The Best Documentaries on HBO Right Now October 2022
The Best Documentaries on HBO Right Now (October 2022) Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Streaming > Streaming TV, Movies, & More 51 51 people found this article helpful
Watch 'Endangered' on HBO Max 03 of 15
Watch 'The Murder of Fred Hampton' on HBO Max 04 of 15
Directed by his wife Agnès Varda, The World of Jacques Demy is a love letter to its subject. Through clips and behind-the-scenes interviews, the film provides a comprehensive survey of Demy's career for those unfamiliar with his work.
Watch 'The World of Jacques Demy' on HBO Max 05 of 15
Watch 'The Janes' on HBO Max 10 of 15
This movie was made for fans of Tony Hawk who may be interested in his personal life, but Hawk's story could inspire anyone to pick up a skateboard. Watch 'Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off' on HBO Max 12 of 15
Watch 'The Forever Prisoner' on HBO Max 14 of 15
The Best Documentaries on HBO Right Now (October 2022)
Why not learn something while being entertained?
By Jeremy Laukkonen Jeremy Laukkonen Writer Shoreline Community College Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles . lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 1, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Streaming TV, Movies, & More Netflix Hulu Disney+ Prime Video Apple TV+ Favorite Events HBO is best known for its fantastic original programming and first-run movies, but it also has a ton of great documentaries, and you can watch them all on HBO Max. These documentaries teach us about the world and the human condition, open up windows on celebrities we never thought we'd get, and help illuminate some of the most pressing issues of our time. If you're just starting to get into documentaries, or you're not sure where to look next, we've compiled the best HBO has to offer for your convenience and edification. 01 of 15Tina 2021 Simply the Best
HBO IMDb rating: 9.2/10 Starring: Tina Turner, Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey Director: Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 1 hour, 58 minutes This new HBO documentary offers a fresh look at music icon Tina Turner. It charts her early rise to fame, her struggles, and her return to household name status in the 1980s thanks to her album Private Dancer, an appearance in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and more. The film includes never-before-seen footage, audiotapes, photos, and interviews with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Angela Bassett (who memorably portrayed Turner in the 1993 biopic What's Love Got to Do With It?). Watch 'Tina' on HBO Max 02 of 15Endangered 2022 A Bleak Look at the State of Free Press
HBO Max IMDb rating: 6.2/10 Starring: Sáshenka Gutiérrez, Carl Juste, Oliver Laughland Director: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 1 hour, 30 minutes Assaults on freedom of the press are rampant at home and abroad. Endangered follows journalists in Mexico, Brazil, and the U.S. whose jobs have gotten significantly harder since social media has become a substitute for local newspapers and conspiracy theories now have a broader platform than the truth. The slow extinction of trustworthy local news outlets is something that everyone should care about, no matter their political persuasions.Watch 'Endangered' on HBO Max 03 of 15
The Murder of Fred Hampton 1971 An Important Look at the Death of a Civil Rights Activist
Getty Images IMDb rating: 7.6/10 Starring: Skip Andrew, Edward Carmody, James Davis Director: Howard Alk Rating: NR Runtime: 1 hour, 28 minutes The 2021 drama Judas and the Black Messiah helped bring new awareness to the tragic death of civil rights activist and Illinois Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton. Now, HBO is releasing this 1970s documentary, which investigated his death shortly after it happened. The filmmakers went to Hampton's apartment, where he was shot in a police raid, and recorded footage of the scene before it was secured by law enforcement. They later used the recordings to dispute news reports and police testimony about what happened that day. Last year, the documentary was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and is now being preserved by the United States National Film Registry.Watch 'The Murder of Fred Hampton' on HBO Max 04 of 15
The World of Jacques Demy 1995 A Celebration of a French Filmmaker
HBO Max IMDb rating: 7.4/10 Starring: Anouk Aimée, Richard Berry, Nino Castelnuovo Director: Agnès Varda Rating: TV-PG Runtime: 1 hour, 30 minutes Filmmaker Jacques Demy was part of the controversial French New Wave movement in the mid-1900s. By combining disparate genres from all around the world, Demy gained international fame thanks to musicals like The Young Girls of Rochefort.Directed by his wife Agnès Varda, The World of Jacques Demy is a love letter to its subject. Through clips and behind-the-scenes interviews, the film provides a comprehensive survey of Demy's career for those unfamiliar with his work.
