STEAMY STREAMING: 2020 DOCS
Crip Camp, Athlete A, Boys State +
This year was an amazing one for documentary features. They broke the mold and moved and educated us. From the zany to the thoughtful to the hard-hitting journalism, here are the best documentaries from 2020 and where to stream them:
DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD
If you’re looking for a light-hearted, genre-bending documentary, Dick Johnson is Dead is for you. Filmmaker Kristen Johnson chronicles the last days of her father’s life, but it possesses a sincere comedic flair.
Dick Johnson is Dead is available on Netflix.
TIME
Documentarian Garrett Bradley wholy captures Fox Rich’s fight against injustice when her husband unfairly receives a 60-year prison sentence. Bradley won best director at the Sundance Film Festival for her stunning work.
Time is available on Amazon Prime.
CRIP CAMP
Crip Camp hails from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, High Ground Productions. It tells the story of Camp Jened, a summer camp for disabled people. The documentary is a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination — and perhaps the win.
Crip Camp is available on Netflix.
ATHLETE A
Athlete A tracks the reporters at the Indianapolis Star who broke the story about USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The story is infuriating, but it highlights the importance of investigative journalism.
Athlete A is available on Netflix.
BOYS STATE
Boys State doesn’t feel like a documentary, which can be a definite perk. It tells the story of a social experiment where a thousand 17-year-old boys are brought together to create their government from the ground up.
Boys State is available on AppleTV+.
DISCLOSURE: TRANS LIVES ON SCREEN
Few documentaries have affected real change like Disclosure. Executive produced by Laverne Cox, it gives background on how trans people were shown on TV and film and provides Hollywood with a list of what not to do.
Disclosure is available on Netflix.
MISS AMERICANA
There have been plenty of music docs this year, but few struck a chord like Taylor Swift’s Miss Americana. The intimate look at the global superstar breaks down the celebrity and discusses the personal struggles our favorite people experience.
Miss Americana is available on Netflix.
THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF
Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova had two of her paintings stolen. In true artistic fashion, she sought out the thief and formed an unlikely friendship while she painted him.
The Painter and the Thief is available on Hulu.
WELCOME TO CHECHNYA
Welcome To Chechnya is one of the most hard-hitting docs of the year. It follows activists in Chechnya where it is illegal to be LGBTQ+.
Welcome to Chechnya is available on HBO Max.
COLLECTIVE
Collective has been making waves in the film critics circles. It’s another documentary that follows journalists — this time in Romania and involving healthcare fraud.
Collective is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
