Documentaries have started to assert that they, like their Hollywood cousins, can be more than simply 'engaging.' Doc Soup Man Tom Roston says they can be entertaining diversions too.

Nerd out to our infographic of the top documentaries of 2011, based on lists from critics, documentary festivals, industry organizations and online voting!

According to who you ask, the best documentary of 2011 could have been one of 67 films. Could it be The Interrupters? Nostalgia for the Light? Project Nim? Cave of Forgotten Dreams? We've constructed a handy graphic to help you make your own decision.

Doc Soup Man Tom Roston proposes an entirely different list of 15 films that could have just as easily been deemed Oscar-worthy.

Guest blogger Edward J. Delaney distinguishes between 'art' and 'craft' in documentary film and singles out James March (Man on Wire, Project Nim) as being as close to an artist as anyone working in the form today.

Independent journalist Tom Roston's list of top animal documentaries is sure to ruffle a few feathers. Read Doc Soup Man's mini-reviews then vote for your own favorite!

The ACE (Animal Content in Entertainment) Documentary Film Grant has, for the past five years, been funding nonfiction filmmakers who highlight animal advocacy. Independent journalist Tom Roston talks with the Humane Society about the opportunities the grant is creating for documentarians.