Documentaries on Netflix
Last updated April 20, 2025
One Lucky Elephant
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsIn this sensitive tale of one man's search to find a home for his animal companion, filmmaker Lisa Leeman documents a concerned circus producer's efforts to place his beloved 18-year-old elephant in permanent and loving care outside of the big top. His noble quest takes him to Africa but ultimately brings him back to the United States, where he's forced to decide what's best for his four-ton "daughter."
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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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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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The Antics Roadshow
2011 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsArtist-activist Banksy charts the history of behaving badly in public, from anarchists to attention-seeking eccentrics. Contributors include Michael Fagan, who broke into the Queen's bedroom, and Noel Godin, who attacked celebrities with pies.
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Sons of Perdition
2010 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsFollowing three teenage boys who've left a polygamist sect over a 2-year period, filmmakers Tyler Measom and Jennilyn Merten offer up a poignant portrayal of the overwhelming challenges these young men face as they try to live in mainstream society. Cut off completely from their families and everything they know, the boys struggle to support and educate themselves and try to help other family members break away.
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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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Vanishing Point
2012 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsTwo Inuit communities in the Arctic, linked by lineage to a legendary shaman, face the greatest social and environmental challenges in their history. While the groups share much in common, they approach technological and social change differently.
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Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution: Vol. 2
2000 | NR | 3.7 out of 5 StarsThis intriguing documentary conjures up many questions about the true origins of several creatures as it explores evidence claiming to prove that certain animals could only have come from a divine creator, and not evolution. Challenge your own thought processes and beliefs as complicated and intricate designs throughout the animal kingdom are dissected. Dr. Jobe Martin lets viewers in on startling data that surprised even him at first.
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Lakey Peterson: Zero to 100
2013 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsFeaturing footage from professional surfer Lakey Peterson's early years through her victory at the 2012 U.S Open, this in-depth documentary charts her meteoric rise in the sport and offers a glimpse into her drive to win.
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Three Stars
2010 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsFocusing on nine Michelin-starred chefs from three continents, filmmaker Lutz Hachmeister reveals the real business of cooking on the highest level by crosscutting between the maestros' various kitchen routines, tastes and culinary philosophies.
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Examined Life
2008 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Astra Taylor explores the application of contemporary philosophy to everyday life by speaking with leading philosophers in settings that underscore the tangible relevance of their theories.
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Dogtown and Z-Boys
2001 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsLegendary skateboarder Stacy Peralta directed this fast-paced, award-winning documentary that focuses on the Z-Boys of Venice Beach, Calif., who revolutionized skateboarding in the 1970s when they infused surfing techniques into the sport. Credited with founding skating culture as we know it, these young, innovative guys became legends in the field, and the depth of their influence is still felt in a variety of sports -- and society -- today.
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Brother's Keeper
1992 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsThis documentary explores the odd world of the four elderly Ward brothers, illiterate farmers who have lived their entire lives in a dilapidated shack. When William dies in the bed he shared with his brother Delbert, the police arrest him for murder.
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Where the Yellowstone Goes
2012 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsExperience a soul-searching and inspirational 30-day drift boat journey down the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States. Connect with colorful characters, get lost in the hypnotic cast of a fly rod and savor silhouetted moments.
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The Moo Man
2013 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsChronicling a year in the life of a family-run dairy, this charming documentary centers on an optimistic English farmer who insists on thinking small when it comes to the size of his herd.
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The Corporation
2003 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsFilmmakers Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott explore the genesis of the American corporation, its global economic supremacy and its psychopathic leanings, with social critics like Noam Chomsky and Milton Friedman lending insight in this documentary.
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Vigilante Vigilante: The Battle for Expression
2011 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsA new breed of crime fighter now stalks the urban landscape. Two filmmakers go undercover to expose anti-graffiti vigilantes who stop at nothing to rid their neighborhoods and cities of street art, stickers, tags, and posters.
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Up the Yangtze
2007 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsWhen the Three Gorges Dam makes life hard for the Yu family, daughter Yu Shui must take a job aboard a cruise ship, where she enters into a dizzying microcosm of modern China. Meanwhile, her parents face the rising waters of the Yangtze.
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Into the Abyss
2011 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsDirector Werner Herzog's compelling documentary examines the emotional aftermath of a triple murder in Texas, interviewing the two convicted killers, their relatives, the victims' families and law-enforcement officials involved in the case.
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Addicted to Plastic
2008 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsFocusing on manufacturing, environmental effects and solutions, a documentarian journeys around the world to trace the life cycle of plastic. While plastic is the most versatile material ever invented, its ubiquity comes at a steep cost to mankind.
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One Day on Earth
2012 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsCapturing ordinary and extraordinary life events from around the globe over the course of one day -- October 10, 2010 -- this documentary explores the human experience in an attempt to answer the question, "Who are we?"
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Girl 27
2007 | NR | 3.6 out of 5 StarsAuthor-screenwriter David Stenn investigates a notorious Hollywood scandal more than 65 years after it occurred, a rape case involving Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio execs and an underage dancer who refused to stay silent. Hired along with 120 other young girls to entertain MGM salesmen at a stag party in 1937, Patricia Douglas was violently raped and brought a landmark lawsuit against her attackers -- then mysteriously disappeared.
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