Since the world is so full of information and untapped knowledge, some content gets the rare chance of being labeled among the “must-see documentaries.” Combining information and fun into one thing, they can provide us with a mountain of knowledge while also staying somewhat interesting to watch. However, some of the best documentaries stay true to several elements, even if it’s a movie or a series.
Two elements are always found in the interesting documentaries that get watched — brilliant visuals and matter at hand. Visuals are vital because our eyes are focused on the screen for multiple hours. For this reason, documentaries like Planet Earth and Blue Planet capture our attention through the information presented and with gorgeous visuals. After all, who doesn’t like a close-up of a predator or a small fish? The other element at play is the topic itself. You might have noticed that the popular documentaries people talk about focus on relevant subjects. Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom is a documentary that focuses on the unrest in Ukraine. This topic, sadly, is still relevant these days.
So, if you are on the internet looking for the next documentary to watch — we’ve got you covered. Someone has already raised the same question on the internet before. User bunniebunnxo asked the members on AskReddit an interesting question — “What documentary is a must-see?” With so many great documentaries given, we picked the best ones and compiled them in the list below. Did the documentary’s title or the context pique your interest? Upvote it. On the other hand, if you have any similar interesting documentaries to suggest, you can share them in the comments below.
#1 The Up Series
“Each film in the series interviews the same group of British people. It starts when they are 7 years old and there is a new film put out every 7 years. The most recent one released the participants are 63 years old. Binging these movies is an unbelievable experience.”
Image source: amazon.com, mdthornb1
#2 Paris Is Burning
“It’s about NYC drag balls in the 80s. It’s simultaneously joyous and heartbreaking. It also makes you realize how much mainstream pop culture is based on what bubbles up from queer New York club culture.”
Image source: amazon.com, I_Crush_Your_Head
#3 Abducted In Plain Sight
Daddict replied:
“I’ve never seen a dumber pair of people than the parents of that poor girl. I was amazed they didn’t just randomly pass out from forgetting to breath.”
Image source: amazon.com, little_shop_of_hoors
#4 Grey Gardens
“I recommend watching this with a box of wine, a few cats, and you’ll need a sweater and scarf. (You’ll know what to do with the sweater and scarf when the time comes.)
This documentary will haunt you for years and is hilariously quotable to the people who’ve seen it.”
Image source: amazon.com, HarlanCulpepper
#5 The Keepers
“It’s a deep dive into the power and influence of the Catholic church in Baltimore.”
Image source: imdb.com, Revolutionary-Yak-47
#6 Planet Earth
punkinabox replied:
“I remember when Planet Earth first came out and it was when HD was still a relatively new great thing. Me and my friends were 19 and we were so excited to get high and watch planet earth on a big HD tv.”
Image source: amazon.com, ragnarvixiv
#7 Blackfish
“The only documentary that has ever entirely changed my mind on a subject is Blackfish. And I’m not the only one because this documentary changed the world, and changed the way an entire industry operates. It got rid of certain theme parks, and aquariums operate in an entirely different way. They use to have dolphin shows. Now it’s entirely rescue dolphins and they don’t do shows. It’s all educational.
If you haven’t seen blackfish, it’s worth a watch. If for nothing else to see how it use to be.
Now a days most younger people already had this mind set. But it took this documentary to change us older people’s mindset.”
Image source: amazon.com, GaryNOVA
#8 Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer
“Wildest documentary I’ve ever watched so far.”
Image source: imdb.com, man_idkkkk
#9 Blue Planet
“Blue Planet was so beautifully organized. I had the DVD set and lost it a couple years ago… I feel like a piece of me is gone now.”
Image source: amazon.com, carrotwhirl
#10 Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father
“I’ve watched it once and once only. When I finished it, I was sore and tired. It was so emotionally exhausting that my face was sore from crying and the rest of my body was tired from being tense with sadness and anger. Still recommend it highly to anyone.”
Image source: amazon.com, reddit.com
#11 My Octopus Teacher
“Absolutely one of those reminders of how small you are in the universe, how defined you are by the expectations of society, how little you actually know about the world around you. It was beautiful in every sense of the word.”
Image source: imdb.com, krambagula
#12 Cunk On Earth
maplestriker replied:
“I watched it on the treadmill at the gym and almost fell off the second time they played pump up the jam.”
Image source: imdb.com, spazmatikism
#13 Fyre
“The Greatest Party That Never Happened. Just sit back and behold the hubris and inevitable trainwreck.”
Image source: amazon.com, Brilliant_Tourist400
#14 Three Identical Strangers
Notabumblebee27 said:
“It’s about identical triplets separated at birth and found each other years later.”
fzero93 replied:
“I went to highschool and was good friends with a daughter of one of those guys. She told me her dad was going to be in a movie and I couldn’t believe this is what she meant. I was expecting him to be an extra or something lol.”
