Disney; Netflix; ESPN Films
Documentaries can be both entertaining and fascinating. And much like television shows, there’s a wide range of non-fiction storytelling out there, including deep dives into the inner workings of museums, individual stories of courage, and even eye-opening explainers on how crosswords work. Of course, there’s documentary topics you may be more familiar with, like shocking reveals of corruption around the world (like in Icarus), or an exploration of a famous musician’s or athlete’s career (like in The Last Waltz or The Last Dance).
But documentaries are also filmmaking feats themselves, like The Act of Killing, which retells a terrifying historical moment interspersed with callbacks to famous gangster movies. Plus, subjects of documentary films can find themselves immortalized in the cultural zeitgeist, like many of the people in Paris Is Burning. Documentaries are more than sticking camera in people’s faces to catch them in lies, they’re about providing a window into other parts of the world–or even places right outside your doorstep–so we can all connect with each other and shed light on otherwise untold stories.
For anyone just getting into documentaries, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But there’s an exciting array of content out there showing decades of major historical moments, and interesting smaller stories that could potentially impact how you see the world. A good documentary can get you thinking, and a great one can take you from an armchair activist or casual filmgoer into something more. Below, we’ve got more than enough documentaries for you to explore, no matter what you’re interested in.
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If you’ve ever been to a museum and wondered what goes on behind the scenes, National Gallery is a peek behind the curtain at the London museum. It runs long at 3 hours, so get your snacks and take your bathroom breaks before pressing play.
HBO’s six-part docuseries concerns the case of Robert Durst, a real estate heir convicted of two murders and acquitted of a third. Besides the intriguing true crime element, the film also has a fascinating final two episodes which fans of investigative documentaries will want to see.
This 2012 documentary details the decline of Detroit’s economy due to changes in the automobile industry, and how residents feel about the current state of the city. The filmmakers are notably absent in the film, letting the people who know Detroit best speak about their personal experiences.
One of Netflix’s most popular docuseries to date, Cheer follows a college cheer team as they prepare for the national championships and hope to get another win. Both seasons of the show are worth watching; the first for the school’s heart-wrenching attempts at a win, and the second for the team’s grapple with fame, the pandemic, and a shocking scandal.
Val follows the life and career of actor Val Kilmer, particularly his battle with throat cancer. Fans of Kilmer’s work (Top Gun, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) will enjoy this film.
This ’80s documentary explores hip-hop culture and covers everything from graffiti to rapping. It also features opinions from both sides of the cultural moment, from the break-dancers and other creatives, to the government and institutions who consider aspects of the then hip-hop culture to be a nuisance.
Directed by Banksy (the mysterious street artist), Exit Through the Gift Shop follows a burgeoning street artist nicknamed “Mr. Brainwash,” who grows close to Banksy and has ambitions of becoming a great artist.
This famous documentary follows two Black high school students who dream of making it into the NBA.
When We Were Kings recounts the famous 1974 match between Muhammed Ali and George Forman. According to Entertainment Weekly, it took director and producer Leon Gast 22 years to edit the film.
A sobering topic combined with a feat of artistic filmmaking, The Act of Killing concerns the mass killing of Indonesians from 1965 to 1966 and the perpetrators of the massacres. The film depicts scenes of some of the killings, reimagined as scenes from famous gangster films.
Paris Is Burning focuses on ballroom culture in New York. The film is influential for its focus on an often misunderstood part of LGBTQ+ history, and has served as a cultural touchstone for decades of television and media since its original premiere.
If you haven’t seen Grey Gardens, it’s possible you’ve seen the numerous riffs and spoofs off this famous documentary. Grey Gardens follows an upper-middle class mother and daughter who are well-known recluses and related to former First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis.
This true-crime docuseries rehashes the NXIVM cult and its leader Keith Raniere, who was convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering and in 2019 was sentenced to 120 year in prison.
Werner Herzog directed this look into the life of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell, who notably died from a bear attack in 2003 along with his girlfriend.
