What Documentary Movies to watch on Pluto
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The Shamrock Spitfire
The story of Irish fighter pilot Brendan "Paddy" Finucane, who at the age of just 21, became the youngest ever wing commander in the Royal Air Force, and one of its greatest and most celebrated fighter aces during World War II.

- 2024
My Left Foot
Christy Brown is born with cerebral palsy to a large, poor Irish family. His mother, Mrs. Brown, recognizes the intelligence and humanity in the lad everyone else regards as a vegetable. Eventually, Christy matures into a cantankerous artist who uses his dexterous left foot to write and paint.

- Metascore97
- 1989
The Miracle Worker
Academy Awards went to Best Actress Anne Bancroft and Best Supporting Actress Patty Duke for their moving portrayals of Annie Sullivan and her remarkable blind and deaf pupil, Helen Keller.

- Metascore83
- 1962
Dillinger
An account of the notorious gangster, John Dillinger, from midway through his bank-robbing career up until his final shootout outside the Biograph Theatre.

- Metascore58
- 1973
Mystery of the Nile
Join a team of explorers on the expedition of a lifetime as they set off to become the first to navigate the Blue Nile from source to sea. The epic 3,260 mile descent down the world's greatest and deadliest river has eluded humankind for centuries - until now! Ride shotgun on the team's 16-foot rafts as they crash through the rapids in Ethiopia's desert canyons. Battle through some of the world's most extreme whitewater rapids with renowned kayaker, Gordon Brown. Over the arduous, four month journey, the team faces nearly in-surmountable challenges - from crocodile attacks to armed bandits and arrests. Through breathtaking cinematography, Mystery of the Nile reveals a wondrous region and abundant treasures, from Tissisat Falls and the wonders of Egypt to the forgotten black pyramids of Meroe and 12th century churches that were carved into sheer rock.

- 2005
The Concubine
A love triangle between a royal concubine, her commoner-lover, and a prince ignites a series of political, passionate and life-threatening upheavals.

- 2012
The Falcon and the Snowman
The true story of Christopher Boyce, a young All-American man whose job as a guard for sensitive documents shatters his faith in his country and leads him to a sometimes comic, sometimes chilling sideline as a spy for the Soviets, aided by his scruffy buddy, Daulton; it can't last, though, and the consequences are tremendous for Boyce and his family.

- Metascore68
- 1985
Bird
Saxophone player Charlie "Bird" Parker (Forest Whitaker) comes to New York City in 1940. He is quickly noticed for his remarkable way of playing. Despite becoming a drug addict, his loving wife Chan (Diane Venora) tries to help him through his personal issues.

- Metascore78
- 1988
The Grandmaster
Ip Man's peaceful life in Foshan changes after Gong Yutian seeks an heir for his family in Southern China. Ip Man then meets Gong Er who challenges him for the sake of regaining her family's honor. After the Second Sino-Japanese War, Ip Man moves to Hong Kong and struggles to provide for his family. In the mean time, Gong Er chooses the path of vengeance after her father was killed by Ma San.

- Metascore73
- 2013
Vincent & Theo
Filmed on location in Holland and Provence, this Robert Altman movie concentrates on the destructive relationship between the artist Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo.

- Metascore65
- 1990
Oasis: Supersonic
A revealing look at the meteoric rise of seminal '90s rock band Oasis, weaving never-before-seen concert footage with candid interviews and a firsthand account of the backstage sibling rivalry that threatened to destroy the band.

- Metascore71
- 2016
Gleason
The story begins at the height of Gleason's career. He has it all: women, wealth, and extraordinary power. But he is haunted by memories of his childhood. Gleason spends his formative years entering amateur contests, performing in sleazy night spots. Along the way, he steals gags from the best comics in town and finds love with Genevieve, a dancer whom he marries. But Gleason isn't the ideal husband or even a responsible father as he abandons his family to answer the call of Hollywood. Brash, arrogant, and egotistical, he alienates his directors and the man who discovers him. When he ends up back in New York, Gleason gets one of those rare second chances in the new medium of television, creating some of its most unforgettable characters. But even as Gleason becomes the talk of the tube, his life - ruled by demons of rage, booze, and insecurity - unravels.

- 2002
Venus and Serena
Ever since Venus and Serena Williams started playing in tennis tournaments, they've provoked strong reactions - from awe and admiration to suspicion and resentment. They've been winning championships for over a decade, pushing the limits of longevity in such a demanding sport. How long can they last? In Venus & Serena, we gain unprecedented access into their lives during the most intimidating year of their career. Over the course of 2011, Venus grappled with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease while Serena battled back from a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Neither Venus nor Serena let their adversities hold them back. They drew their greatest strength from each other.

