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by sloanewednesday-70099 | created - 13 Dec 2020 | updated - 13 Dec 2020 | Public
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1. HyperNormalisation (2016)

166 min | Documentary

Adam Curtis explains how, at a time of confusing and inexplicable world events, politicians and the people they represent have retreated in to a damaging over-simplified version of what is happening.

Director: Adam Curtis | Stars: Adam Curtis, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Victor Gotbaum

Votes: 7,381

2. Requiem for the American Dream (2015)

Not Rated | 73 min | Documentary, Biography, News

Renowned academic and author Noam Chomsky elucidates 10 principles of concentration of wealth and power that have led to unprecedented inequality and the hollowing out of the American middle class.

Directors: Peter D. Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Alan Greenspan, Malcolm X, Richard Nixon

Votes: 9,891 | Gross: $0.13M

3. Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992)

Not Rated | 167 min | Documentary, Biography, War

A film about the noted American linguist/political dissident and his warning about corporate media's role in modern propaganda.

Directors: Mark Achbar, Peter Wintonick | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Mark Achbar, Karin Aguilar-San Juan, Paul Andrews

Votes: 4,937

4. The House I Live In (2012)

Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary

77 Metascore

From the dealer to the narcotics officer, the inmate to the federal judge, a penetrating look inside America's criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy.

Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Eugene Jarecki, David Simon, Shanequa Benitez, William Julius Wilson

Votes: 5,396 | Gross: $0.21M

5. 13th (2016)

TV-MA | 100 min | Documentary, Crime, History

81 Metascore

An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.

Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker, Dolores Canales

Votes: 37,691

6. Why We Fight (2005)

PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary, History, War

68 Metascore

Is American foreign policy dominated by the idea of military supremacy? Has the military become too important in American life? Jarecki's shrewd and intelligent polemic would seem to give an affirmative answer to each of these questions.

Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Gore Vidal, John McCain, Ken Adelman, John Ashcroft

Votes: 10,233 | Gross: $1.44M

7. The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002)

Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary

72 Metascore

A film about the war crimes of the American diplomat, Henry Kissinger.

Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Brian Cox, Henry Kissinger, Anna Chennault, Daniel Davidson

Votes: 2,094 | Gross: $0.52M

8. The Reagans (2020)

TV-PG | 221 min | Documentary, Biography, History

A four-part documentary series that explores the many surprisingly unexamined aspects of the Reagan White House, and how Nancy Reagan's paper-doll image was at odds with the power she ultimately wielded throughout her husband's presidency.

Stars: Maya Wiley, Ron Reagan, Jonathan Alter, Robert Scheer

Votes: 1,140

9. Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010)

R | 118 min | Documentary

68 Metascore

A probing investigation into the lies, greed and corruption surrounding D.C. super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his cronies.

Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, William Branner, Melanie Sloan

Votes: 1,740 | Gross: $0.18M

10. Our Brand Is Crisis (2005)

Unrated | 85 min | Documentary

71 Metascore

A documentary on American political campaign marketing tactics and their consequences.

Director: Rachel Boynton | Stars: Mauricio Balcazar, James Carville, Tad Devine, Stanley Greenberg

Votes: 640 | Gross: $0.17M

11. The Corporation (2003)

Not Rated | 145 min | Documentary, History

73 Metascore

Documentary that looks at the concept of the corporation throughout recent history up to its present-day dominance.

Directors: Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott | Stars: Mikela Jay, Rob Beckwermert, Christopher Gora, Nina Jones

Votes: 21,787 | Gross: $1.88M

12. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

PG-13 | 93 min | Documentary, History

95 Metascore

Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.

Director: Raoul Peck | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X

Votes: 23,517 | Gross: $7.12M

13. Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004)

Unrated | 78 min | Documentary

58 Metascore

Documentary on reported Conservative bias of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC), which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced". Material includes interviews with former FNC employees and the inter-office memos they provided.

Director: Robert Greenwald | Stars: Douglas Cheek, Walter Cronkite, Bob McChesney, Jeff Cohen

Votes: 6,277 | Gross: $0.24M

14. After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News (2020)

TV-MA | 95 min | Documentary

A look at the ongoing threat caused by the phenomenon of "fake news" in the U.S., focusing on the real-life consequences that disinformation, conspiracy theories and false news stories have on the average citizen.

