10 Best Documentaries Of All Time, According To Reddit

2022-09-03 02:27:32 By : Ms. Ivy Zhou

From Grizzly Man to The Thin Blue Line, these are the 10 best documentaries that Redditors have ever seen.

With films like The Tinder Swindler and Fire of Love captivating audiences, viewers are reminded of some amazing documentaries that changed their lives. Whether they are thought-provoking or merely informative, documentaries can hold a special sway over audiences.

From award-winning classics like The Thin Blue Line to underrated gems like American Movie, the best documentaries strike at the heart of the human experience in the most entertaining way possible. Though the history of film is packed with great docs, users on Reddit took to the site to discuss the best ones they've ever seen.

Though professional wrestling is usually ostracized from the sports world, the documentaries that spawn from the business can be just as powerful as any legitimate sport. User Dsaga extolled the virtues of a wrestling doc when writing "Beyond the Mat. It's a documentary ... about the professional wrestling industry, following four guys in different positions in their careers".

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Unflinching and unapologetically raw with its depiction of life in the business, the film pulled back the curtain in a way that no industry expose ever could. By showing the human side of wrestling, the viewer is taken on a heartbreaking journey into the sacrifices of a business that is beloved by some and scoffed at by others.

Generally considered one of the best documentaries about regular people, the small documentary American Movie is as touching as it is funny. User squeakyrhino explained why they loved the film, saying "Besides being one of the funniest movies ever, it is also very touching".

Following the day-to-day life of Wisconsin indie filmmaker Mark Borchardt, American Movie plays like a buddy comedy but is absolutely real. The hilarious characters in Mark's life are balanced out by his serious passion for filmmaking, and the movie is an inspirational look at the dreams of one man just trying to make a movie.

Although documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is controversially political with his films, Roger and Me is usually ranked among his best works. User thepersonimgoingtobe had little to say but praised the movie by saying, "Roger and Me - Michael Moore. A classic".

The film chronicles Moore's hometown of Flint Michigan and the economic devastation that was brought on by a major car manufacturer's decision to move production overseas. Essentially establishing the tone that all of his movies would take, Roger and Me is an in-your-face experience that uses the art of film to get the viewer to see things Moore's way.

The best documentaries capture a moment in time, and Paris is Burning captured an entire scene within its lens. User socialistfairy was enthusiastic about their favorite documentary, exclaiming "Paris is Burning!! all about the queer scene in New York during the late 80s".

Made with a cinéma vérité style, the film doesn't ask much from its viewer only that they pay attention to the important piece of history being captured on film. New York's vibrant gay scene in the '80s would have a massive cultural impact in the ensuing decades, and Paris is Burning was there to memorialize it before it went away.

More known for his eccentric personality than his actual films, director Werner Herzog has dabbled in fiction as well as documentary. A deleted user praised the German auteur when writing "Grizzly Man was beautiful...Mr Werner Herzog did a masterpiece (to me)".

Recounting the final days of animal activist Timothy Treadwell, Herzog's brilliant doc used footage shot by the man himself to piece together the events. Considering his shocking end, the movie has an overall sense of dread that paints the narrative with sadness and inevitability. Add in Herzog's unique narration style and Grizzly Man is an unforgettable cinematic experience.

There have been many documentaries about the unspeakable evil of crime and war, but few cover the aftermath of such bloodshed. User DonzoBean put a documentary on a pedestal when writing "The Act of Killing...You will simply never see anything like this".

The film follows the modern-day life of one of Indonesia's most notorious mass murderers who was responsible for slaughtering an innumerable amount of political dissidents in the 1960s. Seeing the man go about his business as a celebrity and talk about his crimes so nonchalantly is creepier than any horror movie. On top of that, the film is also a cinematic gem and uses beautiful imagery to juxtapose its horrible subject.

Director Errol Morris has continuously shattered boundaries in the documentary world, but none of his films had the real-world impact of The Thin Blue Line. Explaining the film, user jcb1982 said "'The Thin Blue Line' by Errol Morris. A true crime doc so compelling it changed the outcome of a trial."

While that assessment isn't entirely true, the film did help break a case and set a man free. The movie concerns the shooting of a police officer and the man who was railroaded into prison after a false witness came forward to testify. What the film does best is use its cinematic reenactments to establish a tone, and it slowly disseminates information until its shocking and satisfying climax.

High-profile murder cases have been the fodder for excellent documentaries over the years, but OJ: Made In America had other goals in mind. Of the epic documentary, user Dallywack3r wrote "OJ: Made In America isn't only the best documentary ever. It's the best film of the last decade".

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While laying out the details of OJ Simpson's notorious murder trial, the film uses the case as the backdrop for a commentary about race relations in the U.S. and how it lead to the trial. Clocking in at over seven hours long, the film leaves little unsaid and yet manages to be gripping throughout its inflated running time.

Video games contain subcultures that are ripe for the picking when it comes to documentaries, but few films have taken the time to explore them. User ReflexImprov brought up a pertinent video game doc when commenting "The King of Kong is soooo good! One of my favorite movies, documentary or otherwise."

Highlighting some of the greatest Donkey Kong players in the world, the film has taken its place among the best documentaries of the 2000s for its interesting premise and striking characters. Packed with all the heroes and villains one would come to expect from a classic game, the movie reignited interest in gaming subcultures and brought them to light.

Political documentaries run the risk of alienating the audience, but Errol Morris is one of the few filmmakers who can unite both sides. User tryptronica had lofty ambitions for a certain doc when they said The Fog of War "delves deep into the hubris of power. Should be required viewing for every person running for office".

Highlighting the life and worldview of former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, the movie is a treatise on the politics and the disastrous moments of the latter half of the century. McNamara is such a compelling subject that he carries the film all by himself, and Morris' deft direction never imposes too much on the story at hand.

NEXT: 10 Best Documentaries Of 2022, So Far, According To Metacritic

Dalton is a freelance writer and novelist from Orlando Florida. He currently lives in Los Angeles and pursues writing full time. He is an avid reader and film buff.