15 votes

What's your favorite documentary?

If you have a streaming service that it is available on please share the service.

30 comments

  1. [2]
    Brandon
    Link
    It might not be one of the best documentaries, but I really enjoyed Fog of War. It focuses on and consists of interviews with former US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. He was one of the main...

    It might not be one of the best documentaries, but I really enjoyed Fog of War. It focuses on and consists of interviews with former US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. He was one of the main strategic leads of the Vietnam War, and worked with Kennedy and LBJ before retiring. While it certainly dives into his time directing the war, it also details his upbringing, time in WWII, etc. I really appreciate it for McNamara's rather frank outlook on his time during the Cold War era, and for how relevant his "lessons" were contrasted against the Iraq War buildup and execution (the documentary released in 2003). I think those lessons might still be relevant now, really.

    Unfortunately I don't believe it's on any streaming service that I can think of, sorry.

    6 votes
    1. muircurial
      Link Parent
      I've only seen it once, shortly after it was released, and it stuck with me.

      I've only seen it once, shortly after it was released, and it stuck with me.

      1 vote
  2. [2]
    Gabe_DeGrossi
    Link
    Planet Earth and Planet Earth II. Both are masterpieces that combine cutting-edge filmmaking with David Attenborough's grandfatherly voice. I will say that the last few episodes are Planet Earth...

    Planet Earth and Planet Earth II. Both are masterpieces that combine cutting-edge filmmaking with David Attenborough's grandfatherly voice. I will say that the last few episodes are Planet Earth II are not as good, but still worth watching. They are both on Netflix. There is not a single bad shot in PE2, every single frame could be an award-winning photo, it's clear the amount of care and effort that went into creating this.

    6 votes
    1. SaucedButLeaking
      Link Parent
      There are a ton of Earth series documentaries on Netflix, all shot in similar qualities and all narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Africa and Madagascar were both great

      There are a ton of Earth series documentaries on Netflix, all shot in similar qualities and all narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Africa and Madagascar were both great

  3. [2]
    redikulous
    Link
    I'm partial to Surviving Progress. It used to be available on Netflix streaming but now just available on DVD rental. HyperNormalisation by Adam Curtis can be found on YouTube and it's one hell of...

    I'm partial to Surviving Progress. It used to be available on Netflix streaming but now just available on DVD rental.

    HyperNormalisation by Adam Curtis can be found on YouTube and it's one hell of a ride. Most Adam Curtis docs are though.

    3 votes
    1. letswatchstartrek
      Link Parent
      I watched that one a few years ago and it was so good. I'll have to watch it again, because I don't remember much about it. Just that it was really interesting.

      I watched that one a few years ago and it was so good. I'll have to watch it again, because I don't remember much about it. Just that it was really interesting.

  4. [2]
    silva-rerum
    (edited )
    Link
    I’m really enjoying Wild, Wild Country because I’ve been curious about cults and gurus for awhile now. It’s a multi-part documentary on Netflix that examines Osho a famous Indian guru. I’m also...

    I’m really enjoying Wild, Wild Country because I’ve been curious about cults and gurus for awhile now. It’s a multi-part documentary on Netflix that examines Osho a famous Indian guru. I’m also reading Feet of Clay, it’s a great complement to the docuseries.

    3 votes
    1. redikulous
      Link Parent
      That was a very entertaining watch also.

      That was a very entertaining watch also.

      1 vote
  5. Vidar
    Link
    Jiro Dreams Of Sushi Mesmerizing the passion they have for their jobs.

    Jiro Dreams Of Sushi

    Mesmerizing the passion they have for their jobs.

    3 votes
  6. [2]
    Aaron
    Link
    The first that comes to mind is citizenfour with Edward Snowden. Really interesting to see what Snowden was up to as it all went down

    The first that comes to mind is citizenfour with Edward Snowden. Really interesting to see what Snowden was up to as it all went down

    3 votes
    1. redikulous
      Link Parent
      I agree with this one. Very exciting and informative.

      I agree with this one. Very exciting and informative.

      1 vote
  7. Luca
    Link
    I'm a big fan of Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. Lots of research went into it, there were real risks to the crew and reporters, and HBO was actually sued and the church tried...

    I'm a big fan of Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. Lots of research went into it, there were real risks to the crew and reporters, and HBO was actually sued and the church tried to stop them from releasing it.

    2 votes
  8. MajorMajorMajorMajor
    Link
    OJ: Made in America It's a comprehensive examination of not just the OJ Simpson trial, but also of the circumstances surrounding it that made it such an impactful phenomenon in American society....

    OJ: Made in America

    It's a comprehensive examination of not just the OJ Simpson trial, but also of the circumstances surrounding it that made it such an impactful phenomenon in American society. The OJ saga is one of the most interesting events in modern American history, and this documentary does an excellent job of showing why.

    It's a five part series that's available to stream on Hulu and ESPN, and can be digitally purchased on Amazon.

    1 vote
  9. oden
    Link
    Probably "Icarus". Also notable mentions: Going Clear, Dirty Money, Shot in the Dark, and anything by Louis Theroux. (all of these are on Netflix I believe)

    Probably "Icarus". Also notable mentions: Going Clear, Dirty Money, Shot in the Dark, and anything by Louis Theroux.

    (all of these are on Netflix I believe)

    1 vote
  10. Petril
    Link
    2017's Academy Award winner for documentary short, "Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405." A theater in my community showed all of the year's doc short nominations ahead of the awards; they were all...

