Top 30 Best Documentary Films of the Last Decade
#30: “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (2023)
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For many years now, Michael J. Fox has been one of the major public faces of Parkinson’s disease. He was unfortunate enough to be diagnosed at a young age, and after some years of depression and alcohol abuse, he went public with his diagnosis in 1998. “Still” is an intimate glimpse into his life living with the disease for the past three decades, both the negative and the positive. Winning the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary, “Still” is a must-watch for fans of Fox or for anyone wishing to learn more about this terrible disease.
#29: "No Home Movie” (2015)
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This is a very personal documentary from Belgian director Chantal Akerman, whose “Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” was named the best movie ever made in the 2022 Sight & Sound poll. In “No Home Movie,” Akerman talks with her mother Natalia about life and her harrowing experiences in Auschwitz. It’s a very specific story that is important to Akerman, but it’s also a universal tale about death and the human propensity to overcome. Unfortunately, this would be Akerman’s final film, as she would take her own life shortly after its release.
#28: “Faces Places” (2017)
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A wonderful French documentary, “Faces Places” is all about small communities, the types that live both literally and figuratively on the outskirts. Filmmaker Agnès Varda travels around France with influential street artist JR, visiting small towns and villages and interacting with the inhabitants. After getting to know their personal stories, JR makes them public portraits to celebrate their lives and histories. It’s a gorgeous documentary, both physically and personally, featuring humane stories, quaint locations, and some eye-popping pieces of art. It’s also a grounded portrait of France, crafting a more realistic depiction of the country outside the glam and romantic allure of Paris.
#27: “My Octopus Teacher” (2020)
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We gotta say, we never thought we’d grow so attached to an octopus. Winner of the Best Documentary Oscar, “My Octopus Teacher” is a beautiful rumination on life, death, and nature. Filmmaker and naturalist Craig Foster travels to South Africa and meets a friendly octopus while free diving in False Bay. The documentary chronicles Foster’s relationship with the octopus, and watching it develop proves both heartwarming and harrowing. Through the lens of their personal relationship, “My Octopus Teacher” serves as an intimate glimpse into our connection with nature and the shared experiences that all living creatures encounter.
#26: “The Hunting Ground” (2015)
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This documentary from Kirby Dick explores the troubling subject of campus invasive assault, using the personal stories of Annie E. Clark and Andrea Pino to cast a wider net on the institutional problem. Clark and Pino are civil rights activists who fight to expose the issue of campus assault and how it’s often covered up by prestigious schools hoping to maintain their reputations. This is a highly disturbing piece of work about a major problem affecting post-secondary institutions, and one that isn’t often discussed in public. It’s not only a great documentary, but a great piece of social activism.
#25: “Cameraperson” (2016)
Some documentaries cover grand subjects, others serve as visual memoirs. “Cameraperson” is the latter, following the life and career of cinematographer Kirsten Johnson. Johnson has much experience in the documentary genre, having shot movies like “The Oath” and “Citizenfour.” In “Cameraperson,” Johnson chronicles what it’s like to shoot everyday people, often with deep personal access into their lives and homes. She also explores the moral dilemma of documentary filmmaking, often needing to shoot sensitive subject material with objectivity and emotional detachment. And, naturally, the film is stunningly beautiful. For anyone with even the slightest interest in documentary filmmaking, “Cameraperson” is a must watch.
#24: “Tower” (2016)
We love it when a documentary takes creative risks, eschewing the traditional talking heads to try something more experimental. In that regard, “Tower” is a resounding success. The film explores the University of Texas shooting of 1966, when a sniper entered the Main Building and took shots on the crowd below. The tragic day is recounted by various survivors and eyewitnesses, and their personal stories are reenacted by actors. These reenactments were then animated via rotoscoping, giving the documentary a very unique visual style. “Tower” blends fantastic production with absorbing storytelling to craft a masterpiece of a documentary.
