{"id":1533208,"date":"2025-12-10T11:17:57","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T11:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/?p=1533208"},"modified":"2025-12-10T11:17:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T11:17:57","slug":"the-16-best-documentaries-of-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/the-16-best-documentaries-of-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The 16 best documentaries of 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
<\/span> <\/p>\n

Documentaries are a dime a dozen in the streaming era because they\u2019re cheaper to produce, so while they satiate the appetite for true stories, not all can be deemed good. <\/p>\n

But the documentary films and series that managed to capture our attention this year broke through by telling us something new; educating us about an idea, a person or a perspective; or reframing a narrative. Some are about famous people, some are about ordinary people who did something extraordinary, some are about people who suffered. <\/p>\n

Best is a matter of perspective, but these titles are certainly notable and 100% worth your time.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Best <\/a> <\/div>\n

Our picks for this year\u2019s best in arts and entertainment.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018Pee-wee as Himself\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A <\/p>\n
\n

Paul Reubens in \u201cPee-wee as Himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

(HBO)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Significantly, the name Paul Reubens is absent from the title of this bountiful, sweet and sometimes melancholy look at one of pop culture\u2019s great creations and its creator. (Pee-wee Herman has a star on Hollywood Boulevard, Reubens will point out, but he does not.) As soft-spoken as Pee-wee is explosive, Reubens, who sat for 40 hours of interviews before withdrawing from the project, engages in a bemused, semi-ironic tussle with director Matt Wolf<\/a> for control of the narrative and his legacy. (And, one would say, wins.) In addition to reminding us of the pure joy of Pee-wee and the beloved character\u2019s ability to bounce back as circumstances sometimes sidelined Reubens, the film is a resume of the actor\u2019s life and times, from prejudices that, for professional reasons, kept him in the closet, to the forward-looking, idiosyncratic brilliance of \u201cPee-wee\u2019s Playhouse,\u201d which enlivened Saturday mornings with its dedication to diversity, difference, inclusion, openness and love. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on HBO Max<\/a>) \u2014 Robert Lloyd<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Being Katharine Graham\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A <\/p>\n
\n

Katharine Graham with Washington Post editors in 1971.<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of the Katharine Graham Estate)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Katharine Graham is nothing less than a hero of modern journalism. A child, and adult, of privilege, she was thrust into the role of publisher at the Washington Post by the tragic death of her husband. No one expected her, the first woman to head a major media company, to do more than nod when the men talked. Instead, as George and Teddy Kunhardt\u2019s film meticulously shows, she became a key player in the paper\u2019s rise to prominence, courageously agreeing to publish the Pentagon Papers, standing behind her journalists during their Watergate investigation and generally serving as a publisher and chief executive who always put the need for an informed nation first. \u201cYou can be friends with people in the government,\u201d she says, \u201cbut you remember, and they remember, that the paper comes first.\u201d (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on Prime Video<\/a>) \u2014 Mary McNamara<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018My Undesirable Friends: Part I \u2014 Last Air in Moscow\u2019<\/h2>\n
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\"A <\/p>\n
\n

Ksenia Mironova in \u201cMy Undesirable Friends: Part I \u2014 Last Air in Moscow.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Julia Loktev)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Filmmaker Julia Loktev wasn\u2019t expecting to capture history when, in October 2021, she headed to Russia, the place of her birth, hoping to follow some young journalists still fighting the good fight after being labeled \u201cforeign agents\u201d by Putin\u2019s watchdogs. Only a handful of months later, Ukraine was under invasion and TV Rain \u2014 half politics, half old-school MTV \u2014 was close to extinction, a thing of the past. This is a five-hour documentary that takes its time (maybe too much of it) telling a story about how easy it is for a society to slip into fear. But your commitment is worth it, even if it sometimes seems like we\u2019re at an endless dinner party turned strategy session. Underlying tensions harden into despair. Meanwhile, these reporters can\u2019t help but do what they do, so in love with their jobs, they press on, smiling at their own self-immolation. \u201cMy Undesirable Friends\u201d is scary but somehow not cynical. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch in select theaters) \u2014 Joshua Rothkopf<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018My Mom Jayne\u2019<\/h2>\n
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\"A <\/p>\n
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Mariska Hargitay as a child with her mother, the actor Jayne Mansfield.<\/p>\n

(HBO)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Mariska Hargitay<\/a>, the star of \u201cLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit,\u201d was only 3 years old when her mother, the actor Jayne Mansfield, died in a horrific auto accident in 1967. Her determination to find out more about her mother and the truth behind Mansfield\u2019s image as a blond bombshell is detailed in \u201cMy Mom Jayne,\u201d one of the most surprising and compelling documentaries of 2025. Hargitay\u2019s deep exploration of Mansfield\u2019s life and the discovery that her mother was the exact opposite of her onscreen persona leads her to some startling revelations that affect her own life. Hargitay\u2019s journey is dramatic and emotional, filled with twists and turns. Have some tissues handy. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on HBO Max<\/a>) \u2014 Greg Braxton<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"Man <\/p>\n
\n

