must-see docs
by devranbostancioglu | created - 30 Nov 2019 | updated - 4 months ago | Publicdocumentaries
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1. The Devil Next Door (2019)
TV-MA | 46 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A Cleveland grandfather is brought to trial in Israel, accused of being the infamous German death camp guard known as Ivan the Terrible.
Stars: Yoram Sheftel, Eli Gabay, Michael Shaked, Eli Rosenbaum
Votes: 15,157
2. When They See Us (2019)
TV-MA | 296 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they're falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on the true story.
Stars: Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Marquis Rodriguez
Votes: 138,502
3. Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates (2019)
TV-14 | 52 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary that tells Bill Gates' life story as he pursues solutions to some of the world's most complex problems.
Stars: Bill Gates, Davin Orness, Alex Bueermann
Votes: 11,765
4. Abstract: The Art of Design (2017– )
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary
A look beyond blueprints and computers into the art and science of design, showcasing great designers from every discipline whose work shapes our world.
Stars: Platon, Tinker Hatfield, Ian Spalter, Cas Holman
Votes: 5,935
5. Making a Murderer (2015–2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Crime
Filmed over a 10-year period, Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime.
Stars: Steven Avery, Dolores Avery, Laura Nirider, Allan Avery
Votes: 103,485
6. Fyre (2019)
TV-MA | 97 min | Documentary, Crime, Music
An exclusive behind the scenes look at the infamous unraveling of the Fyre music festival.
Director: Chris Smith | Stars: Billy McFarland, Jason Bell, Gabrielle Bluestone, Shiyuan Deng
Votes: 52,326
7. Explained (2018–2021)
TV-MA | 18 min | Documentary
A documentary series that looks to explore the big questions of today.
Stars: Estelle Caswell, Samira Wiley, Maria Bello, Kyle MacLachlan
Votes: 10,006
8. Wild Wild Country (2018)
TV-MA | 67 min | Documentary, Crime
When Osho, the world's most controversial guru, builds an Utopian city deep in the Oregon country, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
Stars: Ma Anand Sheela, Philip Toelkes, Jane Stork, George Meredith
Votes: 35,302
9. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War
Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder
Votes: 133,115 | Gross: $119.19M
10. The Great Hack (2019)
TV-MA | 114 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The Cambridge Analytica scandal is examined through the roles of several affected persons.
Directors: Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim | Stars: Brittany Kaiser, David Carroll, Paul-Olivier Dehaye, Ravi Naik
Votes: 25,195
11. Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018)
TV-MA | 48 min | Documentary, Crime
The extraordinary story of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.
Stars: Trey Borzillieri, Jerry Clark, Jason Wick, Lamont King
Votes: 31,183
12. Amanda Knox (2016)
TV-MA | 92 min | Documentary, Crime
American exchange student Amanda Knox is charged with the 2007 death of another student in Italy.
Directors: Rod Blackhurst, Brian McGinn | Stars: Amanda Knox, Meredith Kercher, Raffaele Sollecito, Giuliano Mignini
Votes: 26,314
13. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
TV-MA | 59 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A look inside the mind of serial killer Ted Bundy, featuring interviews with him on death row.
Stars: Stephen Michaud, Bob Keppel, Kathleen McChesney, Ward Lucas
Votes: 33,067
14. Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019)
TV-MA | 86 min | Documentary, Crime
Tracing from his rise in the 1970s to his disgrace in accusations of rape and sexual harassment in more recent years.
Director: Eva Orner | Stars: Larissa Anderson, Francesca Asumah, Sarah Baughn, Bikram Choudhury
Votes: 8,409
15. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.
Director: Kurt Kuenne | Stars: Kurt Kuenne, Andrew Bagby, David Bagby, Kathleen Bagby
Votes: 40,893 | Gross: $0.02M
16. Who Killed Little Gregory? (2019)
60 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
When their 4-year-old son is murdered, a young couple fights a twisting and arduous battle trying to identify a frustratingly elusive killer.
Stars: William Salyers, Jayne Taini, Page Leong, Peter James Smith
Votes: 3,332
17. Samsara (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 102 min | Documentary, Music
Filmed over nearly five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, and shot on seventy-millimetre film, Samsara transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders.
Director: Ron Fricke | Stars: Balinese Tari Legong Dancers, Ni Made Megahadi Pratiwi, Puti Sri Candra Dewi, Putu Dinda Pratika
Votes: 38,236 | Gross: $2.67M
18. Baraka (1992)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary
A collection of expertly photographed scenes of human life and religion.
Director: Ron Fricke | Star: Patrick Disanto
Votes: 41,238 | Gross: $1.33M
19. Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
TV-MA | 62 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
A group of online justice seekers track down a guy who posted a video of himself killing kittens.
Stars: Deanna Thompson, John Green, Claudette Hamlin, Anna Yourkin
Votes: 62,505
20. The Social Dilemma (2020)
PG-13 | 94 min | Documentary, Drama
Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking; tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.
Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano
Votes: 89,962
21. My Octopus Teacher (2020)
TV-G | 85 min | Documentary, Drama
A 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.
Directors: Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed | Stars: Craig Foster, Tom Foster
Votes: 64,172
22. Ruhun Doysun (2017–2019)
Documentary
Stars: Mehmet Gürs, Zafer Yenal, Mehmet Tekinel, Ilhan Koçulu
Votes: 37
23. Make Us Dream (2018)
Not Rated | 104 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
Documentary about the mercurial football career of Steven Gerrard, one of Liverpool FCs finest ever players.
