This Week In Documentary
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - September 27-October 3, 2024
As we round the end of September 2024, it’s probably time to update our list of the best documentaries of the year so far — but really the only films I’d add to the list, very high on the chart, is Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. There are others that I’ve seen that likely will make my final cut, but they haven’t been released yet. By the way, Super/Man will be getting a full theatrical release, following its two-date Fathom events, in a couple of weeks. I recommend seeing it on the big screen.
Now, without further ado, here are this week’s highlights, listings, and coming attractions, including our Pick of the Week. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future.
Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Social Studies (2024)
Lauren Greenfield has devoted much of her career to documentaries concerned with self-image, from her 2006 eating disorder film Thin to the flaunted financial status of the too-rich subjects of The Queen of Versailles, Generation Wealth, and The Kingmaker. Now she’s turning her lens toward social media and how it messes with teenagers’ lives. Social Studies is a five-part docuseries following young Americans — specifically in the Los Angeles area — as they base their self-worth, public image, relationships, perceptions of sex and sexuality, and more on what they see and share on social media.
As a parent of kids approaching teen age, the series started out being very scary, like a real-life Euphoria, but quickly Social Studies turns very specific yet also fairly scattered in its scope. The participants represent certain familiar lifestyles of the rich and not rich of Los Angeles and so the impact of social media for them might not resonate with viewers in other parts of the country. The way the series centers on character-driven narratives also sometimes brings its focus out of the confines of the subject of social media with racial and family divides becoming just as affecting, even if not as pertinent. Still, it all connects to the topic in some way or another.
Social Studies is most poignant in its first episode when it sets up its main theme and intent, though a few characters eventually keep the series compelling throughout — especially members of a fragmented family consisting of queer sisters and a mom too influenced by right-wing conspiracy theories to properly connect with them. Still, the best parts are when Greenfield gathers the participants together for direct discourse on the issues related to social media, often in a setting and format evoking group therapy. These kids and young adults are labeled as the first generation to grow up with social media, and some of it is reflective and regretful with fingers occasionally pointed at the companies behind these apps a la tobacco companies were with cigarette addiction.
There’s a lot to think about in the end and some people to care about, yet the only conclusion I gathered was of my own observance: as always, why aren’t the parents more involved with their children? Partly in objection to that, though, one of the participants recognizes that kids are supposed to screw up and fail a lot — independently, on their own — in their path toward adulthood, but the problem now is that these mistakes go on their permanent record in a new digital sense and often inform their lives or at least often come back to haunt them. That should be scarier for today’s teens than it is for us parents. Maybe watch the documentary as a family.
Social Studies premieres on FX on Friday, September 27, with its first two episodes then continues to air new episodes every Friday through October 18.
Other Documentary Highlights
The Body Politic (2023)
In a year steeped in ugly politics surrounding the presidential election, with many expectant documentaries focused on the negative aspects of candidates and the horrible divide of our country (not to mention the news now directed at yet another corrupt leader), it’s nice to see a story about a positive and productive politician. The Body Politic follows the 2020 election of Baltimore’s young, idealistic, and ambitious mayor, Brandon Scott, and his subsequent attempt to lower violent crime in the city. There is some of that ugly politics with Scott’s clash with then Governor Larry Hogan and with pushback against Scott’s long-range goal to lower the murder rate. But as a portrait of the man who will likely win reelection this fall and his forward-thinking agenda, the documentary reminded me of such films as Street Fight and The Interrupters in its enthusiasm for optimistic politicians working with their communities in mind.
The Body Politic opens theatrically on Friday, September 27.
Food And Country (2023)
I began watching Food and Country the other day and immediately felt like I’d seen it before. It turned out that I watched the film during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, which was almost two years ago, and I guess I wasn’t keeping up with my Letterboxd diary at the time and hadn’t logged my viewing. The fact that it’s taken so long for its release is a problem for a lot of documentaries, as this one feels very dated in the fall of 2024. Food and Country features food critic Ruth Reichl remotely interviewing various chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and others in the industry during the pandemic about how COVID-19 is impacting their world, and as a result, ours. While the pandemic’s effects on the food industry continue today, the film is stuck in one moment of this story. It’s interesting to look back and see how people were dealing and pivoting, but it’s now recent history rather than current events and needs updates.
Food and Country opens theatrically on Wednesday, October 2.
