Best Documentary Movies of 2009

1.

The Cove

6.0

8.4/10

The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of individuals, films makers and free divers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate the hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The shocking discoveries were only the tip of the iceberg.

2.

Capitalism: A Love Story

5.3

7.4/10

Michael Moore comes home to the issue he's been examining throughout his career: the disastrous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans (and by default, the rest of the world).

3.

This Is It

5.2

7.3/10

A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London.

4.

Oceans

4.8

7.8/10

An ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

6.

Waking Sleeping Beauty

4.2

7.7/10

By the mid-1980s, the fabled animation studios of Walt Disney had fallen on hard times. The artists were polarized between newcomers hungry to innovate and old timers not yet ready to relinquish control. These conditions produced a series of box-office flops and pessimistic forecasts: maybe the best days of animation were over. Maybe the public didn't care. Only a miracle or a magic spell could produce a happy ending. Waking Sleeping Beauty is no fairy tale. It's the true story of how Disney regained its magic with a staggering output of hits - "Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast ," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," and more - over a 10-year period.

9.

I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale

4.0

7.9/10

John Cazale was in only five films - The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather, Part Two, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter - each was nominated for Best Picture. Yet today most people don't even know his name. I KNEW IT WAS YOU is a fresh tour through movies that defined a generation.

11.

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

4.0

7.8/10

"The Most Dangerous Man in America" is the story of what happens when a former Pentagon insider, armed only with his conscience, steadfast determination, and a file cabinet full of classified documents, decides to challenge an "Imperial" Presidency-answerable to neither Congress, the press, nor the people-in order to help end the Vietnam War.

12.

Under the Sea 3D

3.9

7.6/10

Imagine a world of incredible color and beauty. Of crabs wearing jellyfish for hats. Of fish disguised as frogs, stones and shag carpets. Of a kaleidoscope of life dancing and weaving, floating and darting in an underwater wonderland. Now, go explore it! Howard Hall and his filmmaking team, who brought you Deep Sea and Into the Deep, take you into tropical waters alive with adventure: the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific realms. Narrated by Jim Carrey and featuring astonishing camerawork, this amazing film brings you face to fin with Nature's marvels, from the terrible grandeur (and terrible teeth) of a Great White to the comic antics of a lovestruck cuttlefish. Excitement and fun run deep Under the Sea!

13.

The Yes Men Fix the World

3.9

7.6/10

THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD is a screwball true story about two gonzo political activists who, posing as top executives of giant corporations, lie their way into big business conferences and pull off the world's most outrageous pranks.

14.

The Shock Doctrine

3.8

7.7/10

An investigation of "disaster capitalism", based on Naomi Klein's proposition that neo-liberal capitalism feeds on natural disasters, war and terror to establish its dominance.

15.

Best Worst Movie

3.8

7.3/10

A look at the making of the film Troll 2 (1990) and its journey from being crowned the "worst film of all time" to a cherished cult classic.

16.

RiP!: A Remix Manifesto

3.8

7.6/10

RiP!: A Remix Manifesto is a 2008 open source documentary film about the "the changing concept of copyright" directed by Brett Gaylor.

18.

Beyoncé: I Am... Yours

3.8

8.5/10

Filmed at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas, this extraordinary concert features performances of over 30 songs from Beyoncé’s three multi-platinum solo releases, Destiny’s Child catalog and a few surprises. This amazing concert includes the #1 hits, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” “If I Were A Boy,” “Halo,” “Sweet Dreams” and showcases a gut-wrenching performance of “That’s Why You’re Beautiful.” Included on "I AM... YOURS An Intimate Performance At Wynn Las Vegas," is a biographical storytelling woven between many songs and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. "I AM... YOURS An Intimate Performance At Wynn Las Vegas" is Beyoncé’s first live CD and fans can also consider the release a greatest hits collection.

19.

Objectified

3.8

7.1/10

A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.