Netflix Documentaries: A Quick Guide

by Regina Layug Rosero / June 7, 2019

 

Can’t decide what to watch? Here’s what’s streaming on Netflix.

All photos courtesy of Netflix

Netflix documentaries tackle so many subjects, from art and music to food and architecture, from cultural phenomenon to the curious and bizarre. To paraphrase a popular saying, if it exists, there’s a documentary on it.

But here’s the problem: Netflix has SO. MANY. TITLES. You could easily lose two hours just scrolling through titles and watching trailers.

You need help. And here it is: a quick guide to popular documentaries on Netflix. You’re welcome.

History documentaries

History books and visits to the museum just aren’t enough. You need to see the story unfold in front of you. History is alive and kicking in these Netflix documentaries.

If you find yourself fascinated with history, here’s an interesting way of looking at it: Five Came Back. Five contemporary filmmakers–including Guillermo Del Toro and Steven Spielberg–talk about five legendary Hollywood filmmakers who signed up for the army to document World War II.

An Indian guru builds a community in Wasco County, Oregon. In Wild Wild Country, the community finds they are not welcome. Local ranchers want them out. Get ready for some violence.

Crime stories

Crime stories are fascinating too. You try to figure out motives, malice and mischief, and the desperate measures some people are willing to take. And what you really want to know is this: were they punished for their crimes? Find out in these Netflix documentaries.

In Casting JonBenét, you learn about a child beauty pageant contestant, her murder, and a film dramatization of the case. Local actors weigh in on what they think really happened.

The Staircase is about author Michael Peterson, and how he came to be a suspect in the death of his wife. He says she fell down the stairs. Forensics says something else. His story doesn’t seem to make sense.

The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann (watch the trailer) talks not just about a three-year-old girl vanishing from a resort in Portugal, but also how intense media reportage affected the investigation.

One of the most recent and controversial documentaries on Netflix is Conversations with A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. One of America’s most notorious serial killers, he was convicted for killing more than 30 women before his capture in 1978.

In the series Dirty Money, Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney takes a look at real stories of corporate greed and corruption, in everything from motoring to pharmaceuticals, from maple syrup to race cars.

A man has a bomb strapped to his neck. Then he walks into a bank. What happens next? Find out in Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist.

If you’re looking for something to really shake you, try this. Allegations of sexual abuse have rocked the Catholic Church everywhere. Examination of Conscience takes a look at victims in Spain as they share their stories and seek justice. (Watch the trailer.)

But what about when it’s members of the church who are the victims?

In November 1969, Sister Catherine Cesnik disappeared. Her body was found two months later. The Keepers tries to piece together the full story. (Watch the trailer.)

Behind the scenes of big events

Not quite history, not quite current events. Sometimes, some events can have a profound impact on our lives. These Netflix documentaries take a closer look.

How do you prepare for a Chanel Haute Couture fashion show? How do you send a probe to Saturn? Find out the backstories of some of the world’s biggest events in 7 Days Out.

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. That festival, that monumental fraud. Yep, that one.

The Syrian conflict has affected so many people. In The White Helmets, follow a group of first responders as they pull survivors out of the rubble. In a place where death is everywhere, they’re saving lives.

From a war zone, you can drive down the road to the 2018 Formula One World Championship in Formula 1: Drive to Survive, and learn about the drivers and the teams that propel them. (Watch the trailer.)

Things humans do

How do other people live, love, travel, pray? Some Netflix documentaries look at the lives of women, travelers, filmmakers, prison inmates, and more.

Have you ever heard of dark tourism? Some people like beaches or museums. Others prefer visiting places associated with death and tragedy. Think drug cartel hit man, and nuclear energy. Journalist David Farrier investigates in Dark Tourist. (Watch the trailer.)

It’s not quite death, but in India, menstruation is taboo, and women suffer for it. In the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary Period. End of Sentence., women learn about hygiene and sanitation, and slowly work to make things change. (Watch the trailer.)