Lionel Rogosin’s Dangerous Docufictions
Lionel Rogosin is best known for his Oscar-nominated film On the Bowery (one of the best documentaries about New York City). That and his sophomore feature, Come Back, Africa, have been available to stream on The Criterion Channel a while. Now, the rest of his filmography is joining them on the streaming service for a comprehensive curation titled “Lionel Rogosin’s Dangerous Docufictions.” The program is partly tied to Rogosin’s centenary, which was earlier this year, and includes all his features and shorts, including two satires he made alongside his “docufictions.” The docs are of their time but deal with race, refugees, war, and other timeless topics. I’m particularly curious how his last film, the 1974 short Arab-Israeli Dialogue, plays 50 years later given today’s once again elevated conflict in the Middle East.
The added titles presented in “Lionel Rogosin’s Dangerous Docufictions” begin streaming on The Criterion Channel on Tuesday, October 1.
News & Documentary Emmy Winners
The 45th annual News and Documentary Emmys were held across two nights last week. A few documentary installments of news programs, like Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines, and many episodes of the National Geographic docuseries Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller won Emmys on Wednesday, but the official documentary categories were included on Thursday. IFC’s Lakota Nation vs. United States won Best Documentary and received an Emmy for its direction by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli. You can watch that (as well as Trafficked) on Hulu.
Here’s a list of other documentaries that were honored in various categories and where to watch them now:
American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing (streaming on Netflix) won for its editing.
Big Vape: The Rise and Fall Of Juul (streaming on Netflix) won Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary.
Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court (streaming on PBS via Frontline) won Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary.
Eat Your Catfish (currently unavailable) won Outstanding Social Issue Documentary.
Fault Lines (streaming on Al Jazeera’s website) won for its coverage of climate, environment, and weather topics.
Free Chol Soo Lee (streaming on PBS via Independent Lens and Mubi) won Outstanding Historical Documentary.
Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus (streaming on PBS via Frontline) won Outstanding Investigative Documentary.
Grand Knighthawk: Infiltrating the KKK (streaming on Hulu) won for its crime and justice coverage.
Incredible Animal Journeys (streaming on Hulu) won for its sound.
Impact x Nightline: On the Brink (streaming on Hulu) won for its coverage of health or medical topics.
Little Richard: I Am Everything (streaming on Max) won Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary.
The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Then and Now (streaming on YouTube via NBC Chicago) won Outstanding Regional Documentary.
Meet the World's Most Honorable Bank Robbers (streaming at the New York Times website via Op-Docs) won for its editorial discussion and analysis.
Murder In Big Horn (streaming on Showtime via Paramount+) won for its cinematography.
Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning (streaming on Max) won Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary.
Nazis at Nuremberg: The Lost Testimony (streaming on National Geographic) won for its writing.
The Night Doctrine (streaming at The New Yorker) won for its graphic design, music composition, and editorial discussion and analysis.
Path of the Panther (streaming on Hulu and Disney+) won Outstanding Nature Documentary.
Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (streaming on Netflix) won Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary.
Rap Trap: Hip Hop On Trial (streaming on Hulu) won for its arts, culture or entertainment coverage.
Science Fair: The Series (streaming on Hulu) won Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary.
The Silent Witness (streaming on YouTube via Life Stories) won Outstanding Short Documentary.
Stan Lee (streaming on Disney+) won for its art direction.
To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb (streaming on Peacock) won for its lighting direction.
Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller (streaming on Hulu) won for its video journalism, lighting direction, editing, and coverage of business, consumer, or economic stories and science and technology topics.
Victim/Suspect (streaming on Netflix) won for its research.
World War II: From the Front Lines (streaming on Netflix) won for its music composition and graphic design.
Toni Myers IMAX Documentaries
Five years after Toni Myers died of cancer, IMAX documentaries are a thing again, with such films as Deep Sky, Blue Angels, and Fly hitting the giant screen format this year in multiplexes nationwide as opposed to past titles only being in science museums and similar venues. She would have soared and been recognized much more if she lived longer. She would have turned 81 on Sunday, September 29. Her work was focused on space documentaries for IMAX, many of them shot in 3D. These films include Space Station (on Kanopy) and Hubble (Kanopy and Tubi), both of which she directed or co-directed. She also produced the oceanic docs Under the Sea (Tubi) and Deep Sea (Tubi) and wrote and edited other IMAX docs currently unavailable.
Will & Harper (2024)
Will Ferrell stars in this documentary following him on a road trip with longtime friend and co-writer Harper Steele, shortly after she came out as transgender. Will & Harper was our Pick of the Week two weeks ago, but since it’s a Netflix documentary it’s back in the highlights because that was the limited theatrical release and now it’s already time for it to begin streaming. It’s a very good film that sort of checks itself halfway through regarding its purpose, but I’m not sure that always works out.
