Top Rated Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 31

Lust for Gold: A Race Against Time

2021

Lust for Gold: A Race Against Time

2021
6.2
A team of modern adventurers is on a quest for gold in the mountains of eastern Arizona.
M. C. Escher: Journey to Infinity

2018

M. C. Escher: Journey to Infinity

2018
6.9
A portrait of the visionary Dutch artist M. C. Escher (1898-1972), according to his own words, taken from his diary, his correspondence and the texts of his lectures.
Ramen Heads

2017

Ramen Heads

2017
6.6
In Ramen Heads, Osamu Tomita, Japan's reigning king of ramen, takes us deep into his world, revealing every single step of his obsessive approach to creating the perfect soup and noodles, and his relentless search for the highest-quality ingredients.
Chavela

2017

Chavela

2017
6.9
Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.
Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders

2015

Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders

2015
7.1
Two of the most notorious unsolved cases in the history of American crime – the murders of renowned rap stars Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls – have been the subject of exhaustive investigations, relentless speculation, and a web of conspiracy theories and dark secrets. Now, for the first time, the true story behind these sensational cases is laid bare in "Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders". Using information sourced from hundreds of police case files, taped confessions never shown before, and interviews with the lead detective and witnesses, this is the riveting account of the task force that finally exposed the shocking truth behind the deaths of these two rap music icons.
Sneakerheadz

2015

Sneakerheadz

2015
6.1
To Rock or Stock? That is the question. Sneakerheads will do almost anything to get their hands on a unique pair of kicks, going to such extreme lengths as hiding in trash cans to score a pair of Retro Jordan 11s to camping for days in sub zero temperatures for the latest Nike Foamposites. How did sneakers become as prized as collectable art? From the shores of Cali to the congested streets of Tokyo, Sneakerheadz examines the cultural influence of sneaker collecting around the world and delves into a subculture whose proud members don’t just want to admire art, they want to wear it.
Awake: The Life of Yogananda

2014

Awake: The Life of Yogananda

2014
6.7
An unconventional biography by Oscar nominee Paola di Florio and Sundance winner Lisa Leeman about Hindu mystic Paramahansa Yogananda who brought yoga and meditation to the West in 1920 and authored the spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi," which became the go-to book for seekers from George Harrison to Steve Jobs.
The Real Inglorious Bastards

2012

The Real Inglorious Bastards

2012
7.8
The truth is way stranger than fiction,” muses one interviewee in this unbelievable true account of an incredible war time saga. As the Second World War was coming to a close, the US Office of Strategic Services trained and parachuted two Jewish refugees and a German deserter deep into Nazi occupied Austria. Through vivid first-person accounts, re-enactments, archival footage and learned commentary, the film reveals how their efforts disrupted a vital supply route between Germany and the Italian front to bring about the surrender of Innsbruck to Allied Forces. Their unbelievable adventure has a finale that beats any Hollywood movie hands down — but a story so powerful that it became the basis for Quentin Tarantino’s mega hit.
Manakamana

2013

Manakamana

2013
7.5
A documentary about a group of pilgrims who travel to Nepal to worship at the legendary Manakamana temple.
Fellini: I'm a Born Liar

2003

Fellini: I'm a Born Liar

2003
6.1
A look at Fellini's creative process. In extensive interviews, Fellini talks a bit about his background and then discusses how he works and how he creates. Several actors, a producer, a writer, and a production manager talk about working with Fellini. Archive footage of Fellini and others on the set plus clips from his films provide commentary and illustration for the points interviewees make. Fellini is fully in charge; actors call themselves puppets. He dismisses improvisation and calls for "availability." His sets and his films create images that look like reality but are not; we see the differences and the results.
No Place on Earth

2012

No Place on Earth

2012
6.7
This extraordinary testament to survival from Emmy-winning producer/director Janet Tobias brings to light a story that remained untold for decades: that of thirty-eight Ukrainian Jews who survived World War II by living in caves for eighteen months.
Jazz on a Summer's Day

1960

Jazz on a Summer's Day

1960
7.2
Set at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, this documentary mixes images of water and the town with performers and audience. The film progresses from day to night and from improvisational music to Gospel. It's a concert film that suggests peace and leisure, jazz at a particular time and place.
I Like Killing Flies

2004

I Like Killing Flies

2004
7.1
In the cramped, cluttered confines of Shopsin’s, a legendary hole-in-the-wall diner in New York’s Greenwich Village, eccentric chef Kenny Shopsin holds court—serving up an absurdly massive menu alongside his razor-sharp wit and unfiltered philosophies on life, food, and human nature. As the family-run institution faces a forced relocation, this intimate documentary captures the controlled chaos of Kenny’s world, where every customer is a character and every meal is a performance. A love letter to stubborn individuality and the art of doing things your own way.
Smash His Camera

2010

Smash His Camera

2010
6.9
A film centering on the life and work of Ron Galella that examines the nature and effect of paparazzi.
Surfwise

2007

Surfwise

2007
6.7
The inspiring and tumultuous story of 85-year old surfer, health advocate and sex guru, Dr. Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, his wife Juliette, and their nine children who were all home-schooled and raised in a small camper on the beach, where they surfed and had to adhere to the strict diet and lifestyle of animals in the wild.
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

2003

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

2003
7.1
A homeless musician finds meaning in his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrots.
Up the Yangtze

2007

Up the Yangtze

2007
7.3
At the edge of the Yangtze River, not far from the Three Gorges Dam, young men and women take up employment on a cruise ship, where they confront rising waters and a radically changing China.
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger

2024

Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger

2024
7.7
Martin Scorsese presents this very personal and insightful new feature-length documentary about British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

2021

Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

2021
4.5
Hopkins’ career has spanned several decades, which is why we will also use many interviews that he gave throughout his life, allowing us to put him back into the context of each period and will be helpful in understanding his role in the history of cinema, because he was far from following the trends. He never belonged to any film movement; he is a chameleon that has always preferred natural acting, ‘non-acting’ when method acting was the fashion.
A Night of Knowing Nothing

2022

A Night of Knowing Nothing

2022
7.4
L, a student in India witness to the government's violent response to university protests, writes letters to her estranged lover while he is away.