Juan Gabriel as seen in \u201cJuan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Few things in this world are as medicinal to the soul as getting lost in a Juan Gabriel song \u2014 whether you\u2019re giving your throat muscles a workout while choking back tears as you feel the pain and longing that imbues \u201cAmor Eterno,\u201d or finding yourself compelled to shimmy and twirl to the insanely catchy beat of \u201cEl Noa Noa.\u201d The prolific and provocative icon of Mexican music, known as the \u201cDivo of Juarez,\u201d wrote more than 1,500 songs and toured to sold-out crowds until his death in 2016. But that larger-than-life onstage persona \u2014 often clad in flamboyant sequined jackets \u2014 was only one side of the enigmatic man who was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez. It all gets unpacked in Netflix\u2018s four-part docuseries directed by Maria Jose Cuevas, which offers an intimate look at the man behind the legend, using his personal archives and home videos, as well as interviews with people who knew him well. The series digs into the dual personas he navigated on and off stage, taking us through his humble beginnings and strained relationship with his mother, and showing how, through his genre-shifting music, he tapped into that pain and loneliness to make himself into one of Mexico\u2019s most successful artists. Gabriel faced his share of criticism, fractured relationships and controversies in the glow of the spotlight, including in 1990, when protests emerged over his scheduled performance at Mexico\u2019s prestigious cultural venue, Palacio de Bellas Artes; he ultimately took the stage \u2014 and let me just say, forget the Eras Tour; I\u2019d pay $100 to watch that<\/i> show on a movie screen. Some may question the need for four parts, but I could have watched a whole hour of footage just on his wardrobe selection, mainly his white leather fringe boots. And by the way, it\u2019s all in Spanish. (Watch on Netflix<\/a>) \u2014 Yvonne Villarreal<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018The Perfect Neighbor\u2019 (Netflix)<\/h2>\n
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\"Three <\/p>\n
\n

\u201cThe Perfect Neighbor\u201d centers on Ajike \u201cAJ\u201d Owens, pictured on the poster, who was shot and killed by her neighbor in 2023. <\/p>\n

(Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Made almost entirely from police body camera footage, \u201cThe Perfect Neighbor\u201d is a haunting story told with innovation and care. The Sundance favorite documents the killing of Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four who was fatally shot by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz. It includes footage from the two years of disputes that led to the shooting and of its tragic aftermath. Much of the material is from the multiple 911 trespassing calls Lorincz made about children in the neighborhood (including Owens\u2019 kids) playing on a vacant lot near her house on their unassuming street in Marion County, Fla.<\/p>\n

Director Geeta Gandbhir<\/a>, whose sister-in-law was a close friend of Owens, told The Times earlier this year she wanted to use the footage to \u201crebuild\u201d the community\u2019s world \u201cso everyone could see the damage done by one outlier with a gun.\u201d It\u2019s a harrowing watch, but a gripping story that explores more than just a neighborhood dispute that turned deadly. It poses larger questions about gun violence, race and how \u201cstand your ground\u201d laws are enforced and investigated. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on Netflix<\/a>) \u2014 Kaitlyn Huamani<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Deaf President Now!,\u2019 \u2018Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore\u2019<\/h2>\n
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\"Four <\/p>\n

Tim Rarus, left, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Greg Hlibok and Jerry Covell in \u201cDeaf President Now!\u201d (Apple TV+) <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Marlee Matlin in \u201cMarlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.\u201d (Sundance Institute) <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Deaf community has long struggled for visibility and civil rights, but 2025 offered a pair of nuanced portrayals of what that struggle has looked like over the years and what we can learn from it. \u201cDeaf President Now!\u201d, directed by Nyle DiMarco<\/a> \u2014 a Deaf activist and winner of \u201cAmerica\u2019s Next Top Model\u201d \u2014 and Davis Guggenheim (\u201cStill: A Michael J. Fox Movie\u201d), highlights one of the most pivotal and historic moments for Deaf people as told by four former students who led an eight-day protest that resulted in Gallaudet University appointing its first Deaf president. The demonstration also led to legislative changes that protected Deaf people\u2019s rights. (Watch on Apple TV<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, director Shoshannah Stern\u2019s<\/a> intimate film about Marlee Matlin tells us about not only the personal and professional hurdles the Oscar-winning actor had to overcome to become a Hollywood star, but also how she fought for more Deaf actors to join her ranks, like Troy Kotsur<\/a>, her \u201cCODA\u201d co-star. Both films are subtitled and in American Sign Language, turning the table on hearing viewers. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on PBS<\/a>) \u2014 Maira Garcia<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery\u2019<\/h2>\n
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\"A <\/p>\n
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Sarah McLachlan in \u201cLilith Fair: Building a Mystery.\u201d<\/p>\n

