| Title |
Year |
Rating |
Rank |
Review |
| Gleason | 2016 | 95 | 1 | - One of the best films of the year. 'Gleason' is everything that is real and genuine about humanity. |
| As the Palaces Burn | 2014 | 89 | 2 | - This, dare I say it, is one of the most important documentaries of our time. The shredding of guitars cannot compare to the shredding of stereotypes in our world about the genesis of violence and the complete misunderstanding of a music genre in our world. |
| Ballplayer: Pelotero | 2012 | 89 | 2 | - It's a documentary, it's a thriller, it's a drama....it's one hell of a 1-hour-17-minute ride. |
| Every Last Child | 2015 | 89 | 2 | - 'Every Last Child' is a fascinating documentary about a problem I would venture to say about 90% of the world is unaware of. |
| Gideon's Army | 2013 | 89 | 2 | - This is a celebration of unsung heroes. The stories of the soldiers in the trenches of a war you didn't really know existed. |
| The Crash Reel | 2012 | 89 | 2 | - In simply chronocling Kevin Pearce's inexplicably difficult journey, 'The Crash Reel' probably poses more questions about love, selflessness, and mental trauma than we as a society are prepared to answer. And that is the best kind of documentary of all. |
| Undefeated | 2011 | 89 | 2 | - A real-life 'Friday Night Lights'. |
| Being Evel | 2015 | 88 | 8 | - An amazing and unfiltered look into a pop culture icon's life. |
| Point and Shoot | 2014 | 88 | 8 | - Just a sensational story! |
| The Hunting Ground | 2015 | 88 | 8 | - Though it gets a bit "preachy", there is no denying the power and voice it brings to silent side of an overlooked issue. |
| TWA Flight 800 | 2013 | 88 | 8 | - The evidence and anecdotes presented are so damning, it's completely horrifying to see the crash of TWA 800 in the light you will by the time the end credits roll. |
| Weiner | 2016 | 88 | 8 | - 'Weiner' is absolutely riveting for two reasons: one, no political figure is perhaps more polarizing, with such high upside and such low downside. Two, no documentary perhaps has had more raw, unfiltered access to a major political scandal as it unfolds. |
| Zero Days | 2016 | 88 | 8 | - The type of documentary that scares your pants off not with what it insinuates, but with what it proves. Alex Gibney approaches the subject with journalistic-like precision and delivers an early favorite for best documentary this year. |
| Happy Valley | 2014 | 86 | 14 | - What |
| Happy Valley | 2014 | 86 | 14 | - What 'Happy Valley' does best is give you unfettered access to the events as they are happening. This, combined with testimony and commentary from all sides of the issue, captures just what an emotional maelstrom the whole scandal was. And is. |
| Ivory Tower | 2014 | 86 | 14 | - So often documentaries take place after the fact. A study of what HAS happened. 'Ivory Tower' is a study of what IS happening and the forecast is scary. |
| Restrepo | 2010 | 85 | 17 | - A sorely underrated and underappreciated documentary. If it reached it's highest potential audience, I'm almost positive that it would be regarded as one of the quintessential documentaries of the decade. |
| Above and Beyond | 2015 | 84 | 18 | - A fascinating look at a far too overlooked moment in history. |
| All Things Must Pass | 2015 | 84 | 18 | - 'All Things Must Pass' focuses primarily on the nostalgia everyone -- from average joes to celebrities -- had for Tower Records. |
| Deep Web | 2015 | 84 | 18 | - The only nitpicky gripe here is that 'Deep Web' loses its focus. It wants to become another essay on the dangers of "Big Brother". Don't. The story of Ulbricht and the hidden aspects of the internet are fascinating enough. |
| Dinosaur 13 | 2014 | 84 | 18 | - It's uncanny how the characters involved in this little real-life story fit so snuggly into caricature-like attributes of themselves. From the never-say-die protagonist, to the agenda-driven government. By the time the English and sophisticated Sotheby's auctioneer makes his way into the story, you can only shake your head in amazement. |
| Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief | 2015 | 84 | 18 | - The upshot shouldn't be all that surprising: another case of a religion taking advantage of the inherent innocence of people and exploiting it in the form of all kinds of abuse. |