This live performance from the band Talking Heads is often considered one of the best rock documentaries of all time. The film covers various songs throughout the band’s career, and of course, features David Byrne in a now famous big business suit.
Apollo 11 presents previously unreleased content surrounding the 1969 U.S. mission to send men to the moon. Anyone interested in one of the U.S.’s most important historical moments will love this film.
Famed director D.A. Pennebaker helms this documentary of Bob Dylan’s 1965 concert tour in England. It features various artists and intellectuals of the time, including Allen Ginsburg, Joan Baez, and Alan Price (of the Animals).
An important documentary on the depiction of trans lives in Hollywood, Disclosure points out notable films throughout American cinematic history and how various portrayals of trans people have inaccurately represented their lives.
Senna follows Ayrton Senna, the famous Brazilian Formula One racer. The film follows Senna’s life and death, which occurred at the 1994 Formula One race.
Ava Duvernay directs this documentary about race and mass incarceration in the U.S. The film is named after the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery and discusses the amendment in conversation with how minority communities are unfairly criminalized and jailed.
This documentary dives into the MPAA movie ratings system, including why it exists and who is behind categorizing what makes a movie acceptable for various audiences.
Senior citizens are the star of this documentary about an elderly choir as they sing songs and prepare for a new show. As they rehearse and learn various songs, there are both highs and lows, and tensions run high as their European tour looms closer.
A biographical film about David Bowie, Moonage Daydream chronicles Bowie’s life and includes previously unreleased footage from the singer’s archives. It’s also the first film authorized by his estate, so you can be sure you’re getting a decent portrayal of the rock singer. The visuals also, pardon the pun, rock—so watch it on the biggest screen you can find.
This documentary chronicles the career of San Francisco’s first openly gay supervisor all the way to his 1978 assassination and his murderer’s trial.
For a behind the scenes look into one of the famous American films of all time, Hearts of Darkness is a documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 film about the Vietnam War.
Gimme Shelter follows The Rolling Stones during their 1969 tour, which culminated in the Altamont Free Concert, where three people died and extensive property damage cemented the concert as an infamous part of rock history.
Do you love The Beatles? If you really do, you’ll love this three-part look into the making of their 1970 album, featuring previously unused footage. The film is directed by Peter Jackson and has a run time of around eight hours.
Man on Wire chronicles Phillippe Petit’s incredible 1974 feat of walking between the New York City twin towers on a tightrope. The film goes into Petit’s planning and eventual stunt.
One of the most important cultural moments in U.S. history is documented in 1970’s Woodstock, a film only one year after the music festival. The 2014 edition of the film features additional performances and footage not included in the original 1970 version of the documentary.
Filmmaker Sandi Tan made a film as a teenager in 1992 along with her friends. When they left for study abroad, their film teacher stole the footage. Tan didn’t get the footage back until 2011, four years after her former teacher’s death. Tan uses the recovered film as the focus of her documentary, but also as a way to explore what it meant to make and then lose an important piece of her youth.
Eight competitors compete at the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee in this 2002 documentary, which gives insight into how various kids prepare and perform in one of the biggest competitions children compete in.
Featuring one of the contestants from Spellbound, Spelling the Dream follows four Indian-American kids competing in national spelling bees.
This documentary is an important look at the organization ACT UP and its thankless efforts to bring attention to the AIDS crisis during the ’80s and ’90s. The film shows the organization’s various protests and demonstrations and is considered a culturally significant documentary for anyone interested in U.S. history and LGBTQ+ history.
Life Itself is an examination of the life, career, and cultural influence of Roger Ebert, the famed film critic. Featuring interviews from those closest to him, along with footage from his various television appearances, Life Itself seeks to immortalize Ebert for the way he changed how Americans think about films.
This documentary tells the story of Mark Hogancamp, a man who was severely beaten at a bar and had little recollection of his previous life. To cope, he created a town called Marwencol, filled with dolls including himself, his friends, and his attackers.
