Amazing Documentaries on Netflix To Pass The Time In Quarantine

Documentaries are a great way to pass the time whether it’s during this quarantine or really any time! The great part about them is that unlike most movies or TV shows, documentaries are an inside look at certain true stories. You really feel part of the story when you’re watching old recordings or interviews pertaining to the subject. Documentaries are also great because for the most part with the diversity in topics there’s bound to be something out there for everyone. Whether your preference is sports, music, crime, war, or whatever there is likely an amazing documentary, if not multiple, on that topic. Netflix has a great supply of amazing documentaries available and is bound to have something you’ll enjoy. Check out some of these amazing documentaries on Netflix to pass the time in quarantine!

1. Becoming

Some documentaries such as this follow after a famous book to give a more inside look. Becoming follows former first lady Michelle Obama on an incredible journey of her growth, strength, inspiring qualities, and life in the White House. She’s a brilliant and generous woman who made so many strides in a number of fields as the first lady and beyond. The documentary looks at her life, hopes, and connections with others as we follow along her book tour in 2019. Some of the most memorable moments of the documentary are the insights into Obama’s interactions with the public. Her compassion and encouragement are something to be admired and it’s a big difference reading about is versus actually seeing it and feeling it. She touches on her and her husband’s accomplishments while in office as well as the extent of racism they endured along the way. This ties into the more current political climate where she gives her two cents on that as well. Overall, it’s an incredible inside look at an amazing woman and her incredible life, accomplishments, and aspirations. Don’t miss out on incredible documentaries like this!

2. The Vietnam War

If you’re a fan of war documentaries then you’ll enjoy The Vietnam War film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. It’s a 10-part, 18-hours overall documentary series that shows firsthand accounts of the Vietnam War. It uses firsthand witnesses such as Americans who found in the war as well as some who opposed it as well. Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both sides are also shown as well. The documentary shows how much the war seemed to split this country showing unpopular presidents, the press, protestors, and an overall viewing of how the country seemed split on what they think the country should be/represent. It’s one of those documentaries than even a while after watching it you’ll still find yourself thinking about it every so often.

3. Tiger King

You’ve probably heard of this documentary as it came out at the opportune moment when everyone starting sheltering-in-place and quickly became a #1 hit on Netflix. The Tiger King shows the story of Joe Exotic as well as inside look in general into the world of owning big cats (tigers, lions, etc.). It’s an incredible look into this diverse world of owning and running these “zoos” that are home to so many of these endangered big cats. The documentary has a number of different angles looking at the care of the cats, the people who work at these big cat zoos, and the conflict between them and animal-rights activists. Joe Exotic has a ridiculous journey ins his life around big cats and even at one point looking to be elected to local government. The story also looks at possible criminal charges on Joe Exotic as he wars with animal-rights activist Carol Baskin. He claims Baskin had her late-husband murdered so as to inherit his wealth, and their back-and-forth war leads to charges against Exotic claiming he tried to hire someone to kill Carol Baskin. Although you may think it was just an overrated documentary that people got sucked into as they were first told to shelter in place, it’s still an incredible documentary worthy of a binge-watch!.

4. Wild Wild Country

If you’re looking for documentaries that take you an absolute journey into a different world, then turn on Wild Wild Country. It describes the controversial uprising in Antelope, Oregon from the Rajneeshpuram community. Essentially, the community is this cult-like following to this man Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh or otherwise known as Osho, Bhagwan, or Rajneesh. After Rajneesh left India, he and his followers took up residence in Antelope, Oregon hoping to set up and grow a new community. The Antelope locals did not react well to these newcomers for their actions and presence didn’t mesh. They deemed these Rajneesh followers as this “sex cult” and didn’t want them living in their community which eventually led to a constitutional battle and eventually basically full-on war with guns, a bio-terror attack, and numerous similar threats. This is one of those documentaries shining a light on something that possibly not a lot of people knew much about beforehand. If you want amazing documentaries to pass the time in quarantine then you need to watch Wild Wild Country.

5. 13th

The documentary 13th by director Ava DuVernay looks at an intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration that has and still currently is happening in the United States. The title of 13th relates to the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution which abolished slavery, although left in a key aspect that says that the amendment ends involuntary servitude “except as a punishment for conviction of a crime.” The documentary looks at how this aspect of the amendment has essentially allowed the perpetuation of slavery through a number of different avenues including mass incarcerations, the war on drugs, and overall subjugation of minority classes. It’s incredibly highly rated and even more relevant in the current political and civil right atmosphere. You won’t regret watching this incredible documentary.