This Week In Documentary
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - July 31-August 6, 2026
Another month ends, as we enter the fourth quarter of the second third of the year (fractions are our friends). Kids down here in the south are heading back to school (we have a list of films to get them ready for that), which means I’ll be driving them around to camps and activities less and can hopefully write about documentaries more. This week’s selection of new releases (well, the pair I’ve watched) is interesting because they’re both about animals kept in captivity at some point in their lives. These documentaries aren’t similar in any other way, but seeing them back-to-back got me thinking a lot about zoos, unfavorably, and especially about animal lovers.
Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, followed by daily listings for all known releases and broadcasts, along with a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus full access to special posts like our best-of lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc needing coverage or a mention, you can now reach us at nonficseditor (at) gmail.
Nonfics Picks Of The Week: Wild Inside (2026)
One of my favorite animal-focused documentaries of all time is The Whale, a 2011 feature narrated by Ryan Reynolds and executive-produced by Reynolds and his then-wife, Scarlett Johansson. It’s about an orca who separates from his pod and sticks around Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island because he can’t get enough of the human attention he's received there. In a piece I wrote 15 years ago for the IndieWire blog Spout, I called it the type of film involving “complicated contemplations of man’s treatment of other species.” I also stated, “It tells us the hard truth that even animals who seem to want and enjoy human interaction should not receive our affection and attention.”
I could have written the same comment in a review of Penny Lane’s Wild Inside, another great animal-focused documentary that deals with one creature who received way more attention than he should have. Flaco the owl escaped from the Central Park Zoo in New York City in 2023 and became a local sensation first for eluding the authorities who tried to return her to an enclosure and then for adapting to her new freedom in the Big Apple. Flaco’s story challenged notions of how animals born in captivity would fare in the wild. But her story also complicates that challenge by her becoming more observed than she ever was while in a cage at the zoo.
The film plays as seemingly simple, telling the whole story of Flaco’s escape, rise in fame, and eventual fate in a straightforward chronological manner. Lane interviews people who followed or came into contact with the bird and presents them in ways that fit seamlessly into the story as it unfolds, as if she filmed them at the time. There are also interviews with supposed experts on wildlife and what’s best for them in or out of captivity. But Wild Inside raises many questions about the nature of animals and our fascination and interactions with them without any explicit point or debate. Anyone with any opinion about Flaco’s tale can watch the documentary and still feel right while also being confronted by other ideas.
In addition to the film’s soft yet broadly inquisitive discourse on captive versus wild, it also deals with the monoculture concept in its portrayal of the global interest in the Flaco story. Most of the characters we meet in the film are more overtly and directly attached to or invested in the owl than the wider population, but they’re also so preoccupied by this particular creature because of his notoriety and for the notoriety they receive by feeding his fame with their photographs and videos posted online. They’re not mere birders. They reminded me of the amateur sleuths that keep showing up in true-crime documentaries, but instead they’re amateur zoologists. I wish that Flaco could have told them all to get a life and let him be.
Wild Inside will be released in theaters on Friday, July 31, 2026, via Sandbox Films.
Other Documentary Highlights
American Dream (1990)
Our long American (Dream) nightmare is over! For years, I’ve been recommending Barbara Kopple’s second Oscar-winning documentary feature involving a labor strike only to realize it’s still unavailable. It hasn’t even been easily accessible via physical commercial formats. This week, American Dream finally gets a streaming home via Criterion (exclusively? I’m not sure). The same company is also putting the documentary out on DVD and Blu-ray later this month. I made the film my Pick of the Week back in May when it was re-released in theaters in 4K, so I will only repeat the following bit where I compare it to Kopple’s Harlan County, USA, which pairs well with this later masterpiece: “[it’s] just as powerful in its aim to create empathy among its viewers, especially when it puts us in the passenger seat alongside strikebreakers.”
