14. MISS AMERICANA (2020)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Director: Lana Wilson
Actors: Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Taylor Lautner, Joe Alwyn, Zendaya, Andrea swift.
Miss Americana is a 2020 documentary by Lana Wilson, that follows the story of American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her life over the course of several years of her career. Miss Americana has been described as an unravished and emotionally revealing look at Swift, a phase in her life as she learns to accept her role as not only s singer-songwriter and entertainer but as an influential woman, giving full power of her voice.
This also became the highest-rated Netflix original biographical documentary by a recording artist in IMDb history.This manifests in her feminist awakening and decision to publicly express her political opinion. Some will tell the documentary for being too manicured, and the truth it’s impossible to tell just how heavy a hand Swift had in the tailoring of the documentary, her self-image. This is fascinating to watch Swift becomes one of the most famous people on the planet.
15. AMERICAN FACTORY (2019)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Directors: Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
Actors: Julia Reichert, Cao Dewang, Sherrod Brown, Rob Haerr, Robert Allen.
American factory is a 2019 documentary film by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. This is about Chinese company Fuyao’s factory in Moraine, a city near Dayton that occupies Moraine assembly, a shuttered General Motors plant.
This documentary is the first title under the Higher Ground Banner, a production company by president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. This documentary tells the plight of skilled labor force, be they American or Chinese, as easy victims of the rich and powerful. Also it is the story of the American Dream, and whether that’s a fact or a fallacy.
There is also a stinger at the end lamenting the ultimate decline of the human workforce due to automation, the machines themselves are simply tools that improve the production pipeline, it still a human being and a bottom liner who stands to make a few more points on their stock portfolio, who makes the call to replace flesh and blood workers at the end of the day.
16. THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD (2018)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Director: Morgan Neville
Actors: Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich, Alan Cumming, John Huston, Oja kodar, Frank Marshall.
This documentary film revolving around the making and filming of The Other side of the Wind, directed by Orson Welles.
The results of the documentary “They’ll love me when I’m dead” is totally fascinating as it not only explores the decades-long journey of working on, shooting, reshooting, editing, re-editing, etc… of The Other side of the Wind, but it also gives insight into Welles career in the shadow of Citizen Kane. If you don’t know about the masterpiece, The Other side of the Wind is a must-watchable one, as it explains why and how he kind of faded in his later years. But it is simply insane to watch.
17. LONG SHOT ( 2017)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Director: Jacob LaMendola
Actors: Juan Catalan, Beth Silverman, Larry David, Charlize Theron, Kym Whitley.
This is a short documentary film about how Juan Catalan was arrested for a murder he didn’t commit. A TV show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, contains raw footage that was instrumental in proving his innocence.
The less you know about the 40 minutes short documentary Long shot the better because its twist and turns are absolutely shocking even if its larger points should be burned into viewers memories by now, Overall, it focuses on Juan Catalan, who was accused of a murder he didn’t commit and the lengths he had to go to in order to prove his innocence.
It shows that in its brief runtime that the truth is just the opposite. Catalan had to be extraordinarily lucky to prove his innocence and that we have a system, that detectives and prosecutors simply close cases rather than find justice. The brilliant thing is that it never has to come right out and say it, the case speaks volumes on its own.
18. THE SPEED CUBERS (2020)
IMDb rating: 7.4
Director: Sue Kim
Actors: Feliks Zemdegs, Max Park
The speed cubers is a documentary on the lives of speed cubing champions Max Park and Feliks Zemdegs. Some of the footage was shot at the world cube association’s World Championship 2019 held in Melbourne Australia. This documentary mainly focus on the rivalry and friendship between two of the fastest speed cubers in the world.
The story follows competitive Rubix cube solvers Feliks Zemdegs from Australia, who was the uncontested world champion until the arrival of American Max Park. What could be the premise of the story about a serious rivalry in a niche sport instead becomes a beautiful tale of friendship and heroism. Feliks Zemdegs is Max’s hero and Feliks instead of feeling threatened by Max’s rise he encourages and congratulates him. When so many negatives occur, it’s truly a heartwarming one to see such a positive and uplifting tale.
19. AMERICAN MURDER: THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR (2020)
IMDb rating: 7.2
Director: Jenny Popplewell
Actors: Tom Mustin, Karen Leigh, Bella Watts, Sandi Rzucek
This is an American true crime documentary that tells the story of the 2018 Watts family murders, which took place in Frederick, Colorado. This uses the footage including social media posts, law enforcement recording, text messages, and home video footage to depicts the events that occurred.
This shows the disappearance of Shanann Watts and two children and the terrible incidents that followed as her husband was questioned by police as to his potential involvement in her disappearance. The documentary largely keeps the focus on the victims, making it a standout amongst many true crime documentaries. This bare the lies that our social media profiles can carry, and the toxicity that festers in the heart of far too many American relationships.
