Skiddle Recommends: The best documentaries on Netflix, Disney, Amazon...

The weather as of late has been savage, to put it mildly, and when there's little reason to leave the house, other than to acquire snacks and supplies, we turn to our TV's, our tablets, laptops and smartphones in the hope of finding some light entertainment.

Luckily, we exist in an era where blockbuster films, several season-long and award-winning series and critically acclaimed documentaries live at the end of our fingertips, brought to us by some of the biggest names and brands on the planet at present - the likes of streaming giants Netflix, Disney and Amazon. So spoilt we are to such a huge index of features that, more often than we would all care to admit, we find ourselves in a weirdly indecisive space, drifting endlessly through the different genres and categories in a kind-of option paralysis, oddly resisting to take the plunge into a programme with any reluctance usually backed up by reviews online. We've all been there and we'll all find ourselves there again, without a doubt.

So, to help you swerve hours spent aimlessly getting lost in the archives, we asked the Skiddle team to share what they've been streaming lately, with a particular emphasis on documentaries. From recent additions such as the The Tinder Swindler to the catastrophe that unfolded on Fyre, the Fyre Festival documentary, there's plenty to keep you occupied whilst seeking shelter from storm Franklin or Gladys, or whichever storm it is we're currently being battered by.

Check out Skiddle's recommendations below...

 

 

Name: Holly - Content Writer

Documentary: Fantastic Fungi (Available on Netflix) 

What Holly had to say:

"Fantastic Fungi is about mushrooms and explores how they work. It sounds kind of meh, but it's actually one of the most fascinating and insightful documentaries I've ever watched. Everyone I've spoken to who's seen it adored it."

"The interviewees are incredibly knowledgeable and great at explaining what is probably actually very complex. They also tell their stories on their experiences with the psychedelic variety. It's about how nature, especially mushrooms, is connected to everything. Even just looking at the sped-up videos of mushrooms "blossoming" was cool. It's brilliant, and I'll definitely be watching it again."

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Name: Jess - Business Development

Documentary: The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (Available on Amazon) 

What Jess had to say:

"We stumbled upon this documentary one night whilst looking for something to watch on Amazon Prime, and it is completely insane. It's an ultramarathon in Tennessee based on a prison escape by James Earl Ray (who assassinated Martin Luther King) in the 70s, created by a guy called Lazarus Lake. Only forty people can enter each year, the entry fee is a license plate from where you live, $1.60 and you have to complete an essay called 'Why I Should Be Allowed to Run In The Barkley' plus another item that changes each year, based on what Lazarus needs, like a pair of socks."

"It's around a hundred miles in length, which is split into five loops of twenty mile sections - three loops is called a fun run. There's no set route apart from having to collect a page of a book from different markers around the course. You have to complete all five loops in sixty hours, alternating the direction of the loop each time."

"Literally every aspect of the race is completely mad. Only twenty five people have managed to complete it to this day. Even if you're not into running (like me) - it's definitely worth a watch!"

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Name: Jonny - Account Support Team

Documentary: Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (Available on Netflix) 

What Jonny had to say: 

"In my opinion, this film is genius; a unique blend of documentary footage and interviews and outright fabricated stories that tells the pseudo-true story of Bob Dylan's legendary 1975 Rolling Thunder tour. It's like a fever dream featuring some of the coolest cats to ever grace the Earth, impeccable live Dylan performances of some of his best songs, stylish storytelling and plenty of Dylan and Co crushing on Jack Kerouac."

"While it may only be part documentary in truth, it makes for an incredibly captivating watch that shows Dylan pushing boundaries, stitched together with Scorsese's creative vision."

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Name: Lisa - Senior Marketing Manager

Documentary: Formula One: Drive To Survive (Available on Netflix) 

What Lisa had to say:

"This Netflix docu-series changed my whole opinion on Formula One. Seriously, before watching this I had no interest whatsoever in watching racing cars zoom around a track. In steps Formula One: Drive To Survive and like countless other people around the globe, I am now a huge fan."

