No longer just a dry succession of droning talking heads, current documentaries demonstrate that they can entertain as well as educate. Moviegoers and critics alike are taking notice of the recent evolution of this film genre, as the best-reviewed documentary (and second place limited release) of 2005 was also one of the year's biggest commercial surprises; "March of the Penguins," a tale of Emperor penguins enduring great trials just so they can reproduce, earned an adjusted score of 84.43 and a 95% on the Tomatometer. Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone of TheMovieChicks.com described it as being "every bit as beautiful as 'Winged Migration' only with more emotion as you watch the survival of the fittest and cutest." Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com declared, "There's more drama, and more heartbreak, in 'March of the Penguins' than in most movies that are actually scripted to tug at our feelings."

The second-best-reviewed doc, "Murderball," is a sports movie with a healthy dose of grit. Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro's film follows the exploits of a group of tough-as-nails quadriplegic rugby players who give lie to the term "physical limitations." Ty Burr of the Boston Globe described the film as "tough, terse, funny, ribald, and heartbreaking." "Murderball" has an adjusted score of 84.28 and a Tomatometer of 97%, and also triumphed as the number three limited release of 2005.

"Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," a muckraking film about the rise and spectacular fall of the bankrupt energy company, comes in at third place, with an adjusted score of 83.73 and a Tomatometer of 97%. Colin Covert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune warned, "You might expect this film to be mildly informative; coming out you'll feel you've seen the horror movie of the year."

For more results, check out the list below.

» NEXT (The Best Drama of 2005)