Best Documentary Movies of the 2000s

1. 1
   Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father 2008

   Directed by Kurt Kuenne · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, JustWatch TV Free, JustWatch TV Plus
   7.8

   8.1 · 616 votes
2. 2
   The Cove 2009

   Directed by Louie Psihoyos · Streaming on Philo, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
   7.8

   8.0 · 704 votes
3. 3
   Earthlings 2005

   Directed by Shaun Monson
   7.7

   8.1 · 348 votes
4. 4
   Home 2009

   Directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand · Streaming on GuideDoc, Plex, Fawesome
   7.6

   7.8 · 581 votes
5. 5
   Waltz with Bashir 2008

   Directed by Ari Folman
   7.6

   7.7 · 1.1K votes
6. 6
   The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters 2007

   Directed by Seth Gordon · Streaming on Howdy
   7.5

   7.7 · 518 votes
7. 7
   Bowling for Columbine 2002

   Directed by Michael Moore · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Tubi TV
   7.5

   7.5 · 1.8K votes
8. 8
   Grizzly Man 2005

   Directed by Werner Herzog · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, Fandango at Home Free
   7.4

   7.5 · 1K votes
9. 9
   Earth 2007

   Directed by Alastair Fothergill · Streaming on Plex, Plex Channel
   7.4

   7.7 · 387 votes
10. 10
    The Fog of War 2003

    Directed by Errol Morris · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Howdy
    7.4

    7.7 · 310 votes
11. 11
    Touching the Void 2003

    Directed by Kevin Macdonald · Streaming on Philo, AMC Plus, AMC+
    7.3

    7.6 · 485 votes
12. 12
    Linkin Park: Live in Texas 2003

    Directed by Kimo Proudfoot
    7.3

    9.0 · 62 votes
13. 13
    Tupac: Resurrection 2003

    Directed by Lauren Lazin
    7.3

    7.9 · 177 votes
14. 14
    Sicko 2007

    Directed by Michael Moore · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Hoopla, YouTube Free
    7.3

    7.4 · 817 votes
15. 15
    Man on Wire 2008

    Directed by James Marsh · Streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel
    7.3

    7.4 · 1K votes
16. 16
    This Is It 2009

    Directed by Kenny Ortega · Streaming on YouTube TV, Sundance Now, Tubi TV
    7.3

    7.4 · 1.1K votes
17. 17
    The Corporation 2003

    Directed by Mark Achbar · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla
    7.3

    7.6 · 291 votes
18. 18
    Anvil! The Story of Anvil 2008

    Directed by Sacha Gervasi · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
    7.2

    7.6 · 284 votes
19. 19
    The Gleaners and I 2000

    Directed by Agnès Varda · Streaming on DocAlliance Films
    7.2

    7.7 · 234 votes
20. 20
    Food, Inc. 2008

    Directed by Robert Kenner · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, The Roku Channel
    7.2

    7.4 · 696 votes
21. 21
    9/11 2002

    Directed by Gédéon Naudet · Streaming on YouTube Free
    7.2

    7.9 · 135 votes
22. 22
    The Pixar Story 2007

    Directed by Leslie Iwerks · Streaming on Disney Plus
    7.2

    7.6 · 251 votes
23. 23
    Encounters at the End of the World 2008

    Directed by Werner Herzog
    7.2

    7.5 · 307 votes
24. 24
    Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy 2004

    Directed by Edith Becker · Streaming on Disney Plus
    7.2

    7.6 · 218 votes
25. 25
    Winged Migration 2001

    Directed by Jacques Perrin · Streaming on YouTube Free
    7.2

    7.6 · 215 votes
26. 26
    No Direction Home: Bob Dylan 2005

    Directed by Martin Scorsese · Streaming on Qello Concerts by Stingray
    7.2

    7.8 · 150 votes
27. 27
    Metal: A Headbanger's Journey 2005

    Directed by Sam Dunn
    7.1

    7.6 · 179 votes
28. 28
    The Beaches of Agnès 2008

    Directed by Agnès Varda · Streaming on Kanopy, DocAlliance Films
    7.1

    7.7 · 147 votes
29. 29
    The Devil and Daniel Johnston 2006

    Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig · Streaming on The Roku Channel, YouTube Free
    7.1