| Jim: The James Foley Story | 2016 | 84 | 18 | - A thoughtful and introspective look at the man at the center of one of the most infamous stories of the century. |
| Monkey Kingdom | 2015 | 84 | 18 | - Though Tina Fey provides some very Disney-ish narration to give it some family-friendly charm, where 'Monkey Kingdom' really earns it's keep is with some tremendous wildlife footage. |
| Out Of The Clear Blue Sky | 2012 | 84 | 18 | - This is a documentary without a cause. There's no message here, no moral to the story. This is just simply a chronicle of how an unthinkable tragedy hit one group of people unbelievably hard. |
| Senna | 2011 | 84 | 18 | - I don't think following the story and career of one person has ever dissected an entire industry so perfectly. |
| Up for Grabs | 2004 | 84 | 18 | - 'Up For Grabs' chronicles the story of a simple issue getting blown way out of hand perfectly. Of all the stories out there about fans going too far, this one, in its own way, might just take the cake. |
| Virunga | 2014 | 84 | 18 | - Equal parts heartwrenching drama and nail-biting thriller, 'Virunga' is a tribute to the few good men who do not compromise in a land rife with exploitation. |
| We the People: The Market Basket Effect | 2016 | 84 | 18 | - In the age old question of is it better to be loved or feared, 'We The People' argues emphatically for the former. |
| 13th | 2016 | 83 | 30 | - A deep and introspective look about how concepts of slavery carry on today through different institutions. |
| Blackfish | 2013 | 83 | 30 | - 'Blackfish' convinces you of orcas' emotionality and than tugs at yours with its gut-wrenching revelations. |
| Head Games | 2012 | 83 | 30 | - One of the best documentaries of 2012. The concussion issue is this decades Steroid Scandal, and Head Games is the principal investigator |
| Next Goal Wins | 2014 | 82 | 33 | - A nice story about victories both large and small. |
| The Short Game | 2013 | 82 | 33 | - Pretty entertaining. It's not as much of 'Toddlers and Tiaras' as you'd expect. |
| Beer Wars | 2009 | 81 | 35 | - Her seemingly uncontrollable need to interject herself into her own documentary a la Michael Moore, Anat Baron proves that peeking behind the curtains of the beer industry is both entertaining and interesting. |
| Korengal | 2014 | 81 | 35 | - A no-frills, honest-to-god illustration of life for a U.S. soldier in the Korengal Valley. |
| West of Memphis | 2012 | 81 | 35 | - 'West of Memphis' is both methodical yet vibrant in the way it illustrates how a system called the Justice System all too often only creates more victims of varying degrees. |
| All This Mayhem | 2013 | 80 | 38 | - This is a documentary 100% made for skateboarders and those who love the culture. It's the mainstream that's going to have lukewarm feelings about it. |
| Big Men | 2014 | 80 | 38 | - The underlying disparity here is not between the "haves" and "have-nots", but between developed and undeveloped nations, as what 'Big Men' does best is highlight the difference in the avenues of opportunity between the United States and Ghana. |
| Can We Take a Joke? | 2015 | 80 | 38 | - Raises some legitimate concerns about the rise sensitivity to speech. Furthermore, it reminds us, while examining others, we must also always be examining ourselves. |
| Imposter, The | 2012 | 80 | 38 | - A dark story that serves as an exhibition on human tendencies. |
| Inequality for All | 2013 | 80 | 38 | - Robert Reich expertly dissects the issue of expanding income inequality, but what could've TRULY made this film special is if it spent as much time -- or more -- laying out a solution. |
| Inside the Hunt for the Boston Bombers | 2014 | 80 | 38 | - It is what it is: a real-crime narrative made for television. |
| Life Itself | 2014 | 80 | 38 | - The unfettered access of the documentary is unsettling, but that's the point. Still, one can only wonder if it could have gone farther. |
| Red Army | 2014 | 80 | 38 | - Dissects the methodology and history of the Soviet hockey program with Ken Burns-esque thoroughness. |
