This Week In Documentary
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - December 12-18, 2025
It’s that part of December when we’ve seen almost everything from this year, already made our list of the best (see below), and are waiting for the next year to begin (see our most anticipated films of 2026 list in a few weeks). There are some stragglers, including a concert film starring one of the biggest pop stars on the planet and a music documentary by one of our favorite filmmakers, but otherwise, highlights for the second half of this month might seem like slim leftovers.
We are still in the holiday season, though, so I have some more special deals to share before we get to the listings (note: none of these are sponsored or paid for; they’re just deals I saw in emails I received and social media posts I spotted). In addition to the free DVD deal I shared a few weeks ago, Zipporah Films is now offering free shipping on all orders over $80 with the code FREESHIP. Also, Icarus Films is discounting more than 100 of its DVDs by 60 percent via the code PHYSICALMEDIAFOREVER.
Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, including capsule reviews of new nonfiction films and series. They are followed by daily listings for all known notable releases and broadcasts, plus a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans (including more than one about AI). Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc in need of coverage or a mention in our listings, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.
Nonfics Picks Of The Week: The Best Documentaries Of 2025
Last week, we published our list of the best documentaries of 2025, beginning with our 25th pick, Natchez, and ending with… well, you have to check it out and see. Yes, most of the list is behind a paywall, but you can at least briefly sign up for a paid subscription to offer your support for all the work we did this year, as we celebrate all the great work released this year. To prove I’m not greedy, I also recommend checking out the best of lists at POV, The Film Stage, Esquire, the Daily Gazette, and the Los Angeles Times. The more the merrier when it comes to recognizing documentaries.
I want to mention that I loved a lot more than 25 documentaries this year, and I welcome you to follow Nonfics and me on Letterboxd to see regular ratings. Also, you can look back at the first quarter and mid-year versions of our best of 2025 list for recognition of titles that wound up ultimately falling short and dropping off, including Dig! XX, Like Tears in Rain, Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, and Prime Minister. Among my other honorable mentions would be Deaf President Now!, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, My Mom Jayne, Becoming Led Zeppelin, Come See Me in the Good Light, Surviving Ohio State, The American Southwest, Coexistence, My Ass!, and It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley.
Other Documentary Highlights
David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020)
Five years ago, David Byrne’s American Utopia did remarkably well in the Nonfics end-of-year poll, coming in at number six on the list of the best documentaries of 2020. It wasn’t on my ballot, but I’m not a huge concert film guy. I think American Utopia is a fantastic show and am glad to have been able to witness it via this record, but I don’t know that as a film (directed by Spike Lee), it adds anything new to the work of art presented. Obviously, others disagree, and so I’m highlighting its latest means of being watched here. Again, I do think it’s worth watching for the show itself.
David Byrne’s American Utopia will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD via The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, December 16.
Documentaries Starring Dick Van Dyke
Legendary entertainer Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old this Saturday, December 13, and a couple of new documentaries arrive this weekend in celebration of his centenary. One of them is a new installment of American Masters titled Starring Dick Van Dyke. It’s your basic biographical feature with talking head interviewees spouting hyperbolic praises, and it kind of feels like more of a rerun than a new production. The other is Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration, which I haven’t seen but may be similar.
The feeling that the new docs aren’t that fresh is expected since Van Dyke and his most famous show and movies have been the subject of films and specials in the past. Who knew he’d live long enough to need repeats? But he’s also been in documentaries about other famous funny people, praising their work, and those are also worth checking out. He can be heard talking about his sitcom co-star in the archival doc Being Mary Tyler Moore (streaming on HBO Max) and seen talking about his idols Buster Keaton and Stan Laurel, respectively, in The Great Buster (on Kanopy and The Criterion Channel) and Salute to Stan Laurel (YouTube), which he also hosted.
He narrates the Walt Disney doc Walt: The Man Behind the Myth (on DVD) and appears in the Sherman brothers doc The Boys (Disney+), Gilbert Gottfried doc Gilbert (Prime Video, Kanopy, and Tubi), and the Rose Marie doc Wait for Your Laugh (Prime Video, Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Tubi). You can also see him in the film If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (HBO Max), where he talks about old age with his friend Carl Reiner, and in documentaries on alcoholism and the histories of television, Broadway, and comedy.
