This Week In Documentary
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - April 25-May 1, 2025
It’s gonna be May! Not until the end of the week, but we’re turning the corner on April and closing out the first third of 2025. That means you’ll find several documentaries with new streaming and programming deals in our listings below. Mostly on The Criterion Channel. Other streamers don’t typically include docs in their first-of-the-month licensing changeovers anymore. Why is that?
I could just be experiencing my first documentary burnout of the year, but I found most of this week’s documentary releases (that I screened) disappointingly dull. As always, I’m going to try to focus on the positives of each film and series I highlight. I just can’t enthusiastically recommend anything outside of the Pick of the Week (and even then, it’s not an absolute favorite) and the filmmaker showcase.
Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Turning Point: The Vietnam War (2025)
One of my favorite filmmakers, Brian Knappenberger, is back with another historical docuseries in his Turning Point franchise for Netflix, and my thoughts on this new installment, Turning Point: The Vietnam War, are embargoed until Monday. I should remind you, though, that last year’s Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War made my list of the best documentaries of 2024.
Turning Point: The Vietnam War premieres in full on Netflix on Wednesday, April 30.
Other Documentary Highlights
Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got (1985) & Artie Shaw And His Orchestra (1939)
When watching an Oscar-winning documentary from the last century, one must remember there wasn’t as much competition back then. Also, Hollywood clearly preferred the most generic, conventionally structured nonfiction films. That said, as formally stale as Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got is, the biographical documentary — newly restored in 4K with a remastered soundtrack — benefits from having an extensive interview with its outspoken jazz icon subject as its centerpiece.
Artie Shaw was in his early seventies when he sat down to discuss his life for this film, which tied for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1987. He’s not exactly lively. He is willing, seems at ease, and has much to say, though you can also tell he doesn’t think the documentary is a big deal (he later sued for compensation when he realized it was). He’s just so matter-of-fact, and when he’s especially blunt about the jitterboxing kids who temporarily ruined his enjoyment of performing, he’s particularly fascinating. His appearance and demeanor clash with how he was portrayed in his heyday in the ‘30s and ‘40s — see him performing in the short film Artie Shaw and His Orchestra — and what we think of as a rich and famous music star. Even with his interesting personality, however, this one is really just for his fans.
Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got will be released digitally on Friday, April 25.
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra airs on TCM on Saturday, April 26.
Drop Dead City (2024) & Emergent City (2024)
These two new documentaries involving New York City would make for a great double feature if they weren’t each so long and tedious on their own. Both are exhaustively exhausting in their chronicling of political histories to the point that I decided it wasn’t an issue of pacing and editing in either case so much as these films exist to present the record more than to interest, let alone entertain, their audience. Even with documentaries, the whole story isn’t always the best story.
Drop Dead City tells of the city’s financial crisis in the 1970s. It’s a subject I’ve been intrigued by in a general sense for many years, mainly for its relationship to New York City cinema of the time. Thanks to this film, I now know more than I ever wanted or needed to about how and why New York was such a mess under Mayor Beame, yet some of the financial issues remain outside my comprehension. It’s mostly a compelling watch, if not always stimulating (ending with a montage set to “New York Groove” was a smart way to leave things), but it could have been shorter.
Emergent City takes us forward 40-50 years to the gentrification of Sunset Park in Brooklyn and the battle over the zoning of the waterfront area branded as Industry City. I couldn’t always tell if the filmmakers had a stance in the fight between the capitalist developers and the longtime locals, which helped me to never side with one or the other, either. It plays out so fully that it’s not a simple David vs. Goliath story. It’s not dramatized or sensationalized. It’s a complex matter with various offshoot battles. Factions can’t agree. And so on. The documentary is temporally immersive. By the end, you not only feel like you lived through its decade-long narrative but also through each and every mind-numbing town hall and community meeting.
Drop Dead City and Emergent City both open in theaters on Friday, April 25.
Free For All: The Public Library (2025)
What this documentary lacks in production value, it more than makes up for in its dilligence in making a case for the importance and necessity of public libraries in the U.S. Free for All: The Public Library covers everything you could ever want to know about the history of libraries in America, including the fact that the namesake for the Dewey Decimal System, Melvil Dewey, was notorious for his sexual harrassment of librarians. The film also covers every benefit libraries have had and continue to have for this country’s citizens and communities, while also addressing their controversies. Even if you’re not a regular patron of your local library, if this documentary doesn’t make you feel better about it existing, you’re a terrible American.