American Dream will begin streaming exclusively on The Criterion Channel on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The film will be released on DVD and Blu-ray as part of The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
Apple TV Documentaries
Stat Significant, one of my favorite Substacks, took a deep dive last week into the success of Apple TV as a producer of acclaimed and award-worthy series that aren’t being watched nearly as much as other streamers’ content. They focus on shows, given that Apple TV just received a bunch of Emmy nominations for Widow’s Bay and Pluribus, but the same can be said for its movies since the company won an Oscar for Best Picture (with CODA) before Netflix. Thanks to its Emmy nods and the return of Ted Lasso this week, more people should be subscribing to Apple TV, so I wanted to highlight the streamer’s best documentaries while you’re there.
Apple TV does have a lot of celebrity-driven biographical profile documentaries, but they consistently make above-average films and series within that genre by working with prestigious auteur directors. My favorites include Davis Guggenheim’s Still: A Michael J. Fox Story, Ryan White’s Come See Me in the Good Light, Rebecca Miller’s Mr. Scorsese, Reginald Hudlin’s Sidney, and Morgan Neville’s Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces (especially the first half). This category extends to many of their great music docs, such as R.J. Cutler’s Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Andrew Dominik’s Bono: Stories of Surrender, Spike Jonze’s Beastie Boys Story, and Todd Haynes’s The Velvet Underground. I’d also include Hudlin and Shola Lynch’s Number One on the Call Sheet and Roger Ross Williams and Larissa Bills’s The Super Models in the bunch.
For more serious fare, Apple TV has some terrific political and historical documentaries, including Guggenheim and Nyle DiMarco’s Deaf President Now! and Jesse Moss and Amanda McBain’s Boys State and its even better follow-up, Girls State. For science documentaries, there’s Sue Kim’s The Last of the Sea Women, Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer’s Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds, and a slew of nature programming like The Secret Lives of Animals, The Elephant Queen, The Year Earth Changed, and the Prehistoric Planet franchise. While I can’t endorse many of the streamer’s sports documentary titles, one series that I love that surprised me the most of anything they’ve put out is Matthew Hamachek’s The Dynasty: New England Patriots. (I can’t wait for his follow-up, The Dynasty: UConn Huskies, which debuts August 21.)
Ken Burns Documentaries
I’ve celebrated the filmography of Ken Burns in the past, but PBS is releasing a whole bunch of titles on DVD and/or Blu-ray this week, most of them directed, co-directed, or produced by the master of the archival history documentary. His most famous series, such as Civil War and Baseball are not among the new releases, some of which are newly restored, but the completist will want to see what all is coming out (in the Tuesday section of the listings, as is always the case with new physical media releases), especially the Oscar-nominated early features Brooklyn Bridge and The Statue of Liberty as well as The Central Park Five and new series such as The U.S. and the Holocaust and The American Revolution. Also, I highly recommend The Dust Bowl, especially if you’re a fan of Christopher Nolan’s Intersteller.
Monsters Of God (2026)
There will never be a docuseries hit like Tiger King, which had the good fortune of being released just as the world was experiencing the misfortune of shutting down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That hasn’t stopped co-director and conservationist Eric Goode from making other series that seem hopeful of catching that same lightning on subject matter alone. His first follow-up was Chimp Crazy, about an animal broker specializing in primates, and now he’s made Monsters of God, a five-part docuseries about the history of illegal reptile smuggling and the outlaws who turned the trade into a billion-dollar business — alongside deals in drugs and guns.
I’ve only had the chance to watch the first two episodes, and it’s certainly a wild history with outrageous interviewees, many of whom hate each other. But so far it’s just primarily anecdotal talking heads, not enough scenes involving character- or action-driven material. It reminds me of the Cocaine Cowboys documentaries in that way, with a lot more about animal trade and some questionable elements of the zoo industry. That’s not a bad thing. It’s certainly engrossing. And I’m anxious to continue watching, so it’s hooked me. It just hasn’t given me much to think about beyond the basic criminal plot other than curiosity about the shady things that won’t be discussed.
Monsters of God premieres its first episode on Thursday, August 6, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max, with subsequent installments released weekly.
