Top Rated Documentary Movies on Pantaflix - Page 489

Birders: The Central Park Effect

2012

Birders: The Central Park Effect

2012
7.8
A diverse group of full-of-attitude New Yorkers reveals how a hidden world of beautiful wild birds in the middle of Manhattan has upended and magically transformed their lives.
Enemies of Happiness

2006

Enemies of Happiness

2006
5.3
In September 2005, Afghanistan held its first parliamentary elections in 35 years. Among the candidates for 249 assembly seats was Malalai Joya, a courageous, controversial 27-year-old woman who had ignited outrage among hard-liners when she spoke out against corrupt warlords at the Grand Council of tribal elders in 2003. Enemies of Happiness is a revelatory portrait of this extraordinary freedom fighter and the way she won the hearts of voters, as well as a snapshot of life and politics in war-torn Afghanistan.
Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff

1994

Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff

1994
6.9
Don van Vliet, alias "Captain Beefheart", is one of the most influential, misunderstood, talked about, admired, copied, treasured, loved and quoted musicians and yet he is still an obscure and mysterious artist. His quite abrupt artistic transformation from working with a microphone to a paintbrush in 1982 and his consequent move from the desert to the ocean meant even less direct contact with the outside world than before. Subsequently there is very little information about Don from this time onwards and this short black-and-white film made in 1993 is an unique opportunity to see and hear this unique man
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip

2003

Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip

2003
7.4
In the spring of 1903, on a whim and a fifty-dollar bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson set off from San Francisco in a 20-horsepower Winton touring car hoping to become the first person to cross the United States in the new-fangled "horseless carriage." Most people doubted that the automobile had much of a future. Jackson's trip would prove them wrong.
Ocean Studies

1906

Ocean Studies

1906
4.9
Alice Guy films the sea.
Polin Performs "The Anatomy of a Draftee"

1905

Polin Performs "The Anatomy of a Draftee"

1905
5.8
Polin performs a song.
Cook & Rilly's Trained Rooster

1905

Cook & Rilly's Trained Rooster

1905
4.1
An early sound-synchronized short of a rooster crowing.
Tango

1905

Tango

1905
4.2
A woman performs the tango.
30 Years of Darkness

2012

30 Years of Darkness

2012
7.2
When the Spanish Civil War came to an end, Manuel Cortes was unable to flee the country. After a long journey, he managed to get back home in the dark without being discovered. His wife, Juliana, told him how the winning forces were shooting many of their fellow citizens. Manuel and Juliana decided to dig a small hole in the wall for Manuel to hide in. He could not even begin to imagine that this small hideaway was to become his private jail for the following 30 years. This is the story of the so-called post-war moles, people who had to put their lives on hold in order to escape from the repression imposed by the victors of the civil war.
Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

1991

Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio

1991
7.5
For 50 years radio dominated the airwaves and the American consciousness as the first “mass medium.” In Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio, Ken Burns examines the lives of three extraordinary men who shared the primary responsibility for this invention and its early success, and whose genius, friendship, rivalry and enmity interacted in tragic ways. This is the story of Lee de Forest, a clergyman’s flamboyant son, who invented the audion tube; Edwin Howard Armstrong, a brilliant, withdrawn inventor who pioneered FM technology; and David Sarnoff, a hard-driving Russian immigrant who created the most powerful communications company on earth.
Repatriation

2004

Repatriation

2004
6.4
In 1992, political prisoners from North Korea settled in the South Korean town where filmmaker Dong-won Kim lived. Sent to South Korea as spies during the war, they spent 30 years in jail. How did they endure the many years of torture? What will become of them now that they have been released? Twelve years in the making, Repatriation is a very personal view of a country divided by an ongoing cold war.
Anaconda: Queen of the Serpents

2010

Anaconda: Queen of the Serpents

2010
6.5
Anaconda - the mere mention of its name brings images of an awesome and terrifying killer snake! For Dr. Jesus Rivas and his wife, Dr Sarah Corey, anacondas represent a challenge as they try to unravel the mysteries surrounding these massive reptiles. Like most snakes, anacondas have suffered greatly from exaggeration and scary folklore. Pound for pound, the South American anaconda is the world’s largest snake. But its reputation as a killer is wrapped in myth and legend.
The Harmony Game

2011

The Harmony Game

2011
7.2
Half a century after its recording in 1970, this captivating documentary retraces the story of "Bridge Over Troubled Water", the final album, which has become cult, from the duo formed by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
Chaplin's Goliath

1996

Chaplin's Goliath

1996
6.5
A film about the tall actor who was most famous for playing the quintessential villain for Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character.
Missing Young Woman

2001

Missing Young Woman

2001
7.1
This gripping documentary investigates the disappearance of young women from assembly plants that line the Mexican-American border.
Divine Waters

1985

Divine Waters

1985
7.2
This documentary focuses on the careers of influential partners in trash film, John Waters and Divine. The film includes interviews with Waters' parents and sister, actress Edith Massey sings two songs (Punks, Get off the Grass and Fever), as well as a live performance of Divine performing his song Born to be Cheap.
Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert

2006

Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert

2006
8.1
Through the magic of modern technology and twenty-five years after his passing, Elvis performed a sold-out show at the Pyramid Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee on August 16th, 2002. He was accompanied by the original TCB band, Joe Guercio, The Sweet Inspirations, The Imperials, The Stamps and The Jordanaires.
Give Up Tomorrow

2011

Give Up Tomorrow

2011
6.6
When a teenager from a political family in the Philippines is accused of a double murder, the country’s entire judicial system is put to the test after years of alleged corruption.
He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'

1983

He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'

1983
5.8
Why do over 1,000 New York City schoolchildren audition for a modern dance program that requires them to sacrifice free time and involvement in sports and music? For a chance to study with the charismatic Jacques d'Amboise at the National Dance Institute. His philosophy--that creativity exists within everyone and that trying one's best ensures success--forms the foundation of a unique dance program. This documentary chronicles one school-year-long program including initial auditions, rehearsals, and the creation of an exclusive "SWAT" team, and culminates in an amazing, year-end performance at New York's Felt Forum. D'Amboise's enthusiasm is infectious--children, parents, teachers, professional dancers and musicians, and even local law enforcement officers find themselves involved in his productions. This Academy Award-winning documentary details the inspiring story of how one talented dancer's vision flourished into a coveted New York City dance program.
Raw Deal: A Question Of Consent

2001

Raw Deal: A Question Of Consent

2001
6
A documentary about the circumstances during a party at a University of Florida fraternity that led up to what may or may not have been a rape. Interspersed with actual footage shot by the fraternity brothers on the night of the incident, including the sexual acts. This video led to the police not pressing charges and the involvement of NOW, and eventually led to the fraternity getting kicked off campus.