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Top 10 Documentaries of All Time in 2027

By Kory White · Updated Nov 2026 · 4 min read
Man on Wire
Direct answer

Man on Wire (2008) is the top documentary of all time on critics' scores: it holds a 100% Tomatometer from 154 reviews and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. O.J.: Made in America (100%, 56 reviews) and Shoah (100%, 37 reviews) follow.

At a glance

#PickTomatometerBest for
1Man on Wire100% (154 reviews)Anyone who wants a heist-style true story with a feel-good ending
2O.J.: Made in America100% (56 reviews)Viewers who want a long, deep look at race, celebrity and policing in America
3Shoah100% (37 reviews)Serious viewers who want first-person testimony about the Holocaust
4The Thin Blue Line100% (19 reviews)True-crime fans and anyone curious how a film can reopen a case
5Hoop Dreams98% (57 reviews)Sports fans who want a story about two Chicago teenagers chasing the NBA
6Won't You Be My Neighbor?97% (255 reviews)Anyone who grew up with Fred Rogers and wants a warm, reflective watch
7Free Solo97% (159 reviews)Adventure fans who want edge-of-your-seat suspense
813th97% (105 reviews)Viewers who want a focused look at prisons and race in the United States
9March of the Penguins94% (178 reviews)Families with young kids and nature lovers
10Grizzly Man93% (144 reviews)Viewers who like Werner Herzog's darker, more philosophical side

Pick by what you want

Best overall
Man on Wire
Best for families
March of the Penguins
Best sports story
Hoop Dreams
Best adventure
Free Solo
Best history
Shoah

The ranking

1

Man on Wire

Man on Wire
Photo: Edgar de Evia / CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA perfect Tomatometer from the most reviews of any 100% film here.
Tomatometer: 100% (154 reviews)Director, year: James Marsh, 2008Best Documentary Feature: Won (81st Academy Awards)Rated: PG-13US and Canada box office: $2,962,242

James Marsh's 2008 film follows a high-wire walk in New York. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 81st Academy Awards and holds a 100% Tomatometer from 154 reviews. It is rated PG-13 and made $2,962,242 in the US and Canada.

Go ifAnyone who wants a heist-style true story with a feel-good ending
Skip ifHeights make you queasy
Why #1 over #2: Its 154 reviews at 100% are the most of any perfect score here; O.J.: Made in America has 56.
2

O.J.: Made in America

O.J.: Made in America
Answrs VerdictThe Oscar winner built as a five-part series.
Tomatometer: 100% (56 reviews)Director, year: Ezra Edelman, 2016Best Documentary Feature: Won (89th Academy Awards)Format: Five-part miniseries for ESPN Films' 30 for 30 seriesRated: TV-14

Ezra Edelman's 2016 film was made for ESPN Films' 30 for 30 series as a five-part miniseries. It won Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards and holds a 100% Tomatometer from 56 reviews. It is rated TV-14.

Go ifViewers who want a long, deep look at race, celebrity and policing in America
Skip ifYou want a film you can finish in one sitting
Why #2 over #3: Its 56 reviews at 100% beat the 37 for Shoah.
3

Shoah

Shoah
Answrs VerdictThe longest and heaviest film here, with no archive footage.
Tomatometer: 100% (37 reviews)Director, year: Claude Lanzmann, 1985Length: Over nine hoursRecognition: UNESCO Memory of the World register, 2023

Claude Lanzmann's 1985 film runs over nine hours and is built from interviews rather than archive footage. It holds a 100% Tomatometer from 37 reviews, and its negative was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World register in 2023.

Go ifSerious viewers who want first-person testimony about the Holocaust
Skip ifYou are looking for a quick or light watch
Why #3 over #4: Its 37 reviews at 100% beat the 19 for The Thin Blue Line.
4

The Thin Blue Line

The Thin Blue Line
Answrs VerdictThe influential true-crime classic that the Oscars did not nominate.
Tomatometer: 100% (19 reviews)Director, year: Errol Morris, 1988Best Documentary Feature: Not nominatedUS and Canada box office: $1,209,846

Errol Morris's 1988 film holds a 100% Tomatometer from 19 reviews. It was not nominated for Best Documentary Feature, and it made $1,209,846 in the US and Canada.

Go ifTrue-crime fans and anyone curious how a film can reopen a case
Skip ifYou want straight interviews with no re-enactments
Why #4 over #5: Its 100% Tomatometer edges Hoop Dreams at 98%.
5

Hoop Dreams

Hoop Dreams
Photo: TonyTheTiger / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe sports documentary whose Oscar snub changed the voting rules.
Tomatometer: 98% (57 reviews)Director, year: Steve James, 1994Best Documentary Feature: Not nominated (nominated for Best Editing)Length: 171 minutesWorldwide box office: $11.8 million

Steve James's 1994 film runs 171 minutes and holds a 98% Tomatometer from 57 reviews. It was not nominated for Best Documentary Feature, though it was nominated for Best Editing. It grossed $11.8 million worldwide.

