The mistake most marathons make is consistency - same tone, same energy, film after film. Vary the weight. Follow something heavy with something lighter. Let the list breathe.
The 2020s have already produced films that will be studied for decades - lean, precise, unafraid to take audiences seriously.
A great documentary finds the universal in the specific. One person's story becomes everyone's story.
An intimate look at America's favourite neighbor and the life, lessons, and legacy of Fred Rogers.
Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's El Capitan.
An in-depth look at the US prison system and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock musician Rodriguez.
The documentaries that stay with you are the ones that refuse to simplify. They show you the mess of a real situation and trust you to sit with it.
A look at tightrope walker Philippe Petit's daring, and illegal, high-wire routine performed between the World Trade Center's twin towers in 1974.
When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his project into a geopolitical thriller.
A documentary about the 1965-66 Indonesian mass killings, in which former paramilitary leaders re-enact their crimes.
Backup singers discuss their careers and relationships with the stars they support.
Michael Moore explores the culture of guns and violence in the United States.
Overlooked films are overlooked for the wrong reasons. Not because they failed - because they didn't fit. These didn't fit. They're excellent.
A great documentary is one you find yourself thinking about weeks later. These qualify.