Recommended: Documentary

103 Documentary Films we think you’ll enjoy

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Little Richard: I Am Everything (2023): A fabulous documentary that gives long–overdue credit to the man who blazed the trail for rock 'n' roll sound and showmanship when he burst…; DVD $34.95
Gloriavale (2022): A moving exposé of human exploitation in our own backyard, which continues within the infamous Gloriavale Christian Community on the West Coast of…; DVD $29.95
Mister Organ (2022): A real–life game of cat–and–mouse ensues when Kiwi journalist and film–maker David Farrier ("Tickled") tries to hold an…; DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Whetu Marama – Bright Star (2022): The inspiring story of Sir Hekenukumai Ngaiwi Puhipi, aka Hek Busby, the Maori navigator and waka builder who was a key figure in reviving…; DVD $29.95
Ennio: The Maestro (2021): A celebration of the life and legacy of the legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone, anchored around an interview with film–maker Giuseppe…; DVD $29.95
Flee (2021): Stunning animated documentary based on the story of Amin Nawabi, an Afghan refugee who grapples with a painful secret he has kept hidden for 20…; DVD $29.95
Hemingway (2021): Expansive 3–part documentary on the life of American writer Ernest Hemingway, exploring both his life and his extraordinary writing, which had…; DVD $44.95
James & Isey (James and Isey) (2021): Kiwi director Florian Habicht's deeply moving tribute to Northland life and aroha in the form of a documentary portrait of Isey and her son James,…; DVD $29.95
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021): A fittingly wonderful doco tracing the history of the ground–breaking and beloved children’s TV show “Sesame Street”, from its inception…; DVD $19.95
Velvet Queen, The (2021): An incredible nature documentary from France as much about the human animal as the animal kingdom. It follows renowned wildlife photographer Vincent…; DVD $29.95
Ken Burns' Country Music (2020): Formidable 8–part, 16 hour PBS series by the legendary documentarian Ken Burns, exploring the history of country music and it's cultural impact…; DVD $84.95
Mole Agent, The (2020): An Academy Award–nominated documentary set in a nursing home in Chile, where a private investigator has hired a charismatic…; DVD $29.95
Painter and the Thief, The (2020): A astonishing art documentary about the Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova, who tracked down and met the criminal who stole her paintings. What…; DVD $29.95
Collective (2019): A blistering Romanian documentary following a heroic team of journalists from the newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor who attempt to uncover the country's…; DVD $29.95
Hail Satan? (2019): Chronicling the extraordinary rise of one of the most colorful and controversial religious movements in American history, HAIL SATAN? is an inspiring…; DVD $29.95
Leunig Fragments, The (2019): A documentary portrait of Michael Leunig, the cartoonist, writer, painter, philosopher and poet who counts as one of Australia's National Living…; DVD $29.95
Oliver Sacks: His Own Life (2019): A documentary exploring the life and work of the legendary neurologist and storyteller who was famously portrayed by Robin Williams in AWAKENINGS…; DVD $29.95
Pavarotti (2019): Director Ron Howard continues his foray into musical documentary, following THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK with this in–depth look at the life…; DVD $29.95
The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps (2019): An absolutely unflinching portrait of the genius New Zealand songwriter Martin Phillipps whose band The Chills exemplified the "Dunedin Sound" with…; DVD ~~$20~~ $15, $29.95
Celia (2018): Inspiring documentary written, directed and produced by former TV current affairs journalist Amanda Millar, which follows the career of Celia…; DVD $29.95
Fahrenheit 11/9 (2018): Filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics, particularly the Donald J. Trump presidency and gun violence, while…; DVD $29.95
John Mcenroe: In the Realm of Perfection (2018): Beautifully impressionistic documentary celebrating the career of tennis legend John McEnroe, set at the final of the 1984 French Open.; DVD $29.95
Kusama - Infinity (2018): The incredible story of top–selling artist Yayoi Kusama, who overcame countless odds (wartime trauma, mental illness, sexism, racism) to bring…; DVD $29.95
Price of Everything, The (2018): Exploring the labyrinth of the contemporary art world, this documentary examines the role of art and artistic passion in todays money–driven,…; DVD $29.95
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017): A revelatory and entertaining portrait of enigmatic Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr, whose ravishing beauty consistently belied her brilliant mind,…; DVD $24.95
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars (2017): An unflinching and deeply personal look into the life of blues–rock and guitar legend Eric Clapton, told through his own words and songs and…; DVD $29.95