In Shirkers, a young Singaporean filmmaker loses her entire film to her enigmatic American mentor. Here’s how she tries to get it back.

Some people have a funny way of getting their lives back.

Raphael Rowe was wrongfully convicted of murder. Now he’s taking a look Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons, around the world. How are inmates treated? What do they eat? (Watch the trailer.)

In Hot Girls Wanted, filmmakers Jill Bauer and Ronna Gradus take a closer look at the world of amateur porn, and how women and girls are being exploited. In Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On, Bauer and Gradus go beyond the porn industry to look at how technology is shaping the ways people have sex.

The world around us

We share this world with creatures great and small, man-made wonders, and plant life of all shapes and colors. These Netflix documentaries invite you to take a closer look.

Who doesn’t love a good pup? From Costa Rica to Japan, from Syria to Italy, Dogs highlights the close bond between humans and their furry friends. Prepare a box of tissue ad get ready to say “Awww” a lot.

Originally a YouTube show, Explained is a series from Vox that gives you the rundown on things like cryptocurrency and K-pop, and everything in between. It’s like really comprehensive Wikipedia in video form.

Produced by World Wide Fund for Nature and narrated by the inimitable David Attenborough, Our Planet is Netflix’s first nature documentary. Nature-lovers and conservation enthusiasts will enjoy this one.

Do you remember your favorite toys? The Toys That Made Us looks at history’s most iconic toy franchises and their impact on popular culture. Think Star Wars, Barbie, G.I. Joe. Season three is coming soon.

Documentaries about people you might have heard of

Some people make history with every decision made, every word uttered. In these Netflix documentaries, you’re going to meet some amazing people.

Even before A Star is Born, Lady Gaga was already a phenomenon. Gaga, Five Foot Two looks at the woman behind the glitz and the glamor, and her struggles amidst her triumphs. (Watch the trailer.)

In Icarus, an American cyclist meets a Russian scientist, and uncovers the biggest doping scandal in the history of sports. And Vladimir Putin is involved.

Jim Carrey, American actor and comedian. Andy Kaufman, actor and comedian. Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond looks at the Man on the Moon and how one brought the other to life.

You may not have heard of him, but in 2014, teenager Joshua Wong inspired the youth of Hong Kong to take to the streets. In Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower, witness the power and passion of the youth in Hong Kong’s fight for autonomy.

You’ve definitely heard of feisty Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Watch her and three other brave women in their attempt to Knock Down The House.

Speaking of bringing the house down: In Quincy, meet the man behind the music–and 27 Grammy Awards. Rashida Jones talks about her father, legendary music producer, singer and songwriter, Quincy Jones. (Watch the trailer.)

Eat and drink

If you want to get to know someone, share a meal with them. If you want to show your love, make a meal for them. Food is universal. Food is love. These shows will make you hunger, thirst, weep, laugh.

Do you think about the geniuses who come up with the mouth-watering delights and artful masterpieces that end up on your table? Each episode of the Chef’s Table series focuses on a single world-renowned chef. The Emmy award-nominated show is on its sixth season.

Burn it. Boil it. Steam it. Shake it. Cooked looks at the ways humans transform meats and plants and turn them into something magical.

All over the world, cuisines vary in terms of ingredients, cooking methods, seasonings, even cooking implements. But Salt Fat Acid Heat shows viewers that despite all these differences, some things are universal.

Sure, you have a favorite fishball stand, but how well do you know the manong frying your balls? Take a look at iconic Street Food in Asia, and the people making them.

Do you know the history of your favorite food? Do you know how pizza is cooked in Japan? Or the origins of the Thanksgiving dinner menu? Ugly Delicious examines and debates the history and culture around different foods. Bonus: one episode features Ali Wong!

Whatever you’re looking for, there’s probably a documentary on it, and it’s probably on Netflix. So get your popcorn or your gluten-free nacho chips, and enjoy!

What’s your favorite documentary on Netflix? Tell us in the comments!