    7.7 · 148 votes
30. 30
    Playing 2007

    Directed by Eduardo Coutinho
    7.0

    8.4 · 61 votes
31. 31
    Fahrenheit 9/11 2004

    Directed by Michael Moore · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla
    7.0

    7.1 · 1.6K votes
32. 32
    March of the Penguins 2005

    Directed by Luc Jacquet
    7.0

    7.1 · 1.3K votes
33. 33
    National Geographic: Journey to the Edge of the Universe 2008

    Directed by Yavar Abbas
    7.0

    7.8 · 105 votes
34. 34
    Stanley Kubrick - Ein Leben für den Film 2001

    Directed by Jan Harlan
    7.0

    7.4 · 204 votes
35. 35
    Iron Maiden: Rock In Rio 2002

    Directed by Dean Karr
    7.0

    8.6 · 49 votes
36. 36
    Alone in the Wilderness 2004

    Directed by Dick Proenneke
    7.0

    7.9 · 86 votes
37. 37
    Capitalism: A Love Story 2009

    Directed by Michael Moore · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free
    7.0

    7.1 · 594 votes
38. 38
    Zeitgeist: Addendum 2008

    Directed by Peter Joseph · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Free, Daring Docs
    6.9

    7.2 · 277 votes
39. 39
    As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty 2000

    Directed by Jonas Mekas
    6.9

    7.8 · 87 votes
40. 40
    Concert for George 2003

    Directed by David Leland · Streaming on PBS, KQED
    6.9

    8.1 · 64 votes
41. 41
    In the Shadow of the Moon 2007

    Directed by David Sington · Streaming on History Vault
    6.9

    7.6 · 118 votes
42. 42
    Religulous 2008

    Directed by Larry Charles · Streaming on Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
    6.9

    7.0 · 678 votes
43. 43
    Robin Williams: Live on Broadway 2002

    Directed by Marty Callner
    6.9

    7.8 · 85 votes
44. 44
    The Pervert's Guide to Cinema 2006

    Directed by Sophie Fiennes · Streaming on Kanopy
    6.9

    7.3 · 182 votes
45. 45
    Heima 2007

    Directed by Dean DeBlois
    6.9

    7.7 · 94 votes
46. 46
    No End in Sight 2007

    Directed by Charles Ferguson · Streaming on Philo, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
    6.9

    7.7 · 94 votes
47. 47
    Why We Fight 2005

    Directed by Eugene Jarecki · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Artiflix
    6.9

    7.5 · 125 votes
48. 48
    Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room 2005

    Directed by Alex Gibney · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
    6.9

    7.2 · 310 votes
49. 49
    This Film Is Not Yet Rated 2006

    Directed by Kirby Dick
    6.9

    7.1 · 393 votes
50. 50
    Capturing the Friedmans 2003

    Directed by Andrew Jarecki · Streaming on HBO Max
    6.9

    7.1 · 376 votes

Smart score = (votes × rating + 82 × 6.03) ÷ (votes + 82): the TMDB rating, pulled toward the catalog average as if every film had 82 extra average votes.

1. 1
   Last Temptation in Thailand 2007

   Directed by Gary Schmad
   6.6

   10.0 · 13 votes
2. 2
   Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies 2003

   Directed by Brad Lachman
   6.5

   9.0 · 15 votes
3. 3
   Katy Perry: MTV Unplugged 2009

   Directed by Matthew C. Mills
   6.5

   8.6 · 17 votes
4. 4
   The Making of 'Kill Bill Vol. 2' 2004

   Directed by Shannon McIntosh
   6.4

   8.8 · 14 votes
5. 5
   The Making of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' 2006

   Directed by Costa Botes
   6.4

   8.8 · 13 votes
6. 6
   The Making of 'The Return of the King' 2006

   Directed by Costa Botes
   6.4

   8.8 · 12 votes
7. 7
   Dissection - Rebirth Of Dissection 2006

   Directed by Magnus Göthlund
   6.4

   8.9 · 11 votes
8. 8
   Do You Believe in Miracles? The Story of the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team 2002
   6.4

   9.0 · 10 votes
9. 9
   The Black Parade is dead. Long live the black parade 2008

   Directed by Atom Rothlein · Streaming on Qello Concerts by Stingray
   6.4

   9.0 · 10 votes
10. 10
    Eye of the Leopard 2006

    Directed by Beverly Joubert
    6.4

    8.3 · 17 votes