#23: “Navalny” (2022)
Winning many prestigious awards, including the Oscar for Best Documentary, “Navalny” is a real life political thriller. And, just like many real stories, it often proves more exciting than even the best fictional tales. It explores the life of Alexei Navalny, a Russian political activist who openly opposed the corrupt government of Vladimir Putin. While heading the opposition party Russia of the Future, Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent and evacuated to Berlin, where he blamed Putin for the assassination attempt; sadly, Navalny eventually died after the film was completed. “Navalny” goes into great detail about the eponymous hero’s work and explores the dangerous repercussions of corrupt and authoritarian regimes.
#22: “Collective” (2019)
Continuing the theme of government corruption is “Collective,” the first Romanian film to be nominated for an Oscar. On October 30, 2015, 64 people died following a devastating fire at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest. Over half of the victims died in the hospital from bacterial infections. This resulted in the exposure of a massive health crisis, as investigative journalists found that the country’s hospitals were using diluted disinfectants in an effort to save money. These disinfectants were unable to treat the fire’s victims, resulting in their deaths. “Collective” is a fascinating story about journalistic integrity, and we watch in complete amazement as they uncover deep corruption within the country’s healthcare system.
#21: “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” (2022)
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Made by acclaimed documentarian Laura Poitras, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” covers the life of prominent activist Nan Goldin. Goldin has been paramount in exposing intimate and often difficult details about various subjects, including both the AIDS and opioid epidemics. This documentary is the best of both worlds, blending the impeccable work of Goldin’s activism with Poitras’s expert filmmaking. It not only goes into great detail about Goldin and her activism, but it also serves as a stark glimpse into Purdue Pharma and the social hazards that their greed has accumulated. This is masterful filmmaking, conducted by a virtuoso of the medium.
#20: “Three Identical Strangers” (2018)
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Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. If a movie was made featuring the exact same story as “Three Identical Strangers,” people would criticize it for being too unbelievable. So, these two guys meet at college and realize they look a lot alike. They discover that they’re actually long-lost twins. Crazy. But then a third man hears about this story on the news and realizes, with total bewilderment, that he is the third twin. The triplets not only met each other through random circumstances, but they learned that they were separated at birth as part of a study into socioeconomic upbringings. “Three Identical Strangers” is a mind-blowing story, and a documentary unlike any other.
#19: “Boys State” (2020)
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There’s no shortage of political documentaries, but none quite like “Boys State.” The movie is titled after the American Legion Boys State of Austin, Texas, a summer program meant to explore the origins and operations of government. Young teenagers with different sociopolitical backgrounds and political leanings attend Boys State and attempt to work together to create a functional government. Progressives, moderates, and conservatives join together, and cinematic magic follows. “Boys State” explores political divisions through the lens of young teens and raises some tantalizing points about the human condition and the nature of working together despite some ingrained differences.
#18: “The Rescue” (2021)
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Few events dominated 2018 news quite like the Tham Luang cave rescue. For those living…well, in a cave, this occurred throughout eighteen days in the summer, with workers rescuing a football team who had become trapped by flooding. “The Rescue” chronicles this story in fascinating detail, exploring the complex process behind the operation and the divers’ dangerous experiences in the cave. Everyone loves a good rescue story, and this is one of the best in recent memory. And here, thanks to National Geographic and a team of expert filmmakers, it’s captured in all its wonderful, distressing, and uplifting glory.
#17: “Won't You Be My Neighbor?” (2018)
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Honest and unassuming, Fred Rogers was nevertheless a beacon of hope and an endless source of entertainment to the millions of children who tuned into his weekly television program, “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.” The 2018 documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” peels back the curtain on Rogers, a man who was never afraid to broach difficult topics, such as death and divorce, with his young audience; and who ultimately embodied all that is good and kind about humanity. A beautiful portrait of one man’s enduring legacy, the film would be named by Time Magazine as the second-best of 2018 and would later take home an Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature.
#16: “Minding the Gap” (2018)
By examining the lives of three friends united by their love of skateboarding, “Minding the Gap” shines a light on some of the darkest aspects of our society, including racism, domestic abuse, and poverty. Directed by Bing Liu, who also serves as one of the film’s primary subjects, the doc was shot over a 12-year period and captured the struggles faced by the three young men as they came of age in Rockford, Illinois. Dubbed “a rich, devastating essay on race, class and manhood in 21st-century America" by New York Times writer A. O. Scott, “Minding the Gap” was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards and holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
#15: “Flee” (2021)
Like “Tower,” “Flee” experiments with the documentary genre through its use of animation. It tells the personal story of Amin Nawabi, an Afghan man who fled his country in the midst of the Soviet-Afghan War. His story stretches from the past to the present, with Amin living in Denmark with his boyfriend Kasper and considering a move to the United States. This humane and often difficult story is told with the help of beautiful animation, lending the documentary a unique edge and eye-popping visual palette. It’s an equal parts devastating and touching rumination on the refugee process, exploring how the traumatic experience can have long-lasting consequences.
