They may not always jump to mind when you think binge-worthy TV, but make no mistake: Documentaries can easily deliver just as much drama as The Bachelor or Home and Away.
The best part is you always leave with a fun fact or two up your sleeve, and finish feeling way more open minded than if you had watched Geordie Shore for hours on end.
Allow us to change your thinking on what a typical documentary should be: Here are five Netflix films you need to watch ASAP.
DERREN BROWN: THE PUSH
This an incredibly thought provoking documentary that has very much slipped under the radar in Australia.
Derren Brown, a British mentalist and illusionist poses an obscure question that you likely haven’t asked yourself: Could we be manipulated through social pressure to commit murder?
With the help of 70 actors, the bold experiment explores social compliance and leads one man (unaware of the set up around him) into a scenario where pushing an acquaintance to their death seems like the only way out.
The journey to get to this point is so nerve wracking as a viewer, you can’t help but question how you would react in the man’s situation. What happened in the last ten minutes left us totally shocked.
You might also like: The Witness on Netflix.
NOVEMBER 13: ATTACK ON PARIS
It’s been just over three years since a series of coordinated terrorist attacks changed Paris forever on the night of November 13th 2015. This mini-series is unlike any other disaster documentary in that it does not heavily rely on real-life footage and the perpetrators themselves to carry the film.
Rather the stories of those who survived the events, both every day individual and first emergency responders, is what gives this series a unique insight that we didn’t see in the weeks after the attacks.
You might also like: Active Shooter: America Under Fire on Stan.
THE VOYEUR
When you’ve finished watching this, you’ll never be able to stay in a hotel again without thinking about who could be watching.
The New Yorker journalist Gay Talese reveals the secrets of his subject named Gerald Foos; a forthcoming man who operated the Manor House Motel for twenty years, with the sole purpose of spying on his patrons through the air vents above their room.
But as Foos’ story comes to fruition, it results in an unexpected and embarrassing turn for Talese’s journalistic career. Creepy – yes, but trust us on this one!
You might also like: The Imposter on Netflix.
THE CONFESSION TAPES
This mini-series is so easy to binge watch you could easily knock out the entire season on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Through footage of police interrogations, the show explores real life evidence of murder cases and the tactics taken by law enforcement to get the all-important confession.
The twist is that all these cases are uniquely tied together: Did the suspect even commit the crime? Or have they fallen victim to the mind games and manipulation of police?
You might also like: Making a Murderer on Netflix.
AMY
This intimate biographical film follows the rise and fall of Amy Winehouse, from her early days navigating her entry into the music industry, to her struggles with alcohol and drugs which ultimately led to her death.
An eye opening look into not only Amy herself, but the consequences of fame and society’s expectations.
You might also like: Gaga: Five Foot Two on Netflix.
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