Documentaries & Biopics
Documentaries & Biopics | Television Shows | Miscellaneous
A Perfect 14
Year: 2018
Synopsis: A documentary about the history and struggles of plus-size women’s fashion and modeling.
EMN Notes: Mandy added this one, and it’s a really sweet and interesting piece of body-positivity. It has a relaxed style but doesn’t feel frivolous, and I like that! Plus it’s about modeling, and we are both weak to pretty people, so it’s a win all around.
Adaptation.
Year: 2002
Synopsis: Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his brother Donald try their hardest to adapt best-selling book The Orchid Thief into a film.
EMN Notes: Mandy watched this movie and was raving about it all day. The sheer gumption it took for Charlie Kaufman to write a script where he creates a fake brother, credits the fake brother, and demonizes the authors of the book he was supposed to be adapting in the first place. Just nuts. So, yes, this is probably our biggest stretch as far as biopics go, but it has basis in reality in terms of the emotions expressed and it kind of has real people in it, so I’ll let it slide.
American Movie
Year: 1999
Synopsis: An aspiring filmmaker tries to raise funds to create the horror movie of his dreams.
EMN Notes: This is one of James Rolfe’s favorite films, and he considers it one of the finest Movies About Movies. Mandy and I finally watched this film in 2023 and we immediately fell absolutely in love with it. It’s to the point that I ordered a custom Criterion Collection-style case just to house the DVD and Blu-Ray together. We will probably end up putting Coven, the short film mentioned in this documentary, on our horror channel as well.
Andre the Giant
Year: 2018
Synopsis: A documentary about the larger-than-life French giant of professional wrestling.
EMN Notes: It’s always really cool to see a documentary not officially done by WWE that covers one of their big talents because it usually means you’re gonna get a deeper dive than they would normally give. This was done by HBO, and that means they don’t shy away from the ugly truths about wrestling or the messier parts of Andre’s life, but it’s also fun because it highlights why he was so beloved by fans and peers alike as well.
An Honest Liar
Year: 2017
Synopsis: A piece on the history and contributions of The Amazing Randi, a world-renowned magician who became a poster-child for intelligent skepticism and the debunking of ESP.
Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened…
Year: 2016
Synopsis: A documentary about the disastrous Broadway run of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along”, a 1981 musical that closed after sixteen performances.
Bob Ross: The Happy Painter
Year: 2011
Synopsis: A short piece about the history and impact of Bob Ross, host of popular public access program The Joy of Painting.
Bonnie & Clyde
Year: 1967
Synopsis: A film about the infamous 1930s gangsters Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, their nationwide fame, and their final moments together.
Dear Mr. Watterson
Year: 2013
Synopsis: A documentary attempting to piece together the history of Calvin & Hobbes’s famously reclusive creator, Bill Watterson.
Dog Day Afternoon
Year: 1975
Synopsis: A bank heist meant to secure funds for a man’s girlfriend’s transition turns into a media circus when everything that can go wrong does. Based on a true story.
Dolemite Is My Name
Year: 2019
Synopsis: A biopic about Rudy Ray Moore’s tenacious attempt to bring his stand-up comedy character Dolemite to the big screen.
Ed Wood
Year: 1994
Synopsis: A black-and-white biopic about a complicated man affectionally called the worst filmmaker ever.
Exposed! Pro Wrestling’s Greatest Secrets
Year: 1988
Synopsis: The infamous pro wrestling documentary aiming to reveal The Work that got almost everything wrong. Yes, this is the one with Stunt Grannies.
Gods & Monsters
Year: 1998
Synopsis: A historical fiction film about the last days of Frankenstein director James Whale, his struggles with his homosexuality, and his traumatic life.
Hoop Dreams
Year: 1994
Synopsis: A documentary about a team of high school basketball players who hope to go pro, filmed over the course of five years.
I, Tonya
Year: 2017
Synopsis: Almost a biopic and almost a mockumentary about Tonya Harding, a controversial figure skater accused of attempting to sabotage one of her rivals ahead of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Year: 2011
Synopsis: A documentary about an old master and his two sons running a sushi business steeped in history.
Malcom X
Year: 1992
Synopsis: A dramatic film based on The Autobiography of Malcom X, telling the story of the fiery civil rights leader.
March of the Penguins
Year: 2005
Synopsis: A nature documentary about penguins and what they do to survive the long, cold seasons.
Micro Men
Year: 2009
Synopsis: A dramatization of the race to take over UK home computing in the 1980s, with the inventions of the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and BBC Micro, and the colorful personalities that made it happen.
My Octopus Teacher
Year: 2020
Synopsis: A documentarian forges a friendship with an octopus in South Africa.
Paris Is Burning
Year: 1990
Synopsis: A deep-dive documentary into the queer and drag culture of New York City, focusing on the gala and ball events and the cultural significance thereof.
Power of Greyskull: The Definitive History of He-Man & the Masters of the Universe
Year: 2017
Synopsis: A documentary about the history of He-Man as a property, from the action figures to the cartoon to the comics to the spin-offs.
Road to King of Iron Fist: Tekken 7
Year: 2019
Synopsis: Press Back To Block’s documentary on what it takes to become a pro-level Tekken player.
Serpico
Year: 1973
Synopsis: A film about Frank Serpico, one of the original whistleblowers in the police force, and how he attempted to break the corruption found within.
Stan & Ollie
Year: 2018
Synopsis: A biopic about the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy and their attempts at creating films in the later years of their lives.
Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
Year: 1993
Synopsis: A series of vignettes, all told in varying styles, about the life of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould.
The Disaster Artist
Year: 2017
Synopsis: A biopic based on the book of the same name about the making of Tommy Wiseau’s infamous film The Room.
The Elephant Man
Year: 1980
Synopsis: David Lynch’s biographical drama about an 18th-century man who lived with a severe deformity.
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Year: 2007
Synopsis: A documentary about to competitive nature of Donkey Kong speedrunning and high scores, including the tale of the infamous Billy Mitchell.
The Rise & Fall of ECW
Year: 2004
Synopsis: An extremely thorough documentary about the explosive rise of the counter-culture Philly-based federation that changed pro wrestling in the 90s.
The Speed Cubers
Year: 2020
Synopsis: A documentary about what it takes to be a professional Rubik’s Cube solver and go to competition.
The Y2K Crisis!
Year: 1999
Synopsis: A documentary, narrated by Robert Stack of Unsolved Mysteries fame, about what’s going to happen during Y2K and how YOU can be prepared.
They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead
Year: 2018
Synopsis: A documentary about Orson Welles returning to America to shoot an ill-fated film.
Various Travel Channel Documentaries
Year: Various
Synopsis: Various top ten lists, documentaries, and puff pieces about everything from haunted hotels to popular theme park attractions.
When We Were Kings
Year: 1996
Synopsis: A documentary about the Rumble In The Jungle, a boxing match held in Zaire between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Year: 2018
Synopsis: A documentary about the life and philosophy of Fred Rogers, host of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.