#14: “Apollo 11” (2019)
“Apollo 11” is proof that you can make an engaging and thought-provoking documentary without the use of narration or interviews. The film, which focuses on NASA’s successful 1969 attempt to land men on the lunar surface, consists entirely of archival footage, some of which had never before been seen by the public. By depicting this triumph of human achievement in a manner that’s devoid of frills, the film manages to create a truly visceral experience for the viewer, one that grabs hold and doesn’t let go. A masterwork in film restoration and editing, “Apollo 11” won over critics at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Documentary Grand Jury Prize.
#13: “Citizenfour” (2014)
To say that “Citizenfour” was the documentary of 2014 would be a gross understatement. It pretty much swept the Best Documentary category at awards ceremonies the world over, including the Oscars. It is about Edward Snowden, the former CIA employee and computer contractor who in 2013 leaked classified NSA documents that exposed global surveillance programs run by the United States and its allies. The documentary takes place primarily inside of Snowden’s Hong Kong hotel room, as director Laura Poitras and journalists Glenn Greenwald and Ewen MacAskill interview him. A thrilling and thoughtful film about a subject that should concern us all, “Citizenfour” is an absolute must see!
#12: “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” (2015)
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This documentary is a poignant look at one of the most controversial religions in the world today: Scientology. The film provides viewers with a history of both Scientology and its founder, the infamous L. Ron Hubbard, as well as interviews with former members who are more than willing to divulge information about the abuse they faced during their time as members of the church. Director Alex Gibney, who also produced the documentary “The Armstrong Lie” in 2013, does an excellent job of crafting a film that holds nothing back in its pursuit of the truth.
#11: “Tickled” (2016)
“Tickled” may very well be the most bizarre documentary of the past decade. It follows David Farrier, a New Zealand journalist, who discovers an odd video for “competitive endurance tickling." Despite the inherently humorous nature of the subject matter, the truth at the heart of this documentary is anything but fun. Rebuffed at every turn and facing legal action from the producers of the videos, Farrier presses on and discovers something so sinister, it needs to be seen to be believed. Critics called the documentary “a stranger-than-fiction voyage” and “not a film you'll soon forget.” Uh, yeah, we can vouch for that.
#10: “O.J.: Made in America” (2016)
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Produced by ESPN Films, this documentary tackles one of the most infamous and divisive figures in American history: former football player, celebrity and murder suspect O.J. Simpson. “O.J.: Made in America” is the documentary everybody and their grandmother was talking about in 2016. Through a combination of news footage and interviews director Ezra Edelman crafts a compelling film series that uses Simpson’s rise and fall as a microcosm for the bigger issues that plagued America in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, “O.J.: Made in America” is a rollercoaster of a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
#9: “Fyre” (2019)
One of the most talked about documentaries of 2019, “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” was on everybody’s radar when it premiered on Netflix. It details the infamous story of Fyre Festival, a failed business venture in the Bahamas spearheaded by the now-notorious fraudster, Billy McFarland. Through candid interviews with the people McFarland enlisted to help him pull off his insane scheme, “Fyre” slowly reveals how one man with a vision for the greatest party ever can ruin countless lives with a mix of hubris and ineptitude. A cautionary tale of epic proportions, “Fyre” is a must-watch.
#8: “Summer of Soul” (2021)
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So many documentaries are serious by nature, often exploring complex themes and dark stories. “Summer of Soul” is the opposite of that. It’s a celebration of life, full of color and character. The film is directed by Questlove, who chronicles the oft-forgotten Harlem Cultural Festival of the late 1960s. The documentary blends the serious with the fun, exploring why such an important cultural event was ignored by the media and lost to time. “Summer of Soul” is an engrossing cultural artifact, quite literally bringing the ignored past back to life with exceptional color photography. It’s a celebration of music, of culture, and of Black pride, while also proving to be a deep examination of race relations in the late ‘60s. What a film.