Image source: amazon.com, Notabumblebee27
#15 Class Action Park
strong_badd said: “A history of New Jersey’s Action Park amusement park. So entertaining.” dd524 replied: “Especially having been there as a kid, it was really eye-opening to see how that place managed to stay open so long.”
Image source: amazon.com, strong_badd
#16 The Fog Of War
Hiranonymous said:
“One quote from the movie by McNamara about his own actions in World War 2:
‘If we’d lost the war, we’d all have been prosecuted as war criminals. And I think he’s right. He, and I’d say I, were behaving as war criminals.'”
ted_cobbler replied:
“The frankness of McNamara’s commentary was astonishing. I have never been able to fully understood how I feel about it. McNamara had a complete understanding of his actions and of those around him. He knew it was wrong, morally and criminally. He also seemed utterly indifferent to that.
Great documentary.”
Image source: amazon.com, Hiranonymous
#17 The Pharmacist
anevilbor replied:
“Just watched it. Was way more than I expected. Guy was ahead of his time in recognizing the beginnings of the opioid epidemic.”
Image source: imdb.com, Mizzlu78
#18 The Social Dilemma
“This one… we all know what social media does to us, but this was eye-opening. And very well done.”
Image source: imdb.com, cyanic-3147
#19 Jiro Dreams Of Sushi
“Not just about sushi, but about the sustainability of the fish, as well as hard work.”
Image source: amazon.com, reddit.com
#20 Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey
“This is a fairly recent one covering FLDS and religious splinter groups that abused women and children for decades with the full cooperation of the authorities.”
Image source: imdb.com, Revolutionary-Yak-47
#21 NY77: The Coolest Year In Hell
“It’s about New York City in 1977. the city was in really bad shape, Son of Sam was terrorizing NYC, the summer blackout and the looting that followed. But at the same time disco and Studio 54 were happening, CBGB’s had bands that went on to infamy, and hip-hop was in it’s infancy in the Bronx.
The easiest watching documentary I’ve ever seen.”
Image source: imdb.com, sneaky291
#22 Hot Coffee
“It’s important to watch for a number of reasons. It’s about the case that was used as propaganda to persuade the average American citizen that limiting their own rights by supporting Tort reform was important so sad mega-corporations wouldn’t have to waste their time dealing with the people that they wronged.”
Image source: amazon.com, LoudTsu
#23 Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom
“About the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv that led pretty directly to the current mess, but also cemented democracy and freedom as core Ukrainian values.”
#24 Exit Through The Gift Shop
“You start off thinking its a Banksy documentary and it just keeps changing until it ends and you realize how blurred the lines are on the commentary of the entire thing.”
Image source: imdb.com, RadioinactiveOne
#25 March Of The Penguins
Mean-Duck-low-crowe replied:
“I have the absolute BEST sleeps to this documentary. Something about the penguins cooing and the winds howling really hits my soul hard. I’ve “watched” it lots but only front to back, awake, once.”
Image source: amazon.com, ststeveg
#26 Free Solo
treo700P replied:
“I watched Free Solo at someone’s house where they had it projected on a very large wall. That climber is skilled! I will happily stay on the ground or if I ever climb, I will use ropes and other equipment. Highly recommend watching it!”
Image source: amazon.com, dinot2000
#27 Hoop Dreams
Chronic_The_Kid replied:
“Ever since I saw Hoop Dreams as a teen, it’s been my dream to do a documentary just like that one except with amateur boxers.”
lovesmyirish also replied:
“When I saw it as a kid I thought it was about two kids trying to fulfill their dream of being basketball players.
When I watched it was a little older I realized it was more about how the system uses the kids.”
Image source: amazon.com, rf8350
#28 Imposter
MoeKara replied:
“…The mixed style of actual footage, interviews and then reenactment where the main actor is lip-synched with the narration. It’s all phenomenal and that’s before we even mention the crazy story.”
Image source: imdb.com, Bitter-Hitter
#29 The Last Dance
“I love it. The soundtrack is superb and it can actually be pretty funny at times. That kind of competitive drive makes Mike seem like a huge dick sometimes, but I feel like somebody has play that role in any successful group. Some guys won’t get it done unless they’re tested and have pressure put on them.”
Image source: amazon.com, zbox2345
#30 The Cove
JustKindaHappenedxx said:
“It stopped me from ever wanting to swim with dolphins.”
Pootis__Spencer replied:
“One of the few documentaries I’ve rewatched several times. Very hard watch but very insightful.”
Image source: amazon.com, JustKindaHappenedxx
#31 Crumb
“I don’t think there’s ever been a better documentary about the relationship between art and the artist. It’s also an incredible commentary on mental illness and art as therapy, but in the end it’s just a fly-on-the-wall portrait of a genius.”
