Documentaries on Netflix
Last updated January 16, 2025
Zeitgeist: Addendum
2008 | NR | 4.2 out of 5 StarsContinuing the discussion from Zeitgeist: The Movie about the controversial links between religion and the financial markets, this documentary explores the causes of social corruption and puts forth a solution based on human alignment with nature.
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Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl
2012 | NR | 4.2 out of 5 StarsThis TV miniseries chronicles the worst man-made ecological disaster in American history, when a frenzied wheat boom on the southern Plains -- followed by a decade-long drought during the 1930s -- nearly swept away the breadbasket of the nation.
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Waiting for Lightning
2012 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsDanny Way's passion for skateboarding would one day bring him and his creation, a ramp of dangerous proportions, to the height of fame. This documentary captures pro skater Way as he attempts to jump the Great Wall of China.
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Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
2010 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsFocusing on two men whose bodies have been trashed by steroids, obesity and illness, this documentary chronicles the rigorous healing path -- including a two-month diet of fruits and vegetables -- that both attempt in a bid to rescue their health.
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Zeitgeist: Moving Forward
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsThis compelling documentary examines the current state of the global socioeconomic monetary paradigm and concludes that we need to transition to a new resource-based economy for our continued human and social survival.
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David Attenborough: Wildlife Specials
2008 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsWorld-renowned naturalist David Attenborough -- considered the father of the modern nature documentary -- headlines this collection of programs that explore the planet's most fascinating animals and most breathtaking landscapes. Attenborough travels around the world to get up-close footage of polar bears, leopards and other amazing creatures, and visits stunning locations such as the ice caves of Europe and South America's Angel Falls.
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The New and Improved DX
2006 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsTriple H and Shawn Michaels created the WWE's popular faction D-Generation X, also known as DX. This program follows DX from its formation to the wild skits, promos and wrestling matches as members wreak havoc on "RAW" and Mr. McMahon's WWE. Highlights include backstage interviews and footage of DX vandalizing the WWE's corporate jet and headquarters, imitating the McMahons and taking over the "RAW" show for one night.
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The New and Improved DX
2007 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsTriple H and Shawn Michaels created the WWE's popular faction D-Generation X, also known as DX. This program follows DX from its formation to the wild skits, promos and wrestling matches as members wreak havoc on "RAW" and Mr. McMahon's WWE.
Details about The New and Improved DX
Shelter Me
2012 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsAiming to boost the adoption of shelter pets, this uplifting documentary focuses on the success stories, including dogs trained as service animals for the disabled and others who are helping returning war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
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God of Wonders
2008 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsLed by a selection of Christian authors, ministers and biblical scholars, this documentary makes a compelling argument for the theory that the universe is the creation of an intelligent being. With contributions from theologian John Whitcomb, Berean Call ministry founder Dave Hunt and others, the program examines many aspects of the physical world, from the complex structure of DNA to the formation of water molecules, that point to a divine plan.
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Buck
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsBuck Brannaman, inspiration for "The Horse Whisperer," is revealed as a complex figure in this Sundance Audience Award winner for Best Documentary by Cindy Meehl. The master horseman reveals details of his troubled childhood and his dawning awareness of new ways that humans and horses might work with one another. As Buck learns more about horses, he finds that the ways we communicate with our animal companions offer lessons on how we relate to fellow human beings.
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Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
2010 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsVenerated documentarian Werner Herzog teams with director Dmitry Vasyukov for this observant look at life along the River Yenisei in northern Russia, where the industrious inhabitants of a rural village truly live off the land.
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Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsBeloved by millions of children, Elmo is a global icon. However, few people know the soft-spoken man behind the furry red monster: Kevin Clash. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this documentary follows Clash's remarkable career as a puppeteer.
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Ken Burns: Prohibition
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsKen Burns's fascinating multipart documentary examines the history of alcohol in America, including the events leading up to the passage of the 18th Amendment, the social and legal effects of prohibiting alcohol, and the repeal of Prohibition.
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Ken Burns: Baseball
1994 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsDocumentarian Ken Burns takes a swing at baseball, chronicling the sport's signature people, places and events and its deep-rooted relationship to American culture. The pastime's history unfolds over nostalgic, informative "innings."
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Ken Burns: The National Parks: America's Best Idea
2009 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsNarrated by actor Peter Coyote, this Emmy-winning miniseries chronicles the history of America's national parks system, recounting how visionary conservationists such as John Muir fought to preserve nature for all people.
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Crime After Crime
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsConvicted of killing her brutally abusive boyfriend in 1983, Deborah Peagler languished in prison for 20 years. When California legislation allowing incarcerated domestic-violence survivors to reopen their cases becomes law, a pair of novice attorneys agree to take on her case. Armed with evidence of their client's innocence, the two encounter a bewildering maze of bureaucratic procedures and political corruption as they seek justice.
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Ken Burns: Baseball
1994 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsAward-winning documentarian Ken Burns takes a swing at a unique and much-loved aspect of life in the United States: baseball. Burns chronicles the sport's signature people, places and events as well as a deep-rooted relationship to American culture.
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Ken Burns: The National Parks: America's Best Idea
2009 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsThe award-winning documentarian turns his insight and cameras to the history and breathtaking splendor of America's national parks. The words of early naturalists and modern advocates accompany panoramas of Yosemite, Glacier, Redwood and other parks.
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Global Metal
2008 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsTaking their cameras to far-flung locales in Asia, the Middle East and South America, filmmakers Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen chronicle the continuing evolution of heavy metal and chart its influence on cultures around the world. The result is a revealing portrait of an often misunderstood genre that's found new artistic expression in Chinese black metal, Iranian thrash metal and Indonesian death metal.
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Food Matters
2008 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsWith a staggering number of Americans suffering from obesity and other food-related maladies, this film takes a timely and hard-hitting look at how the food we eat is helping or hurting our health, and what we can do to live (and eat) better.
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David Attenborough: Wildlife Specials
2008 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsNaturalist David Attenborough travels around the world to get up-close footage of polar bears, leopards and other amazing creatures, visiting stunning locations like the ice caves of Europe and South America's Angel Falls.
Details about David Attenborough: Wildlife Specials
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
2008 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsFilmmaker Kurt Kuenne's poignant tribute to his murdered childhood friend, Andrew Bagby, tells the story of a child custody battle between the baby's grieving grandparents and Shirley Turner, Bagby's pregnant ex-girlfriend and suspected killer. Initially, Kuenne made this documentary as a memorial for Andrew's loved ones, but it morphs into an emotional legal odyssey when Turner goes free on bail and is allowed to raise her son.
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Usain Bolt: The Fastest Man Alive
2012 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsGet an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Usain St. Leo Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who's widely regarded as the fastest man in the world and became a legend at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
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Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsThis documentary chronicles glass pipe-making from the origins of the "color-changing" pipe to the radical emerging art movement it has become. Pioneering new glass-working techniques, pipe makers have created a whole new genre of American folk art.
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