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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchFor an award-winning feature, start with The Perfect Neighbor; for music, nature, biography or political reporting, the strongest picks take very different approaches. This is a curated watchlist, not a claim that one film is objectively best: it brings together year-end selections from critics and recognition from the Critics Choice Association, whose awards and editorial lists measure different things.
Standout documentaries to start with
The Perfect Neighbor — crime and community
The clearest award signal in this selection is The Perfect Neighbor, which won Best Documentary Feature at the Critics Choice Association’s 10th annual documentary awards, announced November 9, 2025. It also received four other awards, including recognition for directing, editing, archival documentary and true crime. That makes it a strong first pick if you want a feature with substantial awards recognition, not proof that it outranks every other documentary on every measure. See the Critics Choice Association’s awards announcement.
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![Score: A Film Music Documentary [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51dvX+aaqPL._SL160_.jpg)
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Score: A Film Music Documentary [Blu-ray] | $22.16 | Buy on Amazon |
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Hemingway: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Blu-ray | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Merchant Ivory: The Documentary | $14.44 | Buy on Amazon |
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![SCANDAL “Documentary film 「HELLO WORLD」' [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51CI2aPVq6L._SL160_.jpg)
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SCANDAL “Documentary film 「HELLO WORLD」" [Blu-ray] | $48.01 | Buy on Amazon |
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Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The Alabama Solution — prisons and investigative reporting
Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman’s film examines Alabama’s prison system through a six-year investigation that used inmates’ contraband phones, according to TheWrap. It appears in selections from both TheWrap and Observer, as well as Critics Choice Association feature and political-documentary materials. Choose it for an investigation into institutions and reporting methods rather than a conventional personality portrait. TheWrap’s 2025 streaming-documentary selection and Observer’s year-end picks provide further context.
Pee-wee as Himself — a two-part portrait
This two-part HBO docuseries looks at Paul Reubens, who died in 2023. It was included in selections by the Los Angeles Times and Vogue and received Critics Choice Association recognition. Its limited-series format makes it a good option if you want more room for a life story than a feature-length film typically allows. The Los Angeles Times’ 2025 list and Vogue’s documentary picks discuss the title.
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For music, nature and history
Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery — music and cultural history
Ally Pankiw’s film revisits Lilith Fair, the festival Sarah McLachlan founded in 1997. Vogue highlights the festival’s story, while the Los Angeles Times emphasizes its place in women’s music and its challenge to sexism in the industry. It suits viewers interested in how a music event can also reflect the forces shaping an industry. Vogue and the Los Angeles Times include it in their year-end selections.
Ocean with David Attenborough — science and nature
For a nature-focused choice, the Critics Choice Association named Ocean with David Attenborough Best Science/Nature Documentary and also recognized its cinematography. These category wins make it a particularly well-supported pick for viewers drawn to ocean subjects and visual filmmaking. The association’s awards announcement lists the results.
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey — wildlife conservation
Pippa Ehrlich follows a wildlife photographer who rescues an endangered baby pangolin from South Africa’s illegal animal trade and seeks to return it to its habitat. The journey gives a wildlife-conservation subject an intimate, animal-centered focus. Vogue included the film in its 2025 selection. Read Vogue’s documentary list.
Orwell: 2+2=5 — ideas, narration and score
This is a choice for viewers interested in a formally distinctive treatment of George Orwell’s ideas. The Critics Choice Association recognized its score and narration; its award page credits Orwell as the narration writer, adapted by Raoul Peck and performed by Damian Lewis. The award announcement provides those credits.
Rank #3
- Merchant Ivory: The Documentary
For a personal story or an international perspective
My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay — family and biography
Mariska Hargitay’s film won the Critics Choice Association award for Best First Documentary Feature. Its award recognition makes it a notable option for viewers drawn to a personal, family-centered documentary. See the Critics Choice Association winners.
2000 Meters to Andriivka — documentary filmmaking amid war
The film was nominated for the Critics Choice Association’s Best Documentary Feature award. That nomination supports including it among the year’s recognized features, though it is distinct from a win. Consult the association’s 2025 nominees and winners list for the category record.
Other year-end picks worth checking
Observer’s 2025 selection also includes Cover-Up, Heightened Scrutiny, My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow and Predators. Observer notes that some films on year-end lists premiered at festivals while still awaiting distribution. A listing therefore does not establish that a title is available to stream or rent where you live. Check the film’s current release status and local platform catalog before planning to watch. Observer’s list supplies its editorial context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose—and where to watch
| If you want… | Try… | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| An award-winning feature | The Perfect Neighbor | Critics Choice Association winner for Best Documentary Feature, with four additional awards. |
| Investigative reporting | The Alabama Solution | A six-year investigation into Alabama’s prison system, as described by TheWrap. |
| A music-industry story | Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery | A look back at the festival founded by Sarah McLachlan and its cultural context. |
| Nature or conservation | Ocean with David Attenborough or Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey | The former won the association’s science/nature award; the latter follows a rescued pangolin. |
| A biography or family story | Pee-wee as Himself or My Mom Jayne | A two-part portrait of Paul Reubens or an award-winning first documentary feature by Mariska Hargitay. |
Lists and awards help identify films worth considering, but they answer different questions: critics’ selections express editorial judgment, while awards reflect voting within categories. The Los Angeles Times published its list on December 10, 2025; the Critics Choice Association announced its awards on November 9, 2025; TheWrap’s streaming list is dated December 30, 2025. For streaming, confirm both the service and your country’s availability: platform catalogs and regional rights can change, and a title’s appearance on a year-end list does not establish current access.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- Director Martin Scorcese reflects on the influence of filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (The Red Shoes)
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