592 Best Documentary Movies to Watch (Page 25)

They say art imitates life, but nothing gets to the heart of humanity like documentary filmmaking. Whether you want to flex your history knowledge or binge a true crime, here are the best documentaries and docuseries available to stream now.

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361. John Mulaney: Baby J, 2023

In Baby J, SNL-writer-turned-stand-up-star John Mulaney brutally embraces his messy past and turns it into relatable material and hilarious anecdotes. Confronting his controversial stint at rehab, his struggle with addiction, and his experiences with fatherhood and the resulting reinvention, Mulaney proves himself to be a compelling storyteller, a master at set-ups and pay-offs. He grabs your attention from start to end, with no time to let your mind wander. Before you know it, it’s been an hour of you watching and laughing at this tiny man commanding a sold-out hall.

There are many Netflix comedy specials out there, but only a handful are as purely enthralling and unskippable as this.

Genre: Comedy, Documentary, Drama, TV Movie

Actor: John Mulaney

Director: Alex Timbers

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362. Introducing, Selma Blair, 2021

Even if it doesn't provide the most comprehensive information about treatment and care for multiple sclerosis (MS)—especially for those who can't afford a ridiculously expensive stem cell transplant—this isn't really the point of Introducing, Selma Blair. This is still mostly a biographical documentary about a (self-confessed) "not-so-famous" celebrity, who gets to be incredibly honest about some of the privilege she enjoys, and how that privilege still doesn't make MS any easier. Blair's determination, her sense of humor, and her articulate way of expressing herself keep the film from descending into total sadness, but it also never shies away from the uglier, more difficult parts of her journey.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Selma Blair

Director: Rachel Fleit

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363. If I Were Luísa Sonza, 2023

	
Today’s child pop stars have a lot on their plate. On top of the already strenuous touring schedule, they have to deal with the fact that every move they make can be recorded, saved, and spread online just to cause their own downfall. Brazilian popstar Luisa Sonza grew up with the spotlight, and at the ripe old age of 25, has gone through two messy break-ups, a nude leak, and a racist controversy, all while creating two of her most captivating albums so far. If I Were Luisa Sonza portrays her at her most vulnerable– through the creating process, and the team meetings, and the doctor visits– but also at her most defiant, as she turns her scandals into art. The resulting intimate documentary might just be one part of her life, as she declares, but it’s just the precise viewpoint from this generation’s artists that is needed to question what it means to be a young artist in this day and age.Genre: Documentary
Actor: Luísa Sonza
Director: Isabel Nascimento Silva
Rating: TV-MA

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364. How to Rob a Bank, 2024

	
With Netflix producing countless true crime documentaries, you’d be forgiven for dismissing How to Rob a Bank as usual, forgettable fare. But the documentary ever so slightly curbs cliches by focusing on a theme—in this case Hollywood, in honor of Scurlock’s pseudonym and love of movies—without losing sight of the bigger picture. Which is to say, directors Seth Porges and Stephen Robert Morse go all in the movie theme without giving way to cheesiness, mostly by honing in on Scurlock’s favorite films like Heat and Point Blank and effectively replicating the thrill of those action classics. It uses fine, storyboard-like illustrations that are mostly entertaining and nostalgic but occasionally quite beautiful, and borrows the same synth soundtrack from the said films. But it even though it initially sets Scurlock as the anti-hero, a Robin Hood of the times, its sympathies lie with the victims, the traumatized bank tellers and goers. It’s a smartly made and engaging film, complete with the quintessential shootouts and elaborate heists, and it thankfully doesn’t let the talking heads do all the work.Genre: Crime, Documentary
Actor: Al Pacino, Chezca Vega, Gavin Langelo, Jeff Bezos, Jordan Burtchett, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Costner, Kurt Ostlund, Lesley Mirza, Lori Petty, Maia Rose Michaels, Mark Biggins, Morgan Freeman, Patrick Swayze, Randy Lee, Robert De Niro, Scott Patey, Tristan McKinnon, Val Kilmer
Director: Seth Porges, Stephen Robert Morse
Rating: R

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365. History of the Sitcom, 2021