Time And Water (2026)
Sara Dosa’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated feature Fire of Love is not on the same level, but plenty of fans of that 2022 film will like Time and Water as well. Instead of the fiery element of volcanoes, this documentary deals with the icy element of glaciers in Iceland through the personal experience of writer Andri Snær Magnason. Here’s part of my review of the film, which I recommend for the score alone:
“Magnason heavily narrates the documentary, which is inspired by his book On Time and Water and serves as an elegy for his grandparents and the Icelandic glaciers. There is a connection. His grandparents were co-founders of the Icelandic Glacial Research Society. He was commissioned to write an obituary for the OK Glacier after it was declared dead. I say the film serves as an elegy rather than a eulogy because it does feel more somber than celebratory of either his grandparents or the ice. He honors and memorializes them plenty, but the documentary is also slow and bleak.”
Time and Water will make its broadcast premiere on National Geographic on Friday, July 31, 2026, and will begin streaming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
Viktor (2024)
One of the best documentaries released in 2025 that deserves more eyeballs is Olivier Sarbil’s phenomenal feature Viktor. As far as I know, it hasn’t been available anywhere else since hitting theaters in limited release last October. Now it’s found a streaming home, albeit one with surely fewer subscribers than even Apple TV. I recommend giving it a look, and I do mean look. Shot in black and white, Viktor follows a Deaf Ukrainian man during the Russian invasion as he attempts to join the military. Here’s some more about it, from the best of 2025 list, that hopefully intrigues you:
“Shot in black and white and employing a sound team consisting of Oscar-winning talents, this is a technical achievement the likes of which we too rarely see with nonfiction cinema because of how much staging and post-production clash with what’s appreciated by the documentary purists. Even if Viktor looks more like the documentary features made a century ago than anything else on this list.”
Viktor will begin streaming exclusively on Mubi on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
Documentary Release Calendar 7/31/26 - 8/6/26
Friday, July 31, 2026
Glimpses of Florida (1950) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores popular destinations in Florida. (TCM)
Hollywood Without Make-Up (1963) - A short documentary sharing home movie clips of Hollywood stars. (TCM)
Marine Circus (1939) - A short documentary in the Pete Smith Specialty series that looks at the marine life of Marineland of Florida. (TCM)
My Strange Shark Addiction (2026) - A documentary special about people who are obsessed with sharks. Presented as part of Shark Week. (Discovery)
A Paradise Lost (2025) - A partly animated documentary feature about a bird that sued the state of Hawaii to prevent its own extinction. (In Theaters)
Save Our Souls (2025) - A documentary feature about a humanitarian organization that rescues migrants from overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean. (OVID)
Secrets of the Great White Kill (2026) - A documentary special about the intelligent hunting techniques of great white sharks. Presented as part of Shark Week. (Discovery)
Sharkzilla Takes New York (2026) - A documentary special about massive radioactive mako sharks. Presented as part of Shark Week. (Discovery)
Time and Water - A documentary feature directed by Sara Dosa (Fire of Love) about Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason and his mission to preserve the memory of his nation’s glaciers. See our highlights section for more info and a link to our review. (National Geographic)
Wild Inside (2026) - A documentary feature by Penny Lane (Nuts!) about Central Park’s Flaco the Owl. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Saturday, August 1, 2026
American Dream (1990) - Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning documentary feature about a Hormel Foods labor strike in Minnesota. See our highlights section for more info. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
The American Ruling Class (2005) - A hybrid feature film described as the first “dramatic-documentary-musical” that offers a tour of the corridors of power. (The Criterion Channel)
Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements (2011) - A documentary feature about the rock band The Replacements. (TCM)
Easter Snap (2019) - A short documentary by RaMell Ross about the homestead ritual of hog processing. (Mubi)
Great White Highway (2026) - A documentary special about the tracking of great white sharks as they begin migrating further north. Presented as part of Shark Week. (Discovery)
Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018) - An Oscar-nominated feature documentary by RaMell Ross about the Black community of Hale County, Alabama. *NONFICS PICK* (Mubi)
I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1982) - A documentary starring James Baldwin as he looks back at the Civil Rights Movement. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket (1989) - A documentary feature about author/civil rights activist James Baldwin. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
