Most college kids are used to using Netflix to binge-watch multiple seasons of an addicting TV show in a night, or have a Rom-Com movie marathon on a Sunday to avoid studying for exams. However, beyond their selection of funny shows and movies, Netflix has a collection of documentaries, ranging from dark, to creepy and downright bizarre, to incredibly uplifting. Don’t worry, these aren’t the boring documentaries your dad watches on The History Channel. They’re incredibly powerful and I know a lot of them have genuinely changed the way I look at life. Here are five interesting, awe inducing, and some truly terrifying documentaries to watch when you’re done watching 35 episodes of Friends in a row.
1. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
Be very prepared to cry in both complete sadness and anger while watching this documentary. This film is a tribute to the filmmaker’s best friend, Andrew Bagby, who was believed to be murdered by his ex-girlfriend who was pregnant with their child at the time of his death. The documentary tells his son, Zachary, how great of a man his father was and follows the custody battle between Andrew’s ex-girlfriend and accused murderer and his parents. The last 30 minutes will give you the biggest plot twist of your life and will leave you with your mouth hanging open. It will seriously make you question the criminal justice system and the world we live in. This film is guaranteed to stick with you for the rest of your life.
2. The Imposter
This absolutely twisted documentary tells the story of a man who impersonates a 16 year old boy who had gone missing years before. He lives among the boy’s family, and is even able to trick the authorities. The documentary gets even more chilling and messed up as it goes on, so it definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.
3. How to Die in Oregon
This film follows a woman with cancer, and her decision to end her own life instead of suffering. It takes on the very controversial act of human euthanasia and dying with dignity, and what it means to be in control of your last breath. It is a poignant documentary that will break your heat but also give you hope at the same time.
4. Andrew Jenks, Room 335
Filmmaker Andrew Jenks, a 19 year old teen, and his two friends, decide to stay in a retirement home for a month and record what happens. They build strong connections with the residents, even though most are 60 years their senior, and begin to understand what it’s like for many who have been abandoned by their family and placed away in this facility. The film embodies the residents’ vitality for life and also their recognition of their impending death. This film is sure to change the way you view the elderly and leave you questioning how we, as a society, treat them.
5. Matthew Shepard Is a Friend of Mine
Many of us know of Matt Shepard – a 21 year old college student who was brutally beaten and left to die because of the sole fact that he was gay. This documentary gives an in depth look at the life of Matt, as recounted by his close friends and family. You learn a lot about who Matt was as a person and get a glance into his heartbreaking past. The documentary will leave you wondering how anyone can commit such a horrific act against a young man with such a big heart.
So remember collegiates, the next time you’re going to rewatch all seven seasons of Gossip Girl for the fifth time, or a cute guy wants to “Netflix and chill”, maybe try one of these documentaries instead. I guarantee you they’ll leave a bigger mark on your life than Chuck Bass ever did.