Top Rated Documentary Movies on Kanopy - Page 92

Six O'Clock News

1997

Six O'Clock News

1997
6
Filmmaker Ross McElwee trails characters whose stories have been fodder for television news and takes their tales of loss and longing further than the requisite sound bite. In the process, he examines how the medium works and exposes its limitations.
Monseñor: The Last Journey of Óscar Romero

2012

Monseñor: The Last Journey of Óscar Romero

2012
6.4
Using rare footage from his own collection as well as interviews and photographs, this documentary profiles Óscar Romero, the Salvadoran priest whose championing of the poor and downtrodden against a corrupt government made him a global hero.
The Sweetest Sound

2001

The Sweetest Sound

2001
7
Alan Berliner uses the internet to track down 12 men who share his surname, and invites them over for dinner in New York.
Kingdom of Shadows

1998

Kingdom of Shadows

1998
5.4
Narrated by Rod Steiger, this documentary examines the frightful conventions from which the modern-day horror movie has evolved, featuring clips from classics like Dante's Inferno and Leaves from Satan's Book.
Freedom's Fury

2006

Freedom's Fury

2006
7.6
A documentary on the 1956 Olympic semifinal water polo match between Hungary and Russia. Held in Australia, the match occurred as Russian forces were in Budapest, stomping out a popular revolt.
Village at the End of the World

2012

Village at the End of the World

2012
6.4
Village At The End Of The World is a witty, surprising and ultimately feel good portrait of an isolated village of 59 people and 100 sledge dogs, surviving against the odds.
Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton

2013

Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton

2013
5.6
A chronicle of the iconoclastic life of gay poet, filmmaker, and spiritual visionary James Broughton, one of the defining voices of the sexual revolution, whose groundbreaking artistic celebrations of sexuality and the body influenced generations of the 1960s and '70s to profoundly embrace life and ‘follow your own weird’.
Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam

2009

Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam

2009
5.6
Three years in the making, this feature documentary follows the progression of the Muslim Punk scene: from its imaginary inception in a novel written by a white-convert named Michael Muhammad Knight to a full-blown, real-life scene of Muslim punk bands and their fans.
Cinema of Vengeance

1994

Cinema of Vengeance

1994
5.4
A documentary study of martial arts films and their leading protagonists. Included are profiles of such artists as Bruce Lee, Cynthia Rothrock, Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme and John Woo favourite Chow Yun Fat.
Con Artist

2010

Con Artist

2010
6.7
A docu-comedy feature film about a once-famous millionaire "business artist" forced to confront his own legendarily obnoxious behavior, while trying to find love through fame.
One Nation Under God

1993

One Nation Under God

1993
5.4
Focusing on the contemporary religious Right Wing proliferation of curative therapies for homosexuality, this riveting documentary offers historical context as well as a political analysis of this frighteningly large movement.
Fish out of Water

2009

Fish out of Water

2009
5.2
Fish out of Water tackles the seven Bible verses used to condemn homosexuality and justify marriage discrimination. This feature documentary uses humor and original animation to make a traditionally complex and controversial topic accessible to those who don't like talking about religion and sexuality. Fish out of Water dives into the underbelly of America, crisscrosses red and blue states and talks to ministers from every denomination to uncover America's impassioned relationship with homosexuality and the Bible. With slapstick animation and quirky interviews taken everywhere from barbershops to mega churches, Fish out of Water delivers a voice to the oppressed and informs to the misled. Most importantly, Fish out of Water sits down with hundreds of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender folks to impart their experiences with faith and sexuality.
Kings Point

2012

Kings Point

2012
6
In the 1970s and 80s, hundreds of thousands of senior citizens migrated from New York City to Kings Point, a typical retirement community, located just outside West Palm Beach, Florida. Lured by blue skies, sunshine, palm trees, and the promise of a rich social life, they bought their way to paradise for just a $1,500 down payment. Now, as an aging community faces its own mortality, paradise has begun to exact a higher price. Through the experiences of six longtime residents, 'Kings Point' captures both the allure and the darker complexities of living in a world where 'nobody gets too close.' Poignant, funny and dark, 'Kings Point' is a deeply empathetic portrait of the last act of the American Dream.
Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists

1983

Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists

1983
6.4
A unique documentary that looks at the political activities of the American Communist Party in the early to mid-twentieth century.
Radio Unnameable

2012

Radio Unnameable

2012
7.6
The story of legendary New York City disc jockey Bob Fass who pioneered free expression on the airwaves with his long running FM program 'Radio Unnameable'.
Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man

2006

Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man

2006
8.4
Thomas Sankara, former president of Burkina Faso, was known as "the African Che", and became famous in Africa due to his innovative ideas, his devastating humor, his spirit and his altruism. More than a classic biography, this film sheds light on the impact that this man and his politic made on Burkina Faso and Africa in general.
The World Without US

2008

The World Without US

2008
5.3
What would happen should the United States leave the international scene, and become again a "normal nation", a republic, and not an empire? To find an answer to this question, director and producer Mitch Anderson embarked on an investigative trip on four continents. "The World Without US" is an in-depth investigation of how US foreign policy affects the lives of millions of people around the world.
The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story

1996

The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story

1996
7
The childhood, adolescence, and incredible adult years of Al Hirschfeld, celebrated creator of thousands of line drawings of famous people - many in the entertainment industry - over a span of more than sixty years. He is still drawing in his nineties. His interesting domestic life, political, and cultural views are highlights. In addition, he talks about himself a bit - seriously and lightly.(At one point he he claims that his only form of exercise has been to live in his Manhattan townhouse: stairs). He drives his car around Manhattan - an adventure in itself. Brief interviews with, and reminiscences of many friends and associates.
Small Wonders

1996

Small Wonders

1996
7.4
A dedicated music teacher in East Harlem instructs a gaggle of underprivileged children in the art of the violin. In the climax, they play Carnegie Hall with some of the world's foremost fiddlers.
Privilege

1990

Privilege

1990
4.4
Privilege is an intelligently conceived, boldly anarchic, and wickedly insightful exposition on the culturally ingrained and socially divisive malaise of isms that artificially define and characterize empowerment in contemporary society: ageism, sexism, economic elitism, and racism. Yvonne Rainer conveys texture through the intercutting of archival footage, video, and film - as well as compositional layering through the film-within-a-film structure, elliptical (and self-referential) fusion of past and present, and the filmmaker's idiosyncratic penchant for superimposed typed text.