MGM Parade Show #8 (1955) - This installment of the behind-the-scenes docuseries showcases Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story. (TCM)
The Real Murders of Atlanta Season 4, Episode 4: “Murder on Welcome All Road” - The latest installment of an Atlanta-focused true-crime docuseries. This episode involves the killing of a veteran. (Oxygen)
The Rock (1967) - A short documentary about the making of the film Point Blank. (TCM)
Thresher Shark: Stun to Kill (2026) - A documentary special about the physics behind thresher sharks’ tail strike. Presented as part of Shark Week. (Discovery)
Through the Night (2020) - A documentary feature about two working mothers and a child care provider whose lives intersect at a 24-hour daycare center. (The Criterion Channel)
Time and Water - A documentary feature directed by Sara Dosa (Fire of Love) about Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason and his mission to preserve the memory of his nation’s glaciers. See our highlights section for more info. (Disney+ and Hulu)
Viktor (2024) - A documentary feature about the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the perspective of a Deaf person wishing to fight. See our highlights section for more info. *NONFICS PICK* (Mubi)
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Decades in Sports Episodes 1 & 2: “1960s” & “1970s” - The first two installments of a six-part docuseries executive produced by Tom Hanks about milestones in sports in America. (CNN)
Hazardous History with Henry Winkler Season 2, Episode 15: “Harrowing Highways” - The latest installment of a docuseries about dangerous toys and household items that used to be common. This episode involves past dangers of automotive travel. (History)
The Mega-Brands That Built America Season 4, Episode 1: “Road Warriors” - The return of a docuseries about iconic commercial brands. This installment covers the World War II-era origin of the SUV. (History)
Unknown Serial Killers of America Season 2, Episode 1 - The latest episode of a true-crime series about less-famous murderers. (Oxygen)
Monday, August 3, 2026
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 1: ‘The Putter’ (1931) - A short documentary, the first in a series of 12, in which Bobby Jones shows off his golf skills. (TCM)
A Killer Among Friends Season 2, Episode 3: “The Murder Pact” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about murders that tear friend groups apart. This episode involves the disappearance of a computer whiz. (Investigation Discovery)
The Gas Station Attendant (2025) - A documentary feature by Karla Murthy about her father’s life, from fleeing his Indian village as a child to later emigrating to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. Presented as an episode of POV. Read our review. (PBS)
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
50 Cent: Refuse 2 Die (2005) - A documentary about the titular rapper. (DVD)
The Address (2014) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the Gettysburg Address. (DVD)
Africa’s Great Civilizations (2017) - A docuseries hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. about the history of Africa. (DVD)
The American Buffalo (2023) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the titular animal. (DVD and Blu-ray)
American Horses (2022) - A documentary episode of Nature about the history of American horse breeds. (DVD)
The American Revolution - A docuseries directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt about the Revolutionary War. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD and Blu-ray)
Attenborough’s Life Journey - A documentary episode of Nature about Sir David Attenborough. (DVD)
Atomic People (2024) - A documentary about the last survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. (DVD)
Becoming Frederick Douglas (2022) - A medium-length documentary by Stanley Nelson and Nicole London about the titular abolitionist. (DVD)
Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect (2025) - A documentary about Thurgood Marshall. (DVD)
Benjamin Franklin (2022) - A documentary by Ken Burns about the titular inventor, publisher, and American Founding Father. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise (2016) - A documentary about the history of Black people in the U.S. after the 1960s. (DVD)
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History (2026) - A docuseries hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. about the complex relationship between Black Americans and Jewish Americans. (DVD)
Brooklyn Bridge (1981) - An Oscar-nominated medium-length documentary by Ken Burns about the titular New York City landmark. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD)
Caregiving (2025) - A documentary about systemic issues with the American care system. (DVD)
The Central Park Five (2012) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon about the titular group of wrongfully convicted men. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD)
College Behind Bars (2019) - A documentary executive-produced by Ken Burns about men and women trying to earn college degrees while serving time in prison. (DVD)
The Congress (1989) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the U.S. Congress. (DVD)
Dante: Inferno to Paradise (2024) - A docuseries by Ric Burns about the titular poet. (DVD)
Dark Side of the Ring Season 7, Episode 6: “The Ultimate Fantasy: The Fall of Renegade” - The latest installment of a docuseries that shares the darkest stories of professional wrestling. (Vice)
