The Best Documentaries of 2024

As a seasoned cinephile and a firm believer in the transformative power of cinema, I find myself utterly captivated by this diverse array of films. Each one offers a unique perspective, immersing us in the lives of characters that resonate deeply within our collective human experience.

Reality doesn’t bite. Well, okay, at times it does. A number of our choices for the best documentaries of the year capture turbulent realities, ominous politics, and, on occasion, stark tragedy. That’s one of the missions of nonfiction film: to put us in touch with dark things that are too often hidden away. But our list casts a wider net than that. It includes tales of hope and daring, of fighting back, of art and inspiration, of the heroism of ordinary people…and extraordinary people. What the best documentaries of 2024 add up to is nothing less than a feast of reality.

The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem

A crucial lesson in digital history is presented through the movie “The Antisocial Network,” which chronicles the origin and rise of 4Chan — an online realm where outrageous satire, the reckless stunts of “Jackass,” and a political anger without direction coalesced into a perpetual rebellious attitude. However, the film also reveals that 4Chan gave birth to QAnon, which is alarming given its impact (as half the country now seemingly believes in bizarre conspiracy theories as truth). Yet, it’s surprising to learn that the creation of QAnon was essentially accidental. The conspiracy theory known as Pizzagate initially started as a joke; later, people began to believe it. “The Antisocial Network” demonstrates how the hackers and developers behind 4Chan sought attention above all else and were willing to go to great lengths to achieve it. In a twisted way, QAnon became the realization of their viral ambitions.

Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy

The scariest and most penetrating political documentary of the year, though the media mostly ignored it. It captures how Donald Trump, in the time he has spent setting himself up to be an authoritarian leader, fashioned himself into a president who could mesh perfectly with the goals of Christian nationalism, a movement built around the dream of transforming America into a theocracy. The film’s directors, Stephen Uljaki and Chris Jones, go deep into the roots of this crusade, which believes not only in trashing democracy but in undermining the very concept of free will that’s at the heart of Christian theology. The movement’s goal is a nation ruled by a higher power than the Constitution — ruled by the will of God, as interpreted by His white Christian followers. —OG

The Bibi Files

Intrigued by the captivating documentary of Alexis Bloom, I found myself delving into an exposé of Benjamin Netanyahu’s prolongation of the conflict in Gaza as a means to evade his own corruption scandal. The film, based on leaked tapes of Netanyahu’s police interrogation, paints a picture of a cunning actor and relentless autocrat.

Black Box Diaries

In a five-year span, Shiori Ito’s emotionally raw investigative documentary follows her relentless pursuit of justice against Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a well-known Japanese TV reporter who sexually assaulted her. This powerful figure had connections in high places, even reaching the prime minister. The film seamlessly moves between formal investigation and personal confession, with archived footage intertwining with intimate iPhone videos and audio recordings. The film skillfully avoids excessive manipulation or sentimentality, instead, mirroring the intense emotional highs and lows of this arduous legal battle. —Guy Lodge’s paraphrase

Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg

As a cinephile, I found myself utterly immersed in Svetlana Zill and Alexis Bloom’s film about the enigmatic Anita Pallenberg – a woman who embodied the glamour and artistic prowess of the rock ‘n’ roll scene. Yet, it was the raw, unflinching portrayal of the destructive side of this counterculture that left an indelible mark on me.

Dahomey

Mati Diop’s extraordinary, enigmatic film delves into the topic of returning stolen artifacts to Benin. As the director behind “Atlantics,” Diop has crafted a surreal, thought-provoking exploration of the contentious subject of restituting treasures taken by colonial powers. The movie opens in the storage area of the Paris Musée du Quai Branly, where artifacts like a wooden statue of King Gezo, who ruled Dahomey in the 1800s and appears to be giving a Black Power salute, are being prepared for transportation. However, what follows is a shift in perspective, as we begin hearing the thoughts of the statue itself, reflecting on its long years of captivity. These musings infuse the film with an unsettling tension, as any joy about the artifacts’ return is tempered by deep-seated doubts about whether true justice can ever be achieved. —Jessica Kiang

Daughters

In this heartrending film I supported, Natalie Rae and Angela Patton take us on a journey with four extraordinary girls – Aubrey Smith, Santana Stewart, Ja’Ana Crudup, and Raziah Lewis – as they prepare to meet their incarcerated fathers. As the founder of Girls for Change, Angela initiated the Date with Dad program 12 years ago.

Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes

A new category of celebrity documentaries revolves around the playback of old analog tape recordings, one example being Nanette Burstein’s captivating portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor. This documentary is constructed from interviews conducted by Richard Meryman in 1964 for a book he was writing, and Taylor’s voice stands out for its rich expressiveness – she is rebellious, sorrowful, seductive, indignant, brimming with decadent delight, and consistently candid. Her words breathe new life into even the most commonplace events, revealing an intimate perspective. “The Lost Tapes” offers a glimpse into how Taylor’s life became mythology, particularly her global love story with Richard Burton that was amplified by the media. The film is brimming with fascinating clips of both private and public Liz, encouraging us to appreciate the depth of her expressiveness and the variety of moods she conveyed.