Director: Andrew Rossi | Stars: Jack Burkman, Elizabeth Williamson, Molly McKew, Troy Michalik

Votes: 1,874

15. 537 Votes (2020)

TV-MA | 109 min | Documentary

The international custody battle over six-year old Elian Gonzalez triggers a political earthquake in Miami-Dade County in 2000, swaying the outcome of the presidential election.

Director: Billy Corben | Stars: Ben Affleck, Fernand Amandi, Ann Louise Bardach, Mitchell Berger

Votes: 890

16. One Bright Shining Moment (2005)

Not Rated | 123 min | Documentary

64 Metascore

ONE BRIGHT SHINING MOMENT retraces George McGovern's bold presidential campaign of 1972 - a grassroots campaign that fought for peace and justice, and positioned ideas and people first. But... See full summary »

Director: Stephen Vittoria | Stars: James Abourezk, Warren Beatty, Chip Berlet, Jim Bouton

Votes: 268 | Gross: $0.02M

17. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005)

Not Rated | 98 min | Documentary

71 Metascore

A look at the impact of the retail giant on local communities.

Director: Robert Greenwald | Stars: Lee Scott, Don Hunter, Jon Hunter, Jeremy Hunter

Votes: 4,598

18. Agents of Chaos (2020)

TV-MA | 239 min | Documentary, History

Was there Russian interference in the 2016 election? This two-part documentary directed by Emmy(R) and Academy Award(R) Winner Alex Gibney is a product of years of reporting on that ... See full summary »

Stars: Alex Gibney, John Podesta, Margarita Simonyan, Andrew McCabe

Votes: 1,449

19. Active Measures (2018)

PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary

68 Metascore

Russian president Vladimir Putin attacks the 2016 American presidential election in collaboration with the Trump campaign.

Director: Jack Bryan | Stars: Vladimir Putin, Jeremy Bash, Nina Burleigh, Alexandra Chalupa

Votes: 7,852 | Gross: $1.22M

20. The Panama Papers (2018)

Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary

76 Metascore

A documentary feature film about the biggest global corruption scandal in history, and the hundreds of journalists who risked their lives to break the story.

Director: Alex Winter | Stars: Bastian Obermayer, Katrin Langhans, Frederik Obermaier, Marnia Walker Guevara

Votes: 1,717

21. Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train (2004)

Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary

65 Metascore

The life and times of Howard Zinn: the historian, activist, and author of several classics including "A Peoples History of the United States". Archival footage, and commentary by friend, colleagues and Zinn himself.

Directors: Deb Ellis, Denis Mueller | Stars: Matt Damon, Daniel Berrigan, Howard Zinn, Alice Walker

Votes: 834 | Gross: $0.12M

22. The Weather Underground (2002)

Unrated | 92 min | Documentary, History, War

77 Metascore

The remarkable story of The Weather Underground, radical activists of the 1970s, and of radical politics at its best and most disastrous.

Directors: Sam Green, Bill Siegel | Stars: Lili Taylor, Pamela Z, Jim Lange, Evan White

Votes: 3,769 | Gross: $0.56M

23. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)

PG | 103 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

A heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.

Director: Barbara Kopple | Stars: John L. Lewis, Carl Horn, Norman Yarborough, Logan Patterson

Votes: 6,639

24. The Fog of War (2003)

PG-13 | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, History

87 Metascore

The story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson, Robert McNamara.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Robert McNamara, John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon

Votes: 25,057 | Gross: $4.20M

25. Standard Operating Procedure (2008)

R | 116 min | Documentary, Crime, War

70 Metascore

Errol Morris examines the incidents of abuse and torture of suspected terrorists at the hands of U.S. forces at the Abu Ghraib prison.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Megan Ambuhl Graner, Javal Davis, Ken Davis, Anthony Diaz

Votes: 4,115 | Gross: $0.23M

26. American Dharma (2018)

R | 95 min | Documentary, Biography

62 Metascore

A portrait of controversial political strategist and former Donald Trump advisor, Steve Bannon.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Steve Bannon, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Errol Morris

Votes: 975

27. Hearts and Minds (1974)

R | 112 min | Documentary, History, War

68 Metascore

A startling and courageous landmark documentary that unflinchingly confronted the United States' involvement in Vietnam at the height of the controversy that surrounded it.

