20 Best Documentaries to Watch on Netflix

By watching documentary movies, you can often learn about the untold facts, stories, and essential information that provides us with entertainment and inspiration. 

Documentary movies are not dull as they are based on actual incidents or people who have significant work. Therefore, you can expand your knowledge by watching documentaries showing you actual events based on real life. 

Most documentaries have TV shows and film biographies or science and nature, which one likes to watch. On Netflix, you can have all types of movies, such as comedy, drama, action, horror, sci-fi, and documentary, so you can pass your night by watching these movies. 

Documentary movies include all social and political issues based on actual events or incidents. One will like to watch these documentary movies.

Netflix may have a massive collection of beautiful documentaries covering sports and crimes. However, many people like to watch documentary movies to make their evening unique; they can watch any film from this list. 

The Social Dilemma

This movie was released in 2020, and its running time is 1hr 34Min. Jeff Orlowski, an American documentary filmmaker, directed this movie. 

The main actors in this movie are Tristan Harris, AzaRaskin, Jeff Seibert, Justin Rosenstein, ShoshanaZuboff, Jaron Lanier, SkylerGisondo, Kara Hayward, Vincent Kartheiser, and Anna Lembke. 

This movie shows that one can use manipulation techniques to use social media and technology companies to addict people. These companies monitor the user’s online activities so that they can know who uses this data to build artificial intelligence. 

Tristan Harris, a former of google design, explains how these documentaries affect technology companies. In addition, this movie shows people facing mental health in connection to social media. 

We can also see a high rate of depression and suicide cases in teenagers and young adults since the 2000s. So this movie shows the actual situation of our country as today’s generation of people are addicted to social media and even sometimes forget to complete their work. 

The Bleeding Edge

This movie was released in 2018, and its running time is 1hr 40Min. Kirby Dick directed this movie, and it is an American documentary film. 

The Bleeding Edge shows the emotional and powerful stories of people whose lives have been spoiled. In addition, this movie generally discusses the medical industry.

 In Bleeding Edge, we see all sensitive topics related to birth control devices launched in U. S. Market. This movie also shows the people who are suffering from the side of poorly tested devices as they are not appropriately treated. 

It opens an individual’s eye so that one fast grow medical device can create innovative leads for the patients. You will like to watch the Bleeding movie as it is the most loved documentary on Netflix and covers all the necessary points of the country. 

Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed

This movie was released in 2021, and its running time is 1hr 32Min. Bong Joon-ho directed this movie, an American biographical documentary film. 

The main actors in this movie are Bob Ross, Steve Ross, Vicky Ross, Dana Jester, and John Thamm. This movie shows a painter’s struggling life he faces throughout his life. 

You can see many emotional and heart-touching scenes in this movie. This movie includes all emotions, such as an accident, betrayal from a close friend, and greed to earn money compared to other people. 

One will like to watch this movie as it will attract you and show many emotions together in one movie. 

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

This movie was released in 2020, and its running time is 1hr 23Min. David Attenborough directed this movie, and it is a British documentary film. 

The main actors in this movie are David Attenborough and Max Huges. In this movie, a man of 93 years named Attenborough has visited every corner of the world. Here Attenborough likes to see new places and the planet, which he has shown in his documentary film. 

He loved seeing how the planet has changed since he was born and has captured many beautiful pictures with his camera. But, as Attenborough has shown in his documentary movie, we can see many different places just by sitting at home. 

Attenborough is a nature lover, and he likes to visit new places to feel the beauty of nature. This movie covers the entire planet of the world with beautiful pictures. 

David also says that he believes that, in the end, humanity will be responsible for abusing nature. But later on, he also suggests that one can avoid the future by taking preventive steps to save wildlife. 

The Sparks Brothers

This movie was released in 2021, and its running time is 2hr 15Min. Edgar Wright, an American documentary film, directed this movie. 

The main actors in this movie are Ron Mael and Russell Mael. This movie begins with two people, Ron and Russell, who are members of pop and rock sparks. 

This movie shows how one can be successful in his skill by exploring one rock band while overlooking the same time. An alone person can be successful by playing rock band as Ron is highly obsessed with playing rock band. 

The Spark Brothers can be the best music documentary movie as they have tried to examine their personal lives. Music is said to be the gift of appreciation. 

Sad Hill unearthed

This movie was released in 2017, and its running time is 1hr 26Min. Guillermo de Oliveira directed this movie, a Spanish documentary film. 

The main actors in this movie are David Alba Romero, Sergio García Hernández, Diego Montero, Josebadel Valle, Christopher Frayling, Eugenio Alabiso, Sergio Salvati, Álex de la Iglesia, Stephen Leigh, Peter J. Hanley, James Hetfield, Joe Dante, EnnioMorricone, and Clint Eastwood. 

In this documentary, everyone considers themselves a fan of the graveyard scene of the spaghetti western ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. However, here he likes to do good meditation and refer to the art that has shaped the lives of an individual. 