You’d be forgiven for thinking eight hourlong episodes about sitcoms, of all things, is too long. I thought about that too after watching the pilot. It covered everything from I Love Lucy to The Cosby Show to Modern Family--what more could it possibly bring up? A lot, as it turns out, and every bit of it is as enlightening and entertaining as that first episode. It moves chronologically, but each episode is a standalone that covers subgenres of the sitcom: workplace, family, sex, race, class, etc. Stars of those shows (a stacked list that includes Tim Allen, Helen Hunt, Zooey Deschanel, Tracey Morgan, and Constance Wu to name a few) reminisce about them, which adds to the charm, while TV experts analyze their importance and impact on American culture, which adds to its importance. The docuseries celebrates the genre but it critiques it too. It doesn’t shy away from the controversy important figures like Bill Cosby and Jeffrey Tambor were involved in, and it points out the dangers of perpetuating stereotypes and simplifying issues, which some sitcoms are wont to do. The hours fly by when you watch this eight-parter, which is exactly what you’d want from a sitcom too.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Jason Alexander, Tracy Morgan

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366. Green Day: Bullet in a Bible, 2005

Green Day's Bullet in a Bible has certainly aged well. Maybe it's even better now with time and hindsight, and knowing that the once punk group would commit to their alternative sound from that point forward. Green Day with their American Idiot tracks and frontman Billie Joe Armstrong's stage presence absolutely belongs as a stadium-level act, but you could argue they could've cut down on the heavy American Idiot representation to have more of a mix of albums in the setlist. The film could've also had less of the vignettes and montages with edgy editing—we don't need that many breaks from 14 songs—but it's all nitpicking, really. Say what you want, but this concert marks the birth of Green Day as rockstars.

Genre: Documentary, Music

Actor: Adrienne Armstrong, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jason Freese, Jason White, Mike Dirnt, Samuel Bayer, Tre Cool

Director: Samuel Bayer

Rating: NR

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367. Four Daughters, 2023

	
Normally, a film like this would be a straightforward documentary with archival footage and key interviews with experts in the issue. But instead of taking that approach in Four Daughters, writer-director Kaouther Ben Hania takes a more personal approach, understanding that the topic in question isn’t just about extremism, but that this is a tragedy experienced by the Hamrouni family. As such, the approach doesn’t try to mine the drama to make the film more engaging. Hania just tries to introduce us to the family, with the archival footage interspersed with conversations filmed behind-the-scenes of the documentary, and with the past recreated by both the real family and by actors. It’s because of this that Hania cedes unparalleled control for Olfa Hamrouni to tell her story. With this issue spreading throughout the globe, Four Daughters is a necessary documentary. The personal, compelling approach helps drive that home.Genre: Documentary, Drama
Actor: Eya Chikahoui, Hend Sabry, Ichraq Matar, Nour Karoui, Olfa Hamrouni, Tayssir Chikhaoui
Director:  Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: NR

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368. De Humani Corporis Fabrica, 2023

While primarily a showcase of endoscopic footage of various surgeries in different hospitals throughout Paris—which should already be enough to either make you queasy or inspire introspection into the fragility of our lives—this singular, experimental documentary places all this bloodshed in the context of the mundanity of the medical profession. Much of the film is taken up by muted conversation from the surgeons and footage of elderly patients wandering around, creating an even more surreal look into the lack of support these hospitals receive. It's far more abstract than it is educational, but its commitment to getting its hands dirty makes it an unforgettable experience.

Genre: Documentary

Director: Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Véréna Paravel

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369. Every Body, 2023

Even with its haphazard construction and occasionally unnecessary and corny flourishes (what's with all the mellowed-out covers of pop songs?), there's a sense of intense, sincere pride and joy that shines through Every Body's many testimonials. Intersex people are barely represented whether in media or in legislation, and countless people still have very little understanding of what intersex is. But while this subject is usually viewed as uncomfortable—and this documentary definitely doesn't hold back in explaining the various ways intersex people are mutilated and mentally abused just to force them to conform to the gender binary—the film grounds everything by showing us how its main characters are as ordinary, creative, and full of good humor as the rest of us. So as Every Body skips through various aspects of the intersex experience, even its disorganization takes on the charm of a simple chat with friends. And either way, the discussions held here are the stuff of real courage—demanding our attention and earning our respect.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Alicia Roth Weigel, Julie Cohen, River Gallo, Sean Saifa Wall, Steven Crowder