Deep Sea (2006) - A short IMAX documentary about the creatures of the deep ocean. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America (2020) - A documentary by Ric Burns and Gretchen Sorin about the pros and cons of the automobile’s invention for Black Americans. (DVD)
The Dust Bowl (2012) - A docuseries directed by Ken Burns about a longtime environmental disaster that occurred during the Great Depression. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD and Blu-ray)
East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story (2020) - A documentary feature executive produced by Ken Burns about a public housing project in Atlanta. (DVD)
Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the invention and success of radio. (DVD)
Epic Train Journeys from Above (2024) - A six-part docuseries that follows American railways. (DVD)
Eyes on the Prize (1987) - A docuseries about the history of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from 1954 to 1965. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD)
Frank Lloyd Wright (1998) - A documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about the titular architect. (DVD)
The Gene: An Intimate History (2020) - A docuseries about genes. (DVD)
Gospel (2024) - A docuseries hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. about Black spirituality. (DVD)
Great Migrations: A People on the Move - A docuseries produced and hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. about the movement of African Americans through the 20th and 21st centuries. (DVD)
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks Episode 1 - The latest installment of the Hard Knocks franchise (technically Hard Knocks Season 22) goes behind the scenes with the titular NFL football team. (HBO and HBO Max)
Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom (2022) - A medium-length documentary by Stanley Nelson and Nicole London about the titular abolitionist. (DVD)
Hemingway (2021) - A docuseries by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about the writer Ernest Hemingway. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Henry David Thoreau - A three-part docuseries executive-produced by Ken Burns, narrated by George Clooney, and featuring the voices of Jeff Goldblum, Meryl Streep, Ted Danson, and Tate Donovan about the titular naturalist and writer. (DVD)
Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness (2022) - A docuseries executive-produced by Ken Burns about people living with mental conditions. (DVD)
Horatio’s Drive: America’s First Road Trip (2003) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the first person to drive across the U.S. in an automobile. (DVD)
Hubble 3D (2010) - A medium-length 3D IMAX documentary directed by Toni Myers and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio that follows the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis as they repair the Hubble Space Telescope. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD and Blu-ray)
Huey Long (1985) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the titular Louisiana governor and U.S. senator. (DVD)
Jackie Robinson (2016) - A docuseries by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon about the titular baseball legend. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD)
Leonardo da Vinci - A two-part documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon about the titular Renaissance painter. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997) - A documentary by Ken Burns about the titular explorers. (DVD)
Main Street Today (1944) - An Oscar-nominated short documentary follow-up to the Oscar-winning short Main Street on the March! that shows how citizens of small towns in the U.S. are helping in the war effort. (TCM)
Making Black America: Through the Grapevine (2022) - A docuseries hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. about social networks and organizations created by and for Black people. (DVD)
Mark Twain (2001) - A documentary by Ken Burns about the titular author. (DVD)
Matter of Mind: My ALS (2023) - A documentary about people with ALS. (DVD)
Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s (2025) - A documentary following three families in which a member has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. (DVD)
Matter of Mind: My Parkinson’s (2024) - A documentary about people with Parkinson’s disease. (DVD)
The Mayo Clinic, Faith, Hope and Science (2018) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns, Christopher Loren Ewers, and Erik Ewers about the titular medical institution. (DVD)
Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like (2018) - A medium-length documentary about the children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. (DVD)
Muhammad Ali (2021) - A docuseries by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon about the titular boxing legend. (DVD and Blu-ray)
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea (2009) - A docuseries by Ken Burns about America’s National Parks. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (1999) - A docuseries by Ken Burns about the titular women’s rights activists. (DVD)
Of the People: Women of the Civil Rights Movement (2026) - A docuseries about Fannie Lou Hamer, Angela Davis, Dolores Huerta, and Yuri Kochiyama. (DVD)
