2015 | Documentary Movies | Sort: Most Popular

Amid the seismic cultural shift of the 1970s, American comedy got a sharper edge when a newly minted magazine named National Lampoon stuck its middle finger up at the establishment. Spawned at an Ivy League school by the wonderfully warped minds of Douglas Kenney and Henry Beard, National Lampoon rose from a counterculture rag to a revered comic institution. Bound by a passion for the absurd and a mistrust of authority, Lampoon's irreverence spanked nearly every available social taboo from weak-kneed politics to heated racial tensions. This unique cocktail of high satire and gallows humor exploded onto America's cultural consciousness attracting visionary talents such as Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Chevy Chase, whose comedic force helped expand the magazine's spirit to stage and film. Director Douglas Tirola unearths never-before-seen archival footage and brilliantly weaves it together with the magazine's beautiful and often shocking art, reliving National Lampoon's meteoric rise from go-to magazine of the counterculture to a brand synonymous with Hollywood's biggest comedies.

The Armor of Light tracks Reverend Rob Schenck, an anti-abortion activist and fixture on the political far right, who breaks with orthodoxy by questioning whether being pro-gun is consistent with being pro-life. Along the way, he meets Lucy McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis, an unarmed teenager whose murder in Florida has cast a spotlight on “Stand Your Ground” laws. ARMOR follows these unlikely allies through their trials of conscience, heartbreak and rejection, as they bravely attempt to make others consider the growing toll of gun violence in America through a moral lens.

In Back in Time, cast, crew, and fans explore the classic time-travel trilogy’s resonance throughout pop culture. As the project evolved it took them from the joyous nostalgia at a massive London fan event to the living rooms of Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, Bob Gale, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd as well as Huey Lewis, James Tolkan (“Mr. Strickland”) Claudia Wells (“Jennifer Parker”) and more. Nothing is overlooked as they explore everything from Eric Stoltz’s casting to the invention of the hoverboard. Travelling throughout the world and leaving no stone unturned brings unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to the “BTTF” lexicon.

Every year thousands of baristas compete to see who can make the world’s best coffee. They have 15 minutes to make 12 drinks -- to make an impact. It's like the Olympics of the coffee world. BARISTA follows these young, thirsty baristas trying to make their mark… as they try to be the best in the world.

Chronicles the journey taken by the family of a young boy, Miles Scott, who captured the world’s attention when the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his request to be his favorite superhero for a day.

A documentary about the importance of fashion in NYC hip-hop culture.

The then 15-year-old teenager, who had been targeted for speaking out on behalf of girls’ education in her region of Swat Valley in Pakistan, was shot in the head, sparking international media outrage. An educational activist in Pakistan, Yousafzai has since emerged as a leading campaigner for the rights of children worldwide and in December 2014, became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

IRIS pairs the 87-year-old Maysles with Iris Apfel, the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how, even at Iris' advanced age, a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. IRIS portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art and people are life's sustenance and reminds us that dressing, and indeed life, is nothing but an experiment. Despite the abundance of glamour in her current life, she continues to embrace the values and work ethic established during a middle-class Queens upbringing during the Great Depression. I feel lucky to be working. If you're lucky enough to do something you love, everything else follows.

Thirteen time All-Star, League MVP, Finals MVP, NBA Superstar Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest and most famous athletes of all time as the first non-American to lead his team to a NBA victory. Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot was produced by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Leopold Hoesch and features exclusive NBA footage and interviews with NBA legends such as Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Jason Kidd, Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban, David Stern, Don Nelson and former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt covering the incredible success story of Dirk Nowitzki, from second league German basketball to one of the top athletes of the NBA.

Locked away from society in an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Angulo brothers learn about the outside world through the films that they watch. Nicknamed the Wolfpack, the brothers spend their childhood re-enacting their favorite films using elaborate homemade props and costumes. With no friends and living on welfare, they feed their curiosity, creativity, and imagination with film, which allows them to escape from their feelings of isolation and loneliness. Everything changes when one of the brothers escapes, and the power dynamics in the house are transformed. The Wolfpack must learn how to integrate into society without disbanding the brotherhood.

The film tells the story of the unsung musicians that provided the backbeat, the bottom and the swinging melody that drove many of the number one hits of the 1960s. It didn’t matter if it was Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, The Monkees, The Byrds or The Beach Boys, these dedicated musicians brought the flair and musicianship that made the American “west coast sound” a dominant cultural force around the world.

