Top 2025 Documentaries, a list by Tonka

8.3

/4574/

82

/230/

80

/40/

4.0

/15400/

100

/35/

94

/96/

75

/7/

3.0

Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.

80

7.5

/2536/

74

/166/

75

/44/

3.7

/30757/

91

/43/

85

/12/

82

/16/

3.5

age 14+

When does a democracy end and a theocracy begin? Petra Costa investigates the increasingly powerful grip Christian evangelical leaders hold over politics in Brazil. She gains extraordinary access to the country’s top political leaders, including President Lula and former president Bolsonaro, as well as to Brazil’s most famous televangelist: a magnetic pastor who aspires to play puppet master to the far-right leader.

89

79

8.5

/4810/

83

/418/

81

/58/

4.3

/17538/

100

/11/

96

/11/

93

/4/

age 10+

David Attenborough takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.

79

7.1

/1073/

71

/53/

70

/11/

3.7

/17552/

95

/61/

76

/21/

4.0

'90s indie-rock band Pavement reunites for their sold-out 2022 tour. But as preparations get underway, surreal tributes emerge: an off-Broadway musical adaptation of their songs, a museum devoted entirely to the band’s legacy, and a shamelessly awards-baiting Hollywood biopic.

79

7.2

/1470/

68

/52/

71

/15/

3.7

/9559/

90

/83/

95

/34/

79

/24/

3.5

An exploration of the seminal and transformative 18 months that one of music’s most famous couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — spent living in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the early 1970s.

79

7.5

/7777/

75

/530/

72

/100/

3.5

/30861/

85

/46/

95

/542/

64

/12/

4.0

age 13+

The individual journeys of the four members of the band, as they move through the music scene of the 1960s, playing small clubs throughout Britain and performing some of the biggest hits of the era, until their meeting in the summer of 1968 for a rehearsal that changes their lives forever.

78

7.9

/2004/

76

/101/

57

/14/

4.2

/6783/

90

/9/

3.5

Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up in one of America’s deadliest prison systems.

78

7.6

/1515/

73

/105/

69

/12/

3.8

/6837/

93

/45/

77

/12/

3.5

An examination of the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone – the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic Sly Stone – that captures the band's reign while shedding light on the burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.

78

77

7.3

/3764/

72

/640/

72

/52/

3.6

/7308/

88

/8/

96

/364/

In what might be his most personal and introspective hour yet, Bill offers hilarious takes on everything from male sadness to dating advice.

77

7.1

/20140/

73

/1531/

67

/156/

3.7

/116521/

99

/92/

81

/185/

83

/21/

3.0

age 15+

Police bodycam footage reveals how a long-running neighborhood dispute turned fatal in this documentary about fear, prejudice and Stand Your Ground laws.

77

7.7

/1801/

77

/94/

79

/17/

4.3

/37838/

72

/17/

3.0

Rising musician Jeff Buckley had only released one album when he died suddenly in 1997. Now, never-before-seen footage, exclusive voice messages, and accounts from those closest to him offer a portrait of the captivating singer.

76

7.5

/2135/

78

/137/

71

/18/

3.8

/12933/

86

/19/

3.0

For the past six decades, Seymour Hersh has been at the front lines of political journalism in the U.S. This engaging documentary, released at a crucial moment for the freedom of the press, tells the wide-ranging story of this breakthrough reporter.

75

7.2

/1332/

74

/96/

68

/28/

3.6

/2375/

87

/85/

97

/417/

59

/15/

3.0

age 14+

Through words, music, and mischief, Bono pulls back the curtain on his deeply personal experiences that have shaped him as a son, father, husband, activist, and U2 frontman.

74

7.2

/1166/

70

/80/

62

/16/

3.6

/3324/

93

/44/

76

/17/

75

/13/

3.0

age 13+

Ben Stiller tells the story of his parents—comedy icons Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara—exploring their impact on popular culture and at home, where the lines between creativity, family, life, and art often blurred.

73

8.1

/10195/

79

/606/

78

/71/

4.0

/29224/

61

/28/

77

/4822/

69

/14/

2.5

age 13+

Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.