Director: Peter Davis | Stars: Tin Chan, Chau Diem, Ngo Dinh Diem, John Foster Dulles

Votes: 6,114 | Gross: $0.03M

28. The Panama Deception (1992)

91 min | Documentary, History, War

A film about the true reasons for the 1989 US invasion of Panama and big media complicity in these activities.

Director: Barbara Trent | Stars: Elizabeth Montgomery, Carlos Cantú, Diviana Ingravallo, Abraham Alvarez

Votes: 1,167 | Gross: $0.31M

29. National Bird (2016)

Unrated | 92 min | Documentary

75 Metascore

Drone whistleblower interviewed about borderless information gathering by the government.

Director: Sonia Kennebeck | Stars: Heather Linebaugh, Daniel Hale, Lisa Ling, Jesselyn Radack

Votes: 720 | Gross: $0.01M

30. Citizenfour (2014)

R | 114 min | Documentary, Biography

88 Metascore

A documentarian and a reporter travel to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Edward Snowden.

Director: Laura Poitras | Stars: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, William Binney, Jacob Appelbaum

Votes: 57,994 | Gross: $2.80M

31. The Shock Doctrine (2009)

Not Rated | 79 min | Documentary, History

An investigation of "disaster capitalism", based on Naomi Klein's proposition that neo-liberal capitalism feeds on natural disasters, war and terror to establish its dominance.

Directors: Mat Whitecross, Michael Winterbottom | Stars: Janine Huard, Ewen Cameron, Naomi Klein, Milton Friedman

Votes: 3,116

32. The Take (2004)

Unrated | 87 min | Documentary

66 Metascore

In the wake of Argentina's economics collapse of 2001, factory workers break into abandoned factories and restart production. Could these pioneers of cooperative ownership be a model for rebuilding Argentina's economy?

Director: Avi Lewis | Stars: Matilde Adorno, Michel Camadessus, Bill Clinton, Gustavo Cordera

Votes: 1,227

33. The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)

Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary

75 Metascore

An exploration of the life and work of Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, former Marine and military strategist, who was responsible for the publication of secret government documents that revealed the truth behind America's involvement in Vietnam.

Directors: Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith | Stars: Peter Arnett, Ben Bagdikian, Ann Beeson, John Dean

Votes: 2,421 | Gross: $0.45M

34. The Yes Men (2003)

R | 83 min | Documentary, Comedy

68 Metascore

Anti-corporate activists travel from conference to conference, impersonating member of the World Trade Organization.

Directors: Dan Ollman, Sarah Price, Chris Smith | Stars: Andreas Bichlbauer, Mike Bonanno, Andy Bichlbaum, Michael Moore

Votes: 6,177 | Gross: $0.20M

35. The Yes Men Fix the World (2009)

87 min | Documentary, Comedy

71 Metascore

Troublemaking duo Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, posing as their industrious alter-egos, expose the people profiting from Hurricane Katrina, the faces behind the environmental disaster in Bhopal, and other shocking events.

Directors: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Kurt Engfehr | Stars: Reggie Watts, Mike Bonanno, Andy Bichlbaum, Richard Ebeling

Votes: 5,207 | Gross: $0.19M

36. The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014)

Unrated | 91 min | Documentary

61 Metascore

Comedy troupe The Yes Men stage phony events and press releases in an effort to bring attention to environmental dangers and corporate greed.

Directors: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Laura Nix | Stars: Mike Bonanno, Andy Bichlbaum, Benadette Chandia Kodili, Albert Mwesigwa

Votes: 792 | Gross: $0.05M

37. South of the Border (2009)

Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary

45 Metascore

A road trip across five countries to explore the social and political movements as well as the mainstream media's misperception of South America while interviewing seven of its elected presidents.

Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Tariq Ali, Tony Blair, Wolf Blitzer, Nelson Bocaranda

Votes: 3,100 | Gross: $0.17M

38. If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (2011)

Unrated | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

65 Metascore

A rare behind-the-curtain look at the Earth Liberation Front, the radical environmental group that the FBI calls America's 'number one domestic terrorist threat.'

Directors: Marshall Curry, Sam Cullman | Stars: Daniel McGowan, Lisa McGowan, Tim Lewis, Kirk Engdall

Votes: 3,317 | Gross: $0.06M

39. Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (2013)

Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography

76 Metascore

A series of interviews featuring linguist, philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky done in hand-drawn animation.

Director: Michel Gondry | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Michel Gondry, Richard Feynman, Michèle Oshima

Votes: 3,682 | Gross: $0.13M

40. Chicago 10 (2007)

R | 110 min | Documentary, Animation, History

69 Metascore

Archival footage, animation, and music are used to look back at the eight anti-war protesters who were put on trial following the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Jeffrey Wright, Nick Nolte, Roy Scheider, Hank Azaria

Votes: 1,429 | Gross: $0.18M

41. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)

Not Rated | 115 min | Documentary, History

79 Metascore

This documentary tells the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, one of the 20th century's most alluring and controversial organizations that captivated the world's attention for nearly 50 years.

Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Blair Anderson, Omar Barbour, Julian Bond, Elaine Brown

Votes: 2,144 | Gross: $0.48M

42. The Thin Blue Line (1988)

Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime

79 Metascore

A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson

Votes: 25,987 | Gross: $1.21M

43. West of Memphis (2012)

R | 147 min | Documentary, Crime

80 Metascore

An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.

Director: Amy Berg | Stars: Jason Baldwin, Damien Wayne Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Michael Baden

Votes: 10,958 | Gross: $0.31M

44. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

R | 127 min | Documentary, Crime, History

61 Metascore

An examination of the social costs of corporate interests pursuing profits at the expense of the public good.

Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, William Black, Jimmy Carter, Elijah Cummings

Votes: 43,880 | Gross: $14.36M

45. Murder on a Sunday Morning (2001)

Not Rated | 111 min | Documentary, Crime

Oscar-winning documentary that documents a murder trial in which a 15-year-old African-American is wrongfully accused of a 2000 murder in Jacksonville, Florida.

Director: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade | Stars: Ann Finnell, Patrick McGuinness, James Williams, Michael Glover

Votes: 4,519

46. The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History

A documentary of the successful career and assassination of San Francisco's first elected gay city supervisor.

Director: Rob Epstein | Stars: Harvey Fierstein, Harvey Milk, Anne Kronenberg, Tory Hartmann

Votes: 6,580 | Gross: $0.01M

47. The Great Hack (2019)

TV-MA | 114 min | Documentary, Biography, History

The Cambridge Analytica scandal is examined through the roles of several affected persons.

Directors: Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim | Stars: Brittany Kaiser, David Carroll, Paul-Olivier Dehaye, Ravi Naik

Votes: 25,027

48. The Century of the Self (2002)

59 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

A documentary about the rise of psychoanalysis as a powerful means of persuasion for both governments and corporations.

Stars: Adam Curtis, Robert Reich, Ann Bernays, Alfred Pritz

Votes: 6,363

49. The Central Park Five (2012)

Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, History

79 Metascore

A documentary that examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park. After having spent between 6 and 13 years each in prison, a serial rapist confessed to the crime.

Directors: Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon | Stars: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana

Votes: 7,937 | Gross: $0.27M

50. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)

R | 106 min | Documentary, Crime, History

82 Metascore

Alex Gibney exposes the haunting details of the USA's torture and interrogation practices during the War in Afghanistan.

Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Brian Keith Allen, Moazzam Begg, Christopher Beiring

Votes: 16,805 | Gross: $0.27M

51. Totally Under Control (2020)

TV-14 | 123 min | Documentary

80 Metascore

An in-depth look at how the United States government handled the response to the COVID-19 outbreak during the early months of the pandemic.

Directors: Alex Gibney, Ophelia Harutyunyan, Suzanne Hillinger | Stars: Alex Azar, Charlie Baker, Scott Becker, Taison Bell

Votes: 3,369

52. Divide and Conquer (2018)

Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography

71 Metascore

A documentary that explores the rise and fall of the late Roger Ailes, from his early media influence on the Nixon presidency to his controversial leadership at Fox News.

