The 10 best documentaries of 2022

Between social media and gossip sites, it feels like you know everything you need to know about the rich and famous. Yet among the standout documentaries of 2022, one of the dominant themes was celebrity intimacy. People who spend a lot of time in the public eye often lose control of their stories as the press and the public push them into soap opera tales full of romance, betrayal, heroism and villainy. In the 2022 film, the celeb fought back, delving deeper into mental health issues and family trauma, and explaining how difficult it is to keep fans and critics happy all the time.

These films alone could make the ’10 Best Documentaries of 2022′ list. Jennifer Lopez: Halftime (on the stress of putting together a Super Bowl show), Louis Armstrong Black & Blues (which tells the story of a jazz hero via his private archive), lucy and desi (Looking back at one of TV’s most volatile couples), incomparable (tracking the rise and fall of Sinead O’Connor), Return of Tanya Tucker (on the country music legend reluctantly going back to basics), Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (You can catch a glimpse of the superstar’s performance anxiety), Spring Awakening: People You Know (Now-famous stars of Broadway blockbusters reflect on their youth), stats (Jonah Hill praises both therapists and his own therapy), Senior (Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his filmmaker father while lamenting the drug-addicted lifestyle they once led.) Tony Hawk: Until the wheels fall off (A study of exercise obsession).

As it happens, they all fell short of the final cut on the list. But their spirit is represented by some of the listmakers below. ) shows how a good documentary narrator can find original and enlightening angles on material we think we already know. From celebrities, gun violence, systemic racism, addiction, and love, these films made common issues feel new.

10. Princess

The British royal family has made a lot of headlines since 2022 saw a major ups and downs in the romance between the current King Charles III and his late ex-wife Diana Spencer.ed perkins surprisingly intense princess tells the story of Diana from her first introduction to the public as a bride-to-be, to her later acceptance of philanthropic and social causes, and her death while trying to escape the relentless paparazzi. Using only footage from her News and Home movies, Perkins highlights the pressure of fame. This is evident from the constant questions and camera clicks Diana faces. This is a cautionary tale about what happens when the press and the public turn real people into fantasy characters.

princess is streaming on HBO Max.

9. All Beauty and Blood

Photo: Neon

Photographer Nan Goldin rose to prominence in the New York art world by documenting the communities of queer people, punks, sex workers, and political extremists who lived in the 70s and 80s.Laura Poitras Documentary all beauty and blood It’s about how Goldin’s creative journey was shaped by building his own scene and living among misfit artists who continued to navigate the ravages of AIDS and drug addiction. , also talks about the furor the artist has caused as an activist by demanding that the museum cut ties with the Sacklers, a wealthy art patron family who have amassed a fortune thanks to the opioid epidemic. Poitras connects these snippets of Goldin’s life with insight, showing how her grassroots organization and her radical honesty drive her.

all beauty and blood Currently in limited theatrical release.

8. Is it black enough for you?!?

Image: Netflix

This thrilling blend of cultural history and impassioned personal essay is the work of veteran film critic Elvis Mitchell, who capitalizes on the heyday of blaxploitation cinema in the 1970s. super fly When foxy brown As a way of delving into the complex history of black representation in American cinema.throughout Is that black enough for you?!?blockbuster action photo clips shaft Sprinkled with commentary from black showbiz legends like Whoopi Goldberg and Samuel L. Jackson. But the main voice and point of view here is Mitchell’s, and his vast film knowledge and experience allows him to find greater meaning in even the smallest moments.

Is that black enough for you?!? is streaming on netflix.

7. Janes

Image: HBO Max

The most obvious selling point of Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes’ thoughtful retrospective of the history of abortion rights is that it suddenly became relevant given the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn an earlier judgment. That’s it. Law vs Wade decision. But treating movies like homework Jane’sThis is less because of abortion itself, less because of how feminism blossomed in the 1960s, than because of underground networks that elevated the secrets women whispered to each other and tried to make them common knowledge. A surviving member of Chicago’s secret medical organization Jane tells how he not only connected desperate women with kind doctors, but also told those sisters they weren’t alone.

Jane’s is streaming on HBO Max.

