Netflix: The Very Greatest Documentaries to Watch

Pepsi, The place’s My Jet? is one in all my favourite forms of documentaries. It is an offbeat have a look at a weird subject with a forged of really charismatic and insane folks. 

The premise: Within the mid-’90s Pepsi had some extent system designed to encourage folks to drink extra Pepsi. One advert confirmed off a Harrier Jet you may purchase with 7 million of those factors. John Leonard, a 21-year-old enterprise pupil, discovered a loophole that allowed him to purchase factors for 10 cents and tried to pressure Pepsi to make good on their advertising and marketing promise. Chaos ensues.

A captivating documentary, Pamela, A Love Story is a reevaluation of Pamela Anderson, one of the compelling celebrities of the ’90s. Directed by Ryan White, it combines diary readings and interviews with Anderson herself alongside time spent along with her sons to create an unbelievable portrait of a misunderstood human being. Should watch stuff.

Nearly as good as Netflix documentaries are, there’s been an inclination to pull out true crime into these bloated multi-episode collection. Fortunately, Our Father is the alternative of that. It is a lean, completely executed documentary targeted on Donald Cline, an Indiana fertility physician who used his personal sperm to inseminate a ridiculous variety of ladies in opposition to their will.
That is an unbelievable piece, a type of tales that simply escalates and escalates to the purpose the place your jaw drops in disbelief. 

Break Level is the most recent in what seems like a zillion documentaries exploring the on a regular basis drama of sports activities. You recognize those I imply — All or Nothing, Drive to Survive. Cricket has one, AFL has one — there’s even a golf one approaching Netflix later this 12 months.
Break Level focuses on tennis and — fortunately — picks one of the best athletes to give attention to. Watch this for the legendary Nick Kyrgios on the very least.

On the heels of the Qatar World Cup, there could not be a greater time to get caught into FIFA’s murky behind-the-scenes conduct. It is a really surprising documentary. Be warned: The allegations listed below are wild.

Untold is the most recent from the oldsters behind Wild Wild Nation.
It is a sports activities documentary collection, with every episode going in-depth on controversial sports activities matters. The primary episode focuses on Malice on the Palace, the infamous basketball match the place Ron Artest waded into the gang and wailed on followers again in 2004.
Untold is now in its second season, and it’s absolute must-watch stuff. The brand new episodes are arguably higher than the stellar first season. Perhaps one of the best sports activities documentary collection on Netflix

There are quite a lot of Netflix documentaries about cults gone mad, however Hold Candy: Pray and Obey is perhaps probably the most disturbing of the lot. Not like Homicide Among the many Mormons, which just about handled its subject like a screwball comedy, Hold Candy is a really grim story a few grim human being in Warren Jeffs. It is a incredible documentary, and among the many greatest Netflix has produced, nevertheless it comes with a really hefty content material warning.

Skateboarding as a sport makes for an important documentary subject. Dogtown and Z Boys, All That Mayhem — completely legendary.  Keep on Board: The Leo Baker Story is one other in a protracted line of classics.

It focuses on Leo Baker, the skater who got here out as trans and needed to stop competing on the Olympics within the course of. Superb, must-watch stuff. 

It is nearly unattainable to overstate how well-known Jimmy Savile was within the UK — notably within the Eighties. He was past a family identify, in some ways he felt like an eccentric uncle to the nation.
Which made revelations that he had sexually assaulted a whole lot of underage ladies and boys all of the extra horrific. This was an individual the entire of Britain had invited into their houses. 
Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story does an important job of going via the archives, combining footage that’s totally weird in hindsight, and including incredible interviews with a number of the main gamers in British TV throughout Savile’s heyday. A captivating, albeit disturbing documentary. Be warned: It is a tough watch. 

Barack Obama is making a beeline for David Attenborough’s job. And we do not hate the concept!
Our Nice Nationwide Parks is a world-class nature documentary within the model of nice BBC reveals like Planet Earth. They’ve nailed it right here. When you’re a fan of that sort of present, that is utterly unmissable.

Netflix has been on hearth with its documentaries currently, and The Most Hated Man on the Web is the most recent. From the producers of Tinder Swindler and Dont F**ok with Cats, it is a three-part documentary that tells the story of Hunter Moore, one of the infamous purveyors of “revenge porn.” Positively price watching this one. 

The Lady within the Image is the most recent true crime documentary from Netflix. It is up there with the service’s best possible work.
It seems like, after a interval of needlessly bloated multi-episode documentaries, Netflix has began trimming the fats, releasing lean, extremely compelling documentaries once more. First Hold Candy: Pray and Obey and Our Father, now this.

The Lady within the Image tells the story of a younger lady, murdered at age 20. To say an excessive amount of would spoil the affect, however this can be a layered, brutal documentary with countless twists. It must be seen to be believed.

