The Best Documentaries to Watch at Home

In the past, I’ve never been big on watching television shows or movies, but over the past year, I’ve been really in to documentaries. A couple of months ago, I shared a post about my favorite Twitter accounts to follow, so I decided to make it in to a series with my favorite documentaries and podcasts.

Here’s part two of the three part series with the top 6 best documentaries to watch at home.

RBG

I saw the RBG documentary while in Tampa last summer and was completely blown away with her life. The documentary details her early experiences all the way up to her role on the Supreme Court. After watching, I promptly ordered my Notorious RBG shirt walking back to the hotel. Stream on Hulu and Amazon Video.

The Staircase

This documentary provides insight into the true crime mystery of Kathleen Peterson’s murder in Durham, NC. The interviews are rather intense and the series provides an in-depth look into the personal lives and the trial of Michael Peterson. It also provides information surrounding a case in Germany that involved the death of Peterson’s neighbor. It’s definitely worth a watch, especially if you enjoyed the Making a Murderer documentary. Stream on Netflix.

13th

Some of my favorite historians are in the documentary, 13th, which discusses the language around the 13th Amendment. The common misconception is that the 13th Amendment ended slavery, but the language leaves room for a loophole, and this film discusses how that language has created the control over marginalized people through mass incarceration. Stream on Netflix.

Raising Bertie

I watched this documentary a few years ago that followed three students in an all-boys public school in eastern North Carolina. The grant funding the school ran out, so the students went back to their traditional high school in a county that is struggling economically, losing population, and struggling with public education. This film follows their lives as the attempt to navigate adulthood, fatherhood, and inequities in their community. Stream on PBS.

Fyre Fraud & Fyre

Okay, okay, I know that they are two different documentaries, but I think they’re equally important to watch to get a clearer understanding of what happened with the failed Fyre Festival. I watched Fyre Fraud (Hulu) first, which gave insight into Billy’s process and behaviors since he was being interviewed throughout the film. Then, I watched Fyre (Netflix), which provides more background information. Definitely watch both and I recommend in the order I mentioned. I think this is such an important lesson on the power of influence and making sure that influencers are disclosing where they are receiving payment. I also think it’s important to remember this is why, as an influencer, it’s important not to sell out. I only take collaborations that I personally agree with and align to my vision, and this whole situation affirmed why. Stream on Hulu and Netflix.

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

So, this series shook me. The four-part docuseries gives an insight into Ted Bundy’s brutal crimes through audio recordings from death row. Many who were a part of his trial provide interviews about their experiences and how they handled their interactions with him. If you are in to true crime, definitely worth a watch. Stream on Netflix.