Starring Dick Van Dyke airs on PBS as an episode of American Masters on Friday, December 12.
Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration releases in theaters on Saturday, December 13.
Megadoc (2025)
Mike Figgis, best known as the Oscar-nominated writer and director of Leaving Las Vegas, helms this behind-the-scenes look at the production of Francis Ford Coppola’s savings-draining passion project Megalopolis. Whether you’ve seen that movie or not, this depressingly disaster-focused documentary on its making is worth watching as a companion piece to (the much better) Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, about the out-of-control production of Apocalypse Now.
Megadoc portrays Coppola fighting against a different set of harsh elements and a very different Hollywood, as he complains about the size of the production and constantly butts heads with Shia LaBeouf, representing the new generation of cinema. Coppola comes across as a filmmaker of another time in conflict with today’s system, perhaps so much so that he was doomed to begin with in his attempt at making something his way in the current industry. He seems crazy and stubborn, but so does the business and culture of modern moviemaking around him and in opposition to him.
It’s an awfully choppy documentary, and Figgis inserts himself too much to explain the making of his making-of film. It also probably does more harm to the already unsuccessful Megalopolis. Yet, while Megadoc often made me want to see Megalopolis less, it sometimes made me more curious to watch it, in part thanks to Figgis’s decision to show clips of the finished product on the big screen at Cannes after showing the scene being filmed.
Megadoc begins streaming on The Criterion Channel on Tuesday, December 16.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour - The End of an Era (2025)
While I haven’t yet seen the concert docuseries Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour - The End of an Era, it’s too big a deal not to highlight among this week’s releases. Plus, I’m a fan of its directors, Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, who’ve previously made notable films featuring Imagine Dragons, Dio, Pentagram’s Bobby Liebling, and the real-life School of Rock. And that’s just their other music docs. Not being a Swiftie, I don’t know if I'll be able to stick with this one across six episodes, but I’m eager to give it a shot.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour - The End of an Era premieres on Disney+ on Friday, December 12.
Awards Highlights
Critics Group Winners
The African American Film Critics Association announced its end-of-year award winners, including The Perfect Neighbor (streaming on Netflix) for Best Documentary and Hoops, Hopes & Dreams (coming to Hulu on 1/19) for Best Documentary Short. The Michigan Movie Critics Guild and the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association also named The Perfect Neighbor Best Documentary among their winners.
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association honored My Undesirable Friends: Part I - Last Air in Moscow as Best Documentary Film, with The Perfect Neighbor being their runner-up. The LAFCA also gave Los Angeles Plays Itself director Thom Andersen a special career achievement award. The Toronto Film Critics Association gave Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple TV) the Allan King Best Documentary Award, naming Orwell 2+2=5 (VOD) and The Tale of Silyan (now in theaters) runners-up.
IDA Awards Winners
The International Documentary Association held its 41st IDA Documentary Awards last week, with The Tale of Silyan (now in theaters) winning Best Feature Documentary and Best Cinematography. Brittany Shyne won Best Director for Seeds (coming soon to theaters), while other honorees included WTO/99 (now in theaters), One to One: John & Yoko (HBO Max), Citizen Nation (free on PBS’s website, app, and YouTube channel), Deaf President Now! (Apple TV), and Apocalypse in the Tropics (Netflix), which took home two awards. See the full list on the IDA website.
PGA Awards Nominees
The Producers Guild of America revealed its nonfiction nominees for its 37th PGA Awards. The following films are up for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures: The Alabama Solution (HBO Max), Cover-Up (coming to Netflix on 12/26), Mr. Nobody Against Putin (currently unavailable), My Mom Jayne (HBO Max), Ocean with David Attenborough (Disney+ and Hulu), The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix), and The Tale of Silyan (now in theaters). The large-format documentary Big Wave: No Room for Error and the interactive short D-Day: The Camera Soldier were also recognized, both as PGA Innovation Award finalists.
