Top Rated Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 22

Embrace

2016

Embrace

2016
6.5
Embrace follows body image activist Taryn Brumfitt's crusade as she explores the global issue of body loathing, inspiring us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies.
Hired Gun

2017

Hired Gun

2017
7
A documentary film about session and touring musicians that are hired by well-established and famous bands and artists. These people may not be household names, but are still top-notch performers!
Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine

2014

Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine

2014
7.1
An intimate portrait of Matthew Shepard, the gay young man murdered in one of the most notorious hate crimes in U.S. history. Framed through a personal lens, it's the story of loss, love, and courage in the face of unspeakable tragedy.
Drew: The Man Behind the Poster

2013

Drew: The Man Behind the Poster

2013
7
A documentary on legendary movie-poster artist Drew Struzan.
Portrait of Jason

1967

Portrait of Jason

1967
6.4
Interview with Jason Holliday aka Aaron Payne. House-boy, would-be cabaret performer, and self-proclaimed hustler giving one man's gin-soaked, pill-popped view of what it was like to be black and gay in 1960s United States. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with Milestone Films in 2013.
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

2011

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

2011
6.5
Filmmaker Marshall Curry explores the inner workings of the Earth Liberation Front, a revolutionary movement devoted to crippling facilities involved in deforestation, while simultaneously offering a profile of Oregon ELF member Daniel McGowan, who was brought up on terrorism charges for his involvement with the radical group.
Our Daily Bread

2006

Our Daily Bread

2006
7.7
Welcome to the world of industrial food production and high-tech farming! To the rhythm of conveyor belts and immense machines, the film looks without commenting into the places where food is produced in Europe: monumental spaces, surreal landscapes and bizarre sounds - a cool, industrial environment which leaves little space for individualism.
Robin's Wish

2021

Robin's Wish

2021
6.9
The final word in the story of what really happened to Robin Williams at the end of his life, focusing on his fight against a deadly neurodegenerative disorder known as Lewy body dementia.
#UNFIT: The Psychology of Donald Trump

2020

#UNFIT: The Psychology of Donald Trump

2020
6.7
Medical doctors and mental health professionals go on camera, on the record, for the record, for a discussion, analysis, and science-based examination of the behavior, psyche, condition, and stability of President Donald Trump. Also examines Trump's effect on our citizenry, culture, and institutions.
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché

2018

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché

2018
7.2
The epic life story of Alice Guy-Blaché (1873–1968), a French screenwriter, director and producer, true pioneer of cinema, the first person who made a narrative fiction film; author of hundreds of movies, but banished from history books. Ignored and forgotten. At last remembered.
Pennywise: The Story of ‘It’

2021

Pennywise: The Story of ‘It’

2021
7.4
Thirty-plus years after its release, the popular two-part miniseries "It" and its infamous villain Pennywise live on in the minds of horror fans around the world. This documentary captures not only the buzz the "It" saga generated in 1990 but also the lasting impact it has had on an entire generation and the horror genre at large. Several years in the making, the film features exclusive interviews with many of the cult classic's key players, from cast members Richard Thomas, Seth Green, and Tim Curry, who portrayed the notorious monster clown Pennywise, to director Tommy Lee Wallace and special effects makeup artist Bart Mixon. The documentary also boasts a wealth of archival material and never-before-seen footage.
Walk with Me

2017

Walk with Me

2017
5.8
Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, Walk With Me is a cinematic journey into the world of a monastic community who practice the art of mindfulness with Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh.
The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden

2014

The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden

2014
6.4
Darwin meets Hitchcock in this documentary. Directors Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine have created a parable about the search for paradise, set in the brutal yet alluring landscape of the Galapagos Islands, which interweaves an unsolved 1930s murder mystery with stories of present day Galapagos pioneers. A gripping tale of idealistic dreams gone awry, featuring voice-over performances by Cate Blanchett, Diane Kruger, and Gustaf Skarsgard.
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History

1988

Cane Toads: An Unnatural History

1988
6.8
A documentary detailing the spread of Hawaiian sugar-cane toads through Australia in a botched effort to introduce them as counter pests.
Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)

2010

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)

2010
7.1
The life and work of the enigmatic singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson.
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer

2010

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer

2010
6.2
An in-depth look at the rapid rise and dramatic fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.
Of Time and the City

2008

Of Time and the City

2008
7.1
British director Terence Davies reflects on his birthplace of Liverpool - his memories of growing up there and how it has changed in the years since - in the process meditating on the internal struggles and conflicts that have wracked him throughout his life and the history of England during the second half of the 20th century.
Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary

2019

Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary

2019
7.4
A feature-length documentary about the film Galaxy Quest and its legacy, celebrating its milestone 20th anniversary.
Bad Reputation

2018

Bad Reputation

2018
6.6
The life and career of rock n' roll icon Joan Jett from her early years ripping it up onstage as the founder and backbone of hard-rock legends The Runaways, to her long time collaboration with Kenny Laguna as Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and her enduring presence in pop culture as a rock pioneer and mentor. With her inimitable singles "I Love Rock n Roll," and "Bad Reputation" Joan Jett inspired a generation of young women to rock.
The Other Side

2015

The Other Side

2015
6.5
In an invisible territory at the margins of society, at the border between anarchy and illegality, lives a wounded community that is trying to respond to a threat: of being forgotten by political institutions and having their rights as citizens trampled. Disarmed veterans, taciturn adolescents, drug addicts trying to escape addiction through love, ex-special forces soldiers still at war with the world, floundering young women and future mothers, and old people who have not lost their desire to live. Through this hidden pocket of humanity, the door opens to the abyss of today's America.