swap_horiz The Crash Reel Alternatives

1

Hoop Dreams

Hoop Dreams is Steve James's 1994 American documentary following Chicago teens William Gates and Arthur Agee, a landmark...

American Coming Of Age 1990S Basketball

9.3 Excellent

2

Apollo 11

'Apollo 11' is a breathtaking immersive experience that uses never-before-seen footage and audio recordings to recreate...

Technology Exploration History Science

9.0 Excellent

3

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

Hearts of Darkness is a 1991 documentary about the troubled making of Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now in the Phili...

Film 1990S Production Hollywood

8.6 Great

4

Olympia

Olympia is a 1938 German documentary that meticulously records the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. The film provides valuab...

Nazi Historical Movie 1930S

8.4 Great

5

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself is Thom Andersen's 2003 essay documentary about how Los Angeles has been depicted and disguised...

Film 2000S Los Angeles Essay

8.4 Great

6

When We Were Kings

When We Were Kings is a 1996 documentary about Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's 1974 Zaire fight, notable for winning a...

Music Boxing Ali 1990S

8.3 Great

7

The Story of Film: An Odyssey

The Story of Film: An Odyssey is Mark Cousins's 2011, 15-part documentary history of world cinema, notable for its wide...

History Global Series Film

8.3 Great

8

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

The Devil and Daniel Johnston is Jeff Feuerzeig's 2005 documentary about musician Daniel Johnston, notable for winning S...

Music Mental Health Film Biography

8.3 Great

9

Blackfish

Gabriela Cowperthwaite's 'Blackfish' examines the controversy surrounding SeaWorlds orca captivity program. The film pre...

Conservation Environment Film Ethics

8.2 Great

10

Burden of Dreams

Burden of Dreams is a 1982 documentary by Les Blank about Werner Herzog's difficult production of Fitzcarraldo in the Am...

Film 1980S Production Jungle

8.2 Great

11

A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies

A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies is a 1995 documentary in which Scorsese surveys Hollywoo...

History American Film 1990S

8.2 Great

12

The Dawn Wall

The Dawn Wall is a 2017 climbing documentary about Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson's free climb of El Capitan's Dawn W...

Adventure Climbing Yosemite 2010S

8.1 Great

13

Dogtown and Z-Boys

Dogtown and Z-Boys is Stacy Peralta's 2001 documentary about the Zephyr skateboard team that helped define modern skateb...

History California 2000S Skateboarding

8.0 Great

14

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers

The Most Dangerous Man in America is a 2009 documentary about Daniel Ellsberg and the 1971 Pentagon Papers leak; it late...

History Politics Journalism Film

8.0 Great

15

Is That Black Enough for You?!?

Is That Black Enough for You?!? is a 2022 Netflix film essay by Elvis Mitchell, notable for reframing 1970s Black cinema...

History Netflix Film 2020S

8.0 Great

16

Jodorowsky's Dune

Jodorowsky's Dune is a 2013 documentary about Alejandro Jodorowsky's unmade 1970s film adaptation of Frank Herbert's nov...

Film Cult Science Fiction 2010S

7.9 Good

17

The Eagle Huntress

The Eagle Huntress is Otto Bell's 2016 documentary about Aisholpan Nurgaiv, a 13-year-old Kazakh girl entering Mongolia'...

Youth Film Sports Mongolia

7.8 Good

18

The Weather Underground

The Weather Underground is a 2002 documentary by Sam Green and Bill Siegel about the U.S. radical group; it was Oscar-no...

History Politics Film Radicalism

7.8 Good

19

Trouble the Water

Trouble the Water is a 2008 US documentary by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal about Hurricane Katrina survivors, notable for wi...

Film Race Disaster Katrina

7.8 Good

20

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off is a 2022 HBO documentary by Sam Jones about skateboarder Tony Hawk, notable for tr...

Hbo Film Skateboarding Sports

7.5 Good