6. Second Chance

Photo: Showtime

Too many true crime docs these days just play up the salacious details of sex, violence and deception. Divided into parts.Weird and surprising things about Ramin Bahrani second chance Running for an exhilarating 89 minutes, its story is full of death and intrigue, but the sharper character sketches are the colorful bulletproof vest tycoon pitching himself to law enforcement and the military as a friend, while the company loses its life. . Bet on cut corners. Often funny and engaging, this film is worth saving, regardless of how we define “criminal” and whether we as a society are right or wrong. It’s about people who think

second chance Currently playing in a limited theatrical release. Will stream in 2023 (date TBD) always showtime.

5. Flame of Love

Image: National Geographic Documentary Film

When French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Kraft died at work in 1991, they left behind a vast archive of notebooks, tapes and photographs. Together, they provided insight into decades spent risking their lives to understand one of nature’s most dangerous phenomena. But the Krafts’ real legacy is film and video footage that captures eye-popping images of smoke and lava, dwarfing the fragile human figure.Sarah Dosa fire of love Sizzling colors and spooky landscapes, all abstract and alien, these photographs set a haunting score by Nicolas Godin for Ayr and narrated by Miranda July to bring the couple’s romantic adventures to epic proportions. Turn it into a movie.

fire of love is streaming on disney plus.

4. We met in virtual reality

Image: Joe Hunting/HBO Max

Joe Hunting’s lively animated documentary, a welcome counterpoint to the tumultuous talk of alienation and extremism in the age of social media met in virtual reality Consider how online interactions have benefited people with physical, neurological, psychological, or logistical limitations. Recorded entirely within the online community VRChat, the film celebrates true human relationships developed within a virtual space, allowing users to see a vast array of eye-catching videos populated by humans and animals who can be sexy or whimsical and goofy. We welcome the creativity and distraction that led us to build the gathering place. hybrid.

met in virtual reality is streaming on HBO Max.

3. Descendants

Image: Participants/Netflix

Director Margaret Brown is best known for her nuanced non-fiction films about Southern culture, including her excellent 2008 documentary. mythological order. for descendants, Brown took her camera to coastal Alabama communities. There, historians and amateur treasure hunters searched for the infamous shipwreck. In 2019, the discovery of the mid-19th century arrival of the Clotilda, the last slave transport to reach the shores of America, sparked much interest and conversation internationally. Critical to the film, however, is how the black Alabama people of “Africatown” see how their ancestral tales are all but erased from the historical record, leaving only folklore and anecdotes as a way for the community to preserve. It is an opportunity to think about what has attracted all the attention…the truth.

descendants is streaming on netflix.

2. Riotsville, USA

Photo: Magnolia Pictures

In the late 1960s, civil unrest across America sparked a national debate about possible solutions, and two major initiatives emerged. Riotsville USAIn one corner, a bipartisan commission investigated the root causes of riots and argued that the best way to reduce crime and violence is by improving education, introducing employment programs and acknowledging institutional racism. I discovered something. In another corner, a coalition of military and law enforcement leaders built fake city blocks in the middle of nowhere and used them to train soldiers and officers to crack the skulls of hippies and ethnic minorities. Assembled almost entirely from archive films and TV clips, Pettengill’s film feels like it’s in the 2020s even though it’s set over 50 years ago.

Riotsville, USA can be purchased from. Amazon, appleGoogle Play.

1. Moonage Daydream

Image: Neon

Don’t come to Brett Morgen’s expansive and sensational cinematic experience moon age daydream Expect to learn basic facts about late pop star and experimental artist David Bowie. With the invaluable help of the Bowie Estate — which gave the director access to a vast archive of audio and video — David Morgen produced a kaleidoscope of 140-minute films and reinterpreted old films. We’ve blended clips and cranked-up rock music into a dizzying swirl of sound. Vision. The film framed the subject’s frequent transformations as performer and celebrity as the work of a brilliant actor, disappearing into quirky celebrity roles as a way to entertain fans and revealing his real life and self. is partially hidden.

moon age daydream can be rented or purchased at Amazon, appleGoogle Play.