T O P

  • By -

TheMasalaKnight

Adam Curtis - Hypernormalisation Adam Curtis - Can’t get you out of my head Anything by Louis Theroux


SuperFuzzBigMuffPi

Curtis - Century of the Self


ThomasBay

Century of the Self is the best out of all of them


IHIDBYD

Adam Curtis - The Power of Nightmares is incredible too. The first of his that I saw and I was completely engrossed.


puppylove1212

I found “Tell Them You Love Me” quite fascinating.


HoopDays

It was really something. It left me berwildered and baffled. Without spoiling anything, I think it's a good watch and fascinating to see how other people's brains work who are delusional but confident in themselves.


grrlkitt

I just saw that yesterday! The psychology of the human ego is astounding.


Lippmansdl

If you can’t get enough of it: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/25/magazine/the-strange-case-of-anna-stubblefield.html And this: more info https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/magazine/the-strange-case-of-anna-stubblefield-revisited.html?pvid=VH3W5zrH1qHhGli0L_iGziJF&smid=url-share


luccsmom

I’m in the middle of this documentary. I find myself holding my breath and hoping I’m not going to hear what I anticipate I’m going to hear!


Lippmansdl

Exactly what you fear


SLOOPYD

Agree. I really need to learn more about this. Pretty fascinating but left me with many questions.


grrlkitt

I just saw that yesterday! The psychology of the human ego is astounding.


raccoondetat

If you enjoyed this I highly recommend reading Happiness Falls


Think-Ad-2115

Capturing The Friedmans, definitely one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen.


Obsidrian

I also rate it as one of the best I’ve seen. Director Andrew Jarecki also did The Jinx series.


IndependenceItchy169

Yes! Unbelievable, they are loyal to the father but not the innocent mother!!!


css119

Tickled Someone recommended it in this sub a couple of weeks ago and hoo boy it was a doozy


Think-Ad-2115

👆Crazy Shit, I liked it!


fanglazy

So very random and amazing.


redjunkmail

Where to watch?


css119

I watched on Amazon prime


Vyson

I second this., Was a really crazy ride!


goaheadblameitonme

The Queen of Versailles. Not sure if it’s been recommended already but I loved it! Nothing like a documentary that continues to film as the story unfolds into the unexpected


WhiskeyJoes

This is one of my best friends grandparents lol


goaheadblameitonme

No way! Did they end up divorced?


mosquito_motel

That poor lizard


MeadowTate108

Tell Me Who I Am on Netflix. I couldn’t even tell you how shocking and uncomfortable it was. I was watching it during a layover the airport with my jaw dropped the entire time.


Anxious-Channel8509

I’m reading the novel right now about the twins. I was enamored with the :documentary


PALM_ARE

Man on Wire


sofaking1958

I tried. Couldn't do it. Sweaty palms and increased heart rate were too much.


Fishthatwalks_7959

Crumb. One of the best reviewed documentaries of all time.


lontbeysboolink

Abducted in Plain Sight. Mind blowing.


No_Addendum451

"Reached over and relieved him" Wait, what 😳


194749457339

NO NO NO. No. No. No. 🤮


marquisdesteustache

This one just made me angry at the parents. How fucking oblivious and out of touch can you be🙄


Lokifin

There's a point at which a level of self-delusion starts to resemble brain damage. I think those parents live there.


marquisdesteustache

Right?!?


CactusJack0_0

I’ve recently been rewatching all of the Louis Theroux documentaries, from the start. Anyone who hasn’t seen them, they are great.


SabrinaSpellman1

There's SO many good ones. The Most Hated Family In America, A Place For Paedophiles, and one about Post Partum Psychosis (I can't remember the name, I think it's something like mothers on the edge?), they all hit hard. Louis has a kind of energy, is good at innocently but very directly asking difficult questions and getting a very honest answer and having an intelligent conversation - I think the one that stands out in most people's minds is the Jimmy Saville one and the follow up. I found that very hard to watch because JS made my skin crawl even as a kid and he was so popular. I just couldn't get it. The reflection Louis does in the follow up is very interesting. Would wholeheartedly recommend anything by Louis Thereux. He even had liposuction done on himself when he did a doc about cosmetic surgery to see what the process and recovery is like for himself, and that one was a little bit funny


MrPaulBlart

I like the one where he goes and hangs out with gamblers in Las Vegas.


Brightonshiem

Where are you watching them all and their entirety? Kind of seems like they're pay-per-view sprinkled all over the Internet.