"A behind-the-scenes look at the hidden world of this sport, you will be immersed in cars, exclusive interviews with the world's fastest drivers, and all of the highs and lows behind F1. Each series recaps the previous year's racing season from start to finish and you will no doubt pick a team to cheer on (mine is McLaren). Binge-watch all three series now and you will be just in time for series four, due out Friday 11th March."

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Name: Terry - SEO Manager

Documentary: FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Available on Netflix) 

What Terry had to say:

"The ultimate disaster movie of the greatest festival that never happened. Andy king is the true hero of this documentary feature. He was prepared to go to any lengths to save the festival, literally any 'length'. His stand out quotes include: "Will you suck d**k to fix this water problem" and "I got to his office fully prepared to suck his d**k"."

"A play-by-play guide on how not to run a festival and ultimately end up in jail."

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Name: Anna - Community Manager

Documentary: The Defiant Ones (Available on Netflix) 

What Anna had to say:

"Hands down the best music documentary out there. An insightful masterpiece - No bulls**t.

"Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine make the most incredible team. You get a bird's eye view of the inner workings of the music industry and because Jimmy and Dre both have underdog 'American Dream' life stories, you root for them almost straight from the off."

"The music is synced perfectly with the tales told (Skip to Bono talking of the racehorse) and the producers of this documentary and its lead characters have mastered the art of Storytelling. Bears, Bullet Proof vests and Bruce Springsteen. A must watch for any music fan in my opinion."

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Name: Jade - Customer Support

Documentary: Don't F*** with Cats (Available on Netflix) 

What Jade had to say:

"This documentary gets me every time. I still find it mind blowing that the online community basically pieced together this case before the police had any idea."

"A true crime documentary the likes I've never or will probably ever see again, it tells the story of one of Canada's most infamous murderers, Luka Magnotta, who, before killing people, gained notoriety on the internet by posting videos of himself killing kittens. No joke. The story which follows is just... watch it and see for yourself."

"A word of warning - If you are an animal lover, this might be one to avoid"

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Name: Matty - Content Creator

Documentary: The Beatles: Get Back (Available on Disney) 

What Matty had to say:

"This is hands down one of the best Beatles features I've ever seen, and there's a lot of them to pick from!"

"It's a docu-series which showcases over sixty hours of unseen studio footage of Paul, John, Ringo and George masterfully condensed into just eight by non other than Academy award-winning Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson."

"Transporting you back in time to 1969, it follows the iconic rock n roll quartet as they attempt to write an albums worth of records in the run up to their first live show together in more than two years. The creative element to this docu-series is certainly enticing, but it's the fraying of relationships and the clasing of ego's which really drew me in. Something I've never seen before in other Beatles documentaries. Well worth your time."

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Name: Dale - Content Manager

Documentary: The Tinder Swindler (Available on Netflix) 

What Dale had to say:

"Where to start... I watched this on the recommendation of my partner, who'd been told she needed to watch it for 'work purposes'. Just an excuse to get me to watch it with her. I wasn't sure what to expect and was more than a little dubious of the title. It didn't really strike me as something that was going to keep me interested. Regardless, I decided to give it a chance and ohhh boy, am I glad I did!"

"An international, jet-setting, Tinder-using fraudster deceives woman across the world, scamming them out of masses of money using the same pretty elaborate backstory everytime. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at these poor girls. There's something to be said about the amount of trust people still have strangers they meet online. Come on, people. Let's get with the program now. It's 2022 for god's sake."

'If you haven't already watched it, watch it!"

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We could have gone on and on with these suggestions. The Skiddle team obviously love a good documentary. Other notable shout outs we had to leave off the list included 2017's Icarus, a story about doping in professional sport, 14 Peaks, a story of one Nepalese Mountaineer who attempted to climb Earth's fourteen biggest mountains, and, of course, Kanye West's Jeen-Yuhs. Check out the review of the first of three Jeen-Yuhs episodes - here - and stay tuned for the next this Thursday.

 

Skiddle Recommends will be back next month with more tips and suggestions on everything from food to fashion, bars, beers, holiday destinations and books. Yep, you read that right. 

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.