From that Week in Documentary newsletter: “Too often Will & Harper seems to employ her experience for the sake of others and to offer a bigger picture or address a broad issue to the audience when it’s clear from the start that it’s her journey for herself. And for her friend and their friendship. Maybe that can be relatable to or empathized with by viewers, but it’s not about them, and the film is best when it knows it’s just Will and Harper’s story.”
Documentary Release Calendar 9/27/24 - 10/3/24
Friday, September 27, 2024
The Body Politic (2023) - A feature documentary about Brandon Scott, the mayor of Baltimore. (In Theaters)
Escape from Extinction Rewilding (2024) - A feature documentary narrated by Meryl Streep about conservationists working toward the radical approach of rebranding animals. (In Theaters)
I Am Not Your Negro (2016) - An Oscar-nominated documentary directed by Raoul Peck about race in modern America based on an unfinished James Baldwin’s novel. Read our review of I Am Not Your Negro. (TCM)
Jane by Charlotte (2021) - A documentary by actress Charlotte Gainsbourg about her actress mother, Jane Birken. (Ovid)
One Person, One Vote? (2024) - A documentary about the U.S. Electoral College. (In Theaters)
Report from the Aleutians (1943) - An Oscar-nominated World War II propaganda film directed by John Huston about U.S. soldiers protecting the titular Alaskan islands. (TCM)
Sins of Ireland (2024) - A documentary focused on the Irish origins of the confessional. (In Theaters)
Social Studies Episodes 1 & 2: “Social Studies” & “Social Divisions” - The first two episodes of a new five-part docuseries directed by Lauren Greenfield (The Queen of Versailles) looking at how social media has impacted teenage life. (FX)
Vindicating Trump (2024) - A documentary defending presidential candidate Donald Trump from his accusations. (In Theaters)
War Game (2024) - A feature documentary thriller simulating another, bigger January 6-type insurrection following a disputed election. Read our review of War Game. (VOD)
Will & Harper (2024) - A feature documentary following Will Ferrell and former Saturday Night Live writer Harper Steele, who has just come out as transgender, on a road trip across America. Read our review of Will & Harper. (Netflix)
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins Season 3, Episode 7: “The Price of Love” - The latest episode of this crime docuseries focuses on the death of an ER nurse. (Oxygen True Crime)
The Real Murders of Atlanta Season 3, Episode 7: “Dead End” - The latest episode of this Atlanta-focused true-crime docuseries involves a body wrapped in duct tape found on the grounds of a Buckhead church. (Oxygen True Crime)
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Snapped: Behind Bars Season 2, Episode 5: “Tabitha Messina” - The latest episode of this crime series is about a woman sentenced for killing her father and his girlfriend. (Oxygen True Crime)
Witches: Truth Behind the Trials (2024) - A six-part docuseries following the history of witches, witch-hunters, and witch trials. (National Geographic)
The Wonderland Massacre & the Secret History of Hollywood Episode 4: “The Last Man Standing” - The final episode of this docuseries about the notorious Wonderland murders involves Scott Thorson entering witness protection. (MGM+)
Monday, September 30, 2024
Cabin in the Woods Season 1, Episode 4: “Mississippi River Cabin” - The latest episode of a docuseries about crimes that happen in remote cabins. (Investigation Discovery)
One Person, One Vote? (2024) - A feature documentary about the Electoral College. Presented as an episode of Independent Lens. (PBS)
The Real Murders on Elm Street Season 1, Episode 4 - The latest episode of a docuseries about murders occurring at Elm Street addresses in small towns across America. (Investigation Discovery)
Stooges: The Men Behind the Mayhem (1994) - An episode of the docuseries Biography about the Three Stooges. (Ovid)
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Arab Israeli Dialogue (1974) - A short documentary featuring a dialogue between Palestinian poet Rashed Hussein and Israeli writer Amos Kenan. Presented as part of a showcase of Lionel Rogosin films. (The Criterion Channel)
Beyond 'JFK': The Question of Conspiracy (1992) - A documentary about the John F. Kennedy assassination tied to the Oliver Stone movie JFK. (Hulu)
Black Fantasy (1972) - A feature documentary about interracial marriages between Black men and white women. Presented as part of a showcase of Lionel Rogosin films. (The Criterion Channel)
Black Roots (1970) - A documentary about the Black experience in America. Presented as part of a showcase of Lionel Rogosin films. (The Criterion Channel)
Gay USA (1977) - A feature documentary showcasing Gay Pride parades across the United States. Presented as part of a two-film showcase of the work of director Arthur J. Bressan Jr. (The Criterion Channel)