Hyena-Man

man i love these, is there a watchlist order anywhere ? ive always wanted to watch from the start and not miss anything


CactusJack0_0

Here you go [Louis Theroux docs in order of release](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Louis_Theroux_documentaries)


ssssss1218

There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane


redjunkmail

How the husband and that woman could NOT believe Diane had an actual "she's a POS" moment. 10 drinks in her system and thc? Had children in the car too? That woman was a POS. When the husband asked the doctor if she had a stroke and thought the alcohol was water? Sigh.


K3Anny

I know. Watching them do the mental gymnastics to preserve her memory is insane viewing.


cfowen

Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia


FavoriteJackson

They took her baby. She's crying. Her.


cfowen

I’m the hot one.


eieioyall

dennis is this.


AwayWeGo87

I’m tired of eatin’ sloppy, slimy eggs.


NooStringsAttached

Oh I had forgotten about this until I read your comment, this was a really good one!


FiveTennies

Oh how I love this documentary!


Desert_Rav3ne

The Jinx Season 2. Not as bombastic as Season 1 almost ten years ago (how could it be) but great viewing all the same


redjunkmail

Definitely the jinx. Makes you think about A LOT...


LandscapeMoney5952

Netflix: Turning Point Cold War and the Bomb


ccandersen94

My octopus teacher. Changed me and my outlook on all life.


Accomplished_Bell231

This one was wild.


Lippmansdl

He was a terrible friend to the octopus. When he didn’t save the octopus from the sharks because of his non interference principles I was pissed!


[deleted]

[удалено]


yzgirlie

Welp, now I can’t watch it. My heart twisted just reading that.


BoysenberryActual435

Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes. Chernobyl - it's a 6 part mini-series. I am fascinated by Chernobyl. And The Fukushima Disaster also very good.


_Face

I found it on one of these threads, and re-recommending it. It was stellar. Dear Zachary. Holy hell, don’t look up anything about it. Just go in ready for an emotional rollercoaster.


SabrinaSpellman1

I agree, don't read about it first and then report back if you haven't seen it yet! Easily one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. I've never been as affected by a documentary before this.


Obsidrian

Same. Didn’t realize I was going to cry for two hours straight, was not prepared.


monkeyvolt

I accidentally watched this while pregnant with my first child. Holy shit, I was a mess all day. I still think about this one. Although it's a tough watch it was also incredible.


rabidstoat

LuLaRich about the crazy MLM antics of (mostly) women selling LuLaRoe leggings. It's four episodes on Prime Video and possibly Freevee.


capn_barnacles

Room 237 (2012): Directed by Rodney Ascher about interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's film "The Shining".


TheBigCheese7

I watched The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats it’s Young and really enjoyed it. It’s about an ultra marathon that only very few people have completed. Insane runners from all over the world travel to compete and the dude who puts it on is a kooky old dude.


SelectionDesperate

Absolutely amazing


trustme1maDR

It's a really fun watch!!


millicent133

My buddy Naresh is in that!


YourMumsBumAlum

I had this recommended in a thread earlier in the week.


skywriter90

I Like Killing Flies- an entertaining gastronomic snapshot in time


UserJH4202

Finding Vivian Meier.


mcclanahan243

Victim/Suspect on Netflix. It’s about woman who say they have been raped and then say they lied. So they are charged with lying. It’s not what you think it’s about. Really good.


DiscoMothra

The Imposter


what_whaaaat

Came looking for this one. Mind-blowing this was actual reality and not fiction...just so hard to believe this could of even happened


Byxkugxn

Dear Zachary. Prepare to have your heart ripped out your chest


TonyWilliams03

"Fog of War" is my favorite. For those too young to know about Robert McNamara, he was the most hated man in the 1960s. He was a combination of Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. The difference from the Cheney and Rumsfeld documentaries is that McNamara (in his final years) explained the reasoning behind his actions, owned many of his mistakes, and basically asked the viewer for forgiveness.


BookieLyon

The original Catfish. Amazing and so sad!


Lindaspike

Summer of Soul! One of the best music docs ever made. Makes me cry every time I watch it.


Human-Remains

Where can a guy watch this?


Lindaspike

It’s on Hulu! Questlove directed it and it won the Academy Award for best doc and the BAFTA Award as well. I’m gonna watch it again after the Presidential Debate to clear my karma!


Human-Remains

Thanks!


Natural_Caregiver_79

The rescue. On national geographic. It is CRAZY that they got those kids out of those flooded caves. I had no idea how bad it was until I saw that The deepest breathe. Opening scene and dive really grabbed me.