Image source: amazon.com, reddit.com
#32 Act Of Killing
Rebar4Life replied: “Act of Killing is a documentarians documentary. Absolutely stunning and mind blowing.”
hesnothere also replied:
“How right you are: I got to work a shoot one time with Errol Morris and his production company. I took a few of his guys out for beers and asked them their favorite documentary by Errol. All but one said The Act of Killing.”
Image source: amazon.com, TheProcrustenator
#33 Resurrect Dead: The Mystery Of The Toynbee Tiles
“Another one to file under ‘so weird you couldn’t make it up.’ This one is better if you just watch it. It’s incredibly mysterious.”
Image source: amazon.com, magtig
#34 Icarus
janky_koala replied: “Starts out about documenting the effects of doping in endurance sports, ends in state secrets, exile, and genuine fears of safety.”
Image source: imdb.com, SwimmerSwagger
#35 Reel Rock
“The Reel Rock series is also fantastic and a shorter format with equally amazing footage and stories.”
Image source: amazon.com, fusiongt021
#36 Searching For Sugar Man
Tlentic replied:
“It was a good documentary but it wasn’t very factual. Sixto Rodriguez actually had some commercial success in Australia and New Zealand in the 70s and 80s. He did a couple tours and what not. The documentary just kinda glossed over this because it made for a better story.”
Image source: amazon.com, sheepishgoat332
#37 Touching The Void
PissedFurby replied:
“2 guys go climbing in the Andes, get caught in a storm and things go bad and then worse. It’s a story of raw survival and tough choices. recreated with actors but with narration and interviews from the real people. definitely recommend it, it comes with one of my favorite life lessons about overcoming what seems to be impossible challenges.”
Image source: amazon.com, Sir-Viette
#38 Muscle Shoals
“Just a period of music history that I had no idea about.”
Image source: amazon.com, Roakana
#39 Finders Keepers
“This man bids for an abandoned storage unit and wins. What he doesnt expect to find is a barbecue with an embalmed leg in it. He sets the barbecue and leg up as a sideshow attraction at his house. Until the owner of the leg finds out.
What ensues is a really interesting legal fight: who legally owns the leg?
Absolutely worth your time.”
Image source: amazon.com, findthefish14
#40 Man On Wire
“The documentary is about this guy who walked on a wire between the twin towers, or rather the walk itself. It gave me a new understanding of what sublime means.”
Image source: amazon.com, greenpearlin
#41 The Alpinist
fusiongt021 replied:
“Yea all those recent mountain climbing movies are fantastic. Alpinist, The Dawn Wall, Meru, Free Solo.”
Image source: amazon.com, Used_Appearance_1938
#42 Restrepo
pearlspoppa1369 replied:
“As a veteran, I wish they played that on TV the week before Election Day. Let people know what they are voting for.”
Image source: imdb.com, dinot2000
#43 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible
regnarbensin_ replied:
“I watched it after climbing Cotopaxi in Ecuador and I wish I hadn’t. I now have the tough decision on whether to save for a down payment on a house or to spend it all in Nepal.”
Image source: imdb.com, pleepleus91
#44 Tickled
“Just when you think you understand where it’s going you’re proven wrong and can’t help but be invested in what is going on.”
Image source: amazon.com, xxst1tch3sxx
#45 We Are X
“The story of X Japan, the first visual kei band. If you’re into Japanese pop culture of any kind, it’s worth checking out.”
Image source: amazon.com, Brilliant_Tourist400
#46 Seaspiracy
matiapag replied:
“Both Cowspiracy and Seaspiracy are extremely interesting to watch. I am an opposite of a vegan and I know for a fact that there are some data interpreted very freely in those documents, but it was still fascinating to watch and it really opened my eyes and made me realize a lot of things.”
Image source: imdb.com, hyraxcapybaragiraffe
#47 Salesman
“I know some people find it boring but all three times I have watched I find myself more engrossed by it than anything else I have ever watched. You do feel like you have been transported to different time.”
Image source: amazon.com, MidnightOwl01
#48 The Men Who Built America
“It covers Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Henry Ford, and others. This was back in the day when Big Money could buy politicians and their decisions. Sound familiar? From Rockefeller snatching up land for railroad lines whether the owners wanted to sell… or not… to Standard Oil becoming a monopoly and dumping waste products from kerosene manufacture into the river. It not only covers the accomplishments of these men, but their unethical and sometimes illegal means. Edison wanted DC power to be the standard, he was up against Westinghouse and Tesla with AC…. so he electrocuted a f***ing elephant as a publicity stunt. It cost Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Morgan a fortune to get McKinley elected President. Shame he was assassinated, they lost a bundle.”
Image source: amazon.com, PJMurphy
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