Free for All: The Public Library premieres on PBS as an episode of Independent Lens on Tuesday, April 29, and will later be available on the PBS app and YouTube channel.
Jem Cohen Documentaries
In May, the Criterion Channel is showcasing the work of Jem Cohen, an experimental filmmaker who isn’t easily classified. He is best known for the features Museum Hours and Chain, which blur the lines of documentary and drama. He has many films that are possibly more music video than music doc, but then he also has several nonfiction films focused on bands and musicians, including Fugazi (Instrument), Elliott Smith (Lucky Three), Benjamin Smoke (Benjamin Smoke), and Patti Smith (Long for the City). Other films play with the city symphony format or focus on America at its worst, such as the paranoid aftermath of 9/11 (NYC Weights and Measures) and the first Trump inauguration (Birth of a Nation). All of these and more begin streaming on May 1.
Jimmy In Saigon (2022)
I began this week’s highlights with a documentary involving the Vietnam War, and I’m ending with another. Jimmy in Saigon is a personal investigative film by Peter McDowell about his brother, James, who died in Vietnam when the director was only three years old. It’s full of personal discoveries for McDowell. James turns out not to have died in the war — he returned to South Vietnam after his service was up while the war continued. And the reasons for his choice to go back and the cause of his death aren’t what his family had been told all those years ago. At times, the film seems only of value to the filmmaker, rather than his audience, though it eventually gets to a very sweet point in its final moments.
Jimmy in Saigon opens in theaters on Friday, April 25.
Documentary Release Calendar 4/25/25 - 5/1/25
Friday, April 25, 2025
Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got (1985) - An Oscar-winning documentary feature about the titular clarinetist and bandleader. Find our review of Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got in the highlights section above. (VOD/Digital)
Cape Breton Island (1948) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores the titular island in Nova Scotia. (TCM)
Cheech and Chong's Last Movie (2024) - A documentary about the legacy of the titular comedy duo. (In Theaters)
Colorful Islands: Madagascar and Seychelles (1935) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores the two titular islands. (TCM)
The Diamond King (2025) - A documentary about Dick Perez, the official artist for the Baseball Hall of Fame. (VOD)
Drop Dead City (2024) - A feature documentary about New York City’s 1975 fiscal crisis. Find our review of Drop Dead City in the highlights section above. (In Theaters)
Emergent City (2024) - A feature documentary about the debate over the development plans for an industrial area of Brooklyn. Find our review of Emergent City in the highlights section above. (In Theaters)
Island Windjammers (1956) - A short documentary in the Sportscope franchise about the annual Out Island Regatta in the Bahamas. (TCM)
Jimmy in Saigon (2022) - A documentary feature by Peter McDowell about the death of his brother in Saigon as a civilian during the Vietnam War. Find our review of Jimmy in Saigon in the highlights section above. (In Theaters)
Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints Season 1, Episode 8: “Thomas Becket” - The latest episode of this docuseries exploring the lives and sacrifices of historical saints focuses on Saint Thomas of Canterbury. (Fox Nation)
Merchant Ivory (2024) - A feature documentary about the filmmaking partnership of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant. Read our review of Merchant Ivory. (TCM)
MGM Parade Show #25 (1956) - This installment of the Hollywood-focused docuseries showcases the MGM films The Firefly and Meet Me in Las Vegas. (TCM)
Night Descends on Treasure Island (1940) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that showcases the nighttime festivities of the 1939 Golden Gate Exposition. (TCM)
Pitcairn Island Today (1935) - A short documentary about the titular South Seas island. (TCM)
Tom Dustin: Portrait of a Comedian (2024) - A documentary feature about the titular comedian as he performs shows in Key West, Florida. (In Theaters)
White with Fear (2024) - A documentary about the conservative push to divide races and claim white victimization. (In Theaters)
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (1939) - A short film in which the titular music group performs five songs. (TCM)
Dirt Track Racing (1957) - A short documentary in the RKO Sportscope series about motorcycle racing in Vienna. (TCM)
