Best Crime Documentary
This six-part HBO documentary series chronicles the bizarre life and suspected crimes of Robert Durst, a real estate heir implicated in multiple disappearances and murders. The series' brilliance lies in its access to Durst himself, allowing filmmakers to capture his own unraveling and ultimately,...
This Netflix docuseries follows the case of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man convicted of murder after previously being exonerated for a sexual assault. 'Making a Murderer' sparked widespread debate about police misconduct, prosecutorial overreach, and the fairness of the American justice system. While...
'13th' examines the history of racial inequality in America through the lens of mass incarceration. Ava DuVernays powerful documentary connects slavery, Jim Crow laws, and contemporary criminal justice policies, revealing a systemic pattern of oppression. Its continued relevance underscores ongoing...
Once Upon a Time in America is a 1984 crime drama depicting the intertwined lives of Jewish gangsters in New York City. The film follows David “Noodles” Aaronson and Maximilian “Max” Bercovicz as they navigate organized crime, love, and betrayal across decades. Produced as an Italian-American ventur...
Preso en el Extranjero is a British documentary series examining incidents involving individuals arrested while traveling internationally, often related to drug smuggling. The show’s format frequently draws parallels with cinematic depictions of similar situations, referencing films like *Midnight E...
Taxi to the Dark Side is a 2007 documentary examining the circumstances surrounding the December 2002 death of Afghan taxi driver Dilawar, who was subjected to violence and interrogation by U.S. soldiers during detention at Bagram Air Base. The film investigates allegations of extrajudicial punishme...
“The Staircase” examines the controversial 2001 murder of Kathleen Peterson in Durham, North Carolina. This documentary series, led by forensic specialist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, presents a detailed investigation into the evidence surrounding Michael Peterson’s trial. It offers a prolonged examinat...
“Paradise Lost meticulously documents the investigation and trial surrounding the murders of three teenagers in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. The film, directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, highlights the controversial prosecution of Damien Echols, Stevie Branch, and Jessie Misskelley Jr....
The 1999 documentary One Day in September investigates the events surrounding the 1972 Munich massacre of eleven Israeli Olympic athletes. It utilizes archival footage and narration by Michael Douglas to explore the circumstances leading up to the attack. The film examines the immediate aftermath an...
The film Dear Zachary chronicles the tragic story of Andrew Bagby’s death and the subsequent fight for his young son, Zachary. It’s a powerful examination of grief, justice, and family impacted by violent crime. The documentary offers a deeply moving portrait of a father's loss and the struggle to p...
The film *Capturing the Friedmans* presents an investigative look at the devastating abuse suffered by the Friedman family in Commack, New York. Andrew Jarecki’s documentary utilizes a significant archive of home videos recorded by the family to expose a complex case involving alleged criminal activ...
This documentary follows artist Barbora Kysilková as she attempts to forge a relationship with a man recently released from prison after stealing several of her paintings. Ree’s film explores themes of art, crime, and rehabilitation through an unusual collaboration where the thief assists in recreat...
The Central Park Five is a 2012 documentary film directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon. The film investigates the 1989 Central Park jogger case, where five Black and Hispanic teenagers were wrongfully convicted of assaulting and raping a woman in New York City. Through interviews and...
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple is a 2006 documentary film directed by Stanley Nelson that examines the history of the Peoples Temple religious movement. The film details the rise of its leader, Jim Jones, the establishment of the Jonestown agricultural commune in Guyana, and the eve...
The Imposter is a 2012 documentary directed by Bart Layton about French serial impostor Frederic Bourdin and the disappearance of Texas teenager Nicholas Barclay. Through interviews, archival material, and dramatized reconstructions, it recounts how Bourdin assumed Barclay's identity and was accepte...
The Naked City is a 1948 crime drama centered around a police investigation following the death of a young woman. Filmed primarily in New York City, the film features Barry Fitzgerald and a supporting cast as detectives pursuing leads. Albert Maltz and Malvin Wald penned the screenplay for this Mark...
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is a documentary series examining the life of Joe Exotic, a former zookeeper convicted of crimes. The initial season, released in 2020, explored the relationships between Exotic, Carole Baskin, and other big cat conservationists involved in disputes regarding a...
Stevie is a 2002 American documentary directed by Steve James, who had previously directed Hoop Dreams. The film revisits Stevie Fielding, a young man from Pomona, Illinois, whom James had mentored a decade earlier through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Fielding's adult life becomes the focus...
Casting JonBenet is a 2017 documentary directed by Kitty Green that examines the 1996 death of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder, Colorado. Rather than investigating the case directly, Green films local actors auditioning for roles in a fictionalized recreation while recording their opinions a...
A Cop Movie (Una película de policías) is a 2021 Mexican docudrama directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios that examines policing in Mexico City. The film blends documentary and fiction by using professional actors who shadow real police officers and later perform their testimonies on camera. This hybrid ap...
3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets is a 2015 documentary directed by Marc Silver about the 2012 shooting death of 17-year-old Jordan Davis in Jacksonville, Florida. The film examines the incident where Michael Dunn fired into a car of Black teenagers at a gas station after a dispute over loud music, killing...
Dark History delves into the darkest corners of human history, focusing on unsolved crimes, notorious criminals, and chilling historical events. The channel utilizes a combination of archival footage, expert interviews, and dramatic recreations to bring these stories to life. Known for its meticulo...
Brother's Keeper is a 1992 American documentary film directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. It examines the case of Delbert Ward, one of four elderly bachelor brothers living in rural Munnsville, New York, who was accused of killing his brother William in 1990. The film explores the rural com...
Into the Abyss is a 2011 documentary directed by Werner Herzog about a triple murder committed in Conroe, Texas, and the people affected by it. Herzog interviews convicted prisoners Michael Perry and Jason Burkett, victims' relatives, investigators, and others connected to the case, including indivi...
Strong Island is a 2017 documentary film directed by Yance Ford that examines the 1992 shooting death of his older brother, William Ford Jr., in Central Islip, New York. The film investigates the murder by a white auto mechanic and the subsequent grand jury proceeding that declined to indict the sho...
"Tickled" is a documentary film directed by New Zealand journalist David Farrier and Dylan Reeve, released in 2016. The film began as an investigation into "competitive endurance tickling" videos produced by Jane O'Brien Media, but evolved into an exploration of cyberbullying and harassment when Far...
"Dirty Money" is a documentary series released on Netflix beginning in 2018, with each episode investigating a different case of corporate fraud, corruption, or financial misconduct. The series features cases including Volkswagen's emissions scandal ("Dieselgate"), pharmaceutical price gouging by Ma...
"Cartel Land" is a 2015 documentary film directed by Matthew Heineman that examines the rise of civilian vigilante groups operating in response to drug cartel violence. The film provides a localized look at the Mexican state of Michoacán, focusing on the Autodefensa movement, and parallels this with...
"Cocaine Cowboys" is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Billy Corben. It examines the rampant cocaine trade and subsequent violence that transformed Miami, Florida, during the late 1970s and 1980s. The film utilizes extensive interviews with former smugglers, distributors, and law enforcem...
A Gray State is a 2017 documentary directed by Erik Nelson and produced by Werner Herzog. It investigates the life and death of David Crowley, an Iraq War veteran and independent filmmaker who was developing a dystopian film about government tyranny. The documentary explores Crowley's immersion in r...