Ennio

In this rephrased version, I’ve attempted to maintain the original’s flow and style while making it easier to read:

Eno

In Gary Hustwit’s innovative movie, the structure adapts with each watch thanks to sophisticated software. The film subtly embodies the essence of Brian Eno, a pioneer in ambient music, as its very shape mirrors his art. Eno initially emerged within Roxy Music as a quirky sci-fi enchantress dressed in thrift-store finery, a glamorous nerd with a touch of the fantastical. As he embarked on his solo career, he retained his image as pop’s eccentric jester, a mystique that persisted through his legendary collaborations with David Bowie, Talking Heads, Devo, U2, and Coldplay. The documentary “Eno” is streamlined, smooth, and captivating, although part of the reason it feels this way is because Hustwit, utilizing 500 hours of footage from Eno’s personal archives, has crafted a film that encapsulates nothing but Brian Eno. As an interviewee, he proves to be a witty, intelligent, and down-to-earth middle-class British man with intriguing stories to share. The movie seamlessly blends his insights to connect his past and present in a way that underscores their musical and spiritual harmony.

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

In Raoul Peck’s chilling film, I found myself reconnected with the courageous South African photographer who dared to reveal the harsh reality of apartheid through his powerful images in the 1967 book “House of Bondage.” Yet, after relocating to New York City, he seemed to vanish from sight. The film is a visual feast, filled with Cole’s photographs that are nothing short of breathtaking. His street scenes serve as vivid dioramas, capturing the psychological essence of life within a rigid caste system. He skillfully documented the simmering violence of apartheid, earning him widespread acclaim. However, roaming through New York with his camera, he seemed to capture a freedom that eluded him personally. The movie delves into Cole’s downfall, but it also transforms into an intriguing mystery as it uncovers the discovery of 60,000 never-before-seen negatives hidden in three safety deposit boxes in a Stockholm bank vault. (The origin of their presence remains a mystery.) As I watched “Lost and Found,” I was touched by a life that took a tragic turn, but by the end, it felt as if the ghost himself was reaching out to me.

The Greatest Night in Pop

This movie is for anyone captivated by “We Are the World,” including those who have questions about its legendary charity single. The film takes us behind the scenes at A&M Recording Studios in Los Angeles following the American Music Awards on January 28, 1985, when the song was recorded. Essentially, “We Are the World” has always been a documentary – capturing the song as it was being created and serving as a miniature pop-star psychoanalysis. Bao Nguyen’s film allows us to immerse ourselves in this atmosphere and delve deeper. Lionel Richie serves as our guide through nostalgia, making the movie celebratory yet honest and intensely enjoyable. It lifts the veil on the smoke screen of music-star fame. —OG (Paraphrased)

How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

Norman Mailer was a writer whose work often stirred debate and controversy, making statements that might not be acceptable today. In the 50s and 60s, he fueled controversy and provocation as part of his mission to influence his era and awaken society. Jeff Zimbalist’s film portrays the grandeur and the shadows of the Mailer experience. It encapsulates Mailer as a writer, a celebrity, a failure, an addict, a seeker in the ’50s underworld, a culture warrior, a blender of fiction and reality, a filmmaker, a serial husband and father, a talk-show host, a self-dramatizing troublemaker who attacked his wife, a hoodlum, and an obsessive artist. The film examines Mailer with a profound blend of insight and critical discernment. —Paraphrased by OG

Look Into My Eyes

In this documentary, Director Lana Wilson explores the lives of various psychics and clairvoyants in New York City, delving into their everyday experiences rather than focusing on whether or not they possess genuine abilities. The film presents a humorous, empathetic depiction of these individuals, highlighting what motivates people from different backgrounds to consult them. The seven psychics featured in the documentary represent a diverse group, with four women and three men, as well as four people of color and three whites. Their methods vary widely, ranging from serious New Age practices to flamboyant performances reminiscent of fairground acts. The film skillfully balances skepticism and open-mindedness, catering to both hardcore doubters and the curious. Even if you don’t have strong opinions on life after death, you might find amusement in a self-proclaimed medium boasting about diagnosing a cat’s urinary tract infection through telepathy. Lana Wilson’s film implies that connecting with the deceased could be an indirect means of reaching the living. —GL