Forgotten Treasure (1943) - A short documentary about the film and art preservation efforts of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. (TCM)
Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up Season 2, Episode 8: “The Bumpy Road Ahead” - The latest installment of this docuseries following Gypsy Rose Blanchard since her release from prison. (Lifetime)
Los Angeles: “Wonder City of the West” (1935) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores the titular California city, including a visit to Walt Disney’s animation studio. (TCM)
New York Homicide Season 3, Episode 13: “Trouble in Tribeca” - The latest episode of this true-crime docuseries about recent murder cases in New York City involves the disappearance of a wealthy businesswoman. (Oxygen)
The Real Murders of Atlanta Season 3, Episode 11: “Search for a Monster” - The latest episode of this Atlanta-focused true-crime docuseries. (Oxygen)
Wildlife Rehab Episodes 9 & 10: “Otter Panic” & “Eat, Prey, Love” - The final two episodes of this docuseries about a wildlife rehabilitator in Saskatchewan and her team. (National Geographic WILD)
The Wonderful World of Tupperware (1965) - A short industrial film about Tupperware. (TCM)
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality (2025) - A documentary feature about the titular Italian teenager and computer whiz who died of leukemia in 2006 and is set for sainthood. (In Theaters)
Chasing Chimeras (2025) - A medium-length documentary about the fossil fuel industry’s climate solutions. (In Theaters)
David Frost Vs Episode 1: “David Frost vs The Beatles” - The first installment of this six-part docuseries about talk show host David Frost focuses on his interview with The Beatles. (MSNBC)
Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain (2025) - A new travel series in which the titular actress explores Barcelona, Spain, and other parts of Spain. (CNN)
Film Geek (2023) - A personal documentary in which director Richard Shepard compiles film clips and his own archives for a look back at his love of cinema and his relationship with his father. (TCM)
My Happy Place Episode 1: “Scottish Highlands with Alan Cumming” - This first episode of this travel docuseries following celebrities on deeply personal journeys stars actor and The Traitors host Alan Cumming. (CNN)
The Rehearsal Season 2, Episode 2: “Star Potential” - The latest installment of this nonfiction series starring Nathan Fielder about people rehearsing their lives. Read our review of The Rehearsal Season 2. (HBO)
Stewart 27 (2025) - A documentary about motocross star Malcolm Stewart. (ESPN+)
Monday, April 28, 2025
America’s Most Wanted Season 3, Episode 2: “Lil Jon Joins the AMW Fight” - The latest installment of this iconic crime series revival features guest star Lil Jon. (Fox)
America's Most Wanted: Missing Persons (2025) - A new spinoff docuseries about the search for missing persons. (Fox)
Celtics City Chapter IX: “We’re the Celtics” - The final episode of this nine-part docuseries about the Boston Celtics focuses on the team from 2008 through 2024. Read our review of Celtics City. (HBO and Max)
Chef’s Table: Legends (2025) - The latest series in the Chef’s Table franchise looks back at iconic chefs such as Alice Waters and Thomas Keller. (Netflix)
Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid Season 2, Episode 3: “An Eye for an Eye” - The latest episode of this docuseries about sacred relics. (History)
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)
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
American Expendables (2024) - A medium-length documentary about the action stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s in movies from North American Pictures. (Blu-ray)
The Bermuda Triangle (1979) - A documentary about the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. (Blu-ray)
Free for All: The Public Library (2025) - A feature documentary about the importance of public libraries. Presented an episode of Independent Lens. Find our review of Free for All: The Public Library in the highlights section above. (PBS)
From Liverpool to Stratford (1949) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores England. (TCM)
Greenwood Ave Project (2023) - A documentary about the rebuilding after the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. (DVD)
The Gun Is Loaded (1989) - A short film starring performance artist Lydia Lunch as she delivers a manifesto about “the American Dream turned mean.” (Blu-ray)
Janis Ian: Breaking Silence (2024) - A feature documentary about the titular singer-songwriter. (DVD and VOD)
