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My number eight film is one of the most fascinating directorial debuts I have ever seen, and the lowest grossing film on this list. To put its tiny release in perspective, I was living just outside of New York City when Loren Cass was released, and despite actively trying to go see it I didn't get a chance to before it left theaters, after having made just over $8,000. Thank God it was released on Netflix Watch Instantly, or I might have missed Chris Fuller's startling experimental drama about adolescents in St. Petersburg, Florida in the aftermath of that city's race riots in 1996. Without ever being obvious or trying to shock you, Fuller shows the complex reality of growing up and trying to find your identity. Fuller might be the best new voice in independent film since Harmony Korine, and I sincerely hope his future films get more attention.
Spike Lee's concert documentary, Passing Strange: The Movie, comes in at the number seven spot. You probably haven't seen this film or the musical Passing Strange, written by musician/composer Stew about his years growing up in California and traveling through Amsterdam and Berlin, and it's a shame if you haven't, because the musical is fantastic and Spike Lee does it justice in his recording. Unfortunately, the film got almost no theatrical release, as it was available almost exclusively on Video on Demand. Stew's musical is a fascinating exploration of self-discovery, family, love, and searching for reality. The music is diverse in style, some of the dialogue is hilarious, and the end deeply touching. Lee's straightforward filming gives Stew, who also stars, complete freedom to do his thing, and every actor and musician in the film is excellent.

Another documentary makes it to the list at number six, the third of four on this list. The winner of the Best Documentary Oscar, The Cove is a gripping drama with a powerful message that most Americans haven't given much thought to. The film follows a group of activists hoping to pull back the curtain on the capture and slaughter of dolphins by Japanese corporations. Led by former dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, this vigilante group will stop at nothing for their cause, and they're generally pretty awesome. The directorial debut of Louis Psihoyos plays like a heist film with a message, and is both a wakeup call and a lot of fun, and could have made more of an impact on the global community had more people seen it; disappointingly, the film only made $857,000 in the U.S.

The top documentary on this is list is my number five film, Anvil! The Story of Anvil. The film follows the journey of the aging front men of the band Anvil, a Canadian death metal band that has been trying to make it since the ‘70s. I don't like death metal, and I don't think that Anvil is particularly good even within this genre, but that didn't stop me from getting more emotionally involved in Anvil! than any film in a long time. It tells a very classic story, of best friends following their dreams, but it is told so honestly and its stars are so optimistic, that you can't help but cheer for them. Sacha Gervasi's directorial debut is a unique and remarkable film that deserved so much more than the $667,000 it made at the box office.

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