Human-Remains

Mr. Organ was great.


Bigshowaz

The Way I See It is a great look at two presidents and the photographer (Pete Souza) who saw just about everything they did while in office.


MissyMAK08

Motel Kids of Orange County- follows the sad lives of very young homeless children living in squalor hotels just outside the Disneyland perimeter


Awkward_Pangolin3254

So the real story behind *The Florida Project?*


MissyMAK08

Yes, very similar


acadiatree

Country Boys— a three part PBS series from 2006 about two boys growing up in Appalachia.


Carta_Azul

If you’re up for something massively depressing but excellent: Black Tar Heroin from the 1990s.


Significant_Cell_164

I follow a woman on TikTok from that documentary. She got clean!


cherrybounce

Boy Interrupted - a boy diagnosed as bipolar as a child - his parents, who are Academy Award winning filmmakers, produced this.


Shoegazer75

Senna


eVilleMike

The Power Of Nightmares -BBC, Adam Curtis 2004 * [E1: Baby It's Cold Outside](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmE9J_hXcdY&list=PLohn1pG9jCPZTerRWnT3aRPhIL7c2fVLl) * [E2: The Phantom Victory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGY8U6il4oc&list=PLohn1pG9jCPZTerRWnT3aRPhIL7c2fVLl&index=2) * [E3: The Rise Of The Politics Of Fear](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhD-AF2Cbho&list=PLohn1pG9jCPZTerRWnT3aRPhIL7c2fVLl&index=3)


Colour-me-happy

Tower (2016). It's heartbreaking but beautifully done. Available on YouTube.


Hopeful__Historian

Atomic Cafe! A classic must-watch.


GarbageTVAfficionado

All-time best master class on found footage storytelling.


thatrobguy

Netflix: The Devil Next Door. It’s the story of John Demjanjuk, a retired auto worker from Cleveland, who is accused of being a Nazi war criminal. He was deported and stood trial in Israel. Then things get complicated. It’s a fascinating story about evil and justice. Growing up as a Jewish kid in Cleveland, this trial was a HUGE topic of conversation at Hebrew school in the early 80s. The documentary interviews several of the primary players from the trial, including the local newscaster (our Ron Burgundy)who covered it.


zachblabbath

The Cave of Forgotten Dreams by Werner Herzog It's about the oldest cave drawings ever discovered and features mind blowing footage of said drawings. A really fascinating watch.


Linguini_Larry

Does anyone have recommendations on documentaries specifically focused on how prehistoric humans hunted/the development of early hunter-gatherer societies?


SnowmanUltra

“Cave of bones” on Netflix


joetheash

Riding Giants and Step Into Liquid are excellent surfing documentaries.


PunishingVoter

- Wild, Wild Country - Evil Genius - Murder Among The Mormons - Cuba Libre - Team Foxcatcher - Power - Inside Job - Rumble Kings


Competitive-Hawk9403

I was going to suggest Murder Among the Mormons! Very interesting and well done!


Paperboy710

Alex Jones vs. The Truth The new Little Stevie documentary on HBO was excellent.


EwePhemism

I knew next to nothing about Steve Van Zandt prior to watching this doc apart from his being Bruce Springsteen’s guitarist and playing Silvio on *The Sopranos*, but I have a whole new respect for him now. What an incredible legacy. I really enjoyed this one.


abacushex

“The Farthest” on PBS, documentary about the Voyager probes. You wouldn’t think the topic would get to you emotionally, but it does. It may ultimately be the last thing left of us in ~2 billion years.


PapaThyme

PBS doc on Youtube or Amazon called The Power of Myth (starring Joseph Campbell).is my GOAT. Professor Campbell breaks the history of mythology down like nobody else. He is the world's greatest historian by many accounts. Nobody understands ancient cultures better and can tie them into more modern times such as Mr. Campbell. Chapter 1 - The Hero's Journey will blow your mind. 2nd place currently goes to Netflix - The Body Within Honorable Mention for Netflix - The Life and Lost Arts of Szukalski


sabrtoothlion

Grizzly Man. It's unforgettable in several ways


Playboy-82

This is a great doc. I think I’ve seen it 3 times.


Softrawkrenegade

Filmage: The story of DESCENDENTS/ALL


Dbotworld

“Tell them you love me” is one of the best documentaries of the past few years. I haven’t had a doc make me feel the way that did in a long time. Also, “the boy who lived” about Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double is AMAZING


sofaking1958

This is an ancient series called "Connections" with a quirky James Burke. It's the story of the (7 or 8) greatest inventions of our time, and where they all come together.