The Last Surviving Cheetahs (2024) - A medium-length documentary about the endangered Asiatic cheetah. (DVD)
Looking at London (1946) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores London post-World War II. (TCM)
Pati Jinich Explores Panamericana Episode 1: “Alaska Wild Harvest” - The first episode of this docuseries starring the titular chef about Pan-American food, culture, and history. (PBS)
Port Protection Alaska Season 8, Episode 7: “It’s All Uphill From Here” - The latest episode of this docuseries about life in the titular Alaskan village focuses on deer hunting. (National Geographic)
Road Rant: A Week on the Road with Lydia Lunch (2012) - A concert tour film starring Lydia Lunch as she performs five shows. (Blu-ray)
Snow Birds (1932) - A short documentary in the Pete Smith Sports Champion series that looks at winter sports in California. (TCM)
Take a Cue (1939) - A documentary in which students are taught the game of billiards (TCM)
Tarpon (1973) - A 4K restoration and re-release of this medium-length documentary depicting fishing in Key West. Read our review of Tarpon. (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Trialside Studios Movie: Behind the Camera (2025) - A docuseries about the soul of filmmaking. (Blu-ray)
We Must Have Music (1941) - A short film about the history of music in the movies. (TCM)
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025) - A feature documentary following the origins of the titular rock band. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Expedition Files Season 2, Episode 2: “Deadly Adventures” - The latest installment of this docuseries investigating unexplained mysteries from history. (Discovery)
Football Headliners (1955) - A short film highlighting significant college football games played in 1955. (TCM)
Ghost Adventures Season 29, Episode 2: “The Houdini Seance” - The latest installment of this docuseries investigating haunted places involves the titular magician and the Winchester Mystery House. (Discovery+)
Glimpses of Australia (1939) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Sydney and Melbourne. (TCM)
Last of the Nobodies (2025) - A short documentary about a collaboration of 24 Montana musicians. (In Theaters)
Life or Death: The Negotiators Episode 2: “Taipei Hostage Crisis” - The latest episode of this docuseries about the kidnapping of a South American diplomat’s family. (National Geographic)
Mysteries of the Abandoned: Hidden America Season 4 - The return of this docuseries about abandoned and forgotten ruins in America. (Discovery Channel)
Turning Point: The Vietnam War (2025) - The latest docuseries in the Turning Point franchise looks back at the Vietnam War. (Netflix)
Thursday, May 1, 2025
24 City (2008) - A hybrid film by Jia Zhang-ke and starring Joan Chen about factory workers in Chengdu, China. (The Criterion Channel)
100 Foot Wave Season 3, Chapter I: “Risk” - The return of the Emmy-winning surfing docuseries focuses on the first big swell of the season in Nazaré. (HBO and Max)
300 Trillion – The Debt Trap (2022) - A documentary about the world’s debts. (OVID)
Accused: Guilty or Innocent? Season 7, Episode 8: “Killer Officer or Drive-by Victim?” - The latest episode of this docuseries following individuals charged with crimes as told from their perspective. (A&E)
AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special (2023) - A documentary special celebrating 50 years of the AFI Life Achievement Award. (TCM)
American Delivery (2024) - A documentary about the U.S. maternal mortality crisis. (PBS)
Angi: Fake Life, True Crime (2025) - A Spanish docuseries about the murder of fashion designer Ana Páez. (Netflix)
Ballad of Philip Guston (2022) - A short essay film about the controversial titular painter. (The Criterion Channel)
Benjamin Smoke (2000) - A documentary by Jem Cohen and Peter Sillen about a drag queen in Atlanta who also fronts the band Smoke. (The Criterion Channel)
Birth of a Nation (2017) - A short documentary by Jem Cohen of the first Trump inauguration. (The Criterion Collection)
The Chicano Squad (2024) - A docuseries about Houston detectives assigned to Latino homicide cases in 1979. (Hulu)
Counting (2015) - An international multi-city symphony film directed by Jem Cohen. (The Criterion Collection)
Crossing Paths with Luce Vigo (2010) - A short documentary about the titular film critic. (The Criterion Channel)
Decade for Decision (1957) - A short documentary about the threat of the Soviet launch of the first satellite, Sputnik. (TCM)
Free (2007) - A short film by Jem Cohen celebrating the 20th anniversary of Media Arts Fellowships. (The Criterion Channel)
