superdeluxe

Hoping Restrepo makes the list, and Hoping Hoop Dreams is in the top 5 at least.

jfoobar

Update from this week:

30. Fahrenheit 9/11 (Michael Moore, 2004)
29. Man On Wire (James Marsh, 2008)
28. GasLand (Josh Fox, 2010)
27. Tarnation (Jonathan Caouette, 2003)
26. Murderball (Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro, 2005)
25. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (Alex Gibney, 2005)
24. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky, 1996)
23. The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, 2000)
22. Shut Up & Sing (Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck, 2006)
21. Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy, 2010)

So there's the Michael Moore entry, probably a good choice if you had to just pick one. Exit Through the Gift Shop and Man on Wire were inevitable and obviously Enron is a fine choice.

Mabuse

Good list, but I've seen almost every one already, and limiting it 20 years old or less means I dont' think they're going to show me anything I'm not already aware of. It does sort of play like a "most popular" list rather than "best" list.

Regarding Thin Blue Line I agree that time has robbed its subject and story of some if its power. Most everyone who watches it today for the first time knows the story and the outcome. It's kind of like how the shower scene in Psycho is so well known that it doesn't surprise even first time viewers anymore. But what still strikes me is the STYLE of the film. The colors, the photography, the shots of the tape recorder, the look of the re-enactment segments, there's a lot of verticals and horizontals and bright blues and reds, it's as stricking an image of '80s style as Miami Vice, Robert Palmer music videos, and MTV bumpers. It's the only documentary (that I'm aware of ) that has what would be called an '80s style. And even then it's not dated or tacky, it's slick and polished. Perhaps even more slick and polished then it's story of small town murderers might merrit.

david12

So, with the West Memphis Three released from prison, does Paradise Lost deserve a higher spot?

Giles

wonder if Grey Gardens (1975) and In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) make the list

Michael Corvin

Just got done watching it based on the posts here.

Wow, I was going to post that it was an emotional punch in the gut and here it is almost word for word already.

jfoobar

Based on their "last couple of decades" standard, no chance.

William Fuld

I'm enjoying the series so far, but it'll be a major disappointment if Adam Curtis and Frederick Wiseman aren't recognized.

whotony

I've been hearing Spurlock say, "Last few decades." Not "couple".

jfoobar

OK, I must have heard that differently. Even at "few", a 1975 doco isn't going to make the list.

As an aside (and FWIW), 22 of the 30 on the list so far have been from 2000 or newer.

PatD

I wish they would include "Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey" from a decade back. But that was direct to video.

FantasticVSDoom

Hopefully the Wild Wonderful Wights of West Virginia makes it... Guess Im the only one who didnt like Exit Throught the Gift Shop.

lopper

Nope, you're not the only one. I didn't like it either. Still waiting to see what the big deal is.

jfoobar

He says "two", not "few."

jfoobar

This week's bunch:

20. Capturing the Friedmans (Andrew Jarecki, 2003)
19. Touching the Void (Kevin Macdonald, 2003)
18. Food, Inc. (Robert Kenner, 1008)
17. Street Fight (Marshall Curry, 2005)
16. Bus 174 (José Padilha, Felipe Lacerda, 2002)
15. Crumb (Terry Zwigoff, 2004)
14. Dark Days (Marc Singer, 2000)
13. The Fog of War (Errol Morris, 2003)
12. Bowling for Columbine (Michael Moore, 2002)
11. Paris Is Burning (Jennie Livingston, 1990)

So the list makers obviously didn't have a hangup about having more than one film per filmmaker as Moore gets his second entry on the list. Capturing the Friedmans is a well-deserved entry, as was Street Fight.

A pretty lengthy argument could be had about what Errol Morris' best work has been, but The Fog of War is my personal favorite so I won't argue about its inclusion.

AnonomusBob15

for a second there, I thought the Beastmaster was making documentaries.

harpo787

...and the final ten are:

10. Grizzly Man
09. Trouble the Water
08. An Inconvenient Truth
07. The Celluloid Closet
06. The War Room
05. Supersize Me
04. Waltz with Bashir
03. Roger and Me
02. The Thin Blue Line
01. Hoop Dreams

Mabuse

What's strange is that I've seen almost all of 20-50, but I haven't seen very many of the top 20. I've only seen 4 of the top 10.

Michael Corvin

Wow no love for the Cove, God Grew Tired of Us or Dear Zachary.

iggystar

I really need to watch Dear Zachary. I've heard nothing but raving reviews for it.

jfoobar

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong and Correct.

One easy one I would have replaced with any of the films above is Trouble the Water. While some of the couple's footage was rather amazing, the film overall is pretty badly overrated IMHO.

jfoobar

Thanks for updating. I have updated the OP now. I had been out of town and just got to watch the final episode this afternoon.

JimRochester

Suprised that several of Michael Moore's all made it. Give someone else a chance. They appear to be heavily favoring cultural issues and not so much with historical occurences like The Civil War, Titanic or WWII all having fascinating documentaries

J. Farley

No Lake of Fire or Waco: The Rules of Engagement? Weak.

Gunde

I agree.

Also, where the hell is "Murder on a Sunday Morning" and "The Staircase" ??
And I can't agree with "Supersize Me" in the top 10.