Once Upon a Time in Space Episode 4: “Friends Forever” - The final installment of a four-part docuseries about the space race. This episode involves the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. (PBS)
Prohibition (2011) - A docuseries by Ken Burns about the titular era of American history when alcohol was banned. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Proof is Out There: Unexplained Edition Season 2, Episode 10: “Unidentified Lights” - The latest installment of a docuseries about strange phenomena captured on camera. (History)
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Season 7, Episode 12: “Hot Pursuit” - The latest installment of a docuseries about UFO phenomena at the Skinwalker Ranch. (History)
Seeing, Searching, Being: William Segal (2010) - A documentary by Ken Burns about the titular philosopher, publisher, writer and painter. (DVD)
The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (1984) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns and Amy Stechler about the titular religious sect. (DVD)
Special Ops: True (2026) - A docuseries that revisits some of the most high-profile military missions of the last several decades with unseen footage. (Paramount+)
Starring Dick Van Dyke (2025) - A biographical documentary about the titular actor. (DVD)
The Statue of Liberty (1985) - An Oscar-nominated medium-length documentary by Ken Burns about the titular landmark. (DVD)
Thomas Hart Benton (1989) - A documentary feature by Ken Burns about the titular painter. (DVD)
Thomas Jefferson (1997) - A docuseries by Ken Burns about the titular U.S. president. (DVD)
Transparent Colors (2024) - A documentary about the Black art scene in Nashville. (DVD)
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) - A documentary by Ken Burns about the titular boxer, who became the first African-American Heavyweight champion. (DVD)
The U.S. and the Holocaust (2022) - A docuseries by Ken Burns, Sara Botstein, and Lynn Novick about Americans during the Holocaust. *NONFICS PICK* (DVD and Blu-ray)
Women of World War II: The Untold Stories (2025) - A medium-length documentary about the women who built planes and flew them during World War II. (DVD)
Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation (2019) - A documentary feature by Barak Goodman and Jamila Ephron about the titular 1969 music festival. (DVD)
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
911: Did the Killer Call? Season 2, Episode 4: “For Love or Lies” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about cases where the murderer is on the 911 call. (Investigation Discovery)
Eons: Life and Death on Pangea Episode 3: “The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Reef” - The latest installment of a six-part docuseries on the mass-extinction event known as the “Great Dying.” (PBS)
ER: Caught on Camera Season 1, Episode 5 - The latest installment of a docuseries in which medical patients recall experiences in hospital emergency rooms. (TLC)
Hell’s Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films (2003) - A 2K restoration re-release of a documentary feature about traffic safety educational films. (Theatrical Event)
Holiday from Rules? (1958) - A short educational film that shows children why rules are important. (TCM)
Homestead Rescue: Intervention Season 1, Episode 3: “Wylde Mountain Reckoning” - The latest episode of a docuseries that follows wilderness experts as they save lives. (Discovery)
Invisible Frontliners (2022) - A medium-length documentary about caretakers, house cleaners, and other under-appreciated workers. (OVID)
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (2026) - A concert film directed by James Cameron and Billie Eilish and starring Billie Eilish. (Paramount+)
Monsters of God Episode 1: “The Fever” - The premiere installment of a five-part docuseries by Tiger King co-director Eric Goode about exotic reptile smugglers. See our highlights section for more info and a brief review. (HBO and HBO Max)
Pol Pot Dancing (2024) - A documentary feature about Pol Pot’s connection to classical dance. (OVID)
Ritual Season 2 - The return of a docuseries about customs in the American South, including second lines. (PBS)
The Soul of the Bossales (2024) - A documentary feature about rebellious Haitians. (OVID)
The Wedding in Monaco (1956) - A short documentary of Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco. (TCM)
Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon
8/7 - The Big Cheese - A documentary feature that follows an American team competing in France's Mondial du Fromage. (In Theaters)
8/21 - Learning to Fly - A documentary feature executive-produced by Chris Hemsworth about runner-turned-photographer Aisha McAdams. (In Theaters)
8/28 - Boorman and the Devil - A documentary feature about John Boorman and the making of The Exorcist II. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)
9/4 - Brailled It - A documentary feature about a competition for blind and low-vision children to film their experiences. (In Theaters)
9/9 - Who Moves America - A documentary feature following UPS-employed members of the Teamsters union as they prepare to strike nationwide. (In Theaters)
10/2 - The Last First: Winter K2 - A documentary feature by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) about the first successful winter summit climb of K2 (at least for the two-thirds of the people who attempted), five years ago. (Apple TV)