20. AUDRIE AND DAISY (2016)
IMDb rating: 7.2
Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
Actors: Audrie pott, Daisy Coleman, Delaney Henderson, Ella Fairon.
Audrie and Daisy is an American 2016 documentary about the cases of rape of teenage girls, in 2011 and 2012. That is Audrie pott of Saratoga, California, and Daisy Coleman of Maryville, Missouri.
The story of two high school students who were sexually assaulted. Audrie, 15, was subjected to such intense cyberbullying after the incident that she committed suicide. Daisy, 14, at the time of her assault, hears about Audrie’s story and tries to reach out only to discover she’s already gone. The documentary tracks the events of both traumatic while also discovering how the institutions meant to protect citizens failed both of these victims. This is an intensely emotional film, the courage of Daisy’s story instills hope, and Cohen and Shenk conclude the documentary by focusing on the efforts being made to stop the assault before it begins.
21. THE GREAT HACK (2019)
IMDb rating: 7.1
Directors: Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim.
Actors: Mark Zuckerberg, Brittany Kaiser, David Carroll, Carole Cadwalladr
The great hack is a 2019 documentary about the Facebook- Cambridge Analytica data scandal, by Jehane and Karim Amer, both previous documentaries are academy award nominees. This documentary focuses on professor David Carroll of Parsons and the new school, Brittany Kaiser director of Cambridge Analytica, and British investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr.
This documentary takes a deep dive into the scandals and how the social media giant used personal data harvested by its users. Through interviews with investigative journalists and Cambridge Analytica. Brittany Kaiser, the film offers a shocking dive into how data has become the most valuable resource on the planet and how data is used to target users with ads and fake viral videos and news stories to swing major elections. It is one of the most disturbing documentaries.
22. KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE (2019)
IMDb rating: 7.1
Director: Rachel Lears
Actors: Joe Crowley, Paula Jean Swearingen, Amy Vilela, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
This is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Rachel Lears . This revolves around the 2018 congressional primary campaign of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush and Paula Jean, four progressive democrats endorsed by justice Democrats and brand new Congress who ran in that years midterm elections.
This is about insurgent, grassroots politicians fighting the entrenched establishment power. Although Ocasio Cortez’s story over tells the film, Lears also takes time to follow other female politicians who are seeking to win primary battles. The film at its best when it’s shows the gritty and building a movement. This provides an inspiring rally cry.
23. THE UNKNOWN KNOWN (2013)
IMDb rating: 7.1
Director: Errol Morris
Actors: Donald Rumsfeld, Errol Morris
This is a 2013 documentary about the political career of former US secretary of Defense and congressman Donald Rumsfeld, directed by Academy Award-winning documentarian and filmmaker Errol Morris.
This is a documentary of 33 hours of the interview that Morris conducted with Rumsfeld over eleven separate sessions during visits to Newton, Massachusetts. In this tough questions are asked and while Morris is not really here to outright admit wrongdoing or reconsider his choices the steadfastness and confidence with which he recounts the Iraq War saga is downright chilling. As far as political documentaries go, this is a must-watch film.
24. AMANDA KNOX (2018)
IMDb rating: 6.9
Directors: Rod Blackhurst, Brian MeGinn
Actors: Raffaele Sollecito, Amanda Knox, Meredith kercher, Giuliano Mignini.
This is a 2016 documentary about Amanda Knox, twice convicted and later acquitted of the 2007 murder of Meredith kercher. This featuring interviews with Amanda Knox, her ex boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, Italian prosecutor Giuliano Mignini and others involved in this case.
This documentary framed by an exclusive interview with the titular subject herself, as well as those involved in this case. Amanda Knox chronicles the murder of Knox’s roommate and the subsequent investigation, trials, and appeals regarding her apparent involvement. But beyond simply going into detail about the case, the film is also a searing indictment of the media’s inherent misogyny and how public perception when it comes to women and sex can be skewed tremendously.
25. ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT (2017)
IMDb rating: 6.8
Director: Skye Borgman
Actors: Jan Broberg Felt, Robert Berchtold, Bob Broberg, Mary Ann Broberg
This is also known as Forever B, is a 2017 true-crime documentary by Skye Borgman. The documentary covers the kidnappings of Jan Broberg Felt, an Idaho teenager who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s on two occasions.
The narrative follows the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan Broberg was abducted not once but twice by their neighbor Robert Berchtold ‘B’. The details of those abductions certainly fall into the realm of the strange than fiction, but the methods of Berchtold are that of a true monster and predator who ripped the Broberg family apart simply so he could get at Jan Broberg. The details in the story are jaw-dropping to everyone.
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