The Best Documentaries of 2020
Which of these top-rated 2020 documentary films and shows is your favorite?
• Note: Only titles with at least 3000 votes and an average rating of 7.0 or above are considered.
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[ See more: Best of 2020 Polls ]
• Note: Only titles with at least 3000 votes and an average rating of 7.0 or above are considered.
Discuss here
[ See more: Best of 2020 Polls ]
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35 titles
- StarsMichael JordanPhil JacksonScottie PippenLed by Michael Jordan, the 1990s Chicago Bulls establish themselves as one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.
- DirectorAlastair FothergillJonathan HughesKeith ScholeyStarsDavid AttenboroughMax HughesOne man has seen more of the natural world than any other. This unique feature documentary is his witness statement.
- DirectorJustin MaloneStarsBrandon TatumCarol SwainChad JacksonAn oral history of the American black conservative.
- StarsJames MayYujiro TaniyamaPaolo DamianoJames May embarks on a remarkable journey across Japan, from its icy north to its balmy south. He'll see the sights, meet the locals, and eat the noodles in a bid to truly understand the Land of the Rising Sun.
- DirectorPippa EhrlichJames ReedStarsCraig FosterTom FosterA filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world.
- DirectorJoshua TickellRebecca Harrell TickellStarsWoody HarrelsonRay ArchuletaJohn WickA revolutionary group of activists, scientists, farmers, and politicians band together in a global movement of "Regenerative Agriculture" that could balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies, and feed the world.
- DirectorSam FederStarsLaverne CoxBianca LeighJen RichardsAn in-depth look at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people and the impact of those stories on transgender lives and American culture.
- StarsWilliam GuirolaWyatt HinzAlfredo TavaresFilmmaker Brian Knappenberger investigates the tragic death of an 8-year-old California boy who endured horrific abuse by his mother and her boyfriend, along with the fractured and complex systems that failed to protect him.
- DirectorBryan FogelStarsJamal KhashoggiOmar AbdulazizIrfan FidanWhen Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappears in Istanbul, his fiancée and dissidents around the world piece together the clues to a murder and expose a global cover up.
- StarsTom HardyJosé MourinhoDaniel LevyAn inside look at the 2019/20 season of the Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur.
- StarsMonica AldamaGabi ButlerLa'Darius MarshallIn the small town of Corsicana, Texas, hard-driving head cheer coach Monica Aldama demands perfection from her team of competitive college athletes.
- StarsSamira WileyAlessandra MastronardiBeren SaatThis nature series' new technology lifts night's veil to reveal the hidden lives of the world's creatures, from lions on the hunt to bats on wings.
- StarsZac EfronDarin OlienSteve HoffmannIn this travel show, actor Zac Efron journeys around the world with wellness expert Darin Olien in search of healthy, sustainable ways to live.
- StarsCem Yigit UzümogluTuba BüyüküstünAlp IlkmanOttoman Sultan Mehmed II wages an epic campaign to take the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and shapes the course of history for centuries.
- CreatorSteven LeckartGlen ZipperStarsJune Scobee RodgersWilliam HarwoodJohn ZarrellaFour-part docuseries on the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster, unpacking an indelible moment for a generation of Americans.
- DirectorChris BolanStarsTerry DonahuePat HenschelDiana BolanFalling in love in 1947, two women -- Pat Henschel and pro baseball player Terry Donahue -- begin a 65-year journey of love and overcoming prejudice.
- DirectorNathan GrossmanStarsGreta ThunbergSvante ThunbergNiclas SvenningsenThe documentary follows Greta Thunberg, a teenage climate activist from Sweden, on her international crusade to get people to listen to scientists about the world's environmental problems.
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsBeastie BoysMike DAdam HorovitzHere's a little story they're about to tell... Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz share the story of the band, Beastie Boys, and 40 years of friendship in a live documentary experience directed by friend and collaborator, Spike Jonze.
- DirectorJeff Orlowski-YangStarsTristan HarrisJeff SeibertBailey RichardsonExplores the dangerous human impact of social networking; tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.
- DirectorBonni CohenJon ShenkStarsMaggie NicholsGina NicholsJohn NicholsFollow the Indianapolis Star reporters that broke the story about USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's abuse and hear from gymnasts like Maggie Nichols.
- StarsDan SchneiderAnnie SchneiderJack StephensDan Schneider, a small-town pharmacist in Louisiana, makes effort to identify his son's killer, which leads to his gathering of evidence against a prolific "pill mill" doctor in New Orleans.
- StarsJoe ExoticCarole BaskinJohn ReinkeA rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot.
- DirectorCaroline SuhStarsReila PostBlackpinkKim JisooChart the meteoric rise of the South Korean girl group BLACKPINK in director Caroline Suh's documentary.
- DirectorLana WilsonStarsTaylor SwiftAndrea SwiftScott SwiftA look at iconic pop artist Taylor Swift during a transformational time in her life as she embraces her role as a singer/songwriter and harnesses the full power of her voice.
- StarsKevin ArmstrongDan WetzelStephen ZiogasA three-part documentary series examining what led to the murderous fall and shocking death of former NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez.
- StarsCharles MartinetRebecca Ann HeinemanNolan BushnellTraces the history of classic video games, featuring insights from the innovators who brought these worlds and characters to life.
- StarsPatton OswaltPaul HaynesAmy RyanGripping examination of the unsolved crimes of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s.
- StarsThom ReedAllison RiveraMary MurphyImmersive, character-driven stories are rooted in the experiences of ordinary people who have lived the unthinkable. Families, detectives and journalists hope viewers hold the clues to solving these mysteries.
- DirectorJames TovellStarsAhmed Zikrey AbdellhakGhareeb Ali Mohammed AbushoushaNabil EldaleelAfter unearthing a tomb that had been untouched for 4,400 years, Egyptian archaeologists attempt to decipher the history of the astonishing find.
- DirectorJenny PopplewellStarsNickole AtkinsonJim BenemannLuke EppleIn 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters disappear in Colorado. With the heartbreaking details emerging, the family's story made headlines around the world.
- StarsChris GrahamDoug MathewsAmy MurrayA detailed account of the McDonald's Monopoly game scam during the 1990s as told by the participants in the case, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents involved.
- StarsMichael ReiterAnnie FarmerShawna RiveraSurvivors reveal the manipulation, abuse and emotional scars suffered at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Their stories expose a sex trafficking ring of powerful enablers leading up to his 2019 arrest.
- StarsJohn AliteMichael FranzeseJim KosslerFive Mafia families ruled New York with a bloody fist in the 1970s and '80s, until a group of federal agents tried the unthinkable: taking them down.
- StarsAlan WhitehouseKeith HellawellAndrew LaptewInvestigators and witnesses recall how a modern-day Jack the Ripper terrorized the north of England during the late 1970s.
- DirectorSeth PorgesChris Charles Scott IIIStarsJohn HodgmanFaith AndersonAlison BeckerA documentary that focuses on a dangerously legendary water park and its slew of injuries and crimes along with child safety concerns.