Martha

R.J. Cutler’s exceptional movie delves into the aspects we adore and dislike about Martha Stewart. It guides us through her journey of rise, fall, and rise again, a captivating tale that benefits from Cutler’s continuous contemplation on the Essence of Martha. The film illustrates how Stewart’s influence on American culture appears, in retrospect, as both inevitable and improbable. It reveals her transformation from a model to a New York stockbroker, then to a Westport, Connecticut resident with her publishing magnate husband, who purchased Turkey Hill Farm – a property they renovated (with Martha personally painting the entire house while listening to Watergate hearings), which set the stage for her signature style of impeccably stylish “perfection.” The film suggests that Stewart had a vision, which made her America’s first self-made female billionaire. However, what she built and marketed was an idealized image of a powerful homemaker for women who were no longer content with being homemakers. She showcased all the attainable goals, but she played a significant role in shaping the aspirational culture of the 21st century as an unattainable proxy dream. In essence, she wrapped a turkey in puff pastry so you didn’t have to deal with the mess. —Paraphrased

Nocturnes

A captivating documentary focusing on moths, delving into critical climate change issues. In the forests of northeastern India, scientist Mangi Mungee and her local assistant participate in an evening tradition of setting up a lit sheet within the woods. Over time, multitudes of moths are drawn to this setup, allowing Mansi to study, photograph, and analyze them. The fluttering wings and the melodious sounds of insects create a peaceful ambiance, as the film subtly weaves connections between their lives and ours, inviting viewers to carefully observe and comprehend these intricate relationships. —Paraphrased by AI

No Other Land

A raw, heartbreaking portrayal of resistance against Israel’s occupation in the West Bank, specifically focusing on Masafer Yatta, a group of Palestinian villages in the Southern Hebron Hills. This region has been under relentless demolition and displacement by the Israeli military, leaving Basel Adra, a young lawyer and activist from the area, with limited options but to document the destruction. In this powerful documentary, we are given a glimpse into his eyewitness account. The film presents harrowing visuals without heavy commentary, allowing the images to speak for themselves. While “No Other Land” could be deemed as timely, its portrayal of the ongoing danger and psychological strain experienced under occupation over several years underscores a critical situation that has long been at breaking point. The filmmaking is skillful and thoughtful, with precise editing (by Adra and his fellow directors, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal, and Rachel Szor) that effectively conveys the feeling of time both advancing and repeating itself. —GL

Plastic People

A thorough exploration of how plastic has infiltrated us all, going beyond just being harmful to the environment. The film “Plastic People” by Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong sheds light on the impact of plastic on our physical bodies. It highlights the concerning issue of microplastics, tiny plastic particles often invisible to the naked eye, which have permeated our food, water, air, and even us, contaminating us from within. The movie provides compelling evidence suggesting that plastic plays a significant role in rising infertility rates. Additionally, it offers an intriguing account of how plastic came into existence in the 2000s and gradually became omnipresent, with Big Oil and Big Plastic now intertwined. In essence, “Plastic People” serves as a chilling warning, hinting at the potential dangers that could be compared to an alien invasion by deadly polymers.

Skywalkers: A Love Story

Jeff Zimbalist’s remarkable movie about rooftoppers, individuals who daringly ascend the world’s tallest skyscrapers and then traverse the slender, curved spires on their summits, is a thrilling, vertigo-inducing spectacle. Yet, it’s also a deep exploration of love, trust, fear, and transcendence in an era where romance has become a dangerous pursuit. The film offers the exhilaration similar to that experienced with “Free Solo” and “The Dawn Wall,” though it presents an even greater “Wow” factor, as it follows Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau, two rooftoppers from Moscow, on their journey together, propelled by their instinct to transform danger into a kind of controlled insanity. By the time they’re scaling the Merdeka 188 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (and if they get caught, they’ll end up in prison), they’re executing a stunt that takes “Don’t try this at home” to new heights of awe. —Paraphrased by AI

Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat

Discussing the story of Congolese leader Patrick Lumumba, who was tragically assassinated in 1961, alongside events such as Louis Armstrong’s musical tour, the growth of the UN after numerous African countries gained independence in the 1960s, might initially seem like a challenging task. However, writer-director Johan Grimonprez skillfully weaves these elements together in an extraordinary manner. This film presents politics as both a grand performance and ironic humor – it’s an engaging and insightful documentary that expertly unravels a complex historical event. The movie reveals the dark truth of how a beloved African leader was brutally murdered in a coup, allowing colonial powers to continue exploiting his country’s mineral resources. Yet, this narrative unfolds to the beat of American jazz, creating a striking contrast. This counterpoint suggests that musicians were manipulated by the State Department to divert attention from Lumumba’s murder, but it also gives the film a unique rhythm and flow – one that is distinctively its own. —Murtada Elfadl

