Man on Wire 2008

Every year there are a huge number of movies that fly right under the radar of the average movie fan. movies that are great but just not that well known.

There are plenty of movie gems out there and hopefully this list will help you find some.

Feel free to submit new movies in the comments below.

This list contains movies/documentaries and short films. The list was originally created on IMDb. http://goo.gl/gHles

This isn't intended to be a comprehensive list. I'm just going to be periodically updating this list with titles from the following IMDB search parameters:

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature,tv_movie,tv_series,tv_episode,tv_special,tv_miniseries,documentary,short,tv_short&genres=crime,documentary

UPDATED: 6/3/24

This is it. The end of the lists. Finally! So the other day I posted the best documentaries of the decade as selected by a group of acclaimed documentary filmmakers. Now, we’ve got The Documentary Blog’s own top 50 docs of the decade. I was originally aiming for 25 but I just couldn’t cut it down, so 50 will have to do. Let me stress that this list represents my own personal opinion and nothing more. Hopefully some people can use this as a starting point to check out some great films. Feel free to share your own lists in the comments and let me know what I missed! One thing’s for sure; it has been a great decade for documentaries!"

Source: http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2010/01/05/the-documentary-blogs-top-25-documentaries-of-the-decade/. TDB is Jay Cheel who is a Co-Host of the Filmjunk-Podcast.

This isn't intended to be a comprehensive list. I'm just going to be periodically updating this list with titles from the following IMDB search parameters:

https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?genres=documentary,sport

UPDATED: 6/3/24

The 21st Century's Most Acclaimed Films list serves as a companion to the They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1,000 Greatest Films of all time list which, - by its nature - tends to have very few films from the 21st century in it. The 21st Century's Most Acclaimed Films list attempts to highlight and honour this century's most critically revered films and act as a sort of 'resting bay' for many great films that are likely to be included in the 1,000 Greatest Films list sooner or later.

Source: http://www.theyshootpictures.com/21stcentury.htm

The greatest films ever made, as voted by MUBI’s global community of film lovers.

https://mubi.com/lists/the-top-1000

The 21st Century’s Most Acclaimed Films (including films from 2000!)
9th edition (March 2016)

List curated by Bill Georgaris on They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?

Source: https://www.theyshootpictures.com/21stcentury.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_actual_events

Based on the book by Jennifer Eiss

All the movies with "Must-See" badge on Metacritic. Movie gets the badge when it has a score of 81 or higher and has been reviewed by at least 15 pro critics.

True crime documentaries and docuseries. Updated regularly.

Last update: 5/7/2024

The top films in the 2012 Sight and Sound Poll from the combined votes of 846 critics and 359 directors. Contains films with 3 or more votes. In order by number of votes.

The following is a list of positions and the number of corresponding votes. 21-22 (66 votes), 27-28 (55 votes), 29-30 (54 votes), 36-37 (46 votes), 39-42 (44 votes), 43-46 (43 votes), 47-50 (41 votes), 51-52 (40 votes), 53-55 (39 votes), 56-57 (38 votes), 59-60 (35 votes), 62-74 (33 votes), 75-77 (32 votes), 78-79 (31 votes), 82-88 (28 votes), 89-90 (27 votes), 91-93 (26 votes), 94-99 (25 votes), 100-103 (24 votes), 104-106 (23 votes), 107-110 (22 votes), 111-118 (21 votes), 119-127 (20 votes), 128-139 (19 votes), 140-146 (18 votes), 147-153 (17 votes), 154-166 (16 votes), 167-182 (15 votes), 183-193 (14 votes), 194-206 (13 votes), 207-228 (12 votes), 229-243 (11 votes), 244-271 (10 votes), 272-302 (9 votes), 303-330 (8 votes), 331-375 (7 votes), 376-423 (6 votes), 424-497 (5 votes), 498-624 (4 votes), 625-817 (3 votes)

Source: http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/sightandsoundpoll2012

All credits go to IMDb user: RDLongoria

https://www.imdb.com/user/ur37216974

List of Academy Award-winning since 1994 in:
- Best Picture - Best Director
- Best Actor/Actress - Best Supporting Actor/Actress
- Best Original Screenplay - Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Animated Feature Film - Best Animated Short Film
- Best Documentary Feature - Best Documentary Short Subject
- Best Live Action Short Film - Best International Feature Film
- Best Original Score - Best Original Song
- Best Sound Editing - Best Sound Mixing
- Best Production Design - Best Cinematography
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling - Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing - Best Visual Effects

The list includes also nominations in the same categories.

Movies with a perfect Tomatometer Score

All credits go to IMDb user: RDLongoria

https://www.imdb.com/user/ur37216974

From the book by Jennifer Eiss. The list is arranged by chapter. Each chapter starts with a top 10 (in alphabetical order), followed by the "best of the rest" (in alphabetical order).

#1-83: Dramatic Situatons
#84-133: Gripping Tales
#134-165: Lights, Camera…!
#166-228: Visionary Universes
#229-280: Criminal Underworlds
#281-360: Tales of Terror
#361-432: Cult Humor
#433-453: The Wild Wild West
#454-502: Film Lab

Source: https://www.amazon.com/500-Essential-Cult-Movies-Ultimate/dp/1402774869

http://www.indiewire.com/article/stranger-than-fiction-16-documentaries-that-will-blow-your-mind-20150611

This year's Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner (U.S. Documentary) "The Wolfpack" tells a story that's almost too strange to believe: It centers on six teen brothers whose father forced them to spend their entire childhoods locked away from the outside world. With the film opening Friday, here are 16 other unbelievable documentaries.