- Metascore65
- 2012
Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage
Necessity is the mother of invention. In the weeks leading up to Christmas 1977, Maryanne Kinkade has fallen behind in her mortgage payments and is about to lose her small house in Placerville, a town in California's gold country in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Her son Thom, who attends art school and is in his 20s, determines to make the transition from amateur to professional painter to help save the family's home. He seeks advice from an aging mentor.

- 2008
Hoop Dreams
This documentary follows two young African-Americans through their high school years as they perfect their skills in basketball in the hopes of getting a college scholarship and eventually play in the NBA. Arthur Agee and William Gates both show great potential and are are actively recruited as they look to enter high school. They start off at the same high school but unable to pay an unexpected bill for tuition fees, Arthur has to withdraw and go to the local public high school. The film follows them through their four years of high school and their trials and tribulations: injuries, slumps and the never ending battle to maintain their grades. Through it all, their hoop dreams continue.

- Metascore98
- 1994
Miss Potter
Blending animation and live-action sequences, this unconventional biopic chronicles the life of beloved children's author-illustrator Beatrix Potter.

- Metascore57
- 2006
My Kid Could Paint That
Four year old Marla Olmstead from Binghamton, New York became the sensation of the art world for her abstract artwork, which have sold for thousands of dollars per piece. The showing of her work started off as a lark, but when the paintings sold without the buyers knowing who the artist was, the media began to run with the story. Through it all, Marla's parents, Mark Olmstead and Laura Olmstead, want to be grounded in what is best for their daughter while exposing her to whatever positive may come from the experience. But some negative and big name media also surfaces, some questioning whether Marla is the real artist behind the work, and some questioning exposing a four year old to such infamy. Regardless, the fact of this art selling brings up the legitimacy of abstract art being quantified as "quality", especially if a four year old can produce it but can't express the emotions or rationale behind its creation. Or is art truly in the eyes of the beholder? Regardless, money, in the art world as is much in life, becomes the great equalizer.

- Metascore74
- 2007
Operation Valkyrie
In 1944, in fear of a complete German defeat in the World War II, a group of high command officers plot an attempt against Hitler, and one of the leaders of the conspiracy, Stauffenberg (Sebastian Koch), goes to a meeting with the Fuhrer in charge of exploding the place. However, Hitler survives and the officers are executed. This unsuccessful operation was called "Valkyrie Operation", and this realistic movie discloses this true event.

- 2004
Shadowlands
Renowned author, Christian apologist, and Oxford medieval scholar C.S. Lewis agrees to marry the divorced American poet Joy Davidman Gresham, to allow her and her two sons to stay in England. But what began as an act of charity by the confirmed bachelor becomes a deep and abiding love and they marry again, "before God." Alas, Joy becomes gravely ill...

- 1985
Citizen Jane
Jane Alexander, an attractive, athletic San Francisco woman, is enjoying a comfortable life in Pacific Heights with the man she loves, handsome, charismatic Tom O'Donnell. Jane's idyllic life is shattered when her beloved Aunt Gertrude McCabe is brutally murdered in San Jose. Jane's heartbreak turns to horror when a brilliant police detective, Jack Morris, finally convinces her that the killer is none other than her beloved boyfriend, Tom O'Donnell. Jane embarks on an epic journey to track down and convict the wily and resourceful O'Donnell, astonishing both police and prosecutors for her shrewdness and tenacity.

- 2009
Mao's Last Dancer
A drama based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin. At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he fell in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.

- Metascore55
- 2009
Fahrenheit 9/11
In the most provocative film of the year, Academy Award(r)-winner Michael Moore (2002, Best Documentary, Bowling for Columbine) presents a searing examination of the role played by money and oil in thewake of the tragic events of 9/11. Moore blends captivating and thought-provoking footage with revealing interviews, while balancing it all with his own brand of humor and satire.

- Metascore67
- 2004
Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind
In Canada's history, there are few people who signified the nation's modern confidence in its arts more than Gordon Lightfoot. This singer-songwriter's singular talent in music changed the world's opinion of Canada's culture with his tremendous variety of songs that both celebrated the nation and touched its soul. Sparing nothing about Lightfoot's personal weaknesses and failures as well as his triumphs, this film covers Lightfoot's career from his own words and his closest associates with recordings of his greatest hits.

- Metascore74
- 2019
The Heart of the Game
A documentary Roosevelt Roughriders, a girls' high-school basketball team in Seattle, and one player's fight to regain her eligibility to play.

- Metascore74
- 2005