    2017's Academy Award winner for documentary short, "Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405." A theater in my community showed all of the year's doc short nominations ahead of the awards; they were all really good!! But while watching "405" I was enthralled. And after, I was speechless.

    The subject is such a fascinating person, and her (in-fucking-credible) art speaks volumes where she cannot. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming and I want to cry just thinking about it. I hope she was so proud when it won the award.

    1 vote
  11. mat
    Link
    I recently very much enjoyed the HBO documentary series The Defiant Ones which might as well be subtitled "Why Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine Are Freakin' Billionaires and How That Was Probably...

    I recently very much enjoyed the HBO documentary series The Defiant Ones which might as well be subtitled "Why Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine Are Freakin' Billionaires and How That Was Probably Inevitable"

    I always think you can't go far wrong with a Werner Herzog documentary. Never seen one I didn't enjoy. Two which particularly stand out are Grizzly Man and The Cave of Forgotten Dreams, but honestly they're all amazing.

    1 vote
  12. Hypersapien
    Link
    The original Cosmos with Carl Sagan, hands down.

    The original Cosmos with Carl Sagan, hands down.

    1 vote
  13. DtheS
    Link
    I'm not sure why, but 'When We Were Kings' (1996) really captures my attention whenever I watch it. There are better Muhammad Ali documentaries out there if you are looking for pure information,...

    I'm not sure why, but 'When We Were Kings' (1996) really captures my attention whenever I watch it. There are better Muhammad Ali documentaries out there if you are looking for pure information, but none seem as well edited and paced as this one.

    1 vote
  14. Pilgrim
    Link
    Ken Burns Baseball. It's a masterpiece that paints a wonderful portrait of America.

    Ken Burns Baseball. It's a masterpiece that paints a wonderful portrait of America.

  15. [3]
    senatorskeletor
    Link
    The King of Kong. Less meaningful than some of the others on this list, but the characters and storyline are better than fiction. I love video games and even I thought a documentary about the...

    The King of Kong. Less meaningful than some of the others on this list, but the characters and storyline are better than fiction. I love video games and even I thought a documentary about the Donkey Kong high-score record would be lame. It’s fantastic.

    1. [2]
      mat
      Link Parent
      I showed that to my wife and at the end I asked her what she thought. "It was OK, but I thought some of the characters were a bit unbelievably over the top, and the story was a bit daft" It was at...

      I showed that to my wife and at the end I asked her what she thought. "It was OK, but I thought some of the characters were a bit unbelievably over the top, and the story was a bit daft"

      It was at that point I explained it wasn't fiction. It is an excellent film though.

      1 vote
      1. veriix
        Link Parent
        While I wouldn't say it's pure fiction I also wouldn't say there aren't people playing up characters to play a narrative. There have been numerous people close to those events who called out the...

        While I wouldn't say it's pure fiction I also wouldn't say there aren't people playing up characters to play a narrative. There have been numerous people close to those events who called out the movie as pushing an agenda. The lesser known documentary "King of Con!" touches on some of those things.

  16. Taco
    Link
    The Sorrow and the Pity. A documentary about WWII made in the 60, which focuses on the French resistance. Some really good interviews with people, at a time that was not too far from the actual...

    The Sorrow and the Pity. A documentary about WWII made in the 60, which focuses on the French resistance. Some really good interviews with people, at a time that was not too far from the actual events. Very good stuff.

  17. Boudicasfolly
    Link
    While not my favorite (and not a documentary in the traditional sense at all), I’m currently watching Thumbs Up and thoroughly enjoying the series. It’s a show that documents David Choe...

    While not my favorite (and not a documentary in the traditional sense at all), I’m currently watching Thumbs Up and thoroughly enjoying the series. It’s a show that documents David Choe hitchhiking through countries and is available on Netflix.

    David Choe is hilarious. He’s a very talented artist who has hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of taking stock options in Facebook, instead of cash, for a mural he did for them back in the day. He’s such a weirdo (technically he’s wealthy enough to be eccentric), but I can’t get enough of this show.

  18. [4]
    CR0W
    Link
    They are probably not considered documentaries in the traditional sense, but An Idiot Abroad is one of my favorites. Another is Manufactured Landscapes. Planet Earth I&II have already been...

    They are probably not considered documentaries in the traditional sense, but An Idiot Abroad is one of my favorites. Another is Manufactured Landscapes. Planet Earth I&II have already been mentioned, beautiful work in all regards.

    Funny thing about documentaries, I grew up in a very rural area and we only had three clear television stations via antenna on the roof. One of those channels was PBS, so I spent a lot of time watching documentaries growing up. When we later moved into a town where cable was available I had access to History channel as well as Discovery so I watched even more documentaries. Of course, when I got older I found Comedy Central and watched Monty Python's Flying Circus along with Kids In The Hall more than I watched documentaries.

    1. [3]
      MindsRedMill
      Link Parent
      Kids In The Hall stuck with me way more than something briefly on beer late night British TV in the 90s should have.

      Kids In The Hall stuck with me way more than something briefly on beer late night British TV in the 90s should have.

      1 vote
  19. MindsRedMill
    Link
    The Thin Blue Line by Errol Morris, who later made The Fog Of War which @brandon suggested. It's a form of bizarre documentary which subverts the structure of documentaries, AND manages to uncover...

    The Thin Blue Line by Errol Morris, who later made The Fog Of War which @brandon suggested.

    It's a form of bizarre documentary which subverts the structure of documentaries, AND manages to uncover a revelation in the story it tells.