Director: Sam Blair | Stars: Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Steve Bruce, Jamie Carragher
Votes: 3,458
24. All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (2020)
TV-14 | 46 min | Documentary, Sport
An inside look at the 2019/20 season of the Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur.
Stars: Tom Hardy, José Mourinho, Daniel Levy, Dele Alli
Votes: 6,795
25. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez (2020)
TV-MA | 55 min | Documentary, Crime
Filmmaker 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.
Stars: William Guirola, Wyatt Hinz, Alfredo Tavares, Adam Saunders
Votes: 13,611
26. Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019– )
TV-MA | 40 min | Documentary, Sport
Docuseries following the FIA Formula One World Championship across multiple seasons.
Stars: Will Buxton, Jack Nicholls, Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton
Votes: 51,203
27. Room 2806: The Accusation (2020)
TV-MA | 197 min | Documentary, Crime
This docuseries follows the 2011 sexual assault case involving french politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the height of his career.
Stars: Nafissatou Diallo, Raphaëlle Bacqué, Élisabeth Guigou, Paul Browne
Votes: 2,539
28. James May: Our Man in... (2020–2024)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary, Adventure, Comedy
James 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.
Stars: James May, Yujiro Taniyama, Paolo Damiano, Aditi Mittal
Votes: 9,014
29. Derginin Hikayesi (2021)
42 min | Documentary, Short
Director: Devran Bostancioglu | Stars: Miraç Agca, Caner Almaz, Merve Akinci Almaz, Devran Bostancioglu
Votes: 14
30. Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami (2021)
TV-MA | 46 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Two childhood friends go from high school dropouts to the most powerful drug kingpins in Miami in this true story of a crime saga that spanned decades.
Stars: Alexia Nepola, Pedro Rosello, Ralph Linero, Marilyn Bonachea
Votes: 3,248
31. FIFA Uncovered (2022)
TV-14 | 55 min | Documentary, Crime, Sport
From power struggles to global politics, an exploration of FIFA reveals the organization's checkered history and what it takes to host a World Cup.
Stars: Jérôme Valcke, David Conn, Ken Bensinger, Amanda Davies
Votes: 6,550
32. Air Crash Investigation (2003– )
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Dramatized reconstruction of real-life air disasters, along with interviews with aviation experts and eyewitnesses.
Stars: Jonathan Aris, Stephen Bogaert, John Cox, John Nance
Votes: 5,936
33. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (2022)
TV-MA | 49 min | Documentary, Crime
Examines the rise of Warren Jeffs in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and his shocking criminal case.
Stars: Elissa Wall, Mike Watkiss, Rebecca Musser, Ruby Jessop
Votes: 16,170
34. Girl in the Picture (2022)
TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
A young mother's mysterious death and her son's subsequent kidnapping blow open a decades-long mystery about the woman's true identity and the murderous federal fugitive at the center of it all.
Director: Skye Borgman | Stars: Karen Parsley, Charles Engles, Merle Bean, Ernest Bean
Votes: 21,749
35. American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary, Crime
In 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.
Director: Jenny Popplewell | Stars: Nickole Atkinson, Jim Benemann, Luke Epple, Mark Jamieson
Votes: 32,879
36. Sins of Our Mother (2022)
TV-14 | 47 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
When Lori Vallow's kids vanished, the search for them unearthed a trail of suspicious deaths, a new husband who shared her doomsday views - and murder.
Stars: Colby Ryan, Janis Cox, Kelsee Ryan, Justin Lum
Votes: 7,500
37. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015–2024)
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes.
Stars: Andrew Jarecki, Robert Durst, J. Patrick Burns, Dick DeGuerin
Votes: 51,783
38. The Pharmacist (2020)
TV-MA | 54 min | Documentary, Crime
Dan 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.
Stars: Dan Schneider, Annie Schneider, Jack Stephens, M.
Votes: 8,711
39. Killer Sally (2022)
TV-MA | 50 min | Documentary, Crime
Interviews with friends, family and Sally McNeil herself chart a bodybuilding couple's rocky marriage and its shocking end in a Valentine's Day murder.
Stars: Sally McNeil, John Lowden, Shantina Lowden, Shannon Brown
Votes: 6,319
40. Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi (2022)
TV-14 | 58 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A 15 year-old girl living in Vatican City, disappeared under mysterious circumstances that are believed to have involved the Vatican.
Stars: Andrea Purgatori, Natalina Orlandi, Matilde Reale, Lucrezia Chessari
Votes: 5,453
41. Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez (2020)
TV-MA | 67 min | Documentary, Crime, Sport
A three-part documentary series examining what led to the murderous fall and shocking death of former NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez.
Stars: Kevin Armstrong, Dan Wetzel, Stephen Ziogas, Patrick Haggan
Votes: 19,054
42. Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis (2022)
TV-MA | 91 min | Documentary, Crime
In August 1988, two armed bank robbers keep German and Dutch police at bay for 54 hours during a hostage-taking drama that ends badly.
Director: Volker Heise | Stars: Dieter Degowski, Hans-Jürgen Rösner
Votes: 3,059
43. World War II: From the Frontlines (2023)
TV-MA | 49 min | Documentary, History, War
Through vividly enhanced archival footage and voices from all sides of the conflict, this docuseries brings WWII to life like never before.
Star: John Boyega
Votes: 5,274
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