72

6.8

/2009/

70

/48/

58

/9/

3.9

/3195/

93

/44/

67

/53/

69

/10/

3.0

age 13+

A view inside the life of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, capturing her through five tumultuous years in power and beyond as she redefined leadership on the world stage.

69

6.9

/3853/

75

/320/

68

/32/

3.3

/9226/

62

/7/

3.0

age 15+

From teen comedian to Hollywood legend, Eddie Murphy revisits his extraordinary showbiz ride with raw honesty and humor.

69

6.6

/2002/

64

/179/

61

/25/

3.6

/13568/

97

/75/

39

/60/

84

/18/

3.0

age 15+

In the mid-aughts, Dateline NBC’s To Catch a Predator drew millions of weekly viewers to watch sting operations: men planning to meet minors for sex would instead be confronted by polished host Chris Hansen, then by the police — all on hidden camera.

68

6.8

/4698/

73

/641/

65

/86/

3.4

/14466/

age 15+

In May 2011, a massive tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri. With pulse-pounding firsthand footage, this documentary goes inside a deadly twister.

66

6.7

/5475/

69

/530/

67

/83/

3.2

/39611/

age 15+

Featuring exclusive interviews with survivors, paramedics and festival staff, this documentary examines the 2021 Astroworld tragedy and its aftermath.

65

6.6

/6967/

69

/712/

65

/70/

3.1

/17186/

age 14+

Murder or self-defense? Told from both sides, this documentary explores the killing of Jason Corbett during a dispute with his wife and her father.

65

6.7

/10008/

69

/1282/

70

/143/

3.1

/34251/

58

/6/

age 14+

OceanGate's Titan tourist submersible imploded in 2023 on a deep-sea dive to the Titanic. This documentary details how a bold vision ended in tragedy.

64

6.7

/19487/

70

/1734/

67

/184/

2.7

/233624/

age 14+

Vulgar, taunting texts blow up the phones of a teen and her boyfriend. Who's sending them — and why? This twisty documentary reveals the shocking answer.

75

64

7.6

/2084/

77

/305/

74

/86/

3.8

/7077/

Witness the never-before-seen footage and true story behind the John Wick phenomenon – from independent film to billion-dollar franchise.

82

63

8.2

/2388/

82

/220/

86

/30/

4.2

/15239/

94

/62/

68

/12/

14 years after his first visit, Louis Theroux meets some of the growing community of religious-nationalist Israelis who have settled in the occupied West Bank.

67

63

6.8

/3485/

70

/392/

67

/43/

3.2

/7033/

age 14+

This gripping documentary revisits the shocking 1995 bombing of an Oklahoma City federal building, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US history.

61

6.8

/1217/

72

/65/

62

/14/

3.4

/4401/

49

/6/

2.0

age 16+

In 1975, as America faced social and political upheaval, filmmakers turned chaos into art.

74

61

7.4

/2719/

72

/262/

76

/30/

3.8

/5790/

age 12+

Survivors, witnesses, and experts tell the story of the tragic fire that engulfed a residential tower block in London — and the investigation that ensued.

64

62

6.8

/3846/

72

/563/

75

/36/

3.2

/4168/

45

/5/

Director Dan Farah got 34 senior members of the U.S. Government, military, and intelligence community to come on camera. He says they reveal an 80 year cover-up of the existence of non-human intelligent life and a secret war amongst major nations to reverse engineer technology of non-human origin. The film explores the profound impact the situation has on the future of humanity, while providing a look behind-the-scenes with those at the forefront of the bi-partisan disclosure effort.

61

6.1

/4579/

64

/467/

62

/62/

2.6

/11284/

75

/16/

51

/12/

55

/7/

3.0

age 13+

In this documentary, wealthy entrepreneur Bryan Johnson puts his body and fortune on the line to defy aging and extend his life beyond all known limits.

66

60

6.6

/3222/

70

/361/

70

/38/

2.9

/6913/

age 13+

A chef's life is upended when a jet-setting, champagne-sipping, hotel-hopping woman claims to be his long-lost mother. This documentary reveals the untold story.

