Documentaries bring to us the stories that really need to be heard. While sometimes it might put out the harshest truth in front of us, sometimes it’s nothing less than an inspiration. Documentaries aren’t made for commercial purposes and might not be everyone’s cup of tea but there are many such stories represented through them that make them a must watch.
With OTT platforms like Netflix it has become possible to provide these stories an apt venue to showcase these heartwarming tales of real people. So here we have some of the best documentaries out there on Netflix that are a must watch.
The Last Dance (2020)
A 10 part docuseries that follows Michael Jordan and his team the Chicago Bulls through the 1997-98 season of the NBA title. It covers the incredible journey of the legendary player who strived to be the best no matter faced with what odds. Even if you are not a fan of basketball ‘The Last Dance’ is something you shouldn’t miss out on.
Director: Jason Hehir
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (2020)
An environmental Netflix documentary starring the legendary David Attenborough where he recounts his life, and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and offer a vision for the future.
Directors: Jonathan Hughes, Keith Scholey, Alastair Fothergill
Last Chance U (2016)
A Netflix original docuseries about the not so famous football teams that don’t get the national attention as much. The documentary showcases the struggle filled journey of such teams and their players. ‘Last Chance U’ also won the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Serialized Sports Documentary.
Directors: Greg Whiteley, Adam Ridley, Luke Lorentzen
Abstract: The Art of Design (2017)
An excellent series where one gets the opportunity to dive into the minds of some of the most innovative designers and have a look at how they establish relations between the design and the philosophy. This docuseries shows how impactful designs are in our lives and takes us beyond blueprints and computers into the art and science of design. Each episode is about iconic creations and the stories and inspirations behind them.
Creator: Scott Dadich
13th (2016)
This documentary is based on the 13th amendment of the United State’s constitution which reads, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” This Oscar nominated movie has won at the Emmy, the BAFTAs and the NAACP Image Award. The story is about the loopholes in this amendment and its consequences. This documentary is an eye-opener.
Director: Ava DuVernay
Five Came Back (2017)
Based on Mark Harris’ book of the same name this three part docuseries where five acclaimed contemporary directors tell the story of five legendary Hollywood filmmakers (John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens) who enlisted in the armed forces to document World War II. The docuseries is narrated by Meryl Streep and includes interviews of Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro among others.
Director: Laurent Bouzereau
Wild Wild Country (2018)
A six episode docuseries that follows the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho), his one-time personal assistant Ma Anand Sheela, and their community of followers in the Rajneeshpuram community located in Wasco County, Oregon. The documentary is about the conflicts, that arose between the guru and the local ranchers that led to America’s first bioterror attack and a massive case of illegal wiretapping.
Directors: Maclain Way, Chapman Way
Cheer (2020)
A gripping six part documentary that follows the ups and downs of Navarro College’s competitive cheer squad as they work to win a coveted national title. Cheer on Netflix got nominated for People’s Choice Award for Favorite Bingeworthy Show.
Creator: Greg Whiteley
Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer (2019)
A true crime documentary where a group of amateur internet sleuths are on a hunt to find the person behind the video in which he gruesomly kills a cat and later releases more such videos. This one is a dark and twisted docuseries following a twisted criminal.
Director & Writer: Mark Lewis
Icarus (2017)
An Academy Award winning documentary that began as an experiment about discovering the truth behind doping in sports but turned into a geopolitical thriller after the maker, Bryan Fogel met with an informant who was a Russian scientist. This one is a must watch for sure.
Director: Bryan Fogel
The Keepers (2017)
This thrilling docuseries chronicles the murder mystery of Sister Cathy Cesnik and how decades later it is discovered that her killing was related to the sexually abusive priest. This seven part documentary pieces together the story through conversations with friends, relatives, journalists, government officials and Baltimore citizens, hoping to uncover the truth.
Director: Ryan White
Dirty Money (2018)
A Netflix original investigative documentary that exposes brazen acts of greed, corruption, fraud and crime through various stories. Dirty Money has Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney as one of its executive producer.
Creator: Alex Gibney
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
A four episode docuseries that uses archival footage and audio recordings of Bundy, while he was on his death row. He was one of America’s most notorious series killer who had killed over 30 women before he was captured.
Creator: Joe Berlinger
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (2020)
An eight episode true crime, murder-for-hire docuseries revolving around Joe Exotic, a private big cat zoo owner, and how his life spirals out of control. The series also explores the underworld of big cat breeding.
The Social Dilemma (2020)
Technology experts are sounding alarms on their own creations in this docudrama that highlights the dangerous impact of social networking in our lives.
Director: Jeff Orlowski
The Staircase (2004)
A thrilling real-life courtroom documentary about the death of the novelist Michael Peterson’s wife, who he claimed to have died due to an accident. But the medical reports revealed otherwise, making Peterson the prime accused in her wife’s murder case.
Director: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017)
A documentary that captures the transformation of Jim Carrey into legendary performance artist and comedian Andy Kaufman, using the footage from the sets of ‘Man on the Moon’. Jim can be seen pondering over the meaning of life, reality, identity and career in this Emmy nominated documentary.
Director: Chris Smith
Evil Genius (2018)
A true crime documentary that chronicles the story of Brian Wells and his death. Wells was a pizza guy who went to rob a bank with a bomb around his neck. The whole incident made headlines back then and was referred to as the “collar bomb” or “pizza bomber” case.
Director: Barbara Schroeder
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
An Oscar nominated biographical documentary that tells the story of the legendary singer and activist Nina Simone through never-before-heard recordings, rare archival footages and her best-known songs.
Director: Liz Garbus
A Secret Love (2020)
Produced by Ryan Murphy, this documentary follows a former baseball player who kept her identity and lover a secret for seven decades from her family. But coming out now has its own challenges.
Director: Chris Bolan
Crip Camp (2020)
Executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, Crip Camp begins with a 1971 summer camp known as Camp Jened that brought together a group of teens with disability who later turned into disability rights activists and led the fight for accessibility legislation.
Directors: Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht
Athlete A (2020)
A documentary that revolves around Larry Nassar, a USA gymnastics doctor who was accused of sexual abuse by several women who survived it. Reporters of The Indianapolis Star expose him in this Netflix documentary.
Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)
A documentary about Billy McFarland and the failed Fyre Festival of 2017. The Fyre Festival was supposed to be a luxurious event on a posh private island but failed terribly.
Director: Chris Smith
American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
A true crime investigative documentary that uses raw, firsthand footage to examine the disappearance of Shanann Watts and her children and the terrible events that followed.
Director: Jenny Popplewell
American Factory (2019)
An Academy Award winning documentary that has been produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions. All hopes get up when a Chinese billionaire reopens a shuttered factory in Ohio but setbacks soon set in when a cultural clash shatters an American dream.
Directors: Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar
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