34. 'The Interrupters'

To call this documentary a real-life 'Wire' would be doing a disservice to how important it really is. Directed by Steve James, the man behind the award-winning 1994 film 'Hoop Dreams,' 'The Interrupters' follows a group of "violence interrupters," men and women who have served time in jail and are now looking to help kids stay away from gang life in inner-city Chicago. It's heart-wrenching, it's angry, and above all, it's honest. -- A.S.