Social & Cultural Documentaries on Netflix
Last updated December 30, 2024
Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada
2013 | NR | 3.5 out of 5 StarsFeminism has shaped the society we live in. But just how far has it brought us, and how relevant is it today? This in-depth documentary asks these questions and uncovers provocative answers about the evolution of women's equality in Canada.
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Fahrenheit 9/11
2004 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsMichael Moore's hard-hitting documentary addresses the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, outlining the reasons the United States became a target for hatred and terrorism and criticizing President George W. Bush's response to the attacks.
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Comic Book Confidential
1988 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsRon Mann's documentary explores how comic books were elevated to pop art and bore witness to cultural phenomena with the help of legendary creators such as Robert Crumb, Will Eisner, William Gaines, Bill Griffith and Stan Lee. The film traces the medium from its ultrapatriotic beginnings -- with pages filled with superheroes fighting for truth, justice and the American way -- and shows how it evolved into sophisticated, complicated, readable art.
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Graffiti Verite 1: Read the Writing on the Wall
1995 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsGoing behind the scenes with 24 of Los Angeles's most prolific graffiti artists -- including Mear, E-Muse and Man-One -- Bob Bryan's award-winning documentary reveals the underground world of the urban art from. Candid interviews and open discussions with the artists provide insight into the link between graffiti, ritualistic hieroglyphics and cave paintings, as well as how graffiti functions as a form of street propaganda and public art gallery.
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Confessions of a Superhero
2007 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsOn Hollywood Boulevard, wannabe movie stars dress up as superheroes and pose for photos with tourists. Matt Ogens's documentary follows four of these quirky dreamers, who are just killing time until they're discovered. You'll get to know a Superman who takes his role to heart, an Incredible Hulk who sold his prized video game system for a ticket to Tinseltown, a Midwestern beauty queen-turned-Wonder Woman and a Batman in need of a little therapy.
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Fall from Grace
2007 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsFor years, the Rev. Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church have preached a message of intolerance and hatred, aimed at homosexuals. This compelling documentary shines a spotlight on Phelps and his followers, widely condemned as a hate group. K. Ryan Jones's debut takes a hard look a church that claims that everything from the poor economy to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks can be tied to God's wrath over so-called sexual deviance.
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Not Quite Hollywood
2008 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsExplore the unofficial history of Australian cult film with this provocative documentary on the "Ozploitation" flicks of the 1970s and '80s. Filmmaker Mark Hartley explores the violence, sex and nudity rampant during this period of lax restrictions. Jam-packed with film clips, poster art and international advertisements, the film also features anecdotes from numerous celebrities about this dynamic period in Australian cinema.
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Let's Make Money
2008 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsWith an eye toward exposing the policies and practices that affect the global economy, director Erwin Wagenhofer traverses the planet in a heroic effort to trace money as it passes through the international finance system. Making stops in First World countries and developing nations alike, the film reveals the far-reaching consequences of relaxed credit, deregulation and privatization as well as shocking examples of greed and ruthlessness.
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Wake Up
2010 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsJonas Elrod woke up one day with the ability to see and hear angels, demons and ghosts. Filmed over the course of three years, this documentary follows Jonas and his girlfriend as they try to understand the phenomenon.
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Picture Me
2009 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsGo behind the scenes and experience both the glamour and the darker side of the high fashion industry as filmmaker Ole Schell documents girlfriend Sara Ziff's rise to international model status in this revealing film. Taking place over several years, the documentary features interviews with numerous models in the industry and includes appearances by designers Karl Lagerfeld and Nicole Miller, photographer Gilles Bensimon and others.
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Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action
2008 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsTrying to come to terms with the death of a friend killed during a peaceful protest in Mexico, filmmaker Velcrow Ripper explores the concept of spiritual activism by focusing on a patch of land given to low-income South Central Los Angeles residents.
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Cleanflix
2009 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsIn this documentary, filmmakers Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi explore the rise and fall of Cleanflicks, a movie rental company that edited offensive material out of Hollywood films to produce unauthorized "clean" versions for its customers.
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Right to Exit: Kevorkian
2004 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsDetermined to help people die with dignity, Dr. Jack Kevorkian refused to conceal or halt his participation in assisted suicides until the government stopped him with a 1999 murder conviction. This film chronicles his struggles. Through interviews with key players in the trial as well as a prison phone chat with Kevorkian himself, director Anna Terean provides an illuminating study of both the doctor and the politics of euthanasia.
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Catfish
2010 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsWhen gifted 8-year-old artist Abby contacts young photographer Nev through Facebook, he's intrigued. He gradually becomes involved with her family, even falling for her older sister -- until he realizes something's not quite right.
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War Don Don
2010 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Rebecca Richman Cohen offers this gripping documentary that follows the sensational trial of Issa Sesay, a controversial leader in Sierra Leone's bloody civil war who stands accused of heinous crimes against humanity.
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Return to Tarawa: The Leon Cooper Story
2009 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsSome 65 years after leaving the Pacific, former Navy Ens. Leon Cooper returns to the site of the bloody battle at Tarawa to investigate a disturbing rumor: that trash and debris now decorate the shores where thousands of men fell dead or wounded. Out of respect for the sacrifices his countrymen made there in the fall of 1943, Cooper is determined to clean up the area and restore honor to once hallowed ground. Oscar-nominated actor Ed Harris narrates.
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The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
2011 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsIntrepid filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) directs this bitingly ironic documentary, which scrutinizes the pervasive marketing, advertising and product placement practices that have become standard in the entertainment industry.
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Sound of Mumbai: A Musical
2010 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsIn this heartwarming musical documentary, a group of children from the slums of Mumbai, India, are given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform "The Sound of Music" with a classical orchestra.
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Payback
2012 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsDrawing from Margaret Atwood's book, documentarian Jennifer Baichwal examines the role of debt throughout human history. The film holds religion, politics, literature and sociology up to the light, finding every aspect of culture touched by debt.
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The Coca-Cola Case
2009 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsIn Colombia, companies are allegedly hiring hit men to murder union leaders. Now, three American activists are bringing a lawsuit against one of them: Coca-Cola!
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Forgotten Warriors
1997 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsAboriginal veterans poignantly share their unforgettable war memories and their healing process.
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Whistling Smith
1975 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsHere is a revealing insight into one side of big-city life and a tough cop with a big heart.
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The Rising Tide
1949 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsThis film shows the growth of cooperatives in the Maritime provinces and how they brought new life and hope to poverty-stricken fishermen.
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Sons of the Clouds: The Last Colony
2012 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsThis documentary produced by Javier Bardem follows the plight of the Sahrawi, refugees living in the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara who have suffered countless human rights abuses.
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Poster Girl
2010 | NR | 3.4 out of 5 StarsRobynn Murray was a high school cheerleader who became the poster girl for women in combat. This documentary short follows Murray over the course of two years as she battles post-traumatic stress disorder and embarks on journey of self-discovery.
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