Oscar winning Director Daniel Junge and Oscar Nominated Director Kief Davidson take us on a journey through the LEGO universe...like you have never seen before. They explore the brick that has captured imaginations for generations and look at the fundamental question...is it a toy or something more? BEYOND THE BRICK: A LEGO® BRICKUMENTARY delves into the extraordinary impact of the LEGO brick and the innovative uses of for it that has sprung up all over the world. The narrative will take us to art galleries full of LEGO creations, introduce us to Master Builders making movies, into the world of LEGO therapy, and bring us along to meet AFOLS (Adult Fans of LEGO), each with amazing stories to tell.

A Year in Champagne is the follow-up to A Year in Burgundy and boasts many revelations about France's most famous beverage. And just as in A Year in Burgundy, legendary wine importer Martine Saunier is our guide as we get a rare glimpse behind the scenes into the real Champagne through six houses — from small independent makers like Champagne Saint-Chamant, where each and every bottle is still turned by hand in the cellars, to the illustrious houses of Gosset and Bollinger, which have been instrumental in shaping the image of Champagne around the world.

Kingdom of Shadows takes an unflinching look at the human cost of the U.S.-Mexico drug war through the perspectives of three unlikely individuals.

Sister Consuelo Morales, based in the devastated city of Monterrey, prods government officials to take action against the drug cartels on behalf of grieving families whose loved ones have gone missing.

Texan rancher Don Henry Ford Jr. offers historical context for the evolution to the hyper-violent state of drug trafficking today. He recounts his career as a smuggler during the 1980s before he served time for importing marijuana.

Undercover agent-turned-senior Homeland Security officer Oscar Hagelsieb recounts his own remarkable journey and offers a unique perspective on the U.S.’ role in the drug war. As the child of undocumented parents, Oscar grew up in an impoverished neighborhood where of his many peers gave in to the temptations of the drug economy.

Red Army is a feature documentary about the Soviet Union and the most successful dynasty in sports history: the Red Army hockey team. Told from the perspective of its captain Slava Fetisov, the story portrays his transformation from national hero to political enemy. From the USSR to Russia, the film examines how sport mirrors social and cultural movements and parallels the rise and fall of the Red Army team with the Soviet Union.

A modern odyssey – a dizzying, almost science fiction-like journey into the heart of Africa. At the moment when the Sudan, the continent’s biggest country, is being divided into two nations, an old “civilizing” ideology re-emerges – one of colonialism and a clash of empires – with new episodes of bloody (and holy) wars over land and resources. Academy Award® nominated director of Darwin’s Nightmare, Hubert Sauper, takes us on a voyage in his tiny, self-made aircraft constructed from tin and canvas, leading us into the most improbable locations and into people’s thoughts and dreams in both stunning and heartbreaking ways.

Chronicling events that unfolded over 93 days in 2013 and 2014, Netflix Original Documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom witnesses the formation of a new civil rights movement in Ukraine. What started as peaceful student demonstrations supporting European integration morphed into a full-fledged violent revolution calling for the resignation of the nation's president. The film captures the remarkable mobilization of nearly a million citizens from across the country protesting the corrupt political regime that utilized extreme force against its own people to suppress their demands and freedom of expression.

From BAFTA award-winning director Asif Kapadia (SENNA), AMY tells the incredible story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. Featuring extensive unseen archive footage and previously unheard tracks, this strikingly modern, moving and vital film shines a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few can. A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy Winehouse was a musician that captured the world’s attention. A pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense – she wrote and sung from the heart using her musical gifts to analyse her own problems. The combination of her raw honesty and supreme talent resulted in some of the most unique and adored songs of the modern era.

Her huge success, however, resulted in relentless and invasive media attention which coupled with Amy’s troubled relationships and precarious lifestyle saw her life tragically begin to unravel. Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27.

From first rehearsal to world premiere, BALLET 422 takes us backstage at New York City Ballet as Justin Peck, a young up-and-coming choreographer, crafts a new work. With unprecedented access to an elite world, BALLET 422 illuminates the process behind the creation of a single ballet.

Documentary of two movie-obsessed Israeli-born cousins who launched Cannon Films.