Stuck for things to watch this weekend? I’ve?compiled the ten best documentaries available to stream on Netflix. From exploring the crash of 2008, to climate change, to examining the?hopes for saving mankind, this collection is guaranteed?to entertain and inform.
1. ?Inequality for All (2013)
Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich makes a compelling case about the serious crisis the U.S. faces due to the widening economic gap. He looks at the causes of and proposed solutions to the one of the biggest crises?facing the US in this fascinating documentary.
IMDB: 8.0 ? ?
2. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and ultimately its fall. This film?explores the causes of the collapse of what was then the biggest energy corporation?in the world, its ties to the Bush Administration, and its parallels to our current economic woes.
3. Food Inc. (2008)
An unflattering look inside America’s corporate controlled food industry. This film exposes the industrial farming epidemic that is plaguing our environment and offers a view at sustainable, healthy alternatives.
IMDB: 7.9 ? ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0
4. Gasland (2010)
Documentary filmmaker Josh Fox examines the negative effects of natural-gas drilling, from poisoned water sources to unhealthy animals. This documentary not only unravels the toxic fracking boom, but investigates the failures of governmental institutions meant to protect us from these hazards.
IMDB: 7.7 ? ?
5. The Life of Mammals,? Ep: 9, “Food for Thought” (2002)
Human beings are the so-called top mammals on the food chain, but can’they survive? This is the final episode of a masterpiece BBC series from one of the greatest naturalists of all time. In?it, Sir David Attenborough speculates about?the future of civilization by looking at the?anthropological roots of its?past. Along the way, he?raises some very important and difficult questions that are sure to stay with the viewer for months to come.
IMDB: 9.2 ? ?
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% audience approval
6. Breaking the Taboo (2011)
Narrated by Morgan Freeman and Gael Garcia Bernal, this groundbreaking documentary uncovers the UN sanctioned war on drugs, charting its origins and its devastating impact on countries like the USA, Colombia and Russia. Featuring prominent statesmen, including Presidents Clinton and Carter, this film follows The Global Commission on Drug Policy on a mission to break the political taboo and expose the biggest failure of global policy in the last 50 years.
IMDB: NR ? ?
Rotten Tomatoes: NR ?
7. Citizen Koch (2013)
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark Citizens United decision, this film explores the mounting struggle between money and American democracy. It is a great primer for anyone looking to gain better understanding of campaign finance and the consequences of money being equated with free speech.
IMDB: 6.3 ? ?
8. Surviving Progress (2011)
This remarkable documentary examines?whether human “progress” stemming from the Industrial Age could be paving the way for civilization’s ultimate collapse. It offers expert perspective?from the likes of Stephen Hawking, David Suzuki, Jane Goodall and more. Hands down, this is one of the most thought provoking movies you’ll ever see.
IMDB: 7.5 ? ?
9. The Overnighters
This documentary follows North Dakota pastor Jay Reinke as he tries to help the unemployed men drawn to the state’s booming shale oil industry. This award winning documentary has been called “a modern day Grapes of Wrath,” and is as captivating and heartfelt as it is informative.
IMDB: 7.4 ? ?
10. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Season, 1 Ep: 12, “The World Set Free”
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson presents new revelations about time and space in this reboot of the original “Cosmos” documentary series. In this episode, he destroys climate change skepticism and ponders the endless possibilities of a world freed from the shackles of fossil fuels.
IMDB 9.4 ? ?