A documentary targeted on Shimon Hayut, aka the “Tinder Swindler,” a conman who used courting apps to defraud a number of ladies throughout Europe to fund a lavish life-style.

A barely totally different subject in comparison with most true crime documentaries on Netflix. Positively price a gander.

I’ve watched loads of true crime documentaries on Netflix, however nothing has come near The Keepers. A staggering story, informed throughout generations, that is respectful of the victims, but compelling all through.

It is a story concerning the unsolved homicide of Catherine Cesnik, a nun who taught at a Catholic faculty in Baltimore, however The Keepers goes additional than you would possibly count on and exposes a possible coverup of intercourse abuse allegations.

The true crime documentary style is totally saturated at this level, however The Staircase stands out. 

Specializing in Michael Peterson and the loss of life of his spouse Kathleen, The Staircase is greater than only a homicide thriller. It is a drawn-out epic that takes place over literal a long time, a documentary that follows Peterson and examines his each transfer, however in some way nonetheless stays goal. 
It is a good time to look at or revisit this one, since HBO Max launched a drama miniseries primarily based on it.

One of many newer true crime documentaries from Netflix, this can be a good one.
Specializing in the weird deaths of 11 relations in a single home in Burari, Delhi, India in 2018, Home of Secrets and techniques delves into the theories behind of the strangest suicide/homicide circumstances in current reminiscence. Unmissable stuff. 

This Is a Theft is about Netflix because it will get. A four-part collection specializing in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, that is basically a documentary about an artwork heist. Bear in mind Evil Genius? (It is also on this record.) This Is a Theft may be very a lot in that model. The primary episode takes some time to get going, however be affected person — this one has a payoff.

A few of Netflix’s newer true crime documentaries have been a bit bloated and… sorta unhealthy?

Fortunately, Homicide Among the many Mormons is a return to kind. Positively watch this one. 

Who Killed Little Gregory is a documentary targeted on the horrific homicide of Grégory Villemin. It is arguably one of the best true crime documentary on Netflix. It is a few homicide, and makes an attempt to unravel that homicide, nevertheless it’s additionally a lesson in media illustration and the horrific sexism Grégory’s mom needed to face within the wake of her son’s homicide. 

There are quite a lot of true crime documentaries on the market (and on this record) however American Homicide: The Household Subsequent Door stands out. 

It tells the story of Chris Watts, a seemingly common man who murdered his spouse and kids. The entry to footage is staggering and it is edited and produced in a singular method, utilizing textual content messages and social media posts to inform the story. It is a horrific reminder of the banal, extremely frequent existence of home violence.

With the swath of true crime documentaries and podcasts that got here in its wake, it is simple to neglect that the world as soon as misplaced its collective thoughts over Making a Assassin. In quite a lot of methods it created the template that many Netflix documentaries now comply with. An actual unique.

In 2020, within the midst of a pandemic, Netflix dropped this piece of sports activities doc perfection. 

The Final Dance focuses on the Chicago Bulls throughout their ’97-’98 NBA title-winning season, however actually it is a leaping off level for a documentary that tells the life story of its central star, Michael Jordan. 

Consequently, many criticized it for being a little bit too Jordan-focused, however The Final Dance was an occasion documentary that lived as much as the hype. 

This Oscar-winning documentary is an absolute belter. 

Icarus begins out as an expose on the affect performance-enhancing medicine have on sports activities efficiency, however a sequence of occasions drags director Bryan Fogel into an online of geopolitics and conspiracies. To say extra would spoil it, however Fogel finally has created a documentary that had a really actual affect on our notion of sports activities as a complete. In that respect, Icarus is a literal recreation changer.

Absolutely the gold customary for long-running sports activities documentaries. Drive to Survive is so good, and so widespread, that it is impressed a complete new stage of curiosity in Components 1, particularly within the US. This present is nice at elevating the characters that occupy the game. Extra reveals like this, please.

Athlete A is a good characteristic size expose on Larry Nassar, the crew physician of USA Gymnastics, who had been sexually abusing feminine athletes for many years.

Be warned: This one is harrowing.

14 Peaks tells the story of the Nepalese mountaineer Nimsdai Purja and his objective of climbing all 14 mountains above the peak of 8,000 meters (26,000 toes) in a single 12 months. It is unbelievable. Should-watch stuff.

Netflix may need burned the true crime documentary into the bottom, nevertheless it’s on hearth in the case of sports activities. Dangerous Sport is the most recent entry into this burgeoning subcategory, and it is superior. Specializing in unusual controversies in sports activities historical past, Dangerous Sport is much less about main gamers doing main issues, it is about what occurs when sport goes unhealthy, will get down within the dust. All of those episodes are nice. Hoping for a season 2. 

The River Runner is sorta like Free Solo for kayaking. Take into account {that a} praise.