Kobi (2017): A loving portrait of Swiss goldsmith Kobi Bosshard, widely regarded as the grandfather of contemporary NZ jewellery, made by his daughter, filmmaker…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017): Bearing less of his signature subjectivity, veteran documentarian Nick Broomfield explores Whitney Houston's meteoric rise to stardom, turbulent…; Blu-Ray $24.95
Family, The (2016): The heartbreaking story of an Australian religious sect led by Anne Hamilton–Byrne, a former yoga instructor who harnessed the power of charm,…; DVD $24.95
First Monday in May, The (2016): Star–studded glimpse into the hectic preparation involved in the creation of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's most attended fashion exhibition…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
National Bird: Drone Wars (2016): A chilling expose of America's modern warfare program in which the ethics and possibilities of a deadly new technology are being determined, with…; DVD $24.95
Oasis: Supersonic (2016): Highly entertaining portrait of mouthy Brit–pop icons Oasis and their meteoric rise from the council estates of Manchester to some of the…; DVD $24.95
Risk (2016): The director of CITIZENFOUR focuses on another political dissident, Julian Assange, whom she followed for six years through controversies and…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $10
Amy (2015): The compelling but undeniably downbeat story of Amy Winehouse in her own words, featuring unseen archival footage and unheard tracks. From the…; DVD ~~$24.95~~ $18.70
Cartel Land (2015): Unnerving documentary follows a group of citizens as they attempt to counter drug related crime on the Mexican–American border.; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $15
Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance (2015): An inspirational and life–affirming rags–to–riches true story of a barmaid who bred a champion racehorse. Set in a former mining…; DVD $29.95
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015): A lacerating expose of the inner–workings of the Church of Scientology from prolific truth–seeker Alex Gibney. Drawing heavily on…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $15
Grand Designs New Zealand (TV Series) (2015-2017): New Zealand iteration of the immensely popular British design show has Wellington architect Chris Moller taking us behind the scenes of some…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $22.45
Older Than Ireland (2015): 100 years of Irish history is explored in this fascinating documentary about 30 Irish men and women who are all over 100 years old. A uniquely…; DVD $29.95
Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict (2015): Luminous portrait of the arts patron extraordinaire who transformed a modest fortune and adventurous taste into one of the premier collections of…; DVD $19.95
Where to Invade Next (2015): A good–natured comic polemic from film–maker Michael Moore, who this time "invades" a host of European nations in pursuit of progressive,…; DVD $29.95
Citizenfour (2014): Oscar–winning documentary that chronicles the first meetings between whistleblower Edward Snowden and journalist Glenn Greenwald, the explosive…; DVD $29.95
Dior and I (2014): Ravishing documentary takes a peek inside the storied world of the Christian Dior fashion house with a privileged, behind–the–scenes look…; DVD $29.95
Green Prince, The (2014): Absorbing account of how a son of a founding leader in the Palestinian organization, Hamas, became a spy for the Israelis.; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Iris (2014): Legendary documentarian Albert Maysles' final film is an insightful portrait of fashion icon Iris Apfel who has had an outsized presence on the New…; DVD $24.95
Last Days in Vietnam (2014): An exhaustive, Oscar–nominated documentary directed by the daughter of Robert Kennedy about the final panicked days of the Vietnam War as the…; DVD $24.95 | Blu-Ray $29.95
Blackfish (2013): A series of deaths caused by a Seaworld killer whale is used to shed light on harmful living conditions in this persuasive activist documentary.; DVD $29.95
Gardening With Soul (2013): Heart–swelling documentary on Sister Loyola Galvin, a 90–year–old stalwart of Island Bay's Home of Compassion who offers pearls of…; DVD $19.95
Stone Roses, The - Made of Stone (2013): Dir. Shane Meadows enthusiastically documents the reunion of iconic band the Stone Roses, who were instrumental in paving the way for the Britpop…; DVD $34.95 | Blu-Ray $39.95
Gatekeepers, The (2012): Six former heads of Israel’s Shin Bet secret service agency open up about their work and the state of the Israel–Palestine divide in this…; DVD $29.95
Imposter, The (2012): An extraordinary account of a French–Algerian con artist named Frédéric Bourdin and his impersonation of an American teenager who returns to…; DVD $14.95
Searching for Sugar Man (Searching for Sugarman) (2012): A unique, engaging music mystery that follows the late–60's Detroit based musician Sixto Rodriguez, who faded into obscurity in America amidst…; DVD $24.95
Buck (2011): A soothing and ultimately inspiring portrait of legendary trainer Buck Brannama, whose compassionate approach to horse rearing inspired the film,…; DVD $19.95
From the Ashes (2011): A gripping flashback to the summer of '81 where England's struggling cricket team – spearheaded by a swashbuckling Ian Botham – rallied…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $19.95
Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure (2011): The viral phenomenon of two aging, foul–mouthed room–mates at each others throats is explored in this wildly entertaining doco, centred…; DVD $29.95
Undefeated (2011): The perennial losing record of one Manassas High School is turned around by an inspirational football coach in this Academy Award–winning…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $19.95
When a City Falls (2011): Heavy–hearted chronicle of the impact of Christchurch’s devastating earthquakes, and on the lives of its resilient citizens.; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Freakonomics (2010): The authors of 'Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist' pass on the baton to six documentarians in this diverse exploration of social phenomena through (and…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $19.95
Home By Christmas (2010): The director of WAR STORIES returns to the subject for this deeply personal yet affecting docu–drama focusing this time on a single story…; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Love Story (2010): Ebullient Kiwi filmmaker Florian Habicht creates his own 'New York Story' by turning his camera to a beautiful Russian model and his own creative…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
At the Edge of the World (2009): Highly topical film bears witness to the actions of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as they do their best to scupper the efforts of Japanese…; DVD $19.95
Good Hair (2009): Comedian Chris Rock explores cultural identity by way of black America's obsession with hair in this warm and witty social documentary. More…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
His & Hers (His and Hers) (2009): A collection of straight–talking vignettes informs this sweet, affecting, often witty documentary in which Irish women of all ages talk about…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $15
Land of the Long White Cloud (2009): Loveable loose sequel to Florian Habicht’s Kiwi classic KAIKOHE DEMOLITION finds the engaging filmmaker returning to Northland, where hundreds of…; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Man In The Hat, The (2009): Sam Neill narrates this intimate portrait of veteran art dealer Peter McLeavey, commemorating his 40 years in the business of running an independent…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Trouble is My Business (2009): Keenly observational documentary about an empathetic assistant principal (Gary Peach) who battles to keep his students in school and out of trouble…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (2008): Wannabe ironman Chris Bell spins his lack of conviction and self–doubt into an eye–opening documentary on America’s pervading culture…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $19.95
Man On Wire (2008): Oscar–winning doco about a truly remarkable, one–of–a–kind subject; a cavalier French daredevil called Phillipe Petit who in…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Waltz With Bashir (Vals Im Bashir) (2008): This striking hybrid animation is an audacious attempt to recall, through anecdote, dream, and documentary, the 1982 Israeli–Lebanon war.…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
English Surgeon, The (2007): Remarkable documentary focused on Dr. Henry Marsh – a UK–based neurosurgeon who makes an annual trip to Ukraine to offer free surgery to…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $19.95
Hunger for the Wild (TV Series) (2006-2007): Wellington restauranteurs Steve Logan and Al Brown (of 'Logan Brown') travel the wilds of New Zealand looking for fresh food to turn into…; DVD ~~$20~~ $15, ~~$20~~ $15
Love Story (2006): Belated but worth–the–wait tragi–profile of overlooked cult band Love, whose magnetic black frontman Arthur Lee passed away shortly…; DVD $44.95
Maori Queen, The: 1931-2006 (Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu) (2006): Televised tribute to the 'Maori Queen', Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, on the occasion of her funeral in August 2006, edited down from…; DVD ~~$24.95~~ $18.70
Once in a Lifetime (2005): An explosive, tabloid–juicy account of the rise and fall of the New York Cosmos, a fledging team in the American Soccer League who, within the…; DVD $29.95
Sedition (2005): Thorough and fascinating doco about the experiences of conscientious objectors in New Zealand during WW2 – particularly the social ostracism…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $22.45
Andy Goldsworthy - Rivers and Tides (2004): Visually beautiful, though essentially straightforward documentary on the Scottish landscape sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, who creates his work out of…; DVD $19.95
Control Room (2004): An important documentary that tunes in to the other side of the Iraq War through the "Control Rooms" of both the leading Arab TV station, 'Al…; DVD ~~$20~~ $10
Guerilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst (Neverland: The Rise and Fall of the Symbionese Liberation Army) (2004): An indepth examination of the Californian 'hippie–terrorists', the SLA, who rose to prominence in the 1970s attempting to change America with…; DVD $19.95
