5 Really Good Documentaries to Watch When You’re Home for the Holidays

When you think of documentaries, what comes to mind? For some, it’s the pedantic films we had to watch in grade school, complete with a musty old projector screen. For others, it’s David Attenborough’s soothing voice or Ken Burns’ iconic panning and zooming technique.

To be sure, documentaries vary in quality, but the best ones are engaging, informative and persuasive. They introduce us to new topics and get us thinking differently about ones we know well. Many documentaries have an incredible video production team at their helm.

Here are some of the best documentaries streaming now, just in time for the holidays. When you need a break from penning holiday cards or watching the latest addition to the Christmas Prince Cinematic Universe, give these documentaries a try.

 

1. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017)

We are all hugely indebted to Hedy Lamarr. In fact, without the development of her frequency hopping technology, you wouldn’t have the Wi-Fi to read this very blog.

Lamarr was also an actress in 1940s Hollywood, but was more renowned for her beauty in her lifetime than her smarts. Bombshell peels back the curtain and introduces us to Hedy, the person, beneath all the glitz and the glamor.

 

2. The Found Footage Phenomenon (2021)

Cinéma vérité, or “found footage”-style cinema, is a popular cinematic technique that can unveil hidden truths. It’s a style often found in documentaries, and has been used to great effect in the horror genre.

Phenomenon explores how found footage horror became a global sensation through films such as The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. It’s masterfully filmed, nostalgic and perfect for horror and history buffs alike.

 

3. Lost in La Mancha (2002)

From his side-splitting humor in Monty Python to his tragicomic masterpiece Brazil, Terry Gilliam is a national treasure in filmmaking. La Mancha documents Gilliam’s first attempt to make The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, an adaptation of the OG hero’s journey.

The film cleverly parallels Gilliam’s efforts with Don Quixote’s own journey, and earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. For more insight into video production and the movie-making process, don’t miss out on this gem.

 

4. Paris is Burning (1990)

Paris is Burning is something like the Citizen Kane of documentaries – it makes every “best documentaries” list ever made, but does it really live up to the hype? The short answer is yes.

 

For anyone who has somehow missed out, Paris chronicles the ballroom scene of 1980s NYC, which was an underground subculture for the African American and Latino LGBTQ+ community. Not only is this film lively and thought-provoking, it’s an important cultural artifact that’s still relevant today.

 

5. O.J.: Made in America (2016)

This five-part miniseries was recut for theaters, and it’s a masterpiece in both forms. It explores the intersection of race and celebrity through O.J. Simpson and his infamous murder trial, intersplicing archival video, audio, interviews and news footage.

At a whopping 7 hours and 47 minutes, O.J. takes the time it needs to tell its story while never feeling stale. Add this ambitious piece of investigative journalism to the top of your watchlist this holiday season.

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