Best documentary movies streaming, ranked.

Attenborough explores the planet's undersea habitats, revealing the greatest age of ocean discovery and emphasizing the ocean's vital importance while exposing its problems and highlighting opportunities for marine life recovery.

A musical comedy special shot and performed by Bo Burnham, alone, over the course of a very unusual year.

Filmmaker Bing Liu searches for correlations between his skateboarder friends' turbulent upbringings and the complexities of modern masculinity.

Australian comic Hannah Gadsby reshapes standard stand-up by pairing punchlines with personal revelations on gender, sexuality and childhood turmoil.

Documentary follows the work and lives of legendary 1970s session musicians who were featured on some of the most iconic recordings of the era.

Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.

Storyteller and Conceptual Magician Derek DelGaudio attempts to understand the illusory nature of identity and answer the deceptively simple question 'Who am I?'

Life in Cuba for three struggling families over the course of 45 years, from the cautious optimism of the early 1970s to the harrowing 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union and the 2016 death of Fidel Castro.

Alex Honnold faces the biggest challenge of his career, climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He pursues it Free Solo, which means climbing without a rope and alone.

An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.

In this documentary David Attenborough, the celebrated naturalist, reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime and the devastating changes he has seen. The film provides a snapshot of global nature loss in a single lif...

The life and work of the renowned primatology scientist, Jane Goodall, especially on her research about chimpanzees.

Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.

Intrepid scientists and lovers Katia and Maurice Krafft died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that brought them together: unraveling the mysteries of volcanoes by capturing the most explosive imagery ever recorded.

Bomman and Bellie, a couple in South India, devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu, forging a family like no other that tests the barrier between the human and the animal world.

As daily airstrikes pound civilian targets in Syria, a group of indomitable first responders risk their lives to rescue victims from the rubble.

A tribute to Jaws (1975), the movie that sparked a lasting fascination with the ocean's most misunderstood predator.

Jim Gaffigan bursts back on the scene with this eagerly anticipated fourth comedy special. Dubbed the "King of Clean Comedy" by The Wall Street Journal, Jim's obsession with all things food comes to fruition on "Obsessed" as he ta...

In this new stand-up special, Norm Macdonald delivers sly, deadpan observations from an older -- and perhaps even wiser -- point of view.

Alex Lowe's ill-fated climb and his son's arduous journey to return to the spot where his father perished.

An investigation into the circumstances and controversy surrounding Sam Cooke's murder.

Filmed and edited in intimate vérité style, this movie follows visionary medical practitioners who are working on the cutting edge of life and death and are dedicated to changing our thinking about both.

This artful and intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller examines her life, her works and the powerful themes she has confronted throughout her literary career.

This film follows the first class of students at a remarkable leadership center in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region often referred to as "the worst place in the world to be a woman." These women have been through...

A documentary following nurses, doctors, and administrators in a New York City hospital as they respond to the victims from the COVID-19 pandemic.

After rigorous testing in 1961, a small group of skilled female pilots are asked to step aside when only men are selected for the spaceflight.

A professor has a relationship with a nonverbal man who has cerebral palsy. Their affair leads to a criminal trial over disability and consent. The film shows interviews and footage that present both perspectives.

A documentary on the series of televised debates in 1968 between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley.

Shere Hite's bestselling book The Hite Report liberated female orgasm by revealing the most private experiences of thousands of anonymous surveys. Her findings rocked the American establishment and conversations about gender and s...

Following the deaths of two young women due to childbirth complications, two bereaved families galvanize activists, birth-workers and physicians to reckon with one of the most pressing American crises today: the US maternal health...

The story of the rise and fall of the 1990s skate boarding magazine, 'Big Brother'.

The comic shares details about her life, from the challenges of raising Gen Z teens to the dilemmas of being a liberal in a charged political climate.

