In the 2000s, most people were only just properly coming around to the thought of becoming a vegetarian or even a vegan. And in the 2020s, it's more popular than ever, but that might not have been the case if not for some of the most impactful documentaries of the 21st century. Michael Moore was also completely in a league of his own in the documentary world, and his investigative journalism was totally unrivaled.
The 2000s were almost like a golden age for documentaries, as so few documentaries have been able to change the world like the ones released back then. Between corporate farming, educating audiences on gun laws in the US, and a shocking true crime doc that surely influenced Netflix's approach to the genre, the 2000s had the most thought-provoking releases.
Food, Inc. (2008) - 7.8
There are so many popular cooking documentaries on Netflix that will whet viewers' appetites, and streaming platforms, in general, are overrun with cooking shows that'll make viewers salivate. However, Food, Inc. will do the exact opposite.
Even food documentaries that swayed audiences away from fast food, such as Super Size Me, made some viewers hungry, but this 2008 movie will make many viewers stop eating meat entirely. Food, Inc. spotlights corporate farming in the United States, and it shows how harmful it is to animals as well as the farms' employees.
Sicko (2007) - 7.9
When it comes to the documentary genre, there's one man specifically who became the forerunner for world-changing docs in the 2000s, and that's Michael Moore. Between Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling For Columbine, the documentarian changed the world on the topics of politics and guns. And in 2007, American healthcare was in Moore's crosshairs.
The documentarian analyzes why so many millions of US citizens are without healthcare, and Moore investigates how people's lives have been ruined because of it. It's even more sickening when compared side by side to countries with free healthcare, which Moore also visits.
Anvil: The Story Of Anvil (2008) - 7.9
If This Is Spinal Tap wasn't a mockumentary and was in fact based on a real-life band, it wouldn't be too different from Anvil: The Story of Anvil. Anvil is a real-life band from Canada, and the doc follows that band as they strive for success even when every hurdle possible is put in front of them.
Ironically the documentary helped the band get the recognition they deserve, and following the film's release, they opened for huge bands such as AC/DC and Saxon. The movie is an inspiration for anybody creative to keep striving for success whether it's in music or otherwise.
Bowling For Columbine (2002) - 7.9
Following the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, Michael Moore applied his one-of-a-kind investigative journalism to gun availability and how accessible weapons are in the United States. Bowling For Columbine is eye-opening, especially to overseas viewers. Moore is given a free rifle when he opens a bank account, and there's a shocking interview with celebrated Hollywood actor and NRA spokesperson, Charlton Heston.
Bowling For Columbine is Moore's best movie, and it was a huge achievement for documentaries when it was first on the film festival circuit. The film was nominated for the most coveted award a film can ever receive, the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and it has a ton of other accolades too.
Stanley Kubrick: A Life In Pictures (2001) - 8.0
Stanley Kubrick is one of Hollywood's greatest directors. He wasn't limited to one style and he directed several movies that could be considered the gold standard of each genre, whether it's The Shining for horror, 2001: A Space Odyssey for sci-fi, or Dr. Strangelove for comedy.
But for someone who's such a genius, they have to have such a unique and strange work ethic. A Life in Pictures accurately depicts that, as it was created by his long-time assistant, Jan Harlan. Each chapter of the movie takes an in-depth look at each of the director's films, and it's a must-see for any Kubrick fan.
Touching The Void (2003) - 8.0
There are loads of mountain climbing documentaries, and while they all have their own merits, Touching the Void is the peak of them all. The 2003 movie is a docudrama, meaning that it's as close to a real-life reenactment of real events as possible.
The documentary follows two climbing partners who attempt to scale a peak called the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, which, up to that point, had been unclimbed. It's a harrowing tale, highly intense, and enough to put anybody off mountain climbing for their whole lives.
The Cove (2009) - 8.4
The Cove does what all great documentaries should do, which is raise awareness about shocking practices to general audiences and get a genuine emotional reaction out of them. Of all the 2000s documentaries that do this, The Cove pulls it off in such a compelling but heartbreaking way.
The documentary digs deep into dolphin hunting practices in Japan, and it's just as educational as it is upsetting. The movie goes into detail about mass killing and captures, and it also talks about how humans could suffer from mercury poisoning if dolphin meat is consumed.
Home (2009) - 8.5
Though most of the highest-rated documentaries of the 2000s try to pull on audiences' emotional heartstrings in an almost manipulative way, Home does no such thing. The documentary is in no way emotional, and instead of trying to change the world, Home is simply trying to understand it.
Home is made up of almost entirely aerial shots of the planet, and it's one of the most beautiful looking documentaries that isn't a BBC docuseries. But there are still lessons to be learned, as the film teaches viewers about the threat that humanity has on Earth.
Dear Zachery: A Letter To A Son About His Father (2008) - 8.5
When it comes to emotionally driven documentaries, no other will make audiences feel more exhausted and drained of energy than Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. The title might sound wordy, but the film is a visual letter to the son of a man who was murdered before he was born.
A lot of documentarians throw themselves into their own work, mostly because they're investigative journalists, but writer-director Kurt Kuenne is so closely tied to the subject matter in Dear Zachary. Kuenne was a close friend to Andrew Bagby, who was murdered, and Bagby's ex-girlfriend Shirley Jane Turner was a prime suspect. The movie, along with featuring loving interviews from friends of Bagby, looks into what really happened.
Earthlings (2005) - 8.7
In a similar way to Food, Inc., Earthlings peeks into the food industry, but it doubles down on how harmful to animals corporate farming is, and it's much more effective. The 2005 film doesn't hold back on the disturbing imagery, and it's more than enough to have audiences taking up veganism.
The movie did stir up a little bit of controversy for its shock value, but if it wasn't for that specific footage, it wouldn't be so compelling or influential. And as Jaoquin Phoenix endorses veganism so often, he's the perfect actor to narrate the documentary.