Go ifSports fans who want a story about two Chicago teenagers chasing the NBA
Skip ifNearly three hours is too long for one sitting
Why #5 over #6: Its 98% Tomatometer beats the 97% of Won't You Be My Neighbor?.
6

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Photo: Walt Seng; Distributed by PBS / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe most-reviewed film here, 255 critics.
Tomatometer: 97% (255 reviews)Director, year: Morgan Neville, 2018Rated: PG-13Box office: Over $22 million

Morgan Neville's 2018 film holds a 97% Tomatometer from 255 reviews, the most on this list. It is rated PG-13 and has grossed over $22 million.

Go ifAnyone who grew up with Fred Rogers and wants a warm, reflective watch
Skip ifYou want a hard-hitting exposé
Why #6 over #7: Its 255 reviews at 97% beat the 159 for Free Solo.
7

Free Solo

Free Solo
Answrs VerdictThe Oscar winner that follows a rope-free climb.
Tomatometer: 97% (159 reviews)Director, year: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, 2018Best Documentary Feature: Won (91st Academy Awards)Rated: PG-13Worldwide box office: $28.6 million

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's 2018 film won Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards and holds a 97% Tomatometer from 159 reviews. It is rated PG-13 and grossed $28.6 million worldwide.

Go ifAdventure fans who want edge-of-your-seat suspense
Skip ifWatching a climb without a rope is too stressful
Why #7 over #8: Its 159 reviews at 97% beat the 105 for 13th.
8

13th

13th
Photo: Photo by Stephanie Moreno/Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications fo / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe Emmy winner that streams on Netflix.
Tomatometer: 97% (105 reviews)Director, year: Ava DuVernay, 2016Best Documentary Feature: Nominated (89th Academy Awards)Streaming: Released on Netflix October 7, 2016

Ava DuVernay's 2016 film was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards and holds a 97% Tomatometer from 105 reviews. It was released on Netflix on October 7, 2016.

Go ifViewers who want a focused look at prisons and race in the United States
Skip ifYou prefer a story with a single central character
Why #8 over #9: Its 97% Tomatometer beats the 94% of March of the Penguins.
9

March of the Penguins

March of the Penguins
Photo: Brocken Inaglory / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe family pick, and the biggest earner here at over $127 million.
Tomatometer: 94% (178 reviews)Director, year: Luc Jacquet, 2005Best Documentary Feature: Won (2006 Academy Awards)Rated: GWorldwide box office: Over $127 million

Luc Jacquet's 2005 film won Best Documentary Feature at the 2006 Academy Awards and holds a 94% Tomatometer from 178 reviews. It is rated G and grossed over $127 million worldwide.

Go ifFamilies with young kids and nature lovers
Skip ifYou want human drama over wildlife
Why #9 over #10: Its 94% Tomatometer beats the 93% of Grizzly Man.
10

Grizzly Man

Grizzly Man
Answrs VerdictThe R-rated wildlife story from Werner Herzog.
Tomatometer: 93% (144 reviews)Director, year: Werner Herzog, 2005Rated: RWorldwide box office: $4,061,305Sundance: Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, 2005

Werner Herzog's 2005 film holds a 93% Tomatometer from 144 reviews and is rated R. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and made $4,061,305 worldwide.

Go ifViewers who like Werner Herzog's darker, more philosophical side
Skip ifYou are sensitive to disturbing true stories

How we ranked these

We ranked the 10 documentaries by their Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (critics' score) as shown on each film's Rotten Tomatoes page, and broke ties by the number of reviews. Academy Award, box office and runtime facts come from each film's Wikipedia article. We did not use our own opinion scores. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.

Questions people ask

What is the best documentary of all time?

On critics' scores, Man on Wire (2008). It holds a 100% Tomatometer from 154 reviews and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Which documentaries on this list won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature?

Man on Wire, O.J.: Made in America, Free Solo and March of the Penguins all won the award. 13th was nominated, while Hoop Dreams and The Thin Blue Line were not.

Which of these documentaries are fine for young kids?

March of the Penguins is rated G. Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Man on Wire, Free Solo and Hoop Dreams are rated PG-13, and Grizzly Man is rated R.

What is the longest documentary on this list?

Shoah (1985) runs over nine hours. O.J.: Made in America was made as a five-part miniseries, and Hoop Dreams runs 171 minutes.

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (critics) at a glance

Grizzly Man93 %
March of the Penguins94 %
Won't You Be My Neighbor?97 %
Free Solo97 %
13th97 %
Hoop Dreams98 %
Man on Wire100 %
O.J.: Made in America100 %
Shoah100 %
The Thin Blue Line100 %
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (critics), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.

Official sites

Sources

Prices, specs and availability change; confirm on the official site before you buy.

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