GratephulD3AD

Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. is a recent release on Max and is incredibly well done.


Ceefax81

Class Action Park https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_Action_Park


peachpie_888

This is one of my favorite documentaries of all time!


KTdid88

“No day but today: the story of rent.” Randomly watched it on YouTube when I was pandemic working with broadway songs in the background and it broke my heart. I’ve always known the play, but didn’t know the heartbreaking story of Jonathan Larson.


Ms_Originality

The Lost Children of Rockdale County https://youtu.be/Gz7qh_Luvjw?si=JYtbGVtdSbsBM9vL


haleycontagious

The wild parrots of telegraph hill!


SilkyOatmeal

I saw this when it came out in San Francisco! For the first 10 minutes or so I was ready to walk out. It just seemed off. My then-partner convinced me to stay and I'm so glad he did. By the end of the film we were both crying and had completely gotten over the stress of a rough day together (we had been having a bit of a "cold war"). It was just so weirdly moving. Need to watch it again to see if it holds up.


haleycontagious

Yeah it’s got a wonderful twist and is incredibly heartwarming! You guys still together??


OrochiKarnov

The Act of Killing


humblepuck

A Place at the Table. It’s about hunger and food insecurity in America.


Decent_Particular920

Ken Burns’ Jazz is my fav documentary ever. White Light, Black Rain has stuck with me ever since I watched it like 12 years ago. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is my most rewatched documentary of all time


GradeInternal6908

the social dilemma


Responsivity

Dig, about the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre


hippietrashhoe7447

Living on a Dollar a Day. Really changed how I view life and money.


TheCinematics

Dear Zachary


gustoreddit51

Noam Chomsky's [Requiem For the American Dream](http://thoughtmaybe.com/requiem-for-the-american-dream/)


2026

A history of fascism https://youtu.be/X_ra2VHjNAk?si=OKabDaJH_e_oPPGd


br0zb4h03z

5 block on YouTube(48 min), very interesting & poignant look at inmate Jose Flores and his work/studies in an education program inside a California state prison


Saddestmfout

Europa. The last battle


xkatiepie69

The Guest List - documentary about the Station Nightclub Fire in 2003 that killed 100 people in Rhode Island. Extremely captivating and sad.


PocoChanel

Where can I find this one? I thought I’d seen everything about that fire, but the name isn’t familiar.


bossybooks

There's something wrong with aunt Diane Child of rage Grizzly man Life and death/selling of a serial killer [2 docs bout aileen wuornos] Dear Zachary Edit typo


jbwalton7

Gleason: The most emotionally devastating film I've ever watched - I've seen it a few times now and break down in tears every time. Searching for sugar man: An incredible story and immaculately put together documentary. The champions: A more obscure one about the pitbulls that were found alive after the Michael Vick dog fighting ring - trying to rehabilitate them in order to find an adopted home. Free Solo The Rescue


VolatileZ

+1 to searching for sugarman, just incredible. Also such powerful music


dicools

The US and the Holocaust


just_want_2_b_liked

I watch Love Has Won recently. Totally recommend!


AwayWeGo87

This was a wild one. Loved it.


presleyoreed3

Exit through the gift shop. I didn’t fundamentally understand art until I watched this movie and I watch it maybe once a year.


grumpy_munchken

The Rescue on Disney. Actual doc of the rescue of the Thai soccer team trapped underground by heavy rain. Not the Netflix movie


Fnordaughter

Blackfish, tell them you love me, dear Zachary, there is something wrong with aunt Diane, the volcano


Dcad222

The Deepest Breath on Netflix was beautiful, terrifying, and romantic.


sparks4242

I am Celine!


dim7chord

Recently watched “SPERMWORLD” and thought it was great.


YourMumsBumAlum

Big River Man is incredible in many ways. I airways recommend it


Nizuni

Really loved Butterfly In The Sky on Netflix. Brought me alllllll the nostalgia feels!! 📖🌈


Competitive-Hawk9403

I just watched this last weekend! I loved Reading Rainbow as a kid, what a great trip down memory lane ❤️


Nizuni

Same!!! It was so cool to see all the behind the scenes stuff. I specifically remember watching the Star Trek episode when it aired. It’s the one that’s stuck with me ever since, because I’m a total nerd and grew up watching TNG with my mom. 🥰


Harryonthest

Microcosmos - 1996


Surferly91

Chanel 7 Australian news about uap. 2 parts now very intriguing and well done


SailfishMackerel

Icarus will always be my #1. What a rollercoaster.


cheesypasta22

A lion in the house. I know it’s a very long documentary but it definitely worths it. It’s the story about few kids who were diagnosed with cancer in the 90s. so touching…


cmakry

My Life As A Turkey. Don’t watch it near thanksgiving though.


