of good movies and documentaries to share with people once I hit Water World.
Thanks.
Hi, great initial list and comments by all. Rip it up & Manda Bala ( both with great soundtrack ) & Gasland are my top 3.
Not mentioned but some documentaries are very watchable are the http://30for30.espn.com/ series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzixowbbYU
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQXMEhf8EJQ
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SARLsFYdZU4
guys check out this site documentary jungle,http://www.documentaryjungle.com, they have all of the videos listed and good quality too.
WHERE THE FUCK IS SUPER SIZE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t see mentioned anywhere Nick Broomfield’s The Leader, His Driver and the Driver’s Wife – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146983/
I would also argue maybe some of Louis Theroux’s work should feature. Although TV Docs, they are quite often a lot better then docs that make it to the cinema.
I think the best doc of decade is HOME(2007)
I feel your pain. How can you choose only 50? I personally think American Movie and The Kid Stays in the Picture are worth a mention.
Please check: Stranded I’ve Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains (2007) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1157720/. It’s a great doc and tells an amazing survival story. I firmly believe that it should be in your TOP 50 list.
[…] http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2010/01/05/the-documentary-blogs-top-25-documentaries-of… Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. ← Previous post […]
I see no Brothers Keeper; that was phenomonal character/moral portrayal.
If you liked “Fog of War” I recommend checking out “The American Drug War: The Last White Hope” if you haven’t already.
[…] want to share this great list that Jay C from The Documentary Blog created, and which even includes some […]
No love for last train home. Beautiful film with a unique approach and a fascinating subject.
This is a great list. I go back to it time and again. I think I’d have many of the same films on my own list. A few films I would have added are Sweetgrass, Last Train Home, Workingman’s Death, and 45365. Glad to see Manda Bala and Dark Days on the list. A little late to this conversation I suppose. But oh well. I visit the list a lot, so I wanted to chime in!
Sweet list!
“Elsewhere” – Geyerhalter [2007]
“Workingmen’s Death” – Glawogger [2005]
dig?
anybody?
How come THRIVE: What on Earth Will It Take isn’t featured on this list? It is taking the world by storm right now and is available to view, directly from their website, http://www.thrivemovement.com , for FREE.
It is a must-see for every human being on this planet.
The new wave distribution technology they are using, Yekra.com is also pretty fascinating too.
People, check this film out, you WILL NOT be disappointed!
[…] here for the list or have a look at Paste Magazine’s list of the Top 25 documentaries from 2000 […]
King of Kong!
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple was fricking amazing! Have you guys ever done a google search for the jonestown fbi death tape? Will shake you to your bones listening to that man justify the murder of 900+ people , women & children included – i would not recommend it for the light of stomach! Thank you for this top 50 list though, amazing !
I really loved ‘Mardi Gras: Made in China’ ~ http://carnivalesquefilms.com/films/mardigras/
I have liked all of the Carnivalesque films so far as I’ve seen.
Hay thedocumentaryblog!!! GREAT LIST
Craig Huntley (below) mentioned about them being on itunes, but you can stream them from places like DocumentaryON.com
Ive just watched the NUMBER 1 ranked film Grizzly Man for free in FULL!!!
Got the link here if anyone is interested
http://www.documentaryon.com/watch.php?id=89&documentary_name=Grizzly%20Man
Well recommended, its a great DOC!!!
Sorry…but IMO the only thing that makes Grizzly Man a compelling documentary is the shock factor of Timothy Treadwell getting eaten by a bear. The dude was creating a sub-standard documentary and then became a legend because he got to close to a bear and it was “recorded”. Had there been no bear attack would this doc even show up on anyone’s list. To me it’s nothing more than a home video gone really bad. I love the dude’s passion for critters…but it’s really a weak doc. It might make my Top 50…but just “bearly”.
I love the idea of your website. It’s really a smart idea. There’s so many different genres covered in these lists that assigning a chronological order to them gets confusing…but it’s still a really awesome idea, because it makes you think. I’ve seen all of your Top 50 that interest me. I love that you have The Bridge on there. I watched it twice about five years ago. It never leaves your soul after that. Perfectly haunting. I hated it while I watched it…it hurt to watch it…but there’s is a purity to it that lingers afterward.
My additions (random order):
ENRON: The Smartest Guys In The Room
Exit Through The Gift Shop (hoax or not…it’s intriguing)
POWAQQATSI (probably not a doc in the truest sense)
Taxi To The Dark Side
Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy
Inside Job
Why We Fight
Takedowns and Falls
Riding Giants
Gasland
Bush’s War (Frontline/PBS made for TV)
Last Post:
Anything directed/written by Adam Curtis…his stuff rocks…especially “Century of the Self”. The dude weaves concepts together and creates compelling docs that become almost storylike.
Errol Morris…rocks…his stuff almost always contains a musical score by Phillip Glass.
Scott Nobles…has some good stuff.
Good list and a lot of good documentaries in the comment as well! It’s great seeing so many comments, all discussing documentaries.
Good list.
I know it is cool to hate on Michael Moore because he is popular and mainstream, but both Sicko and Fahrenheit 9/11 are incredible and important documentaries. Both should be here. Bowling for Columbine should definitely be higher.
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[…] This is a sort of review blog for documentary films, but I like it because not only is it well made but also, it has a page dedicated to listing the 50 best documentaries. […]
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[…] fiction could conjure up.” The Documentary Blog puts The English Surgeon at No. 4 of their 50 best docs of the decade. Scott Mendelson of the Huffington Post calls Food, Inc. a “humorous and often terrifying […]
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[…] fiction could conjure up.” The Documentary Blog puts The English Surgeon at No. 4 of their 50 best docs of the decade. Scott Mendelson of the Huffington Post calls Food, Inc. a “humorous and often terrifying […]
I’ve seen some of these DOCS on your list and personally I think you left out some real great ones.
1. Dr. Death – The Rise and Fall of Fred Leuchter
2. Crash Reel
3. The Jinx – arguably the best Documentary ever. Way better than the Staircase(in my opinion)
4. Pumping Iron
5. Generation Iron
6. Into Eternity
7. Vice Documentary on Fukishima
8. The Seven Five
9. Going Clear
10. Vice Documentary on killing cancer
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The Documentary Blog » The Documentary Blog’s Top 50 Documentaries of the Decade