Director: Alexis Bloom | Stars: Tony Waag, Babette Bombshell, Catherine Corcoran, John Reardon

Votes: 647 | Gross: $0.04M

53. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

R | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, History

A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall.

Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: John Beard, Tim Belden, Barbara Boxer, George W. Bush

Votes: 20,120

54. Inside Job (2010)

PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary, Crime

88 Metascore

Takes a closer look at what brought about the 2008 financial meltdown.

Director: Charles Ferguson | Stars: Matt Damon, Gylfi Zoega, Andri Snær Magnason, Sigridur Benediktsdottir

Votes: 78,998 | Gross: $4.31M

55. No End in Sight (2007)

Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary, War

89 Metascore

A comprehensive look at the Bush Administration's conduct of the Iraq war and its occupation of the country.

Director: Charles Ferguson | Stars: Campbell Scott, Gerald Burke, Ali Fadhil, Omar Fekeiki

Votes: 8,631 | Gross: $1.43M

56. My Trip to Al-Qaeda (2010)

Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary

Chronicles fundamentalist Islam's rise to power and explores Wright's struggle to maintain his objectivity as a journalist writing about Islamic terror.

Director: Alex Gibney | Star: Lawrence Wright

Votes: 473

57. Money Driven Medicine (2009)

83 min | Documentary

Money-Driven Medicine provides the essential introduction Americans need to become knowledgeable and vigorous participants in healthcare reform.

Director: Andrew Fredericks | Stars: Don Berwick, Larry Churchill, Lisa Lindell, James Weinstein

Votes: 24

58. Water & Power: A California Heist (2017)

PG | 87 min | Documentary

In California's complex water system, a handful of corporate land owners took advantage of a state-engineered system and gained control of the state's most precious public resource, while drought left local homeowners with dry wells.

Director: Marina Zenovich

Votes: 333

59. Dirty Money (2018–2020)

TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Crime

A Netflix Original Series documenting various stories about exposing the greed, corruption, and crime spreading through the global economy.

Stars: Matt Taibbi, Fisher Stevens, Alex Gibney, Fahmi Quadir

Votes: 10,189

60. The Innocence Files (2020)

TV-MA | 64 min | Documentary, Crime

Cases of wrongful conviction that the Innocence Project and organizations within the Innocence Network have worked to highlight and overturn.

Stars: Peter Neufeld, Barry Scheck, Michael West, Gary Wells

Votes: 3,114

61. The Social Dilemma (2020)

PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Drama

78 Metascore

Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking; tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.

Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano

Votes: 89,493

62. The Brink (2019)

Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary

71 Metascore

A fly-on-the-wall chronicle of embattled former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon's global mission to spread extreme nationalism.

Director: Alison Klayman | Stars: Steve Bannon, Sean Bannon, Raheem Kassam, Andy Surabian

Votes: 862 | Gross: $0.11M

63. Get Me Roger Stone (2017)

TV-14 | 92 min | Documentary, Biography

75 Metascore

A documentary exploring the life and career of notorious Republican dirty trickster and longtime Trump adviser, Roger Stone, who helped create the real estate mogul's political career.

Directors: Dylan Bank, Daniel DiMauro, Morgan Pehme | Stars: Roger Stone, Donald Trump, Jane Mayer, Jeffrey Toobin

Votes: 7,734

64. Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn (2019)

TV-MA | 94 min | Documentary

65 Metascore

A look at the life and work of New York power broker Roy Cohn.

Director: Ivy Meeropol | Stars: Cindy Adams, Joey Adams, Peter L. Allen, Noreen Bahring

Votes: 932

65. Where's My Roy Cohn? (2019)

PG-13 | 97 min | Documentary

70 Metascore

Roy Cohn personified the dark arts of American politics, turning empty vessels into dangerous demagogues - from Joseph McCarthy to his final project, Donald J. Trump.

Director: Matt Tyrnauer | Stars: Roy M. Cohn, Ken Auletta, Marie Brenner, Robert Cohen

Votes: 1,210



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