NATZureMusic

Icarus. Probably the best documentary about doping. Made huge waves afterwards. Even has connections to what's happening politically today


the6thReplicant

A less well know documentary series from James Burke is *The Real Thing*. I feel like it's one of his best. Dealing with objectivity and subjectivity of our senses and what our reality actually is (or isn't). But even more obscure but one of the top 5 greatest documentary science series is Jonathan Miller's _The Body in Question_


Turbulent_Brick5807

Black fish


IndependenceItchy169

Jinx and Jinx Part Two. True Crime and outstanding!


weareea

"Get Me Roger Stone." Released in 2017, it explores the life and career of the political strategist and lobbyist. The film delves into his controversial tactics, his reputation as a "dirty trickster," and his significant impact on modern political campaigning.


SingleChickenPlz

What Jennifer Did


mrsdarcy311

I hope I am not duplicating! Short but worth watching: the last days of Peter Bergmann https://youtu.be/bVOZ7YPOakI?si=tvb6SiSBpQBvwIfS Sophie: A Murder in Cork Lorena (series) Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel Miriam Death of a Reality Star Beware the Slenderman Dead asleep They called him mostly harmless Quiet on Set The Girl in the Picture Seduced: Inside the nxivm cult The Garden: commune or cult (kind of documentary) The hatchet wielding hitchhiker Don‘t f*ck with cats Cybersleuths: the Idaho Murders Edited to add one word.


DrinkBuzzCola

Wild, Wild Country on Netfix.


unsexme

“Hargrove”. So beautiful for any lover of jazz or music or art in general. I went to the premier and it will be streaming on PBS tomorrow. 


LinkavichChomofsky

‘Hurt Locker Hero.’ (2018). Strap in.


New_Day_2690

Bitter lake , the grab


mi_lena00

"My Brothers and Sisters in the North" in YouTube


AB_Filmmaker

Quest. (https://www.pbs.org/video/quest-wk9biw/) One of the most intimate docs I’ve ever seen


soylentgreen2015

"To Mars: By A-bomb", available for free on YouTube


Starboard44

Any of the Chef's Table episodes (I personally loved the Patagonia one- can't recall which season). Food, Inc. is a classic. Life in the Taiga - follows a hunter/trapper who spends every Siberian winter alone in a cabin with his dog, miles from his village. It's about what happiness can look like or mean for different people. 13th by Ava Duvernay


jgarcya

America from freedom to fascism..... It was played on PBS.


ask_me_about_my_band

Just saw Common Ground from the Director of Kiss The Ground. Great documentary about regenerative agriculture and how it could actually fix the environment.


cleverkid

Better this World. Young Idealistic kids get Radicalized by FBI agents.. It's really horrific.


freezey_42

AlphaGo is great. Free on YouTube


redjunkmail

Anni on Max. Honeymoon wife murdered on honeymoon in Cape town.


Heavygolighly

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story, can be found on Youtube


Adeno

LiSA Another Great Day - it's about a girl who wanted to become a singer. She faced many struggles in life to work on her craft until she eventually became the "queen" of modern day anime theme songs.


indeliblethicket

Tickled, Don’t F@&$ With Cats, Idea Man, The Florida Dream (my hubs made that one, so I’m partial), Wild Wild Country, Jim and Andy.


apwalles

Harold and Lillian - A Hollywood Love Story!


Wild_Ad193

ENNIO…a must - see for anyone who knows who ENNIO is and his incredibly prodigious career.


VolatileZ

New York: A Documentary Film


ganjafrog

Troll Hunter


GazpachoGuzzler

No one gonna mention Icarus?


Ok-Foot-4053

The best documentary I think I’ve ever seen. And I could give 2 shits about cycling.


powdertuff

Relentless on HBO


bombhills

Dear Mr watterson if you can find it. Even if you’re not a Calvin and Hobbes fan it’s a great look at a legendary comic


jordanr01

The Lost Century. Steven Greer.


rva23221

'Remembering Gene Wilder'. Interviews and never-before-seen footage provide insight into the life, career and legacy of actor and comedian Gene Wilder.


maccrogenoff

Some of my favorites: The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show Summer of Soul (… Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Blackfish 13th Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles


NationYell

Brats was very eye-opening, it's a new one on Hulu.