| The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg | 2000 | 80 | 38 | - A neat little biopic about the Jewish slugger who had the 'chutzpah' to ignore the 'shmucks' and play the game at the highest level. |
| Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World | 2015 | 79 | 47 | - Short of a documentary about a puppy that cures cancer, I'm not sure a more feel-good move in the non-fiction category is possible. |
| Doc of the Dead | 2014 | 79 | 47 | - Silly and tacky at times, but it's all forgivable. To the modern nerd, this is like taking a great party that has lasted decades and going back and reliving all the highlights. |
| The Armstrong Lie | 2013 | 79 | 47 | - Ultimately, THE Armstrong lie is that Lance must constantly lie to himself so that he may believe his fight-and-win-at-all-costs mentality does not cripple him like an addiction. |
| Tricked: The Documentary | 2013 | 79 | 47 | - Though it doesn't have the journalistic integrity that it should to validate it, 'Tricked' is a gripping feature that dives headfirst with both eyes open into the world of prostitution and sex trafficking. |
| Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger | 2014 | 79 | 47 | - An unsettling account of crime in America. |
| Who Took Johnny | 2014 | 79 | 47 | - If you've enjoyed the recent string of true crime documentaries and docu-series, this is probably right up your alley. |
| Dogtown and Z-Boys | 2001 | 78 | 53 | - It's an interesting little documentary that successfully explains how skateboarding's "rebellious" culture is rooted in its ancestry. |
| E-Team | 2014 | 78 | 53 | - It's as much an exposition on the lives of the team members themselves as it is a piece on the work they do. |
| Gimme Shelter | 2014 | 78 | 53 | - It's Precious LITE. All the elements are there, just not with the same vigor for the former Best Picture nominee. |
| Sound City | 2013 | 78 | 53 | - Nostalgiac, heartfelt, honest, and uncensored, 'Sound City' shares everything that make the music it produced so great. And if the documentary were about a half hour shorter, it'd be darn near perfect. |
| A LEGO Brickumentary | 2015 | 77 | 57 | - What starts out as a gimmicky and sophomoric adolescent's educational video eventually finds the it's niche and begins to work as an all-encompassing documentary about the world a single toy has spawned. |
| Nine Innings from Ground Zero | 2004 | 77 | 57 | - A quaint documentary, I suppose. I don't know, it felt more like a TV special, to be honest. Either way, you have to think about the story you're choosing to tell. Didn't the people of New York DESERVE to win the World Series that year. If the answer is yes, then why are we bothering with this rather disappointing narrative? |
| The Aristocrats | 2005 | 77 | 57 | - I asked myself, how dirty can a joke really be? And how can you make a decent documentary off of A joke? I mean, it's JUST a joke. Well, I was wrong on all accounts. |
| Bears | 2014 | 76 | 60 | - It's interesting and insightful, but the movie discusses cubs nearly drowning, impending starvation, and constant attack from predators. It really flirts with surpassing Bambi as the most soul-crushing, happiness-stealing movie of a kid's childhood. |
| No No: A Dockumentary | 2014 | 76 | 60 | - More than a just about Ellis' LSD no-hitter, 'No-No' is a biography of the man's life both before baseball and after. |
| The Square | 2013 | 76 | 60 | - It's baffling to me how such a grassroots documentary that is so clearly "inside" the story can reveal so little that we didn't already know. |
| Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom | 2015 | 76 | 60 | - It reminds me a lot of 'The Square' (also Netflix-backed) of last year. It's on the frontlines, capturing unfiltered footage, but to what end? |
| Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room | 2005 | 75 | 64 | - Documentaries like this about stories the average person already knows so much about has to bring something MORE to the table. And while the documentary doesn't reveal any particularly new plotlines, it's the little details that are jaw-dropping. The crassness of the traders in the taped phone calls. The detailed eccentricity of the key players. 'The Smartest Guys In The Room' doesn't just prove that the decisionmakers and Enron DID wrong, but that they WERE wrong by nature. |