(ABC News Studios)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s hard to convey just how wondrous and revolutionary and comforting it felt to attend Lilith Fair in the late 1990s to people who weren\u2019t there, but this documentary comes pretty darn close. Founded by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan<\/a>, the traveling festival was both a celebration of women in music and an act of defiance to prove that the sexist standards of the industry at that time were morally and financially wrong. The documentary itself is also a celebration of McLachlan and her fellow Lilith artists \u2014 which included Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, Tracy Chapman, Queen Latifah, Natalie Merchant, Paula Cole, Sin\u00e9ad O\u2019Connor, the Indigo Girls and many others \u2014 and it shows how the festival leaned into the power of authenticity and community and being earnest in a way that other events haven\u2019t. Some aspects of the Lilith Fair story might seem unimaginable to those who\u2019ve come of age in the era of Beyonc\u00e9 and Taylor Swift, but some of the politics and attitudes toward women of that time might feel eerily relevant to our current social climate. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on Hulu<\/a>) \u2014 Tracy Brown<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Surviving Ohio State\u2019<\/h2>\n
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\"A <\/p>\n
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Dan Ritchie, a former Buckeyes wrestler, in \u201cSurviving Ohio State.\u201d<\/p>\n

(HBO)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ohio State University has one of the country\u2019s top athletic programs, and its Buckeyes are currently vying for the college football championship. But despite its elite ranking, the university still hasn\u2019t shaken the sexual abuse scandal detailed in this film. Inspired by a Sports Illustrated article, the documentary, which was produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Eva Orner and Smokehouse Pictures, the production company headed by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, centers around the findings of a 2019 investigation that concluded that Robert Strauss, the athletic department and student health center doctor, sexually assaulted at least 177 students thousands of times during his 1978 to 1996 tenure. University officials repeatedly ignored numerous complaints and failed to take action against Strauss. A central figure in the scandal is former wrestling team coach Jim Jordan, a congressman who is currently chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a devoted ally to President Trump. Jordan has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Strauss\u2019 actions. The documentary features shattering, often tearful testimonies by former wrestling team members as they detail their trauma and fight for justice. (Watch on HBO Max<\/a>) \u2014 G.B.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A <\/p>\n
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Anne Meara Stiller, Jerry Stiller, Ben Stiller and Amy Stiller in an archival image from \u201cStiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Apple)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ben Stiller\u2019s moving, loving, dreamlike family portrait is valuable not only for the attention it brings to the great double act that made his parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, famous in the 1960s, but to their later individual accomplishments as well. It\u2019s a show biz story of growing up within a show biz story, but it\u2019s relatable, too, for anyone who has dealt with aging parents or has had the sad occasion to clear out the house where they grew up or reflect upon how imperfectly they understood their parents \u2014 and how that understanding is a key to understanding themself. As different people with different goals \u2014 \u201cMy mom wanted to be happy independent of performing,\u201d says Ben, \u201cand I think for my dad performing was so important to him it was part of his happiness\u201d \u2014 there was tension between Anne and Jerry, but they loved each other, staying married for 62 years, and loved their kids. Letters, diaries, scripts, manuscripts, old photos, tape recordings and home movies, along with the reminiscences of Ben and his sister Amy, tell the tale. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on Apple TV<\/a>) \u2014 R.L. <\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Orwell: 2+2=5\u2019<\/h2>\n
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\"People <\/p>\n
\n

A scene from the documentary \u201cOrwell: 2+2=5.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Velvet Film)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

There\u2019s no way a documentary about George Orwell\u2019s cultural legacy doesn\u2019t linger as one of the year\u2019s best \u2014 least of all in a moment when doublespeak gets a daily airing out of Washington and the evidence of our own eyes can\u2019t be trusted. Director Raoul Peck<\/a>, a consistently sharp exfoliator of tricky subjects, turns his movie into both a historical primer of the author\u2019s eventful life and a guide to recognizing tomorrow\u2019s fascists. (You also get an entertaining taste of the many on-screen adaptations of \u201c1984,\u201d our favorite being the one with John Hurt and a synthy Eurythmics score.) Unusually for a doc, Peck marshals an unforgettable vocal performance \u2014 from British actor Damian Lewis, who narrates the movie as Orwell, his every line dripping with contempt for authoritarianism. He begins to see it everywhere, even in himself. You will think about his words days later. (Watch on VOD) \u2014 J.R.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Billy Joel: And So It Goes\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A <\/p>\n
\n

