Looking for the 10 best documentaries on Netflix Instant for your next binge-watching spree? Summer’s here and the best way to beat the heat and still have a good time is a good movie marathon and Netflix is bringing a whole range of exciting and interesting films straight to your living room. But, if you’ve exhausted all your fiction stash and must-watch lists already and are looking for some real action, documentaries are the way to go! Netflix instant boasts of an eclectic collection of interesting and hard hitting documentary films, both informational and unusual. From new releases to classic hits, some of these documentaries playing right now on Netflix should definitely be on your must-watch list.
It is, however, true those documentaries aren’t really mainstream cinema and we hardly get to hear about them through our grapevines. Some of these movies have not only won critical appreciation but also Oscar nominations and yet the casual watcher decides to give them a miss. Even the best escape to come to our attention sometimes for the lack of promotion. Sometimes, though, even the number of films available on Netflix can be overwhelming and hence, our list of best documentaries on Netflix will help you choose. If you’re delving into the genre for the first time it is definitely recommended to start out with the best, and if you’re already a documentaries enthusiast, these are the ones you definitely cannot afford to miss. And if you are craving for more after you’ve completed the list, do also check out our 5 Best Documentaries on Netflix You Must See list.
So here are the 10 best documentaries on Netflix Instant right now:
10. Indie game
Attention all gamers! If you’ve ever wondered how some of the independent game developers have managed to make it on their own, this movie is a first-hand account of that. The documentary follows the development process of indie games Super Meat Boy and Fez and also gives an account on the successful game Braid. Basically, it’s an interesting documentation of all stages of game production and the struggles involved.
9. Alive Inside
The 2014 film that deals with the Alzheimer’s disease and how music can be instrumental in healing and a source of solace. It features on our list of best documentaries on Netflix Instant for being the perfect example of a feel good documentary that stretches boundaries of cinema to inspire.
8. Jiro dreams of sushi
An interesting account of an 85 year old sushi master and owner of a world renowned sushi restaurant and his journey of mastering the art of perfect sushi making and finding the perfect heir. Even if you’re alien to Japanese cuisine, this is one movie that doesn’t fail to inspire, and hence the 99% ratings from Rotten Tomatoes is totally justified.
7. Man on wire
The 2008 British Documentary on tight-rope walker Philip Petite and his famous walk between the Twin Towers of New York in 1974 is engrossing and eye-opening at the same time. It has real footage of the preparation of the event and is presented in a typical heist style.
6. Paris is burning
This is one of the classics that you cannot ignore. The gritty and hard-hitting documentary portrays the drag balls of New York and the role-played by the transgender, gay and African American communities in the same. It is a compelling account of the issues of race, gender and sexuality in America.
5. Muscle Shoals
The documentary that released in 2013 is about the Fame studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. It’s a must-watch for every music lover for a cast that features the who’s who of the music industry, from Aretha Franklin to Mick Jagger.
4. Food Inc
The film is a revelation into the ways of corporate farming in United Sates and its unhealthy outcomes and practices that are abusive to both animals and the employees. This features on our best documentaries on Netflix Instant list for being an eye-opener into the food business affairs.
3. Restrepo
Directed by an American journalist,Sebastian Junger and photo-journalist, Tim Hetherington, Restrepo, documents the experiences of soldiers in the war torn Afghanistan from the directors’ first-hand account of being posted at the front lines.
2. Blackfish
The film focuses on the captivity of killer whales and its threats to both the humans involved and the whales. The film won wide critical acclaim for bringing the captivity of whales issue to the forefront.
1. The Act of Killing
The impactful documentary based on the Indonesian killings of 1965-1966 not only won worldwide critical acclaim but also went on to win the best documentary in the 2014 BAFTA Awards. The film features the death-squad leaders who are challenged to reproduce the killings in whichever genre they choose. For being fearless and hard-hitting this features on the top of our list of 10 best documentaries on Netflix Instant.
