111 Best True-crime Movies to Watch (Page 6)

Many in this docuseries acknowledge that the developments to this case feel very much “like a movie.” Maybe that’s why the filmmakers leaned into that presentation style with the twists, phone conversation voiceovers, and jumping timelines. It’s a decent storytelling choice, but it also feels like the shock factor and media hullabaloo is the focus of the film sometimes. Much of the runtime is dedicated to the role of the media, which served as a tremendously unhelpful distraction to the investigation; thus giving the series a sense of focus on the one hand, but also weighing the series down with too much details and fluff cinema.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Actor: Massimo Bossetti

Rating: TV-MA

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Raël

Director: Antoine Baldassari, Manuel Guillon

Rating: TV-MA

The true crime genre tends to sensationalize cult leaders like these, but Daughters of the Cult takes a more journalistic approach towards Ervil LeBaron, the leader of a splinter Mormon cult group. Primarily showing interviews, archived media, and blurry, out of angle re-enactments, the docuseries doesn’t exaggerate, knowing how horrifying the story already was, but it’s no less emotional as it comes from the perspective of the family this cult leader has tormented. Daughters of the Cult isn’t easy to watch, but it’s definitely a sobering, grounded perspective in a sea of colored cult crime depictions.

Genre: Documentary

Director: Sara Mast

With a ludicrous amount of cash, and one of the perpetrators escaping into a luxurious European life posted on Facebook, it’s no wonder Netflix decided to create Baby Bandito. The source material practically writes itself, and it’s easy to fictionalize some details for added drama. The show does this, turning the original robber into a well-meaning skateboarder Kevin Tapia that steals the plans of a mob in order to escape his rough neighborhood, but some of the characterization falters, specifically when it involves his girlfriend Génesis. There are moments it goes into generic territory, but the series is certainly well-shot, full of charm, and daring in the way it focuses more on the consequences rather than the heist itself.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Actor: Carmen Zabala, Francisca Armstrong, Marcelo Alonso, Nicolás Contreras, Pablo Macaya

Rating: TV-MA

The docuseries simultaneously revolves around the precedent that spouses are suspect #1 when their partners go missing/are victimized, as well as the angle of Scott Peterson maintaining his innocence. It’s a heartbreaking, dark Christmas Eve case with a dash of classic Netflix sensationalism with the editing being a smidge extra at times. Still, some elements help, like the splendid visuals for the timeline that help the viewer take note of inconsistencies and red flags throughout the story, of which there can be a lot. But like most middle-of-the-road true crime, it drags. And you stay because the story itself is interesting, in spite of everything.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Actor: Allen Brocchini

Rating: TV-14

This is a pretty easy premise to invest in: psychotic exes. They don’t fumble the bag, either, giving us a series that takes an active stance against a justice system that is often asleep at the wheel in these cases, and spotlights the victims more than anything else which creates some semblance of hope in a tragic genre. The abusive cycle of manipulative behavior is insane—some people just never find fault in themselves or their logic—and the series captures the escalating frustration in the stories. Still, some outcomes give you immense comfort, and when it comes to this genre, that’s a huge win.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Rating: TV-MA

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Jonathan Meijer

Rating: TV-MA