Kaikohe Demolition (2004): A glimpse into the mirth, mayhem and pathos of provincial New Zealand, this concerns a group of unkempt Northland residents who relish their…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $22.45
Scared Sacred (2004): Visiting sites of some of the world’s most horrible stories doesn’t seem like a relaxed night’s viewing, but this doco by the interestingly…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Take, The (2004): A feisty documentary about the aftermath of Argentina's disastrous economic 'crash' in 2001 and how a group of unemployed workers attempt to occupy…; Poster (G) $9.95
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, The (2004): The unlikely tale of a homeless street musician in San Francisco, Mark Bittner, and his longtime attachment to a flock of wild parrots…; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003): A compelling 'sequel' to the renowned documentary on the case of Aileen Wuornos, once touted as the world's first 'female serial killer'. Ten…; DVD $29.95
Spellbound (2003): Surprise hit documentary that struck a universal chord in following eight high–school hopefuls in their bid to succeed at the American National…; Poster (F) $7.95
Tibet - Cry of the Snow Lion (2003): Extremely powerful documentary about the 'occupation' of Tibet by China, where the world's last Buddhist state was invaded by the new Communist…; DVD $29.95
Tintin et Moi (Tintin and Me) (2003): Fascinating and probably definitive look at the life and work of Hergé, the Belgian comicbook artist who from the 1930s onwards created the graphic…; DVD $34.95
A History of Britain (TV Series) (2002): The complete series of Simon Schama's accessible, but provocative look at British history from 3000 BC to 2000 AD. Disc 1 – Beginnings,…; DVD ~~$99.95~~ $50
Daughter from Danang (2002): A moving and troubling documentary about Heidi Bub, the daughter of an American serviceman and a poor Vietnamese woman, born in Danang and raised in…; Poster (VG) $9.95
Decasia: The State of Decay (2002): Highly original experimental film that achieves a stunning aesthetic and haunting visual poetry by compiling an array of found archival film footage…; DVD $49.95
Smashing Machine, The (The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr) (2002): Intense and strangely moving look at the life of Mark Kerr, the most successful and celebrated combatant in the (now banned) Ultimate Fighting…; DVD $29.95
Blerta - The Return Trip... (Blerta Revisited) (2001): Less a nostalgia 'trip' than a brilliant compendium of manic moments from New Zealand's 1970's travelling roadshow of anarchic performance –…; DVD $40
Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary (2001): The astonishing true story of Hitler's private secretary, Traudl Junge, who at the age of 80 comes to terms with working alongside unspeakable evil…; DVD ~~$15~~ $11.25
Blue Planet, The (TV Series) (2001): Breathtaking footage of our planet’s largest feature – the ocean – reveals wondrous worlds within this still almost completely unexplored…; DVD ~~$30~~ $22.50
Hell House (2001): Behind–the–scenes account of a small fundamentalist church in Texas whose "Hell House" serves as a tool to literally "scare the hell out…; DVD $29.95
Ram Dass Fierce Grace (2001): A remarkable documentary portrait of one–time Harvard professor Richard Alpert, who in the 1960s began an epic spiritual voyage through LSD and…; Poster (G) $9.95, Poster (VG) $12.95
Our People Our Century (2000): Major, award–winning series tells the story of New Zealand and its people throughout the 20th century. Six episodes across three…; DVD ~~$34.95~~ $26.20
New Zealand Wars, The (1999): Praised, yet inevitably controversial documentary series on New Zealand's 19th century history, in particular the various land–wars between…; DVD ~~$24.95~~ $18.70
Modulations (1998): Sub–captioned "Cinema for the Ear", this is an enlightening exposition of electronic music – a marginalised yet broadly significant music…; Poster (VG) $12.95
When We Were Kings (1996): Dateline: Zaire, 1974, the 'Rumble in the Jungle'. The hype and drama of the Muhammad Ali/George Foreman boxing match is brilliantly caught in this…; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
War Stories (War Stories our Mothers never told us) (1995): Remarkable documentary manages to compel almost exclusively via the spoken word as seven elderly women offer candid yet articulate and boldy frank…; DVD ~~$29.95~~ $22.45
Baseball (1994-2010): Ken Burns's celebrated documentary transcends its sporting appearance to deliver an elegant and engrossing social history through baseball over 150…; DVD $79.95
Hoop Dreams (1994): Chronicles the 8–year saga of two black teenagers striving for basketball glory in the NBA. Like the British 7/14UP series, this captures…; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Cosmos (Carl Sagan's Cosmos) (1980): Using a combination of special effects and Sagan’s enthusiastic narration, Cosmos covers a range of awe inspiring topics including the origins of…; DVD $59.95 | Blu-Ray $59.95

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Recommended: Documentary