Amazon Prime has a stunning array of documentaries
to choose from, but sorting through the fluff
can be a challenge.
These are our picks for the 10 most compelling
docs for the discerning documentary film fan.
In the ’90s, three young men from Tennessee
were convicted of a shocking triple murder.
The Paradise Lost trilogy follows the original
murder investigation of the West Memphis Three,
who were later exonerated thanks in no small
part to the national spotlight this documentary
placed on them.
If you were enthralled by Making a Murderer,
you’ll want to add these to your queue.
I Am Not Your Negro is based on the book Remember
This House by James Baldwin, one of the most
important writers of the Civili Rights movement.
It was the book Baldwin was writing at the
time of his death, and the film uses archival
recordings of Baldwin to connect the Civil
Rights movement of the 1960s to race in America
today.
Director Raoul Peck has authored a heavy documentary
that asks difficult questions about the place
of African Americans in U.S.society.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary,
I Am Not Your Negro is an artistic and educational
triumph, and should be required viewing for
every American.
Set aside a box of tissues for when you tackle
Dear Zachary, a tragic true-crime story that
paints a harsh picture of the justice system.
In 2001, Andrew Bagby was murdered by his
ex-girlfriend, Shirley Turner, following a
breakup.
She fled to Canada, where Bagby’s parents
learned she was pregnant with their son’s
child.
Dear Zachary began as a memorial documentary
for a son to learn about his lost father.
But as Shirley Turner’s case spirals wildly
out of control, we’re shown a far darker
story.
The first Fantastic Four movie to hit theaters
came out in 2005, but the first Fantastic
Four film ever made was shot in 1993, with
no intention of ever being seen.
Made by B-movie legend Roger Corman as a way
to hold onto the film rights to the characters,
the entire cast and crew set out to make the
film without knowing it would never see the
light of day.
Doomed! tells the full story behind one of
worst superhero films ever committed to celluloid,
complete with clips from the disaster itself.
Alexander McQueen came out of nowhere to revolutionize
the modern fashion industry before burning
out as fast as he arrived.
Told through exclusive interviews with his
friends and family, this doc explores a true
artistic rebel, a man who crafted clothing
into confrontational art.
Even if you aren’t interested in fashion,
McQueen is a staggering tale of tortured genius.
The federal siege of the Branch Davidian compound
in Waco, Texas, is one the most tragic disasters
in American law enforcement history.
When it was over, 76 members of the religious
cult were dead, causing ripple effects that
still reverberate through separatist groups
across the U.S.
Waco: The Rules of Engagement explores what
went wrong during the lead-up and execution
of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives siege.
You don’t have to think David Koresh was
a good man to be troubled by what happened
in April 1993.
This even-handed examination lays out the
facts with calculated accuracy.
Before Ancient Aliens, Lore, and every other
show about murder and the supernatural that
we love today, there was Unsolved Mysteries.
Now you can relive the magic of Robert Stack’s
haunting anthology of crime and the unknown
on Amazon Prime.
Featuring all 12 seasons of the groundbreaking
show, Unsolved Mysteries is ready and waiting
to be your next binge watch.
And thanks to Google, you can now look up
if the crimes you’re hearing about has since
been solved.
Skateboarding has become a massive industry,
but in the ’80s, the idea of being a pro
skater was still mostly a pipe dream.
The Bones Brigade helped change that, giving
birth to the modern skate video culture, pushing
boundaries with tricks, and becoming one of
the greatest teams in the history of the sport.
Today, even your parents know who Tony Hawk
is.
Bones Brigade: An Autobiography will show
you where he came from and how he and five
other absurdly talented friends helped kick-start
a revolution in skateboarding.
The Iron Sheik holds the rare distinction
of being both an icon of ‘90s professional
wrestling, and modern Weird Twitter.
This 2014 doc lets you meet Khosrow Vaziri,
the man behind the notorious persona, and
understand his impact on the WWE (then WWF)
through candid interviews with the Rock, Mankind,
Jake the Snake, and others.
It might not break your back, as the Iron
Sheik is want to do with his signature Camel
Clutch finisher, but it will make you humble.
Evil sometimes hides in plain sight, especially
when it targets the most marginalized members
of society.
In 2009, the Cleveland police department made
a horrifying discovery at the house of a known
sex offender named Anthony Sowell -- the bodies
of 11 women on the property.
But the worst horrors were yet to be revealed:
how Sowell was able to kill 11 women over
two years without anyone noticing.
Powerful and genuinely haunting, Unseen is
an incredible true crime documentary.
Those are our top 10 picks for the best docs
on Amazon, but if that’s not enough for
you, check the link in the description of
this video to read about 30 more fantastic
documentaries we just couldn’t include here.
And if you’re still not sure what to watch
tonight, we have many more video guides and
articles linked here to help you choose.
This video is not sponsored in any way by
Amazon, but if you sign up for Amazon Prime
or make a purchase using one of the links
below, we may receive a small commission that
helps us make more streaming guides like this
one.
Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you next
time.