Good Times, Wonderful Times (1965) - An archival documentary featuring war footage set to cocktail party chatter. Presented as part of a showcase of Lionel Rogosin films. (The Criterion Channel)
Out (1957) - A short documentary about the Hungarian refugee situation in Austria in 1956. Presented as part of a showcase of Lionel Rogosin films. (The Criterion Channel)
Woodcutters of the Deep South (1973) - A feature documentary about members of the Gulf Coast Pulpwood Association seeking better working conditions. Presented as part of a showcase of Lionel Rogosin films. (The Criterion Channel)
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
101 Fast Foods that Changed the World (2013) - A docuseries looking over the history of fast food. (Hulu)
Chef's Table: Noodles (2024) - A new four-part docuseries from the Chef’s Table franchise. (Netflix)
Food and Country (2023) - A feature documentary starring Ruth Reichl about America’s broken food system. (In Theaters)
How (Not) To Get Rid of a Body Episode 5: “A Neighborhood of Monsters” - A docuseries about killers who attempted to dispose of the bodies of their victims. (Investigation Discovery)
Notre-Dame of Paris, Rising from the Ashes (2021) - A documentary about the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral fire in 2019. (Ovid)
Secrets of the Dead Season 22 - A new season of the docuseries investigating mysteries involving historical people and places. (PBS)
Unsolved Mysteries Season 5 - The latest season of the rebooted crime docuseries about unsolved cases. (Netflix)
Thursday, October 3, 2024
The Art of Cooking With Fire (2019) - A documentary about Spanish chef Bittor Arginzoniz. (Ovid)
Dateline: The Smoking Gun Season 1, Episode 1: “In Cold Blood” - A true crime docuseries in the Dateline franchise focused on evidence that will crack a case. The first episode involves a woman murdered in her bedroom. (Oxygen True Crime)
Lost Treasures of Rome Season 2, Episode 6: “Battles on Rome’s Frontier” - The latest episode of this archaeology docuseries. (National Geographic and Hulu)
The Mole Agent (2020) - Oscar-nominated documentary following an undercover agent in a Chilean retirement home investigating elder abuse. (Netflix)
The Price of Progress (2019) - A documentary about the European agri-food industry. (Ovid)
Witches: Truth Behind the Trials (2024) - A six-part docuseries following the history of witches, witch-hunters, and witch trials. (Hulu and Disney+)
Sneak Peak At What’s Coming Soon
10/4 - Blink - A documentary from the makers of Navalny about a family traveling around the world so their children can accumulate visual memories before going blind. (In Theaters)
10/11 - Mediha - A feature documentary about a teenage survivor of being a child sex slave for ISIS. Watch the new trailer below. (In Theaters)
10/11 - Piece by Piece - A feature documentary directed by Morgan Neville (Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces) about Pharrell Williams — made with Lego bricks. You can now create your own Lego minifig associated with the film here. (In Theaters)
10/17 - The Devil’s Climb - A documentary starring Alex Honnold as he attempts a world record climb of Alaska’s Devil’s Thumb. Watch the new trailer here. (National Geographic)
10/18 - Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara - A feature documentary by Erin Lee Carr (Mommy Dead and Dearest) about the titular indie rock duo and how they were at the center of a fan-catfishing scam. Watch the new trailer below. (Hulu)
10/18 - Union - A feature documentary directed by Stephen Maing (Crime + Punishment) and Brett Story (The Hottest August) about an effort by Amazon workers to unionize. Last week, Adam McKay came aboard the film as an executive producer. (In Theaters)
10/25 - Black Box Diaries - A feature documentary in which Japanese journalist and filmmaker Shiori Itô investigates her own sexual assault. Watch the new trailer below. (In Theaters)
10/25 - My Names is Alfred Hitchcock - A feature documentary by Mark Cousins (The Eyes of Orson Welles) exploring lesser known techniques in Hitchcock’s films. Watch the new trailer here. (In Theaters)
10/25 - Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band - A feature documentary peeking behind the scenes of the titular group’s 2023-2024 tour. Watch the new trailer below. (Hulu and Disney+)
10/29 - The American Question - A feature documentary about the roots of polarization in the U.S. Watch the new trailer here. (In Theaters)
11/1 - Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat - An essay film surrounding the independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, and the incident where jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crashed the UN Security Council in 1960. Watch the new trailer here. (In Theaters)
11/22 - Never Look Away - A feature documentary directed by Lucy Lawless about CNN combat journalist Margaret Moth. Watch the new trailer below. (In Theaters and VOD)