Documentary Release Calendar 12/12/25 - 12/18/25
Friday, December 12, 2025
El Cando de las Manos (2025) - A documentary feature about a staging of Beethoven’s opera Fidelio in sign language. (In Theaters)
Europe’s New Faces (2025) - A documentary feature about the migrant experience in Europe. (In Theaters)
A Jumpin’ Night in the Garden of Eden (1988) - A documentary feature about the Klezmer revival in the 1980s. (OVID)
The King of Color (2025) - A documentary feature about the creator of the Pantone Matching System. (In Theaters)
Murder at the Motel Season 2, Episode 6: “America’s Best Value Inn” - The latest episode of this true-crime docuseries focuses on a murder in Michigan. (A&E)
Starring Dick Van Dyke (2025) - A biographical documentary about the titular actor, who turns 100 this December. Presented as an episode of American Masters. (PBS)
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour - The End of an Era (2025) - A six-part concert film series starring Taylor Swift as she performs during her Eras Tour. (Disney+)
The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd Season 3, Episode 6: “Outlandish Ideas” - The latest installment of a docuseries about mysterious and bizarre people and things. (History)
Vantara: Sanctuary Stories Season 1, Episode 6: “From Rescue to Sanctuary” - The latest installment of a six-part docuseries on the world’s largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility. (Animal Planet)
Wadd: The Life & Times of John C. Holmes (1999) - A previously lost documentary feature about the titular adult film star. (DVD and VOD)
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Accident, Suicide, or Murder Season 6, Episode 4: “Death by Request” - The latest episode of this true-crime series involves a military man who killed his teacher wife. (Oxygen)
Audioscopiks (1935) - An Oscar-nominated short presenting the spectacle of 3D cinema. (TCM)
Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration (2025) - A documentary feature showcasing the titular actor and comedian in honor of his 100th birthday. (In Theaters via Fathom Events)
The Power of Film Part 6: “Love and Meaning” - The final episode of the limited series focuses on romantic movies and why so many of them don’t end happily ever after. (TCM)
Toronto Airport: Uncovered Season 1, Episodes 7 & 8: “Lightning Alert” & “Spring Break Rush” - The latest two installments of a docuseries that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Toronto Pearson Airport. (National Geographic)
The Wonderful World of Tupperware (1965) - A short industrial film about Tupperware. (TCM)
Sunday, December 14, 2025
The Cure: The Show of a Lost World (2025) - A concert film starring the titular rock band. (In Theaters on 12/11 & 12/14 only)
A Day in the Death of Donny B. (1969) - A short docudrama following a heroin addict in New York City. (TCM)
Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration (2025) - A documentary feature showcasing the titular actor and comedian in honor of his 100th birthday. (In Theaters via Fathom Events)
Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey (2025) - A documentary feature produced by Chris Pratt about a young combat chaplain and the remains of a former Army chaplain who died 70 years earlier. (Wonder Project)
Ice Antics (1939) - A short film showcasing ice skaters and spotlighting scenes from the movie The Ice Follies of 1939. (TCM)
Killer Grannies Season 1, Episode 6: “Granny’s Word v Granny’s Word” - The latest installment of a true-crime series hosted by June Squibb about elderly woman killers. (Oxygen)
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins Season 4, Episode 6: “Seduced and Swindled” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about romances gone tragically wrong. (Oxygen)
Snapped: Behind Bars Season 3, Episode 6: “Rebecca Keller” - The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries featuring interviews with murderers who appeared on the show Snapped. (Oxygen)
Subject: Narcotics (1951) - A short film made for police officer training purposes on the “destructive effects of marijuana.” (TCM)
Words + Music Season 1, Episode 3: “Elvis Costello” - The latest episode of a music docuseries in which artists perform and discuss their hit songs. (MGM+)
Monday, December 15, 2025
The Case for Miracles (2025) - A documentary feature about religious miracles and the life of Jesus. (In Theaters 12/15-12/18 only)
Cruise of the Zaca (1952) - A short documentary following Errol Flynn on his schooner with a group of oceanic scientists. (TCM)
Here Come the Irish Season 2, Episode 2: “The Golden Standard” - The latest installment of a docuseries that follows the Notre Dame football team. (Peacock)
The Hoaxters (1952) - An Oscar-nominated short documentary comparing totalitarian leaders and politics to snake-oil salesmen. (TCM)
The United States Navy Band (1943) - A short music film presenting a performance by the U.S. Navy Band. (TCM)
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Ancient Symbols 3 (2025) - The second sequel in a series of documentaries about unexplained symbols found around the world. (DVD)
