LOS ANGELES — Documentaries are a dime a dozen in the streaming era because they’re 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 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.

Best is a matter of perspective, but these titles are certainly notable and 100% worth your time.

‘Pee-wee as Himself’

Significantly, the name Paul Reubens is absent from the title of this bountiful, sweet and sometimes melancholy look at one of pop culture’s 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 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’s ability to bounce back as circumstances sometimes sidelined Reubens, the film is a resume of the actor’s life and times, from prejudices that, for professional reasons, kept him in the closet, to the forward-looking, idiosyncratic brilliance of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” which enlivened Saturday mornings with its dedication to diversity, difference, inclusion, openness and love. (Watch on HBO Max) — Robert Lloyd

‘Being Katharine Graham’

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’s film meticulously shows, she became a key player in the paper’s 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. “You can be friends with people in the government,” she says, “but you remember, and they remember, that the paper comes first.” (Watch on Prime Video ) — Mary McNamara

‘My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow’

Filmmaker Julia Loktev wasn’t 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 “foreign agents” by Putin’s watchdogs. Only a handful of months later, Ukraine was under invasion and TV Rain — half politics, half old-school MTV — 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’re at an endless dinner party turned strategy session. Underlying tensions harden into despair. Meanwhile, these reporters can’t help but do what they do, so in love with their jobs, they press on, smiling at their own self-immolation. “My Undesirable Friends” is scary but somehow not cynical. (Watch in select theaters) — Joshua Rothkopf

‘My Mom Jayne’

Mariska Hargitay, the star of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 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’s image as a blond bombshell is detailed in “My Mom Jayne,” one of the most surprising and compelling documentaries of 2025. Hargitay’s deep exploration of Mansfield’s 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’s journey is dramatic and emotional, filled with twists and turns. Have some tissues handy. (Watch on HBO Max ) — Greg Braxton

‘Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will’

Few things in this world are as medicinal to the soul as getting lost in a Juan Gabriel song — whether you’re giving your throat muscles a workout while choking back tears as you feel the pain and longing that imbues “Amor Eterno,” or finding yourself compelled to shimmy and twirl to the insanely catchy beat of “El Noa Noa.” The prolific and provocative icon of Mexican music, known as the “Divo of Juarez,” wrote more than 1,500 songs and toured to sold-out crowds until his death in 2016. But that larger-than-life onstage persona — often clad in flamboyant sequined jackets — was only one side of the enigmatic man who was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez. It all gets unpacked in Netflix‘s 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’s 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’s prestigious cultural venue, Palacio de Bellas Artes; he ultimately took the stage — and let me just say, forget the Eras Tour; I’d pay $100 to watch that 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’s all in Spanish. (Watch on Netflix) — Yvonne Villarreal

‘The Perfect Neighbor’ (Netflix)

Made almost entirely from police body camera footage, “The Perfect Neighbor” 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’ kids) playing on a vacant lot near her house on their unassuming street in Marion County, Florida.

Director Geeta Gandbhir, whose sister-in-law was a close friend of Owens, told The Times earlier this year she wanted to use the footage to “rebuild” the community’s world “so everyone could see the damage done by one outlier with a gun.” It’s 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 “stand your ground” laws are enforced and investigated. (Watch on Netflix) — Kaitlyn Huamani

‘Deaf President Now!,’ ‘Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore’

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. “Deaf President Now!”, directed by Nyle DiMarco — a Deaf activist and winner of “America’s Next Top Model” — and Davis Guggenheim (“Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”), 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’s rights. (Watch on Apple TV)

Meanwhile, director Shoshannah Stern’s 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, her “CODA” co-star. Both films are subtitled and in American Sign Language, turning the table on hearing viewers. (Watch on PBS) — Maira Garcia

‘Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery’

It’s hard to convey just how wondrous and revolutionary and comforting it felt to attend Lilith Fair in the late 1990s to people who weren’t there, but this documentary comes pretty darn close. Founded by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, 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 — which included Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, Tracy Chapman, Queen Latifah, Natalie Merchant, Paula Cole, Sinéad O’Connor, the Indigo Girls and many others — and it shows how the festival leaned into the power of authenticity and community and being earnest in a way that other events haven’t. Some aspects of the Lilith Fair story might seem unimaginable to those who’ve come of age in the era of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, but some of the politics and attitudes toward women of that time might feel eerily relevant to our current social climate. (Watch on Hulu) — Tracy Brown

‘Surviving Ohio State’

Ohio State University has one of the country’s top athletic programs, and its Buckeyes are currently vying for the college football championship. But despite its elite ranking, the university still hasn’t 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 Donald Trump. Jordan has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Strauss’ 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) — G.B.

‘Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost’

Ben Stiller’s 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’s a showbiz story of growing up within a show biz story, but it’s 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 — and how that understanding is a key to understanding themself. As different people with different goals — “My mom wanted to be happy independent of performing,” says Ben, “and I think for my dad performing was so important to him it was part of his happiness” — 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. (Watch on Apple TV) — R.L.

‘Orwell: 2+2=5’

There’s no way a documentary about George Orwell’s cultural legacy doesn’t linger as one of the year’s best — least of all in a moment when doublespeak gets a daily airing out of Washington and the evidence of our own eyes can’t be trusted. Director Raoul Peck, a consistently sharp exfoliator of tricky subjects, turns his movie into both a historical primer of the author’s eventful life and a guide to recognizing tomorrow’s fascists. (You also get an entertaining taste of the many on-screen adaptations of “1984,” our favorite being the one with John Hurt and a synthy Eurythmics score.) Unusually for a doc, Peck marshals an unforgettable vocal performance — 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) — J.R.

‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’

If you’ve ever lived in New York, you know that the Piano Man is a part of the city’s lore and cultural heritage, much like Randy Newman is to L.A. and Springsteen is to Jersey. But the truth is that Billy Joel’s influence extends far beyond the borders of the Big Apple — 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’s biggest pop stars. (Watch on HBO Max) — M.G.

‘Mr. Scorsese’

For fans of Martin Scorsese, and American filmmaking, Rebecca Miller’s 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, Robert De Niro, Nicholas Pileggi, Brian De Palma, Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis. On one level, “Mr. Scorsese” 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. (Watch on Apple TV) — M.M.

‘Riefenstahl’

Again with Hitler’s favorite filmmaker? Yes, again. No one has done a better job of indicting her phony naïveté than German documentarian Andres Veiel, who not only pokes holes in the prior attempt, 1993’s “The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl” (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 — in jaw-dropping footage — 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 “Triumph of the Will” and “Olympia” while insisting that visual genius can never be enough. (Watch on VOD) — J.R.

‘Taurasi’

I have grown into one of those grumps who is wary of how easily we throw around honorifics like “legendary” and “GOAT.” But Diana Taurasi 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 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’s 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’s 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) — T.B.

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