Director: Julie Cohen

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370. Equal, 2020

	
When history shoves you in the corner and current generations start to forget their roots, it makes sense to take up an urgent if frantic tone. That’s what the showrunners of Equal have done here. Scenes are packed with busy animation, star-studded reenactments, and paragraphs of history lessons (sometimes all at once), so much so that it can be hard to keep up at times. I would've preferred a slower pace to let the important events have their moment, but the quickness makes sense and ultimately makes for an educational and important watch.Genre: Documentary, Drama
Actor: Billy Porter
Rating: TV-MA

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371. Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate (2023)

Factually accurate yet still earnest in its mission, Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate delivers what it promises. While the title comes from the club's name, the film is less about the club and more about the LGBTQ+ experience in Nazi Germany. To do this, the documentary focuses on Eldorado's individual patrons. Directors Benjamin Cantu and Matt Lambert interweave their stories with historical context. For example, patrons like trans pioneers Charlotte Charlaque and Toni Ebel shed light on historical advancements for the LGBTQ+ community. While it can be overwhelming when Eldorado introduces its patrons and their lovers and their political rivals, the film stays focused on what it sets out to do. Eldorado remains an important reminder of the LGBTQ lives lost and the love that still remains.

Genre: Documentary

Director: Benjamin Cantu

Rating: R

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372. Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, 2020

This Obamas-produced documentary does much to change the way we may still view people with disabilities as helpless or to be pitied. First, Crip Camp cleans up footage from a 1970s New York summer camp for disabled teens to pristine sound and video quality, allowing us to see how vibrant and lively this community has always been. Then, more importantly, the film traces how these kids—in particular, Judy Heumann—became badass faces in the movement for disability rights, staging protests and articulating themselves passionately for better accessibility in the most fundamental areas of everyday life. It's a documentary that isn't just designed to inspire, but also to advocate for safe spaces where young people with disabilities can receive the encouragement and motivation they need as early as possible.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Ann Cupolo Freeman, James Lebrecht, Joseph O'Conor, Judith Heumann, Larry Allison

Director: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham

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373. Capturing the Friedmans, 2003

	
This documentary... man, where do I even begin? It captures the lives of the Friedmans and how their world turned upside down when their father, Arnold, and brother, Jesse, were both convicted of sexually abusing children. The filmmaker interviews victims, family members, and experts to strike you with the two sides of the story. The Oscar nominated film shows real footage from the family which makes it even more of an authentic experience. I won't tell you much more about it- but let me just say, this documentary will leave you speechless.Genre: Crime, Documentary
Actor: Arnold Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman, Jesse Friedman, Seth Friedman
Director: Andrew Jarecki
Rating: Not Rated

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374. Blink, 2024

	
Upon learning that three young members of their family will soon lose their ability to see, parents Sébastien and Edith Pelletier decide to travel around the world to tick off things from their children’s bucket list. That list alone, which includes drinking juice atop a camel and seeing Mount Everest, makes for an adorable watch (it’s always nice to see deeply active and curious children in an increasingly digital world), but it’s the dedication their parents, Sébastien and Edith, pour into them that gives the film its heart. They prepare their children as much as they can by allowing them to see and sense everything, so that they have touchstones and references when their sight begins to fade. While watching the sunset in a dreamy Egypt desert, Edith asks 11-year-old Mia, “Without your eyes, can you feel the immensity of this place?” Mia says “Oui,” as she runs sand through her hands.Genre: Documentary
Actor: Edith Lemay, Sébastien Pelletier
Director: Daniel Roher, Edmund Stenson
Rating: PG

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375. Angle, 2023

	
Angle is very open about his ups and downs in this documentary. It takes us through the biggest chapters of his life as a freestyle wrestler: from his intense "exhaust training" regimen that would make you guilty about your workouts; to the infamous tournament where he would break his neck and go on to win an olympic gold medal anyway; to making the transition to pro wrestling where his intensity would reward him—as well as cost him—the prime of his career. It's an inspiring, well-produced sports documentary, and a lot of it can be attributed to Angle's detailed memory and willingness to tackle stories head on.Genre: Documentary
Actor: Brock Lesnar, Dwayne Johnson, Floyd Brisco, Giovanna Yannotti, Jerry Brisco, Jim Ross, Kurt Angle, Mark Calaway, Mark Henry, Michael Hickenbottom, Nancy Schultz, Randy Couture, Ric Flair, Ronda Rousey, Steve Austin, Sylvester Terkay, Vince McMahon
Director: Alex Perry
Rating: NR

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