An archival image of Billy Joel as seen in \u201cAnd So It Goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

(HBO)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

If you\u2019ve ever lived in New York, you know that the Piano Man is a part of the city\u2019s lore and cultural heritage, much like Randy Newman is to L.A. and Springsteen is to Jersey. But the truth is that Billy Joel\u2019s<\/a> influence extends far beyond the borders of the Big Apple \u2014 his songs have permeated the culture in a way that is inescapable (not unlike the aforementioned artists). What makes this two-part documentary, directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, unique (and extremely watchable) is how it dispels the myths around his career, particularly when it comes to his first wife and former manager Elizabeth Weber, who helped catapult Joel to stardom. By taking the approach of examining his life through the lens of his albums, we get a better understanding of the man and the battles he fought to become one of America\u2019s biggest pop stars. (Watch on HBO Max<\/a>) \u2014 M.G.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Mr. Scorsese\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"An <\/p>\n
\n

Martin Scorsese in \u201cMr. Scorsese.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Apple)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

For fans of Martin Scorsese, and American filmmaking, Rebecca Miller\u2019s five-part series is a must-watch. An in-depth interview with the famous director serves as narration, while the series is chockablock with archival off-camera footage and interviews with longtime colleagues including (but not limited to) friends and collaborators Thelma Schoonmaker,<\/a> Robert De Niro, Nicholas Pileggi<\/a>, Brian De Palma, Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis. On one level, \u201cMr. Scorsese\u201d is the cinematic autobiography of a man and his work; on another it is a glimpse into the evolution of modern American film, provided by one of its most beloved icons. (Read the review<\/a> | Watch on Apple TV<\/a>) \u2014 M.M.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Riefenstahl\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A <\/p>\n
\n

Nazi propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, as seen in \u201cRiefenstahl.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Bavaria Media \/ Kino Lorber)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Again with Hitler\u2019s favorite filmmaker? Yes, again. No one has done a better job of indicting her phony na\u00efvet\u00e9 than German documentarian Andres Veiel, who not only pokes holes in the prior attempt, 1993\u2019s \u201cThe Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl\u201d (a profile that coddled her), but finds new evidence of a calculating mind obsessed with reputational rehabbing. When not making phone calls with convicted Nazi architect Albert Speer about how to strike the best book deal, Riefenstahl is seen \u2014 in jaw-dropping footage \u2014 skiing, living her untroubled mountain lifestyle with a partner 25 years her junior and being confronted on talk shows. Appropriately, Veiel foregrounds the unavoidable truth: Extras in her movies ended up at concentration camps, something she lied about. Most impressively, the doc allows us to appreciate \u201cTriumph of the Will\u201d and \u201cOlympia\u201d while insisting that visual genius can never be enough. (Read the review<\/a>| Watch on VOD) \u2014 J.R.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2018Taurasi\u2019<\/h2>\n
\n
\"A <\/p>\n
\n

Basketball star Diana Taurasi in \u201cTaurasi.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Prime)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

I have grown into one of those grumps who is wary of how easily we throw around honorifics like \u201clegendary\u201d and \u201cGOAT.\u201d But Diana Taurasi<\/a> is one of the greatest of all time. Her basketball resume speaks for itself: a three-time WNBA champion, a two-time Finals MVP as well as a league MVP, an 11-time All Star and a six-time Olympic gold medalist being just some of the highlights. The three-part docuseries chronicles the life and career<\/a> of the former Phoenix Mercury guard from her childhood in Chino through her 20 years as a professional basketball player. The episodes offer a glimpse at an earlier era of the WNBA when the enthusiasm and cultural footprint of women\u2019s sports did not have their current momentum and sheds some light onto why people like Taurasi had to play overseas to be treated (and paid) like a superstar. But what I appreciate most is how the documentary not only captures Taurasi\u2019s swagger, but highlights just how much her family and her upbringing as the kid of Argentine immigrants helped shape the player and the person that she is. (Watch on Prime Video<\/a>) \u2014 T.B.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.latimes.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 O artigo anterior foi obtido e traduzido do site internacional da celebrity.land \u2019 Source Link <\/em><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Documentaries are a dime a dozen in the streaming era because they\u2019re cheaper to produce, so while they satiate the appetite for true stories, not all can be deemed good. But the documentary films and series that managed to capture our attention this year broke through by telling us something new; educating us about an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1533209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1533208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entretenimento"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1533208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1533208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1533208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1533209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1533208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1533208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1533208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}