David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) - An Emmy Award-winning concert film directed by Spike Lee starring David Byrne as he performs his titular Broadway show. *NONFICS PICK* (4K Ultra HD, DVD, and Blu-ray)
Depeche Mode: M (2025) - A concert film starring the titular band as they perform in Mexico City in 2023. (Prime Video)
Finite: The Climate of Change (2022) - A documentary feature about activists in England and Germany attempting to stop coal mines from being developed. (DVD)
Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East Episode 3 - The latest installment of a docuseries that goes behind the scenes of NFL teams. (HBO Max)
Innovators of Black History Vol. 2 (2025) - The second installment in a series of documentaries on Black innovators. (DVD)
Maddy the Model (2020) - A documentary feature about Madeline Stuart, the first professional supermodel with Down syndrome. (DVD)
Megadoc (2025) - A documentary feature by Mike Figgis about the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
MGM Parade Show #1 (1955) - The first installment of a documentary series devoted to promoting MGM’s films. This inaugural film features Judy Garland and Cyd Charisse. (TCM)
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo Season 2, Episode 6: “Monstrous Marvels” - The latest installment of a docuseries exploring hidden worlds. (History)
Northwoods Survival Season 2, Episode 8: “Summerish” - The latest installment of a docuseries that follows young Canadian homesteaders living in remote landscapes. (National Geographic)
Out of Bounds (2025) - A docuseries exploring the latest stories about the sports world. (Vice TV)
Satisfied (2024) - A documentary feature about Hamilton actress Renée Elise Goldsberry. (Blu-ray)
The Secrets We Bury (2025) - A true-crime documentary following a family in their quest for information on their father’s disappearance. (Investigation Discovery)
Thank You Very Much - A documentary about actor and comedian Andy Kaufman. Read our review of Thank You Very Much. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Time-Lapse NY (2025) - A documentary showcasing New York City through time-lapse photography. (DVD)
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Murder in Monaco (2025) - A true-crime documentary that examines the death of a wealthy banker in Monaco in 1999. (Netflix)
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Match Your Mood with Westinghouse (1968) - A short documentary showing how women can decorate their refrigerators. (TCM)
Paris on Parade (1938) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores the Paris International Exposition of 1937. (TCM)
Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon
12/19 - Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders - A true-crime documentary about three men killed with beef wellington. (CNN)
12/25 - Happy and You Know It - A documentary feature directed by Penny Lane (Listening to Kenny G) about children’s music. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO Max)
12/28 - Adventure in Wonder - A docuseries following a Texas family as they sail the Croatian seas. (Wonder Project)
1/9 - Holding Liat - A documentary feature about an Israeli-American held hostage in Gaza after October 7. (In Theaters).
1/13 - Pole to Pole - A nature docuseries starring Will Smith covering the whole planet. Watch the new trailer for the series below. (National Geographic)
1/14 - Made in Ethiopia - A documentary feature about a Chinese factory in Ethiopia. (CBC Gem)
1/16 - Deepfaking Sam Altman - A documentary feature directed by Adam Bhala Lough (Telemarketers) about AI. (In Theaters)
1/21 - Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart - A true-crime documentary about a woman abducted as a teenager and held captive for nine months. (Netflix)
1/26 - Vivien’s Wild Ride - A documentary memoir directed by Hollywood film editor Vivien Hillgrove about her declining eyesight. (PBS)
1/30 - Natchez - A documentary feature about the historical legacy of the titular town in Mississippi. See where the film ranks on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
2/27 - EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert - A concert film directed by Baz Luhrmann starring Elvis. Watch the new trailer for the documentary below. (In Theaters)
3/6 - Below the Clouds - A documentary feature directed by Gianfranco Rosi showing life in the regions surrounding Mount Vesuvius. (In Theaters)
3/27 - The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist - A documentary feature directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Daniel Roher (Navalny) and Charlie Tyrell (My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes) about Roher’s contemplation of the future that his soon-to-be-born child will be growing up in.
3/30 - Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour - A concert film directed by James Cameron and Billie Eilish and starring Billie Eilish, presented in 3D. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (In Theaters)