| Ghosts of the Abyss | 2003 | 75 | 64 | - Despite some obvious (and painfully) scripted moments, the film, in fact, is a fascinating look at the sunken wreckage. |
| Meru | 2015 | 75 | 64 | - Visually, it may get you punch-drunk, say, if you see it in IMAX. But the rea dizzying effect is the way the story meanders on and off topic, back and forward through time, on and off tangents. |
| The Battered Bastards of Baseball | 2014 | 75 | 64 | - The nostalgia-centric documentary captures much of the underdog, fun-over-success attitude that endeared 'Bull Durham' to so many people. Sadly, I guess some fictional stories are just better than the true ones. |
| Act of Killing, The | 2013 | 73 | 68 | - The level of candor in which these gangster and paramilitary leaders illustrate their propensity for crime and corruption is, quite literally, unlike anything I've ever seen before. |
| Misery Loves Comedy | 2015 | 73 | 68 | - Sadder than it is funny, really. |
| The Ivory Game | 2016 | 73 | 68 | - An in-depth look at not just the poaching epidemic, but the global market that fuels it. |
| 20 Feet from Stardom | 2013 | 72 | 71 | - The documentary ultimately shows that what keeps a backup singer from going even further isn't necessarily skill. Still, that is what keeps this film from being truly great. |
| Cartel Land | 2015 | 72 | 71 | - Where 'Cartel Land' is at its best is not when it's following a few dead beat Arizonans, but when it's on the frontlines in Mexico as events are playing out. |
| Johnny Carson: King of Late Night | 2012 | 72 | 71 | - A marginally-revealing peek behind the curtains of an American icon. |
| Amy | 2015 | 71 | 74 | - A sad starlet story that feels all too familiar. |
| Best of Enemies | 2015 | 69 | 75 | - Where 'The Best of Enemies' was really on to something was documenting a birthpoint of superficial news content that now dominates the cable network. But rather than focus on this relevant notion, it's a footnote to much less interesting, much less important concepts. |
| Cutie and the Boxer | 2013 | 69 | 75 | - As cute an enamoring as the documentary's namesake couple is, audience will undoubtedly leave the theaters thinking, "What was the point?" |
| He Named Me Malala | 2015 | 69 | 75 | - It's the sort of artsy documentary the smells of Oscar bait. |
| Particle Fever | 2014 | 69 | 75 | - The uphill battle laid before 'Particle Fever', as with any science documentary, is to make it appeal to the average audience. I'm just not sure that it happens here. |
| What Happened, Miss Simone? | 2015 | 69 | 75 | - I think, like a piece of art, 'What Happened, Miss Simone?' is going to mean something different to everyone. To me, the biopic doc is a tragic account of a wonderfully talented woman ultimately consumed by anger. |
| Bowling for Columbine | 2002 | 50 | 80 | - Like most half-cooked documentaries, 'Bowling For Columbine' fills in holes with assumptions more often than with facts and poses more questions that it answers. |
| The Look of Silence | 2014 | 50 | 80 | - Following 'The Act of Killing', 'The Look of Silence' fits squarely into the "Did Not Need To Be Made" category. |
| Citizenfour | 2014 | 49 | 82 | - It's hard to take a documentary seriously when they make it clear it's very much agenda-driven within the first five minutes. |
| Where to Invade Next | 2015 | 46 | 83 | - While some of Moore's points on other nations' cultures are well made, the overall tone of the film is not just jarringly arrogant, but dangerously naive. |
| Dirty Wars | 2013 | 42 | 84 | - Jeremy Scahill's story isn't one of investigative intrigue but self-importance. He wants you to know all the places he's been, all the shows he's been on, and all the people that haven't taken him seriously. The material in between is only about 30% fact and 70% politically-biased speculation. |
| Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine | 2015 | 42 | 84 | - As agenda-driven, judgmental, and hypocritical as it tries to make Steve Jobs out to be. I'm not even a particularly big fan of Apple products and the documentary had me coming to the man's defense. |