Watch 'The World of Jacques Demy' on HBO Max 05 of 15
The Princess 2022 A Historical Reconstruction of Princess Diana' s Last Days
HBO Max IMDb rating: 7.5/10 Starring: Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II Director: Ed Perkins Rating: R Runtime: 1 hour, 49 minutes To mark the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's shocking death, this film uses archival footage to document the events leading up to the tragedy and its aftermath. With no commentary, The Princess is a snapshot of history that unfolds exactly how the world experienced it a quarter-century ago. There are no new revelations about Princess Diana, but if you're fascinated by her life and death, this movie is the most intimate portrait we have of the princess's final days. Watch 'The Princess' on HBO Max 06 of 15Spring Awakening Those You' ve Known 2022 —Coming of Age Again
HBO Max IMDb rating: 8.3/10 Starring: Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, John Gallagher Jr. Director: Michael John Warren Rating: TV-MA Episodes: 1 If you missed Spring Awakening on Broadway, you can now watch it with the original cast from the comfort of your couch. They're a little older, but the songs are still timeless. Based on a 19th-century German play, Spring Awakening pushed the boundaries of what's appropriate in coming-of-age narratives. Those You've Known documents the production of the one-night-only reunion concert in November 2021, from rehearsals to the actual live performance. Watch 'Spring Awakening: Those You've Known' on HBO Max 07 of 1515 Minutes of Shame 2021 Exploring the Behavior Behind Cyberbullying
Time Mason / Getty Images IMDb rating: 6.7/10 Genre: Documentary Starring: Max Joseph, Monica Lewinsky Director: Max Joseph Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 1 hour, 25 minutes Cyberbullying has become a major problem in recent decades, and this documentary film seeks to examine the social behavior behind it. The filmmakers embed themselves with individuals who've faced public shaming or cyber-harassment, while also taking a look at the bullies themselves, including politicians and the media. 15 Minutes of Shame is about one of the most pressing and unaddressed issues of modern life, brought to you by the people who know it best. Watch '15 Minutes of Shame' on HBO Max 08 of 15John Lewis Good Trouble 2020 —A Tribute to an Inspiring Activist
Kypros / Getty Images IMDb rating: 7.1/10 Starring: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Director: Dawn Porter Rating: PG Runtime: 1 hour, 36 minutes Good Trouble is a look at the life and activism of the late Congressman John Lewis, a prominent figure in the United States' Civil Rights movement. During his lifetime, he participated in thousands of protests, was arrested more than 40 times, and spent three decades as representative of Georgia's 5th congressional district. This portrait of his life is timely given America's current socio-political climate, and some of the archival footage is moving, especially when you consider how much of Lewis' work remains unfinished. Watch 'Good Trouble' on HBO Max 09 of 15The Janes 2022 An Empowering and Timely History Lesson
HBO Max IMDb rating: 6.6/10 Starring: Heather Booth, Judith Arcana, Marie Leaner Director: Tia Lessin, Emma Pildes Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 1 hour, 41 minutes Prior to the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, an underground network of women who all went by the pseudonym “Jane” assisted in thousands of illegal abortions. The infamous Jane network was uncovered in 1972 with the arrest of seven women in Chicago, but the whole story has only recently come to light.Watch 'The Janes' on HBO Max 10 of 15
Navalny 2022 A Timely Biography About Anti-Authoritarianism
HBO Max IMDb rating: 6.7/10 Starring: Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, Dasha Navalnaya Director: Daniel Roher Rating: R Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes What's it like being the primary political opposition to one of the world's most notorious dictators? Well, it's certainly not an easy life. This documentary candidly examines the trials of Russian politician Alexei Navalny. Far from a fluff piece, Navalny focuses less on the man himself and more on what happens to him because of his activism. It's sad, but also inspiring. Watch 'Navalny' on HBO Max 11 of 15Tony Hawk Until the Wheels Fall Off 2022 A Tribute to a Sports Legend
HBO Max IMDb rating: 8.2/10 Starring: Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen Director: Sam Jones Rating: TV-MA Episodes: 1 Tony Hawk is 53 years old, but he's still skateboarding. Through original interviews and archival footage, Until the Wheels Fall Off pays tribute to the most famous skateboarder in the world.This movie was made for fans of Tony Hawk who may be interested in his personal life, but Hawk's story could inspire anyone to pick up a skateboard. Watch 'Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off' on HBO Max 12 of 15
Beanie Mania 2022 Best Beanie Baby Exposé
HBO Max IMDb rating: 6.4/10 Starring: Colleen Ballinger, Lina Trivedi Director: Yemisi Brookes Rating: TV-PG Episodes: 1 Remember Beanie Babies? They're those little stuffed animals that you now see in the bargain bin of your local thrift store. But back in the 90s, they sold for hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. What happened? To this day, very few people understand the Beanie Baby craze, and all of those people are interviewed in this documentary. Watch 'Beanie Mania' on HBO Max 13 of 15The Forever Prisoner 2021 The Story of Abu Zubaydah
HBO IMDb rating: 7.3/10 Starring: Stephen Gaudin, Chantell Higgins, Daniel Jones Director: Alex Gibney Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 1 hour, 59 minutes This new documentary from director Alex Gibney (The Crime of the Century, The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley) examines the story of Abu Zubaydah, the first person subjected to the CIA's enhanced interrogation techniques following 9/11. Those techniques were later deemed torture by others outside the agency.Watch 'The Forever Prisoner' on HBO Max 14 of 15