Though narrative film can transport us to imagined worlds, documentary cinema often turns the camera back on our own. From incisive personal profiles to true crime investigations and examinations of contemporary political life, HBO has no shortage of fantastic documentaries. You could spend a lot of time scrolling through the options, so we made a list of our favorites. Here are some of the best documentaries on HBO Max.
What are the best documentaries on HBO Max?
HBO has an expansive catalogue and a steady output of new releases each year, thanks to dedicating a portion of its budget to its documentary division. We can expect the streaming giant to release more documentary titles each year, which alone makes the subscription price worth it.
Though we’ve listed our favorite titles below, we also wanted to give a few honorable mentions to The Jinx: The Life and Death of Robert Durst (2022), American Utopia (2020), All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022), Country Doctor (2025), Crazy, Not Insane (2020), Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024), and Amazing Grace (2018).
Critical Incident: Death at the Border (2025)
One of HBO’s most recent documentary releases, Critical Incident: Death at the Border, takes viewers inside the investigation of a fatal encounter at the U.S.–Mexico border. The film recounts the death of 42-year-old Anastasio Hernández Rojas, an undocumented immigrant who was handcuffed, beaten, and repeatedly tasered during a deportation dispute. Hernández-Rojas died shortly thereafter in custody.
While the U.S. government paid Hernández’s family a $1 million settlement, it declined to file criminal charges, even after the coroner ruled the death a homicide. Through archival footage, interviews with witnesses, officials, and family members, and a careful reconstruction of events, the documentary interrogates the institutional practices that shape contemporary border policy.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
If you’re a true crime fan, this investigative documentary follows Michelle McNamara’s quest to track down the Golden State Killer. While the Golden State Killer, a moniker McNamara herself coined, remained elusive for decades after sexually assaulting more than 50 people and murdering ten, it was the work of true crime fan forums and McNamara’s own unrelenting obsession with solving the case that ultimately led to the identification of Joseph James DeAngelo. Alongside the search for the killer, however, the series offers an intimate portrait of McNamara, who passed away in 2016, as a mother, investigator, author, and person.
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015)
Based on Lawrence Wright’s investigative book, Going Clear examines the Church of Scientology as both a belief system and an organization. Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney primarily uses testimony from former members, who explain how they got involved with the church and what ultimately led them to leave. The film also draws on historical records and contextual analysis of American religious culture to explore the church’s methods of control.
Going Clear provides viewers with a history of the church and how it grew into a powerful authority. Where did this religion come from, and how did it attract big names like John Travolta, Tom Cruise, and Elisabeth Moss? Beyond examining the church’s structural workings, Gibney opens the film as a very personal confessional, giving former members space to share their stories in their own voices.
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God (2023)
This documentary offers a striking look at a cult that operates on a very different level than what we typically associate with cults. Following the 2016 election, documentary filmmaker Hannah Olson was interested in the rise of conspiratorial thinking. She was introduced to the Love Has Won movement and the group’s leader, Amy Carlson. In particular, Olson was interested in Carlon’s journey from fast food chain store manager to the leader of a religious organization, which soon earned the nomination by scholars and survivors of a “cult.”
Aside from the subject matter already being intriguing, what makes the film especially compelling is its approach. Rather than relying solely on testimony from former members, it includes interviews with people who remain deeply committed to the group’s beliefs. As a result, the documentary places their worldview and psychology directly on display.
Hoop Dreams (1994)
For something a little more lighthearted, Hoop Dreams is a fantastic 1994 documentary directed by Steve James that follows Arthur Agee and William Gates, two African American teenagers with big dreams. The film takes us back to 1987, when Agee and Gates are recruited by a scout to attend St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois. Each travels roughly 90 minutes each way to a predominantly white school in the Chicago suburbs, known for its elite basketball program. Alongside the two teens, the film follows their families through heartbreak and triumph as Agee and Gates come to the brink of fame. Even years later, Hoop Dreams remains one of the greatest sports documentaries.
The film is inspiring, heartbreaking, and deeply honest. It received the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered in 1994. Beyond being a great sports documentary, Hoop Dreams is also a compelling examination of race, education, and class in America.
Thoughts & Prayers (2025)
Thoughts & Prayers takes us inside schools during active shooter training, where children learn how to disarm a shooter, teachers play video simulations, and industry representatives pitch life-saving products — from inflatable body armor and bullet-resistant desks and backpacks to a robot dog that alerts when an intruder enters — all items that are part of a multi-billion dollar industry that started in response to the rise in mass shootings.
This polarizing documentary that captures the landscape of gun violence in America gets a conversation going, though the overall response is mixed. The documentary has received outstanding reviews, but audience response suggests that it doesn’t go far enough in its commentary. To that we’d say: fair enough. The film certainly doesn’t cast judgment in black and white, but it doesn’t have to. It’s so plainly evident, even in its detachment. Whatever the opinion of how well executed the documentary is, it’s still easily one of the best documentaries on the subject.
How we picked the best documentaries on HBO Max
There’s no shortage of fantastic documentaries on HBO Max; these are the ones that are must-watches, or are incredibly relevant to today. We also considered the critical and audience reception to the films in our picks.
