True crime docs have been all the rage as of late, but there’s more to the documentary world. Getting tired of murder or missing persons docs? These documentaries, ranging from shocking to thrilling to hilarious, are the perfect picks for your next binge-watch.
- Our Planet
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Narrated by David Attenborough, Our Planet dives deep beyond the surface of the natural beauty of our world. Over 600 crew members worked four years to craft this cinematically dazzling masterpiece. The documentary series offers real education on the means necessary to create a greener planet, and the catastrophic results of what will happen if we don’t take action to protect our world.
Our Planet is available for streaming on Netflix.
- Exit Through the Gift Shop
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Remember that viral story about the street artist who shredded his own artwork (worth $1.4 million) at an auction? Exit Through the Gift Shop, directed by the artist himself, Banksy, is a look inside the street art community and the people who take advantages of them. The documentary film poses questions about the nature of art and the influence of celebrity in the modern world.
Exit Through the Gift Shop is available to purchase on Google Play and Amazon Prime Store.
- The Planets
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With a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Planets will both inspire and humble you. Not a science person? Not a problem. The documentary series uses language accessible to those of us who aren’t astronomy students. Each episode is it’s own dramatic story about the creation and nature of the Universe. The latest CGI technology upgrades this series from a high school science textbook to a modern theatrical masterpiece.
The Planets is available to watch during these listed times on PBS.
- Ugly Delicious
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James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang takes viewers on a trip around the globe where he examines cultural trends in cuisine and dining culture. Celebrity guests join him from Mumbai to Mexico to Tokyo as they explore the history and modernity that surrounds food.
Ugly Delicious is available to stream on Netflix.
- Free Solo
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Want a thrill without leaving your couch? Free Solo is the story of Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber with the goal of scaling Yosemite’s 900-meter vertical rock face, El Capitan… without a rope. This National Geographic film will make you hold your breath while pulling you into the story of Honnold’s fascinating life and journey into the solo climbing community.
Free Solo is available to purchase on Google Play and Amazon Prime Video stores.
- Three Identical Strangers
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If you’re looking for an unbelievable (yet completely true) story, Three Identical Strangers is for you. The film tells the story of three identical triples who are separated at birth and adopted by three different families. Their reunion results in a shocking revalation that changes the course of the story for the new family.
Three Identical Strangers is available for streaming on Hulu.
- Room 237
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If you’re a horror movie fan, then you’ve definitely seen Stanley Kubrik’s 1980 adaptation of the Shining. Room 237 is a quirky analysis of the meaning of Kubrik’s film. Narrated entirely by people with theories about the movie, some analyses will amaze you, while others will make you laugh.
Room 237 is available to purchase on the Google Play and Amazon Prime Video stores.
Happy watching!
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