We see that this documentary movie focuses on fandoms based on one movie’s real story. However, it also says that a bit of art can substantially impact people’s lives. Usually, people like to do art, but doing art on graves is an excellent idea. 

Rolling Thunder Revue

This movie was released in 2019, and its running time is 2hr 22Min. Although Martin Scorsese directed this movie, it is an American documentary film. 

This documentary movie shows the concert of an American singer-songwriter named Bob Dylan. Bob had several musicians who collaborated with him. However, the primary purpose of the tour was to allow Dylan to play a large concert in an auditorium between the audiences. 

Due to the high number of tickets, Dylan has never been able to play a large concert. However, Dylan has no choice as he has to play in a small auditorium as he believes that the atmosphere of the small hall is more convincing. 

One of his friends, David Blue, felt that Dylan needed to go closer to his audiences after becoming a music star. Dylan’s future was bright and prosperous in the line of music. 

This Changes Everything

This movie was released in 2018, and its running time is 1hr 37Min. Tom Donahue directed this movie, and it is an American documentary film. 

The main actors worked in this movie are Reese Witherspoon, Mira Nair, and ShondaRhimes. This movie has also been rewarded for raising its voice against true things. In addition, this movie shows the problems related to gender inequality between a man and a woman in Hollywood. 

This documentary movie beautifully explores gender disparity that is made and how one can change it. Also, one can learn many things from the film This Changes Everything as they show sexism which is the revenant topic. 

This movie also shows that everyone should be treated equally, whether man or woman, and created a powerful impact on their audiences. Therefore, one will definitely like this movie as it relates to the powerful topic one should know. 

Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl

This movie was released in 2022, and its running time is 1hr 28Min. Josh Crowley directed this movie, and it is an American documentary film. 

This documentary film shows the story of a legendary singer named Shania Twain. She says that music has saved her from her aggressive father in Timmins, but her mother supported her. Her mother also took her to local bars where she sang when his father was sleeping. 

This movie also shows that she struggles while singing but succeeds in the end. She has also suffered through many tough times as her parent’s tragic death, sexism in the Bollywood industry, got divorced from her husband due to Lyme disease. 

For Shania Twain, things were going differently than planned; she also faced many problems. Still, her documentary film will inspire many people as they can see her facing challenges and a terrific past and looking forward to her bright future. 

Athlete A

This movie was released in 2020, and its running time is 1hr 43Min. Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk directed this movie, an American documentary film. 

The movie shows the reality of the Indianapolis Star, which exposes the toxic culture of USA Gymnastics, doctor Larry Nassar, abusing young gymnasts for many years. Here Denhollander was ready to speak in the interview revealing the truth about what happened to her to the police. 

In 2015, a girl named Maggie Nichols, a gymnast, was sexually abused by Nassar at Karolyi Ranch. When the girl informed her parents, Penny called her parents and told them that law enforcement couldn’t do anything to Nassar. 

After one year, in 2016, police started investigating Nassar and Donhollander went to the police, where she showed the evidence against Nassar.

Maggie’s parents get frustrated as there is a shortage of information on their daughter’s case. Panny was also arrested in 2017 and was covering Nassar’s abuse. 

Murder Among the Mormons

This movie was released in 2021, and its running time is 2hr 40Min. Jared Hess and Tyler Measom directed this movie, an actual American crime documentary film. 

The movie is based on chronicled series of historical discoveries. Murder Among the Mormons is based upon Utah’s oddities. It can be an exciting documentary series if you want to watch it with your loved ones as it will be worth your time m 

This movie is presented in three parts where a man commits a crime and rocks the Mormon church. This movie has many shocking scenes and gets more dramatic; one will like to watch it. This movie can also be said to be a historical document, and the Mormon church will make it more attractive. 

You will find many twists and turns in the movie from beginning to end. 

13th

This movie was released in 2017, and its running time is 1hr 40Min. Ava DuVernay directed this movie, which is an American documentary film. 

The movie shows the partiality in justice, mass incarceration, and the intersection of African Americans in the US. This documentary movie begins with President Barack Obama stating in his audio clip that the US has 5 percent of the population, of which 25 percent are the world’s prisoners. 

This movie also shows some social activities happening in the US. This movie, 13th, shows how the media and government only target black people. The government and businesses wanted black people to become enslaved in the US. 

This movie shows the cultural racism that is done with black people by the government of the US. 

My Octopus Teacher

This movie was released in 2020, and its running time is 1hr 30Min. Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed directed this movie, and it is an American documentary film. 

The main actors worked in this movie are Craig Foster and Tom Foster. This movie shows the relationship between Craig Foster and a wild octopus in South Africa. 

This movie began in 2010 when Craig Foster was free diving in False Bay near cape town in South Africa. During that, he saw a young octopus who attracted his attraction. This documentary movie also shows the growing relationship with the octopus. 