Specializing in Scott Lindgren, a kayaking legend who was a pioneer of the game, this can be a conventional story of an excessive sports activities star overcoming odds, nevertheless it runs a little bit deeper than that. Preventing in opposition to a mind tumor and his personal private demons, Lindgren is a compelling case examine. Should watch stuff.

Naomi Osaka has change into one of the well-known and talked-about athletes on the planet. This fascinating documentary explores totally different phases of her profession and provides unbelievable entry into the lifetime of a younger girl fighting the pressures of sport and fame. A must-watch.

When you’re searching for a barely extra uplifting documentary, you may do far worse than The Velocity Cubers, a have a look at the world of aggressive… Rubik’s Cubers? It is quick, however packs an unbelievable emotional punch. Put together your self, this one would possibly break you.

Seaspiracy follows within the footsteps of a number of documentaries targeted on the affect of meat consuming on the setting. This time the worldwide fishing trade is within the crosshairs. As anticipated this one has stirred up a little bit of controversy from all stakeholders — PETA, Greenpeace and conservation teams can not seem to agree if Seaspiracy is correct or truthful. Watch it and make up your personal thoughts.

My Octopus Trainer follows Craig Foster, a filmmaker who spent a 12 months snorkeling and interacting with an octopus off the coast of South Africa. It is a nature movie, positive, nevertheless it’s concurrently a documentary designed to encourage awe within the viewer. In brief, octopuses are unbelievable. Little aliens on Earth, basically. That is the story of a relationship between people and nature, nevertheless it’s additionally an inspiring name to motion: Do not ignore the surprise that exists throughout you.

David Attenborough nature documentaries are so pervasive, they’re weak to self parody, however Our Planet is — I imagine — the excessive watermark. Solely Planet Earth, one other Attenborough doc, comes shut. However I want this one.

Time might boring its affect, however when Tiger King was first launched on Netflix, all the world could not cease speaking about it. 

Tiger King explores the unusual underbelly of massive cat breeding, specializing in a forged of unforgettable (and finally harmful) characters. It drags its viewers to bizarre locations. Season 2 is now out there and whereas the present has misplaced quite a lot of its chunk, it is intriguing to meet up with this forged of untamed human beings doing wild, utterly outlandish issues. 

thirteenth by Ava Duvernay is a staggering documentary that tells the story of American slavery and its long-lasting impacts, lots of which nonetheless resonate right this moment. 

Within the wake of the Black Lives Matter motion, this needs to be obligatory viewing.

Within the wake of the Capitol siege, the Fb/Cambridge Analytica controversy nearly seems like historic historical past, however that does not make this documentary any much less vital. If you have not seen it, then watch it.

Lately launched, Operations Varsity Blues: The Faculty Admissions Scandal has a reputation so long as a few of Netflix’s current documentaries. Fortunately, this is not as bloated as, say, the current Cecil Resort doc, nevertheless it may nonetheless use some trimming. 
Operation Varsity Blues targeted on the FBI investigation into faculty admissions that put actress Felicity Huffman in jail. Its director, Chris Smith, beforehand labored on the Fyre Competition documentary. This is not fairly as compelling, however continues to be properly price watching. 

No matter your views on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Knock Down the Home is an unbelievable underdog story that can’t be missed. Specializing in progressive feminine candidates throughout the 2018 congressional main campaigns, it is an insightful have a look at the democratic course of. It is an inspiring reminder that we have to struggle with a purpose to make the voices of bizarre folks rely.

Not gonna say a lot right here. Nina Simone is a legend and that is perhaps among the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. 

Overlong and bloated, Wild Wild Nation is nonetheless one of the fascinating documentaries I’ve ever watched on Netflix. 

It tells the story of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, who tried to construct a huge sprawling commune, for what was basically a intercourse cult, in the USA. It is a unusual story that in some way turns into stranger with age. Very similar to Tiger King, the story plumbs depths you will not imagine. At instances it is a slog, however Wild Wild Nation is totally worthwhile.

I completely adore this documentary. 5 present acclaimed administrators (together with Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola) assist inform the story of 5 well-known film administrators from the ’30s and ’40s who did frontline work throughout the Second World Struggle. It wraps their legacies alongside the affect of the warfare itself into a really compelling story of Hollywood’s golden age.

An Oscar winner for Netflix, this documentary is the primary produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Increased Floor Productions crew. 
American Manufacturing facility tells the story of Fuyao, a Chinese language firm that constructed a manufacturing unit in Ohio that inhabits a now-closed Normal Motors plant. You need to watch this film.

By this level all of us have some kind of understanding of Jeffrey Epstein’s story however Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Wealthy does itself an important service by specializing in the tales of the survivors of his abuse. 

Hulu additionally has an important Fyre competition documentary, however I want this Netflix one. Not like many Netflix documentaries, that are stretched and bloated into multipart episodes, this documentary is sharp, direct and stable gold all the method via.