Documentaries are slowly coming back into fashion, as streaming platforms likeHBO Maxplace these films into the spotlight, which is a relief since there’s so much to be told. Especially in times like this when it’s more important than ever to see other people’s viewpoints and gain insight into different situations and environments.
RELATED:Best Sci-Fi Movies On HBO Max Right Now
Thankfully movie creators have elevated the genre and people no longer think of documentaries as boring 4-hour films that they must watch because it’s in the curriculum. These features are written, studied, and filmed with awesome professional skills, and some don’t even seem like documentaries. All of them have one thing in common; they have a really important message to share.
Updated July 22, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:The impressive variety of documentaries currently available on HBO Max and the sheers scale of the selection is changing all the time. The platform offers stories about individuals and historic events, made up of a collage of interviews, narration, and behind-the-scenes footage. In addition to the original entries, which are still available on the popular streaming service, here are a few more of the best documentaries on HBO Max.
12Breslin And Hamill: Deadline Artists (2019)
Sadly the art of ink-stained journalism has become history, but directors John Block and Jonathan Alter took it upon themselves to encapsulate the art of journalism and at the same time the challenges of the 20th century in this documentary.
RELATED:Funniest Reality Shows On HBO Max
There aren’t many documentaries or even movies that revolve around writing and journalism because it’s incredibly hard to convey the act of writing through film. The process of writing is solitary and quiet, and the beauty of a muse, an inspiration, or an epiphany is almost impossible to film. Almost, becauseBreslin and Hamillsucceeded in it via perfectly conducted interviews and diligently gathered archival footage which they use to their advantage to create one of the best documentaries on HBO Max.
11Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021)
Morgan Neville, the same director, producer, and writer responsible forWon’t You Be My neighborin 2018, is the driving force behind this biography-documentary that focuses on the life, times, and legacy of Anthony Bourdain. A unique celebrity in the sense that he never really was one, Anthony Bourdain revived both the travel lifestyle and food-show genre just by being himself, and it’s not just the fans that miss him that will enjoy this documentary.
It was critically acclaimed upon its release and is considered a box office success, but received some criticism for using AI to alter Bourdain’s voice for some of the narration. For those that are interested in other media involving Bourdain,HBO Max is also airing theParts Unknownseries.
10Fake Famous (2021)
Not only doesFake Famousanswer an age-old question: “How did all this garbage find itself on my feed?”, but it also offers insight into the lives of influencers and the challenges and responsibilities they have behind the scenes.
RELATED:Every Streamer Who Changed Platforms in 2021
Most of them are fake, the things they’re doing and the stuff they have are either rented or borrowed, and the lifestyle they lead is just half of the story. But people also have the chance to see the amount of work that goes into this profession, especially by those who take the role seriously. And most importantly, it carries the message that today the most important thing is to use influence correctly and responsibly.
9Everything is Copy - Nora Ephron: Scripted & Unscripted (2016)
A celebration of Nora Ephron’s legacy,Everything Is Copyis a documentary written and directed by her son Jacob Bernstein. The movie is the perfect combination of tender love toward his mother, and the harsh realities of her life. Thankfully, Bernstein was able to take a step back and investigate the truth behind the stories instead of blinding the audience with a love letter.
The movie is fantastic and could be the best documentary on HBO Max. It features somevery big names, like Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, and more. The stories behind some books and movies, the truth behind relationships, and the meaning behind the title of the piece are all unveiled, and make people love the genius of Nora Ephron even more.
8LFG (2021)
LFGis a documentary about the US Women’s National Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay, and their lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation. It’s anenjoyable sports film, and also a frustrating documentary to watch due to the background of the movement.
RELATED:Best Sports Games Of All Time
It’s a documentary that truly includes viewers in the fight, and the audience finds themselves fighting alongside even if the outcome might be unclear or one-sided in the end.LFGis passionate, inspiring, and tells a very important story beautifully.
7Grey Gardens (1976)
Grey Gardenshits terrifyingly close to home for some viewers. It follows the lives of a mother and daughter who are living in misery in a luxurious mansion. This movie is emotionally straining to watch as these women struggle with their everyday lives, making it one of the best documentaries on HBO Max.
But in the end, however hard it might be to see these harsh realities, it’s worth watching. It gives people a close look at the lives of those who live in such harsh conditions. For people who were raised in a similar environment, it’s a great way to understand what the older generations had to go through and how they ended up the way they did.
6Gimme Shelter (1970)
On December 6th, 1969, the death of Meredith Hunter and three others occurred at the Altamont Free Concert, now remembered for its considerable violence and horrifying outcome. The 1970 documentaryGimme Shelterrevolves around the Rolling Stones' 1969 US tour that ultimately ended in this now infamous event, chronicled in one of the best documentaries on HBO Max.
.
In the middle of the counterculture era (a movement that revolves around the philosophy of being a “reactive” filmmaker), the Maysles brothers wanted to record the events as they unfolded naturally instead of investigating through interviews or other conventional documentary techniques.
RELATED:Documentaries To Watch If You Loved The Beatles: Get Back
This gives the movie a raw feeling, as it doesn’t feel like a documentary at all. The gruesome scenes of the concert were filmed by many and did appear inGimme Shelter. It’s a movie to watch with caution and isn’t recommended for some viewers, but those who remember the incident, or those who are curious about the happenings of the Altamont Free Concert, should without a doubt watch it.
5Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015)
Any documentary that takes on the Church of Scientology is going to be controversial, no matter how well-researched and impeccably referenced it may be. Often shortened toGoing Clear,HBO produced the documentary and it was first released at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah and had a limited release in a select number of theaters just after.
Despite the muted released and understated publicity campaign, partly due to the Church’s vocal condemnation of the movie and its participants, it received critical acclaim and still enjoys some publicity through word of mouth. Its availability on streaming services like HBO Max has only helped to further increase its popularity.
43 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets (2015)
Seeing the numbers only makes it more real. In 2012, Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida. The entire case revolved around these three and a half minutes, where a total of ten bullets were shot into the teenager. The documentary investigates the shooting, as well as captures the trial, protests, and media coverage that followed the tragedy.
RELATED:Exciting Netflix Original Series Coming Out In 2022
What’s unique in this documentary is the fact that viewers can empathize with everyone involved. A lot of films revolving around this type of tragedy use the production as a way to stir outrage or protest against one, whereas3 1/2 Minutesshows all sides of the story, and the ugly truth about social and racial profiling we see today.
3Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (2018)
Robin Williams will forever hold a special place in our hearts. An amazing person whose legacy revolved around the fact that with every breath,he wished to make people laugh. So it shocked millions when the beloved comedian took his own life.Come Inside My Mindoffers an intimate and heart-wrenching look inside the life of Robin Williams.
Featuring Whoopie Goldberg, David Letterman, Billy Crystal, and many others, the documentary paints a realistic and respectful picture of the comedian’s life. It doesn’t gloss over the fact that he struggled with alcoholism, depression, drug addiction, and by the end, Lewy body dementia, but still emphasizes the way he made everyone’s life better since 1977.
