Documentaries on Netflix
Last updated April 20, 2025
Freakonomics
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFreakonomics explains different elements of popular culture through economic theory and statistics. Issues include everything from cheating sumo wrestlers to whether Roe v. Wade produced a drop in crime.
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Where Soldiers Come From
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsStarting this coming-of-age documentary in her own hometown, filmmaker Heather Courtney follows a tight-knit group of friends who grow up together, sign up for the National Guard and are subsequently sent to Afghanistan.
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The Horse Boy
2009 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsWhen conventional therapies fail to help their autistic son, Rupert and Kristin Isaacson travel with Rowan to Mongolia in the hopes that a combination of traditional shamanic healing and horseback riding will benefit him.
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In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great
1998 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn this BBC production, documentary filmmaker and historian Michael Woods retraces the footsteps of the legendary Alexander the Great as he traveled from Greece to India on a quest for glory.
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I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsJonathan Demme's documentary began as a film about Hurricane Katrina but became a portrait of one of the disaster's most colorful survivors: Carolyn Parker, a woman determined to rebuild her life -- even if it takes everything she has.
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Under Fire: Journalists in Combat
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsCombat footage, intense interviews with reporters from around the world and commentary by psychiatrist Anthony Feinstein, who specializes in treating journalists, shed light on the traumas faced by those who risk their lives to report from war zones.
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Mexican Fighter
2013 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis documentary takes a close look at the history and heroes of mixed martial arts in Mexico, showcasing the career of champion Cain Velasquez. Reflecting the warrior spirit of Mexico's original cultures, MMA continues to attract more fans.
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Kimjongilia
2009 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsMarked by a long history of repression and information control, North Korea continues to scrupulously monitor the activities of its citizens. This exposé reveals daily life under a totalitarian regime as well as the stories of prison camp survivors. Filmmaker N.C. Heikin draws on her artistic sensibility as a dancer and performer to craft a stylish documentary that bears a surprising message of hope and inspiration.
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The Queen and I
2008 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsNahid Persson Sarvestani's thought-provoking documentary about her friendship with Queen Farah, the Shah of Iran's wife, demonstrates how even those at odds can find middle ground and understanding as the conversation becomes political and personal.
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Bobby Fischer Against the World
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Liz Garbus sheds light on one of the most enigmatic of 20th-century personalities: Bobby Fischer, a boy who rose to fame as a world-champion child chess prodigy and later found himself embroiled in Cold War-era politics.
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Beyond Belief
2006 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsAfter forming a common bond in their grief when both lost their husbands on Sept. 11, 2001, strangers Patti Quigley and Susan Retik cope with their unimaginable loss by traveling to Afghanistan to meet women there who were also widowed by violence.
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Who's Counting? Marilyn Waring on Sex Lies and Global Economics
1995 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn this insightful program, witty and irreverent economics professor, goat farmer and former New Zealand Member of Parliament Marilyn Waring challenges the numerous myths of economics.
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A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash
2006 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn this straight-from-the-headlines documentary, award-winning filmmakers Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack examine the world's dependency on oil and the impending chaos that's sure to follow when the resource finally runs dry.
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Walking on Water
2007 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsTaking two young surfers around the globe and introducing them to amazing surf spots, filmmaker Bryan Jennings returns a favor done for him by a pro when he was 14. Together they visit waves in Australia, South Africa, Indonesia and elsewhere.
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RIP! A Remix Manifesto
2008 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Brett Gaylor's documentary takes a look at intellectual property laws by profiling controversial musician Girl Talk, called "a lawsuit waiting to happen" by The New York Times Magazine because of his extensive use of mash-up remixes. With numerous voices on both sides of the issue, the dynamic film examines fair use for artists creating sample-based music and other works versus copyright laws protecting the original artists' creations.
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Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
2006 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsJoe Strummer, the late lead singer of the legendary punk-rock band the Clash, narrates this music-lover's documentary of his own life courtesy of collected interviews and tapes from his BBC radio show. The film features rare footage of the rock hero, from his childhood to his later days playing with the Mescaleros, and includes interviews with Strummer fans such as Bono, Johnny Depp, John Cusack and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
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Beer Wars
2009 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsWith her entertaining documentary, Anat Baron ushers viewers into the backrooms and breweries of the ultracompetitive beer industry and reveals what it takes for independent brewers to compete with the corporate giants who dominate the business.
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49 Up
2005 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn 1964, a filmmaker interviewed a diverse group of 7-year-olds and vowed to track their lives every seven years. Now, those "kids" are 49 years old. This documentary series reveals how Apted's subjects collectively serve as a microcosm of society.
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Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution: Vol. 3
2000 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis documentary explores evidence claiming to prove that certain animals could only have come from a divine creator, and not evolution. Dr. Jobe Martin lets viewers in on startling data that surprised even him at first. Challenge your own thought processes and beliefs as complicated and intricate designs throughout the animal kingdom are dissected, conjuring up many questions about the true origins of several creatures.
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Horgasm: A Love Story
2012 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsExplore the world of competitive snowboarding through the experiences of record-breaking snowboarder Torstein Horgmo as he travels the world, filming in areas of spectacular scenery or while he competes in Olympic arenas with crowds of thousands.
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The Thin Blue Line
1988 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Errol Morris's gripping investigation into the murder of a Dallas police officer was responsible for freeing the man who was originally -- and erroneously -- charged with and convicted of the crime.
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In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great
1998 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn this BBC production, documentary filmmaker and historian Michael Woods retraces the footsteps of the legendary Alexander the Great (also known as Alexander of Macedonia) as he traveled from Greece to India on a quest for glory. He found it in spades as went on to become king of Macedonia, pharaoh of Egypt and conqueror of the Persian Empire. In the end, though, he was as vulnerable as any human, falling victim to deadly poisoning.
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The Comedians of Comedy: The Movie
2005 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsA documentary film crew follows veteran stand-up comic Patton Oswalt (of "The King of Queens" fame) and fellow "alternative comics" Brian Posehn, Maria Bamford and Zach Galifianakis on the Comedians of Comedy Tour. Along with performance clips, the film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the comedians and the challenges of presenting material that isn't necessarily for the masses -- and of playing rock venues rather than the usual comedy clubs.
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Alexandria
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsHistorian Bettany Hughes delves into the history of Alexandria, Egypt, revealing the story of a city founded out of the desert by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C. to become the world's first global center of culture.
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The Mexican Suitcase
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis film tells the story of the recovery of 4,500 negatives taken by photographers Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and David Seymour during the Spanish Civil War. The film follows the journey of these negatives to Mexico and their recovery 70 years later.
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