You may not think the lives of penguins are particularly interesting documentary subjects, but you’d be wrong. This fascinating film follows the yearly journey of emperor penguins in Antartica and won the 2006 Oscar for Best Documentary.
Roadrunner is a fitting send-off to chef and writer Anthony Bourdain, tracking his life and career. The film garnered some controversy for its use of AI to reproduce Bourdain’s voice for audio clips, but the film still went on to receive critical acclaim.
What went wrong with one of the biggest ’90s bands? That’s the question Oasis: Supersonic attempts to answer. The documentary focuses on the rise and fall of Oasis, a famous British rock band lead by two brothers–Liam and Noel Gallagher–whose constant infighting eventually led to the dissolution of the band.
Jagged covers the life and career of Alanis Morissette, with particular focus on her album Jagged Little Pill. Although it received largely positive reviews and held its subject in a glowing light, Morissette decried the film prior to its release and said it inaccurately portrayed aspects of her life.
Who says video games can’t be as exciting as sports? King of Kong follows Steve Wiebe, who hopes to take the high score for the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong.
Fans of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood will love this look into the star of the show, Fred Rogers, who hosted and created the show.
This Oscar-winning documentary follows a rock climber who attempts to free solo climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. What is free solo climbing, you ask? It’s only rock climbing on your own without any technical equipment.
In his directorial debut, Questlove helms Summer of Soul, a documentary exploring the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Despite the festival’s famous lineup, it’s been largely unknown, particularly due to part of the festival occurring during Woodstock.
In 1976, The Band held a concert immortalized in The Last Waltz, a documentary featuring the group performing, along with a number of notable guest appearances including Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Ringo Starr, and more.
Inspired by Michelle McNamara’s book of the same name, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark chronicles McNamara’s book and investigation around the Golden State Killer. McNamara died before the killer was found, but her work is forever remembered in this documentary.
Partially fictitious, this Martin Scorsese-directed documentary revisits Bob Dylan’s famous Rolling Thunder Revue 1975 tour. Much of the film is interspersed with a 1978 film Dylan made, serving as a re-imagination of the artist’s creative exploits around the time of the tour.
James Baldwin is the focus of I Am Not Your Negro, which uses Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript Remember This House to explore the history of racism in the United States.
The Velvet Underground comes from the great director Todd Haynes (Carol), and explores the famous Lou Reed- led rock band, and tracks their rise and fall.
This documentary concerns one of SeaWorld’s orcas, along with the greater controversy around the amusement parks containment of orcas. After its release, the documentary had a noticeable negative impact on the public perception of SeaWorld and its business.
Ever wonder how The New York Times crossword is created? Or how popular crossword solving really is? Wordplay explores the both fun and frustrating hobby of crossword-solving.
Marley documents the life and legacy of musician Bob Marley. The documentary features interviews from various friends and family of the singer and received critical acclaim.
This 10-part documentary series follows basketball star Michael Jordan during his final season with the Chicago Bulls. The series includes interviews from various athletes and exclusive footage.
Icarus follows writer and director Bryan Fogel as he attempts to understand how doping in athletic sports works, only to become roped into an international doping scandal.
This biographical documentary film is centered on Nina Simone, the famous singer turned activist. The film features interviews from Simone’s daughter and friends as it chronicles her life and career.
Winner of the 2021 Academy Award for Best Documentary, My Octopus Teacher follows a filmmaker who fosters a relationship with a wild octopus in a South African kelp forest.
Action Park was a popular amusement park in New Jersey which grew in infamy for its unsafe rides and practices, which notably resulted in deaths of its attendees.
Boys State follows a thousand teenage boys who seek to create a representative government from the ground up and eventually elect their own governor.
In 1971, Camp Jened was a summer camp for kids with disabilities. The film focuses on some of the attendees who became activists for the disabilities movement.
Foodies will enjoy The Truffle Hunters, a documentary about men searching for a prized truffle called the Alba truffle. Luca Guadagnino executive produced the film.
Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men’s Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine’s Vulture and Chicago Tribune.
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