Genghis Khan: The Secret History of the Mongols Episode 1: “Temujin: The Boy Who Will Be Khan” - The first episode of this new historical docuseries about the titular warrior and conqueror recounts his early years. (National Geographic)
Gerhard Richter Painting (2011) - A documentary about the titular artist and his studio. (The Criterion Channel)
The Golden Years (1960) - A short documentary about bowling innovations. (TCM)
History's Greatest Escapes with Morgan Freeman Season 2 - The second season of this docuseries about jailbreaks. (Hulu)
The Hour of Liberation Has Arrived (1974) - A documentary by Heiny Srour about the former "Liberated Zone" of Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman, in which women were instrumental in the anticolonial uprising. (The Criterion Channel)
I Know Catherine, the Log Lady (2025) - A feature documentary about actress Catherine E. Coulson and her role as the Log Lady on Twin Peaks. (In Theaters)
The Illusion of Abundance (2023) - A documentary about three women environmentalists in Latin America. (OVID)
Inmate to Roommate Season 2 - The second season of this docuseries about people who share living space with formerly incarcerated individuals. (Hulu)
Instrument (1999) - A documentary feature by Jem Cohen about the punk band Fugazi. (The Criterion Channel)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) - A prank-stunt-filled comedy with documentary elements starring Johnny Knoxville. (Hulu)
James Brown: Say it Loud (2024) - A four-part docuseries about the titular singer. (Hulu)
Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers (2025) - A documentary feature about avant-garde artists in Japan in the 1960s. (In Theaters)
Leila and the Wolves (1984) - A film by Heiny Srour about the political significance of Lebanese and Palestinian women in the 20th century. (The Criterion Channel)
Little Flags (2000) - A short film documenting a military parade in Manhattan in the early 1990s. (The Criterion Channel)
Long for the City (Patti Smith in New York) (2009) - A short documentary by Jem Cohen about singer-songwriter Patti Smith. (The Criterion Channel)
Lucky Three: An Elliott Smith Portrait (1997) - A short documentary by Jem Cohen about singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. (The Criterion Channel)
Makeshift (For Mekas) (2019) - A short documentary by Jem Cohen paying tribute to filmmaker Jonas Mekas. (The Criterion Channel)
MGM Parade Show #26 (1955) - This installment of the Hollywood-focused docuseries showcases the MGM films The Harvey Girls and The Man in the Barn. (TCM)
More Than a Game (2008) - A documentary about pro basketball player LeBron James. (Tubi)
NYC Weights & Measures (2005) - A short by Jem Cohen showing a paranoid New York City after 9/11. (The Criterion Collection)
Oasis: Supersonic (2016) - A documentary about the titular band. (Tubi)
Open Wide (2024) - A documentary about unconventional orthodontists. (Tubi)
The Passage Clock (for Walter Benjamin) (2008) - A short film by Jem Cohen paying tribute to the artist Walter Benjamin. (The Criterion Channel)
The Summit (2012) - A documentary about a K2 mountaineering tragedy in which 11 climbers mysteriously died. Read our review of The Summit. (Tubi)
Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue (2020) - A documentary by Jia Zhangke about a literature festival in Shanxi, China. (The Criterion Channel)
Turn in the Wound (2024) - A documentary by Abel Ferrara about the war in Ukraine. (The Criterion Channel)
Workingman's Death (2005) - A documentary by Michael Glawogger about the extremes that workers will endure to make a living. (The Criterion Channel)
Sneak Peek At What’s Coming Soon
5/2 - Pavements - A hybrid feature about the titular rock band. (In Theaters)
5/7 - Bugs That Rule the World - A four-part docuseries about the mysterious world of bugs. (PBS)
5/8 - Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful - A documentary about the titular singer. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (Netflix)
5/12 - And So It Begins - A documentary about the opposition to the rise of autocracy in the Philippines. (PBS)
5/23 - Pee-wee as Himself - A two-part documentary about Paul Reubens, the man behind Pee-wee Herman. Watch the new trailer for the film below. (HBO and Max)
6/20 - Harley Flanagan: Wired for Chaos - A documentary about the frontman of the punk band Cro-Mags. (In Theaters)
6/27 - The Last Class - A documentary feature starring political economist Robert Reich as he teaches his final Wealth and Poverty course at UC Berkeley. (In Theaters)