Netflix Instant might not always have the newest flicks or the highly anticipated smash hits we have all been waiting for, but it’s pretty fantastic when you’re in the mood for something a little less blockbustery. I have to say that the documentary selection on Netflix is by far the reason why I shell out $7.99 a month. Well, let’s be honest, I do love to binge watch television and there really isn’t a better place than Netflix. It’s no question that on Feb. 14th when Netflix uploads the new season of House of Cards that I will not set down my popcorn bowl and emerge from my pseudo blanket cocoon until the 13th episode credits roll. Whether or not I will be better off for it is entirely debatable, but what’s not up for debate is that while binge watching television is great and all, nothing beats the feeling of watching a good documentary. Unlike binge watching all eight seasons of Dexter, documentaries have a unique characteristic; you don’t have to feel guilty about watching them all day! Netflix is no slouch when it comes to their documentary selection either. It has a surplus of amazing and award-winning documentaries — in fact Netflix has four of the five 2014 Oscar nominated documentaries already uploaded and waiting for you to stream. Heck, Netflix even produced one of them! If you are unsure where to begin or just a little intimidated by the undeniably large selection, below I have put together a list of, in my opinion, some must see documentaries.
1. Jiro Dreams of Sushi
This is by far my personal favorite, I’ve seen this documentary upwards of 5 times and each time I watch it I fall in love with it a little bit more. If you choose to only watch one documentary from this list, this is positively the one you should watch. Take my word for it.
Netflix synopsis: This delectable documentary profiles sushi chef Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old master whose 10-seat, $300-a-plate restaurant is legendary among Tokyo foodies. Ono is also a father, whose sons struggle to live up to his legacy and make their own marks.
2. The Square
Netflix synopsis: As the Egyptian Revolution unfolds, this 2014 Academy Award® nominee for Best Documentary Feature immerses the viewer in the intense emotional drama of young people on the streets of Cairo claiming their rights and creating a society of conscience. As two governments topple, the personal stories of the freedom fighters unfold in an inspiring tribute to the power of citizenship.
3. The Act of Killing
I can’t really remember seeing anything quite like this documentary and at times it was hard to believe it even was one. The feeling it leaves behind after watching is hard to describe, but whenever I seem to bring it up in conversation my arms always break out with goose bumps.
Netflix synopsis: This Oscar-nominated documentary recalls the bloody era in Indonesia when pro-government death squads slaughtered more than a million suspected communists as two ex-squad leaders reenact their atrocities for the filmmakers.
4. Restrepo
Normally I am not one for enjoying any kind of film having to do with war, but for some reason this film wormed its way past my dislike. This documentary really begs the question, “Can anyone who never saw combat really understand?”
Netflix synopsis: Author Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington spent a year embedded with the Second Platoon in Afghanistan, chronicling the hard work, fear and brotherhood that comes with repelling a deadly enemy in this Oscar-nominated documentary.
5. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
This was one of the most depressing documentaries I have ever seen and have no doubt that it will leave even the strongest of people with a few tears in their eyes.
Netflix synopsis: Filmmaker 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.
Honorable Mention: Chasing Ice
Netflix Synopsis: Environmental photographer James Balog deploys time-lapse cameras to capture a record of the world’s changing glaciers, compressing years into seconds to illustrate how these ice mountains are disappearing at a breathtaking rate.