#7: “They Shall Not Grow Old” (2018)
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Loaded with previously unseen WWI footage, Peter Jackson’s seminal documentary transformed century-old footage through the use of voiceover and modern colorizing techniques. The result was a stunning and immensely visceral cinematic experience that garnered rave reviews from critics, leading at the time of its release to a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. When asked why he chose to modernize the footage of British soldiers fighting on the Western Front, Jackson succinctly replied: “[The men] saw a war in color, they certainly didn’t see it in black and white. I wanted to reach through the fog of time and pull these men into the modern world, so they can regain their humanity once more.” If that doesn’t convince you to see this film, nothing will.
#6: “Amy” (2015)
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Just as “Citizenfour” was the documentary of 2014, so was “Amy” the doc of 2015. The film is about the tumultuous life of British singer Amy Winehouse, who at 27 died from alcohol poisoning. An incredible talent with a personality to match, this documentary did an excellent job of presenting viewers with an unfiltered look at both Winehouse’s musical ability as well as her self-destructive nature. The success of “Amy” likely came as little surprise to director Asif Kapadia, seeing as how his 2010 documentary “Senna,” about former Brazilian Formula One champion Ayrton Senna, was met with similar acclaim.
#5: “I Am Not Your Negro” (2016)
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This documentary was inspired by the unfinished memoir “Remember This House,” written by the late outspoken social critic James Baldwin. The original manuscript focused on notes and letters written by Baldwin that discuss the lives of his friends and civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. “I Am Not Your Negro” expands upon Baldwin’s work in order to examine racism in America; both today and in the past. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, the film is a stark and honest look at a societal blemish that continues to permeate the country. The film was highly acclaimed and in 2016 scored a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards.
#4: “Free Solo” (2018)
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A documentary that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, “Free Solo” is the story of rock climber Alex Honnold. A daredevil of the highest order, Honnold has made a name for himself as one of the world’s preeminent free soloists. That is to say, for climbing some of the biggest rock walls on earth without the use of ropes, harnesses, or protective gear of any kind. “Free Solo” is about Honnold’s quest to conquer El Capitan, an imposing rock formation in Yosemite National Park that stands 3000 feet tall. The doc delves into Honnold’s motivations, as well as the challenges faced by the film crew attempting to capture his record-breaking climb. Trust us, this Oscar winner is worth your time.
#3: “Life Itself” (2014)
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Film critic Roger Ebert was a legend in his lifetime; so it’s only fitting that this biographical documentary about his life was a cinematic masterpiece. Begun before his passing in 2013, “Life Itself” takes its name from Ebert’s memoir, and looks back at a career that spanned over four decades. Featuring footage filmed during his final months, as well as interviews with his peers and loved ones, it’s a tribute to an influential cultural voice that manages to be celebratory, poignant, and humorous all at once. It’s a crime that “Life Itself” wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.
#2: “Icarus” (2017)
An investigation into the world of illegal doping wound up uncovering one of the largest sports scandals of all time. From the very beginning, filmmaker Bryan Fogel was there to document it all. It all started when Fogel connected with the director of Russia's national anti-doping laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov, who revealed to him that Russian athletes had long been participating in a state sponsored doping program. The twists come hard and fast in this documentary, which wound up taking home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Many a documentary has started with the goal of uncovering some hidden truth, but few have managed to succeed quite like “Icarus.”
#1: “13th” (2016)
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In “13th,” director Ava DuVernay tackles one of America’s worst dilemmas: mass incarceration. Named for the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited slavery but failed to abolish the government from using it as a form of punishment, “13th” claims that since its inception, this oversight has been exploited in order to lock up a disproportionate number of African Americans. An examination of the cruel distortion of the law and a passionate call to end its negative effect on Black America, “13th” isn’t just one of the best documentaries of this decade, but of all time. Variety described the film as having a “piercing relevance” to our current social, economic and political climate, and we’re inclined to agree.