I love a good doc so I’m helping celebrate French Toast Sunday’s 5th birthday by counting down my favorite documentaries from 2010 to 2014. Tell me if you agree with my list and make some recommendations.

#05 / Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)

Documentaries are a great way to shine a light on topics viewers know little about. Sometimes it’s a devastating conflict or a strange occurrence. It could be an incendiary look into an unjust criminal case like 2012’s Central Park Five, or a powerful examination of the human condition as in the critically acclaimed The Act of Killing. But Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a rare documentary that focuses on familiar and modest subjects yet remains just as watchable as its bolder companions.

The doc looks at 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono and his soon to be successor Yoshikazu, who also happens to be his son. Yoshikazu grapples with his personal concerns about taking over for the legend who runs a tiny, world renowned sushi shop. There is nothing overtly dramatic in the film but you get a glimpse into a microcosm that otherwise doesn’t get a lot of attention. The movie takes queues from the chef at the heart of the film and unfolds the story in a precise and thoughtful way. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the type of beautiful film that doesn’t come along very often.

#04 / The Invisible War (2012)

The award for Documentary that Made Me Ball My Eyes Out The Most this year goes to Kirby Dick’s The Invisible War (a close second was HBO’s powerful doc about domestic abuse Private Violence.) The Invisible War focuses on sexual assault in the U.S. military, so the subject matter alone is harrowing. Beyond the topic at hand, we hear from real survivors who tell their stories in brutally honest and gut wrenching detail. The extreme level of unjust actions highlighted in the film will make you terrified and furious. The film features more than a few troubling reveals but ends on a slightly more positive call to action for viewers.

#03 / Side By Side (2012)

In Side By Side, Keanu Reeves looks at the state of cinema as film is slowly being phased out in favor of digital. The documentary features everyone from directors, cinematographers and other notable industry professionals to discuss the transition of digital vs. photochemical film and how it affects the art form. It’s utterly fascinating to hear the different perspectives of the artists and technicians. It’s a light doc but well-made and should be a must see for anyone interested in the medium.

#02 / Hot Coffee (2011)

Most Americans are likely to be familiar with the archetypal “frivolous lawsuit” case where “some lady sued McDonald’s because her coffee was hot.” The general thought process is usually “well of course coffee is hot!” and people are outraged that this woman would 1) have the audacity to sue and 2) now require businesses to note that their product is hot. This case started a huge dialog in the country about baseless lawsuits that find sue-happy, lazy people working the system just to get rich. The 2011 doc takes a closer look at that case and proves just how massively inaccurate the public’s perception of case is. And it doesn’t stop there. Hot Coffee looks at two more cases that illustrate the startling war against individual civil rights in the courtroom. I guarantee this doc will be a real eye opener to most viewers and should jump to the top of your Must Watch Doc List.

#01 /12 O’Clock Boys (2013)

Most readers already know that I live in Baltimore so it should be no surprise that my interest was piqued when I found out a documentary about the infamous Baltimore dirt bike gang the 12 O’Clock Boys was making its way to theaters. Told from the perspective of an 11 year old admirer of the group, the documentary’s events unfold over the course of four years and look at the dirt bike culture among the city residents and police. First time filmmaker Lotfy Nathan does a phenomenal job making a beautiful documentary that remains even on the divisive issues at the core of the film. Choosing to follow a young kid as he transitions into young adult proves to be telling in more ways than one could have hoped. 12 O’Clock Boys is interesting, balanced, thought-provoking but not preachy – it has everything I look for in a documentary.