65

59

6.1

/3608/

68

/322/

65

/38/

3.3

/9743/

age 15+

Aileen Wuornos remains a rarity: a female serial killer. From childhood abuse to death-row revelations, this documentary revisits her life and crimes.

83

59

8.3

/1881/

84

/170/

86

/29/

4.1

/2884/

Ozzy Osbourne faces his identity and mortality after his world stops. Dealing with health issues and Parkinson's, he questions if he can perform again while music remains his life's cornerstone.

73

60

7.6

/2480/

77

/322/

70

/25/

3.6

/3203/

In this razor-sharp yet heartfelt special, Andrew Schulz unpacks the wildest moment of his life — becoming a father.

67

59

6.8

/2841/

68

/281/

71

/45/

3.2

/8456/

age 15+

A revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of superfandom, told through the lens of one of the world's most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him.

62

57

6.2

/3783/

65

/317/

67

/43/

2.7

/10782/

age 15+

Raised by a man leading a monstrous double life, the daughter of the BTK serial killer shares her chilling story.

57

6.0

/9013/

62

/1159/

58

/107/

2.5

/46019/

age 14+

An engine fire leaves 4,000 passengers stranded at sea without power and plumbing in this wild documentary about the infamous "poop cruise" of 2013.

62

56

6.2

/3340/

65

/367/

64

/33/

2.9

/11728/

age 15+

Rob Ford scandalized Canadian politics as the brash yet beloved mayor of Toronto — until an infamous video of him smoking crack sparked his downfall.

57

55

5.8

/3359/

62

/428/

59

/53/

2.6

/12409/

age 14+

A night of drunken chaos rocks a quiet Dutch town in this shocking documentary about a teen's birthday invite that accidentally went viral on Facebook.

81

55

8.1

/1456/

78

/144/

77

/15/

4.0

/9742/

Popcorn

93

/243/

Untold stories behind the culture-defining and newsmaking musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years.

72

54

6.7

/1602/

73

/219/

75

/33/

3.7

/13333/

age 13+

'The Seat' is an unprecedented inside look that led to a once-in-a-generation driver change in Mercedes and F1 history. It reveals the private conversations that led the Mercedes team and Toto Wolff, its Team Principal and CEO, to its decision to promote 18-year-old Italian-born Kimi Antonelli to a Formula 1 Driver, making him the third-youngest rookie in the sport's history. The film follows Kimi, in the lead up to his first Formula 1 season as he takes on his destiny.

85

53

8.9

/1195/

85

/147/

76

/24/

4.5

/24321/

age 11+

Filmed at the end of the tour in Vancouver, B.C., with the entire Tortured Poets Department set.

65

53

6.5

/2008/

68

/311/

66

/34/

3.2

/1913/

age 13+

Antwerp, 2003. A gang of thieves rob the impenetrable Diamond Center. Who was behind one of the world's biggest heists - and how did they pull it off?

60

52

6.1

/3070/

64

/347/

61

/29/

2.8

/11427/

age 15+

Featuring tell-all interviews with insiders and former staff, this exposé traces American Apparel's journey from fashion phenomenon to financial flop.

72

52

7.1

/1001/

73

/296/

79

/33/

3.3

/1898/

Using cutting-edge scanning technology and state-of-the-art CGI, a team of experts creates the first high-resolution 3D digital twin of the Titanic wreck. Through a groundbreaking immersive investigation, they uncover the ship’s final moments, shedding light on the acts of heroism and cowardice aboard—and revealing the true story behind the sinking of the “unsinkable” ship.

68

51

6.9

/2025/

70

/180/

67

/35/

3.4

/4943/

age 13+

Marine conservationist and social media activist Ocean Ramsey fearlessly swims with sharks in this documentary about her risky mission to protect them.

53

51

5.6

/3310/

63

/425/

61

/62/

2.7

/11239/

56

/34/

22

/32/

62

/12/

age 15+

In August 1969, Charles Manson's followers killed seven people on his orders. Why? Explore a conspiracy of mind control, CIA experiments, and murder.

69

50

6.8

/1237/

72

/65/

69

/17/

3.5

/46459/

64

/11/

94

/475/