They both share a beautiful bond when she plays with Foster. Foster also likes to watch her when she sleeps and eats. The octopus is also protecting herself from the attack of Pyjama sharks. 

American Murder: The Family Next Door

This movie was released in 2020, and its running time is 1hr 22Min. Jenny Popplewell directed this movie, an actual American crime documentary film. 

This documentary movie begins in 2018, when the Watts family murder case occurred in Frederick, Colorado. Several footages such as social media, text messages, CCTV footage, video recording, and many more to know what happened that day. 

It had footage that did not reveal that Chris Watts killed his own family. The relationship between Chris and Shanann was not going well, and both were separated, but the text message that Shanann sent to her friend states that Chris was not physically with her for more than one month. 

This movie has many suspense and exciting twists that one will enjoy while watching with their loved ones. 

The Tinder Swindler

This movie was released in 2022, and its running time is 1hr 54Min. Bong Felicity Morris directed this movie, a British actual crime documentary film. 

This movie tells the story of an Israeli man named Simon Leviev, born in Shimon Hayut, who likes to use dating apps to connect with women. Through this dating app, he tries to manipulate those women by telling emotional stories. 

He also shows those women that he has extreme money and is financially wealthy. Simon Leviev was the son of Russian-Israeli diamond mogul Lev Leviev. Leviev was known as Diamond King in the market, as he had a diamond business. 

Also, Simon uses his father’s name to talk with them to borrow money from them that he will never repay. He also impresses these women by offering them expensive gifts and taking on candle night dinners in his private jet using money he borrowed from other women. 

Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story

This movie was released in 2022, and its running time is 1hr 12Min. Nicola Marsh and Giovanni Reda directed this American Netflix original biographical documentary film. 

The main actors in this movie are Melissa Bueno – Woerner, AlexieSablone, and Leo Baker. This movie shows the journey and struggling life of an American skateboarder named Leo Baker. Leo Baker was a trans man, so people were not ready to accept him. 

This story shows many ups and downs with the unexpected journey of Leo Baker, who later became a professional skateboarder. This documentary movie also reveals how he used his skill and reached the top. 

Leo Baker also follows the building where he could have inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community. In this movie, you can see high competition in skate culture, where Leo become a professional with his dedication and hard work. 

Our Father

This movie was released in 2022, and its running time is 1hr 37Min. Lucie Jordan directed this movie, and it is an American documentary film. 

This movie shows an Indianapolis fertility doctor Donald Cline, having a case of fertility fraud as he has used his sperm to impregnate dozens of patients. Of course, when this news came out, many patients complained about the Doctor. 

Our Father is a documentary showing that truth can be more strange than fiction. The fact that was revealed in this movie was shocking for everyone. These women were not having any knowledge about the thing that Donald was doing. 

Due to DNA tests, these women came to know the truth that anyone couldn’t have imagined. 

Misha and The Wolves

This movie was released in 2021, and its running time is 1hr 30Min. Sam Hobkinson, an American documentary film, directed this movie. 

This documentary movie tells the story of a woman named MishaDefonseca, who states that her parents were arrested by Nazis when she was just seven years old. After that incident, she went to Germany in search of her parents, and she joined the Wolves team during her journey. 

The primary purpose of this documentary film Misha and The Wolves was to find a fraudulent 1997 Holocaust memoir of MishaDefonseca. Then, with the help of these Wolves, she roams in Germany to search for her missing parents. 

This movie can be the best choice for an individual if they want to watch it with their partner or a friend as it shows the story of a girl and her missing parents. 

Road to Roma

This movie was released in 2020, and its running time is 1hr 12Min. Andres Clarion and Gabriel Nuncio directed this movie, an American documentary film. 

The main actors in this movie are YalitzaAparicio, Odín Ayala, Eugenio Caballero, ZarelaLizbeth, Diego Cortina Autrey, Andy Cortés, Alfonso Cuarón, Marina de Tavira, Daniela Demesa, Nancy GarcíaGarcía, VerónicaGarcía, Marco Graf, José Luis López Gómez, and Carlos Peralta. 

This movie shows the misunderstanding in a middle-class Mexican family when the father decides to leave the family. Her father’s decision was wrong as he didn’t think about his family. 

This situation has made a psychological impact on the lives of an individual, especially on the mother, as from now onwards, she has to take whole responsibility for the household. 

As the father has left the house, family members have to face problems to sustain their survival as only the mother is there who goes out and does work. 

Gaga: Five Foot Two

This movie was released in 2017, and its running time is 1hr 40Min. Chris Moukarbel directed this movie, and it is an American documentary film. 

The co-star who worked in this movie is Lady Gaga. This movie covers the entire life of Lady Gaga. Gaga: Five Foot Two will be the best choice if you are a fan of watching movies celebrating. 

Lady Gaga covers all types of production, from bold new albums to her health problems to her experience with her fans. Usually, many people like to watch real based life movies; for them, Gaga: Five Foot Two is highly recommended. 

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