Popular Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 39

The Phenomenon

2020

The Phenomenon

2020
6.3
This documentary examines unidentified aerial phenomenon. With testimony from high-ranking government officials and NASA Astronauts, Senator Harry Reid says it "makes the incredible credible."
Manhatta

1921

Manhatta

1921
6.7
Morning reveals New York harbor, the wharves, the Brooklyn Bridge. A ferry boat docks, disgorging its huddled mass. People move briskly along Wall St. or stroll more languorously through a cemetery. Ranks of skyscrapers extrude columns of smoke and steam. In plain view. Or framed, as through a balustrade. A crane promotes the city's upward progress, as an ironworker balances on a high beam. A locomotive in a railway yard prepares to depart, while an arriving ocean liner jostles with attentive tugboats. Fading sunlight is reflected in the waters of the harbor. The imagery is interspersed with quotations from Walt Whitman, who is left unnamed.
Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story

2005

Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story

2005
Documentary on the life of late Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood.
Down and Out in America

1986

Down and Out in America

1986
6.6
The recession of the 1980s split the country into the haves and have-nots, from family farmers to factory workers and homeless people forced to live in decrepit welfare hotels. On the verge of losing everything, courageous Americans discover the power of community organizing to fight injustice.
Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...

2016

Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...

2016
7.5
This film from acclaimed theater director Lonny Price charts the journey of the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along" in the 30-plus years since the musical debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in 1981.
Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story

2020

Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story

2020
6.1
Chronicles the lives of women who perform the stunts in some of Hollywood’s biggest action sequences — from the early days of silent movies to today’s blockbusters.
Kimjongilia

2009

Kimjongilia

2009
6.2
The first film to fully expose the humanitarian crisis of North Korea, this stylish, deeply moving documentary is centered around astonishing interviews with survivors of North Korea's vast and largely hidden prison camps, and interspersed with archival footage of North Korean propoganda films and original art performances.
Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

2002

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

2002
6.4
The struggle to eradicate apartheid in South Africa has been chronicled over time, but no one has addressed the vital role music plays in this challenge. This documentary by Lee Hirsch recounts a fascinating and little-known part of South Africa's political history through archival footage, interviews and, of course, several mesmerizing musical performances.
Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!

2019

Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!

2019
7
Muckraking filmmaker Morgan Spurlock reignites his battle with the food industry — this time from behind the register — as he opens his own fast food restaurant.
Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking

2021

Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking

2021
6.2
A look at the extraordinary achievements and contemporary legacy of Oscar Micheaux, a pioneer of the African-American film industry.
Maria's Story

1991

Maria's Story

1991
It is El Salvador, 1989, three years before the end of a brutal civil war that took 75,000 lives. Maria Serrano, wife, mother, and guerrilla leader is on the front lines of the battle for her people and her country. With unprecedented access to FMLN guerrilla camps, the filmmakers dramatically chronicle Maria's daily life in the war.
Orlando, My Political Biography

2023

Orlando, My Political Biography

2023
6.9
Virginia Woolf's 1928 novel "Orlando: A Biography" follows the centuries-spanning life of a young nobleman who awakens to find that they are a woman. Almost a century after its publication, Paul B. Preciado claims that fiction has become reality and Orlando's story lies at the root of all contemporary trans and non-binary life.
All These Sons

2021

All These Sons

2021
On Chicago's South and West sides, the scourge of guns and gangs is destroying countless lives. Taking matters into their own hands, two men dedicate their lives educating, empowering and healing young Black men at high risk for being victims—or perpetrators—of deadly gun-violence.
Legion of Brothers

2017

Legion of Brothers

2017
6
Afghanistan, immediately post-9/11: Small teams of Green Berets arrive on a series of secret missions to overthrow the Taliban. What happens next is equal parts war origin story and cautionary tale, illuminating the nature and impact of 15 years of constant combat, with unprecedented access to U.S. Special Forces.
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s

2012

Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s

2012
7.7
A documentary concerning the violent Italian 'poliziotteschi' cinematic movement of the 1970s which, at first glance, seem to be rip-offs of American crime films like DIRTY HARRY or THE GODFATHER, but which really address Italian issues like the Sicilian Mafia and red terrorism. Perhaps even more interesting than the films themselves were the rushed methods of production (stars performing their own stunts, stealing shots, no live sound) and the bleed-over between real-life crime and movie crime.
The State of Texas vs. Melissa

2021

The State of Texas vs. Melissa

2021
5.4
Melissa Lucio was the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death in Texas. For ten years she has been awaiting her fate, and now faces her last appeal.
Half the Picture

2018

Half the Picture

2018
6.6
At a pivotal moment for gender equality in Hollywood, successful women directors talk about their art, lives and careers.
No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon

2003

No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon

2003
1.9
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon have been partners in love and political struggle for fifty years. With incisive interviews, rare archival images and warmhearted humor, Joan Biren's 2003 film reveals their inspiring public work, as well as their charming private relationship. When they courageously launched the Daughters of Bilitis in 1955, it became the first public organization for lesbians in America. Today, these tireless activists are educating both the LGBT and aging movements on the needs of older lesbians.
Darkon

2006

Darkon

2006
6.6
Darkon is an award-winning feature-length documentary film that follows the real-life adventures of the Darkon Wargaming Club in Baltimore, Maryland, a group of fantasy live-action role-playing (LARP) gamers.
Family Fundamentals

2002

Family Fundamentals

2002
3.7
With a rare gift for unflinching impartiality, director Arthur Dong delves into the lives and attitudes of fundamentalist families who actively oppose homosexuality, despite having gay offspring themselves.