Documentaries have become common these days, especially when it comes to streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video. There are several documentaries on Prime Video about different people, whether they are sportspersons or politicians. Of course, not every documentary does justice to the real-life story of the person featured in them. However, there are still many good documentaries that you can watch on Prime Video, and here are some of the best ones.
1. Stories We Tell
Coming from the critically acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell is a documentary movie that is actually based on her own life. The documentary was released in 2012, and it shed light on the creator’s family secrets through some home videos and interviews of her father, siblings, friends, and relatives. Stories Will Tell is basically a masterpiece created by someone who wanted the world to know about the secret of her origin that was kept hidden from the world for a long period.
Sarah Polley was the daughter of Michael and Diane Polley. Well, that’s what she knew from the start. However, her world turns upside down when she learns that she is actually a product of an extramarital affair. While several people who knew Polley’s mother were acquainted with Sarah’s truth, they didn’t spill the beans earlier as Sarah wanted to reveal the truth herself to the world when she was ready.
2. I Am: Celine Dion
Who wouldn’t know the Queen of Power Ballads, Celine Dion; she has been one of the best-selling vocalists of all time, after all. However, do you know what she has to go through after getting diagnosed with the rare neurological stiff-person syndrome? Well, this docu-film showcases all the behind-the-scenes events revealing the struggles Celine Dion has to face to maintain the stardom. The film arrived on Amazon Prime in 2024 and received massive praise from the global fandom for the honesty and rawness it came with.
I Am: Celine Dion is sure to bring anyone to tears multiple times, as for the first time, fans will get a feel for what kind of pain a superstar has to endure behind the lens. Sometimes, we forget that even the ones we watch on our screens are humans, and this film will indeed hit us hard by giving us a reality check.
3. Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles
The children’s music group that was founded in 1991 became one of the most famous groups among the millennials. We grew up listening to their songs, so it’s a docu-film that makes us feel nostalgic. The group started with four friends who became superstar entertainers for the toddlers of the ’90s have all aged, and seeing them that way in Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles is a tear-jerking experience for everyone who grew up watching them on their television.
It’s not easy to achieve success overnight, and this docu-film makes us realize the same thing. We get to witness what is needed for the beloved group to become this popular among the kids. Be it their mental health or personal lives, our superstars have to give up on all for some time to achieve their goals. So, basically, The Story of the Wiggles reveals the powers of friendship, loyalty, and aspirations. That being said, one loyal friend is worth more than a thousand fake friends.
4. The Blue Angels
The Blue Angels (U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron) is an aerobatic team that showcases the honor and professionalism of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy through flight demonstrations. The Blue Angels shed light exactly on the same. We get to witness the incredible journey of the ones who get the chance to become a member of the Blue Angels.
The film also allows us to witness the training and induction that every member has to go through. In the film, we also get a picture of how the existing member of the team gave wings to Amanda Lee, the first female fighter jet demonstration pilot, and helped her prepare for her first flight.
The film was originally released on the IMAX screens, and it became a hit at the box office with $2.5 million throughout its run.
5. Next Goal Wins
Next Goal Wins is a 2014 documentary film showcasing the struggles of the national football team of American Samoa after getting brutally defeated by Australia. The team was recognized as the weakest football team after their worst loss, i.e., 31-0. However, even after losing every single match, the team aspired to qualify for the Fifa World Cup in 2014. The Football Federation of American Samoa hires Dutch-American football coach Thomas Rongen to change the fate of the weakling team by training them.
You don’t have to be a football lover to witness the beauty of this documentary. The film is a complete stunner that will make you cheer for the titular football team when they try harder to prove themselves on the pitch. The response to the docu-film was so overwhelming that a sports-comedy series of the same name by Taika Waititi made it to the screens in 2023.
6. Childhood 2.0
Don’t you think life was easier and fun before the Internet existed? This 90-minute documentary explores exactly the same. Before the era of the Internet, children used to socialize in real life, have real friends, and used to play real games. Children 2.0 showcases how the Internet and the world created by it have impacted the lives of children. While the Internet was supposed to make life easier, it seems it’s one of the reasons why children are developing anxiety and cognitive issues at a young age.
Children 2.0 is a must-watch for every parent as it will help them realize several things that they must not have thought of before. Moreover, you’ll also learn about the risks and dangers associated with the overuse of the Internet, which will eventually help you save your child.
7. Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 is one of the most controversial documentaries of all time. Despite majorly getting showered with positive reviews, the documentary has seen a part of the community arguing about its accuracy. Michael Moore also faced backlash for creating the film.
The terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, had several people killed, including the ones who hijacked the four planes that crashed eventually. Despite taking charge of finding the mastermind behind the hijacks, the Bush Administration decided to launch a war on Iraq. Besides that, the documentary also reveals how some Saudies went underground after these attacks.
8. March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins takes us all the way to Antarctica, where we see the emperor Penguins leaving the Ocean in order to follow the breeding ritual in March. After the female penguin lays an egg, she transfers it to the male penguin and leaves to find food for her newborn. Once she comes back, the male penguin again leaves for the Ocean, leaving the mother and the baby behind.
The documentary is considered to be one of the most beautiful and heartwarming things to witness on the screen; no wonder it bagged an Oscar in 2005.
9. Free Solo
Coming from National Geographic Documentary Films, Free Solo follows Alex Honnold, who has been free soloing for several years. However, he doesn’t take a sigh of relief until he climbs the biggest and most famous rock, EI Captain, that too without a rope.
Free Solo has been captured beautifully, and what makes it a hit is the storytelling that stays with you forever. Honnold’s never-give-up spirit doesn’t let you stop cheering for the free soloist climber. You will also learn about the approach taken by an athlete or someone who wants to reach great heights in their lives.
10. Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable
It requires a lot of courage to choose a profession that involves life-threatening risks. And this documentary tells us the story of Bethany Hamilton, the professional surfer. Despite losing an arm during a shark attack in 2003, Bethany decided to move on and pursue her dreams instead of focusing on the tragedy.
Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable is an inspiring documentary that will move you to the core and doesn’t let you stop before achieving what you desire.
11. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is created by American filmmaker Kurt Kuenne. The documentary involves the interviews of Andrew Bagby’s parents, friends, and relatives. Bagby was the childhood friend of Kuenne who was killed the next day he broke up with his girlfriend, Shirley Jane Turner. When Turner was taken in as the suspect, it was discovered that she was pregnant with Bagby’s child.
This is one of the most heartbreaking documentaries that will haunt you for days after you’ve watched it. However, we would suggest that you should still give it a try as it boasts an impeccable story that will remain with you for the rest years of your life.
12. Living on One Dollar
Like the Wiggles, Living on One Dollar also features a story of four friends who decide to be at each other’s back forever, no matter what the situation is. They face several hardships, be it a medical emergency or a financial crisis; they stay with each other in their worst.
Live in One Dollar showcases the true picture of poverty and how tough life is for people with no money. It also reveals how the rich people treat the poor and exploit them for their selfish needs.
13. Life, Animated
Life, Animated is written by Ron Suskind, an American journalist whose son Owen was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. The boy wouldn’t have learned to interact with the people around him if Disney hadn’t come to his rescue. Through the animated films, Owen started seeing the beauty of the world.
There are several people out there who have experienced autism, and this documentary helps every viewer to understand the disability more accurately. It also sheds light on the ways to cure it.
14. On the Way to School
On the Way to School showcases the struggles faced by four education-thirsty children from different parts of the world: Argentina, Morocco, Kenya, and India. These children travel to their schools, facing several hardships due to the long distances, but what keeps them going is their determination.
We all have seen the kids who don’t want to go to school, in fact, stay in their beds all day. And then there are the kids who, despite having all the reasons to skip education, decide to challenge their fate. The documentary showcases the struggles of these kids and their parents.
15. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Several actors have played the role of Clark Kent/Superman, but there’s no denying that Christopher Reeve’s Superman still remains one of the best and the most popular ones. To this day, every portrayal of Superman is compared to how Christopher Reeve did the role. Even though the actor isn’t exactly Superman in real life, he is still a superhero in his own right.
Only rare fans would know the story following the accident that left the actor paralyzed from the neck down for his entire life. However, that didn’t stop the actor from living his life. He fought all the demons and spent his remaining days as an activist, and that’s what gets featured in this documentary. The documentary beautifully showcases the struggle the actor has to go through after the paralysis. After watching it, you’d not only remember the actor for the role he played but also for the life he led.
