Best Documentaries 2023

For his latest film, acclaimed documentarian Davis Guggenheim focused his camera on Michael J. Fox, the beloved actor who gave us Alex P. Keaton, Marty McFly, and Teen Wolf, and the result was a thoughtful, intimate portrait of Fox’s personal and professional life that earned nearly universal acclaim and a spot at the top of our Best Documentary category.

#1

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
99%

#1

Adjusted Score: 107255%

Critics Consensus: Poignant and profound, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie offers a captivating inside look at the life and career of a beloved entertainer.

Synopsis: The film, which will incorporate documentary, archival and scripted elements, will recount Fox's extraordinary story in his own words --... [More]

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Tracy Pollan, Andrew Barber, David Diamond

Directed By: Davis Guggenheim

#2

KOKOMO CITY (2023)
99%

#2

Adjusted Score: 102747%

Critics Consensus: Kokomo City is a rousing docu effort that illuminates trans lives within a world of adverse circumstance and invariable optimism.

Synopsis: In the wildly entertaining and refreshingly unfiltered documentary KOKOMO CITY, filmmaker D. Smith passes the mic to four Black transgender... [More]

Starring: Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, Dominique Silver

Directed By: D. Smith

#3

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)
100%

#3

Adjusted Score: 103146%

Critics Consensus: 20 Days in Mariupol offers a grueling but vital look at the devastating impact of war.

Synopsis: As the Russian invasion begins, a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue... [More]

Starring: Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka

Directed By: Mstyslav Chernov

#4

The Disappearance of Shere Hite (2023)
100%

#4

Adjusted Score: 102666%

Critics Consensus: As ambitious and provocative as its subject, The Disappearance of Shere Hite is a fascinating glimpse of a remarkable life.

Synopsis: Shere Hite's 1976 bestselling book, The Hite Report, liberated the female orgasm by revealing the most private experiences of thousands of... [More]

Starring: Dakota Johnson

Directed By: Nicole Newnham

#5

Beyond Utopia (2023)
100%

#5

Adjusted Score: 102425%

Critics Consensus: A documentary that feels like a thriller, Beyond Utopia is a gripping -- and frightening -- glimpse of life under oppression.

Synopsis: A suspenseful, riveting portrait of the lengths people will go to gain freedom, BEYOND UTOPIA follows various families as they... [More]

Starring: Lee So-yeon, Barbara Demick, Sung-eun Kim, Hyeonseo Lee

Directed By: Madeleine Gavin

#6

A Disturbance in The Force (2023)
100%

#6

Adjusted Score: 101764%

Critics Consensus: A Disturbance in the Force pulls back the curtain on an infamous chapter from a beloved franchise in delightfully entertaining fashion.

Synopsis: In 1977, "Star Wars" became a cultural phenomenon that single-handedly revitalized a stagnant film industry, and forever changed how films... [More]

Starring: Seth Green, Weird Al Yankovic, Paul Scheer, Taran Killam

Directed By: Jeremy Coon, Steve Kozak

#7

It Ain't Over (2022)
98%

#7

Adjusted Score: 100352%

Critics Consensus: While fittingly echoing Yogi Berra's famously sunny disposition, It Ain't Over persuasively makes the case for his incredible achievements on and off the baseball diamond.

Synopsis: An intimate portrait of a misunderstood American icon, this emotional and uplifting documentary about Yogi Berra takes us beyond the... [More]

Starring: Billy Crystal, Bob Costas, Willie Randolph, Derek Jeter

Directed By: Sean Mullin

#8

The Pigeon Tunnel (2023)
96%

#8

Adjusted Score: 100048%

Critics Consensus: Enthralling for fans as well as those who've never read one of his bestsellers, The Pigeon Tunnel pulls back the curtain on a master of the espionage thriller.

Synopsis: Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David... [More]

Starring: John le Carré, Jake Dove, Charlotte Hamblin, Alan Mehdizadeh

Directed By: Errol Morris

#9

Little Richard: I Am Everything (2023)
94%

#9

Adjusted Score: 99070%

Critics Consensus: Woooo! An engaging tribute to the rock pioneer, Little Richard: I Am Everything should shut up anyone who doubts the title's veracity.

Synopsis: LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock n' roll, exploding the whitewashed... [More]

Starring: Tom Jones, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Little Richard

Directed By: Lisa Cortes

#10

Joan Baez I Am a Noise (2023)
94%

#10

Adjusted Score: 96005%

Critics Consensus: Absorbing purely as a chronicle of her remarkable career, Joan Baez I Am a Noise is also moving as a depiction of one woman's personal journey from pain to peace and forgiveness.

Synopsis: Neither a conventional biopic nor a traditional concert film, JOAN BAEZ I AM A NOISE is a raw and intimate... [More]

Starring: Joan Baez, Mimi Fariña, Bob Dylan, David Harris

Directed By: Miri Navasky, Karen O'Connor, Maeve O'Boyle