Following his Oscar winning The White Helmets, Orlando von Einsiedel turns his camera on his own family as they attempt to cope with a devastating loss. When his brother, newly diagnosed as schizophrenic and suffering from intense...

Filmed for over three years, JACINTA begins at the Maine Correctional Center where Jacinta, 26, and her mother Rosemary, 46, are incarcerated together, both recovering from drug addiction. As a child, Jacinta became entangled in h...

Follows a mysterious herd of ghost elephants in the jungles of Angola.

Three women fight to break the cycle one life at a time.

The injustice surrounding the shooting death of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins at a South Central Los Angeles store became a flashpoint for the city’s 1992 civil uprising.

Follows correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they embark on a seven-year-long project to document the empty bedrooms of children killed in school shootings.

A documentary on the unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014, as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.

A chronicle of how Andrés and his nonprofit rebuilds nations in the wake of disaster, providing healthy food to those affected.

A father's suicide sends a family of eight on a journey through childhood memories and treacherous emotional waters in this poignant documentary.

A group of brave NYPD officers risk it all to expose the truth about illegal quota practices in police departments.

A farmer's bond with a white stork intertwines with North Macedonian folklore.

Football player Amaree McKenstry-Hall and his Maryland School for the Deaf teammates attempt to defend their winning streak while coming to terms with the tragic loss of a close friend.

Follows Ernest Cole's journey as the first Black freelance photographer in apartheid South Africa.

In this gut-wrenching documentary, survivors share their stories of how they were abused by three generations of La Luz del Mundo church leaders.

Alive and Kicking gives the audience an intimate, insider's view into the culture of the current swing dance world while shedding light on issues facing modern society.

Oscar winners Vasarhelyi and Chin follow photographer Lynsey Addario capturing the Ukraine war while reflecting on her Pulitzer-winning career.

The Cabinet wife who spoke out during Watergate and the Nixon administration's campaign to gaslight her into silence.

A groundbreaking documentary film that uses Lady Bird's audio diaries to tell the story of one of the most influential and least understood First Ladies in history.

It focuses on the life and legacy of Sly and the Family Stone, telling the story behind the rise, reign and fadeout of one of pop music's most influential artists.

Comedian Jacqueline Novak delivers a funny and philosophical meditation on sex, coming-of-age and a certain body part in this intimate stand-up special.

In the heart of America's opioid epidemic, four men attempt to reinvent their lives and reenter society sober after years of drug abuse. Recovery Boys, from Academy Award nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin(e)), is...

A look at the life, passions, achievements and tragedies surrounding the famous explorer and environmentalist Jacques Cousteau, featuring an archive of his newly restored footage.

At the height of WWII, a group of young Jewish refugees are sent to a secret POW camp near Washington, D.C. The recent refugees soon discover that the prisoners are no other than Hitler's top scientists.

When journalist Kim Wall disappears after boarding inventor Peter Madsen's submarine, his changing story about her fate masks a terrifying truth.

Fashion revolutionary Bethann Hardison looks back on her journey as a pioneering Black model, modeling agent, and activist, shining a light on an untold chapter in the fight for racial diversity.

A young penguin, driven by his instinct, embarks on his first major trip to an unknown destination.

Follows celebrated competitive skating icon Leo Baker as they try to make space for themselves in the gendered world of pro sports and build a more inclusive skate culture, which leads them to doing the punkest thing imaginable.

In the grip of trauma, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden withdraw from life's uncertainties into a coma-like illness called Resignation Syndrome.

An inside look at a gifted young rapper's tumultuous coming-of-age with never-before-seen footage, as XXXTentacion's inner circle speaks out for the first time.

A lyrical and emotional journey, charting the extraordinary life of Stan Smith, the tennis champion turned fashion icon and humanitarian.

A hybrid documentary/scripted feature based on Dr. Kendi's National Book Award-winning "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas".

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.

Follows Ikuta's challenge and his friendship with Matsuya Onoe.