Sugarcane

It’s possible that many non-Native people were unaware of the longstanding abuse and disappearances of Native American children at residential schools across North America, until it was dramatized in a heartrending plotline on the TV series “1923” by Taylor Sheridan. However, the reality behind this fact-based narrative is even more appalling. The film “Sugarcane” sheds light on the widespread horrors that took place at the closed St. Joseph’s Mission in British Columbia. This institution was one of many state-funded facilities designed to address the “Indian problem” by indoctrinating children to abandon their Native languages and traditions, assimilating them into society. The movie reveals how students died attempting to escape or by taking their own lives, and we hear harrowing stories of priests sexually abusing students. The survivors of St. Joseph’s share memories they have obviously tried to suppress for a long time, and “Sugarcane” is the result of compassionate and insightful filmmakers who aim to ensure that these atrocities are never forgotten. —Joe Leydon

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I’d say Christopher Reeve delivered an unparalleled performance as a comic-book superhero on the big screen. His portrayal of Superman was so impactful that the accident he suffered on May 27, 1995, felt exceptionally poignant in its severity. Everyone knows that during an equestrian competition, Reeve fell from his horse and sustained a spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. The documentary “Super/Man” powerfully chronicles this incident and its consequences. Tragically, Reeve passed away in 2004, but for the rest of his life, he lived with a wheelchair and respirator.

Taking Venice

Amei Wallach’s engaging and enlightening documentary delves into a historical uproar in the art sphere, focusing on the 1964 Venice Biennale where the United States aimed to exert its cultural influence. The campaign was orchestrated to have Robert Rauschenberg win the top prize as a symbol of American dominance during the Cold War. This event also signaled a significant shift – the decline of Paris as the art world’s epicenter and the rise of New York, with its dynamic artists (Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol) becoming the new leaders. In essence, “Taking Venice” encapsulates the moment when the art world, enamored by the American artistic revolution, underwent a transformation. While it can be said that the U.S. used art for propaganda purposes at the Biennale, another perspective might be: Was there ever a more justified US propaganda campaign? We were backing the best artist, driven by the desire to promote beauty. —OG

Uncropped

The engrossing documentary “Uncropped” presents an intriguing depiction of James Hamilton, leading one to ponder if he is the most remarkable New York photographer of all time. Known for his work with The Village Voice and Harper’s Bazaar, D.W. Young’s film immerses viewers in the artistry of this legendary shutterbug, whose black-and-white images embody a striking blend of spontaneous classicism.

Will & Harper

Will & Harper” is a road trip documentary featuring two long-standing friends, filled with laughter, tears, and the odd prank reminiscent of “Borat.” It introduces Harper Steele, a former SNL writer who became friends with Will Ferrell when he first joined the show. Interestingly, this is their first meeting too, as Steele spent her initial 60 years as a man before transitioning at age 61. After receiving an emotional, heartfelt email from Steele about her decision, Ferrell proposed they embark on a cross-country trip together – just the two of them, Harper, Will, and their film crew (who manage to stay behind the scenes throughout the journey). The physical journey takes them from New York City to the Santa Monica Pier, with stops at various redneck bars, diners, and dirt track races. This journey allows the old friends to reconnect and discuss all aspects of Steele’s emotional transformation. Struggling to accept her own beauty in a world that can sometimes be unaccepting of trans identities, Steele provides a relatable perspective on the trans experience. By accepting his new friend wholeheartedly, Ferrell serves as an inspiring role model. We can only hope to have friends like these. —Peter Debruge

Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos

This two-and-a-half hour film by Alex Gibney, titled “Wise Guy,” offers an enlightening, captivating exploration of the groundbreaking TV series “The Sopranos.” The movie delves deep into the mind of its creator and showrunner, David Chase, through insightful interviews, humorous set reenactments, and a wealth of archival footage. This film is rich in flavor, much like a well-prepared baked ziti, and as immersive as the series it depicts.

Zurawski v Texas

This movie offers an unwavering, progressively unsettling examination of the ongoing struggle over Texas’s stringent abortion laws. It follows the legal conflict against the state, which nearly outlawed abortions following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, although with exceptions for life-threatening situations. However, as directors Maisie Crowe and Abbie Perrault clarify, the exemption law is so vague that physicians are uncertain about their legal rights to perform abortions for their patients. The film’s focus is on Molly Duane, a dedicated attorney from the Center for Reproductive Rights who is involved in a multifaceted lawsuit that spans from local courts to the Texas Supreme Court. We see the ordeals of patients who become Duane’s clients, with lead plaintiff Amanda Zurawski being one such example. She nearly died when her water broke at just 18 weeks into her pregnancy. Her doctors failed to carry out the medically necessary abortion, leaving her to wait until she became septic. By emphasizing personal narratives over political rhetoric, this film, produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, Jennifer Lawrence, among others, compellingly asserts that access to abortions should not be a partisan issue but a shared concern across party lines. —Tomris Laffly

2024-12-20 22:18