Comedian and actor Rachel Bloom muses on birth, death, cosmic uncertainty and pungent trees in this whimsical and reflective musical comedy special.

The case of Mary Ellen Johnson-Davis, a Native-American woman who disappeared in 2020, exposing how hundreds of indigenous women continue to go missing in the US, perpetuating trans-generational trauma on Indian reservations.

Penny Lane's decision to become a "Good Samaritan" by giving one of her kidneys to a stranger turns into a funny and moving personal quest to understand the nature of altruism.

Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species - and uncovers alarming global corruption.

Pop icon Sabrina Carpenter jingles all the bells in her first ever variety music special.

A look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilots Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins.

When Juan Catalan is arrested for a murder he didn't commit, he builds his case around raw footage from the popular TV show, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000).

Follow the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing environmental issues and true path to sustainability.

Drazen Petrovic and Vlade Divac were two friends who grew up together sharing the common bond of basketball. Together, they lifted the Yugoslavian National team to unimaginable heights. After conquering Europe, they both went to A...

Based on the journey of the Negro Baseball League.

Transgender high school athletes from across the country compete at the top of their fields, while also challenging the boundaries and perceptions of fairness and discrimination.

A dramatic England penalty defeat to Italy and chaos as thousands of un-ticketed fans attempted to storm Wembley Stadium.

More than 500,000 people are homeless in the US. A few of these real-life stories give the audience a rare, in-depth look at the scale, scope, and diversity of the problem while questioning uninformed attitudes and outmoded policies.

Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around th...

A chaotic intervention. An action packed stay in rehab. After a weird couple of years, John Mulaney comes out swinging in his return to the stage.

Maria Bamford performs a rapid-fire, playful stand-up set for crowds at park benches, bowling alleys and LA theaters in this roving comedy special.

A team of brave individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.

At the end of a 60-year career, legendary singer and activist Joan Baez takes an honest look back and a deep look inward as she tries to make sense of her large, history-making life, and the personal struggles she's kept private.

From human cloning research to a scandalous downfall, follow the life and work of Korea's most notorious scientist, Hwang Woo-suk.

The film explores Georgia representative's, 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health care reform, and immigration.

A documentary exploring the life and career of notorious Republican dirty trickster and longtime Trump adviser, Roger Stone, who helped create the real estate mogul's political career.

A two-year investigation uncovers a scandal behind the making of one of the most-recognized photographs of the 20th century. Five decades of secrets are unraveled in the search for justice for a man known only as "the stringer."

Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band showcase the process of creating their live performances, sharing footage from band rehearsals, behind-the-scenes moments, rare clips, and personal reflections from Springsteen himself.

Features comedian Hasan Minhaj as he shares his thoughts on fertility, fatherhood, and freedom of speech by discussing some of his recent life events.

The Harlem Cultural Festival, also known as "Black Woodstock", was a series of music concerts held in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City during the summer of 1969 to celebrate African American music and culture and to promote the co...

A coming of age story about hope, belonging, and the metaphorical and literal sisterhood of young athletes Tai, Rainn, and Brooke Sheppard living in New York.

The intimate, final performance of Bruce Springsteen's 236-show run at Jujamcyn's Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway.

When Bryan sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller.

A film that not only captures the signature annual music and cultural event that has been called America's greatest festival in all of its beauty and glory, but also delves deep into the rich culture of The Big Easy.

An in-depth look at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people and the impact of those stories on transgender lives and American culture.

When Sgt. First Class Brian Eisch is critically wounded in Afghanistan, it sets him and his sons on a journey of love, loss, redemption and legacy.

A Japanese reality TV star left naked in a room for more than a year, tasked with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food and clothing.

The Stones and Brian Jones examines the musical creativity of Jones, the secret to the band's success, through candid interviews with all the essential performers and previously unreleased archive.

On January 28th 1985, dozens of the era's most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song that would make history.

A look at the effects that online bullying has on the lives of teenagers and their community.