These 9 Crime Documentaries on Netflix Will Shock and Amaze You
:upscale()/2016/10/02/045/n/1922283/b958bd27_5f844a66_MCDHUGR_EC007_H.jpg)
The last couple of years have been rich with a somewhat new genre of programming: true-crime documentaries. Shows like Making a Murderer and the podcast Serial have kept us riveted — and the fact that they're based on real-life events means that the stories behind the shows are constantly evolving.
That being said, it can be incredibly hard to parse through the glut of shows and movies on Netflix — there's an entire category devoted to crime! — but we have watched all of them and have nine recommendations that will have you glued to your seat and scrambling for more.
Making a Murderer
The must-watch series of last year centers on a man wrongly convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder, set free, and then convicted for a murder that he may or may not have committed. If you haven't already watched it, know that there are lots of pieces still in motion: Brendan Dassey, nephew of main character Steven Avery, had his conviction overturned in August.
Audrie & Daisy
Centered on two high school students who were victims of two brutal sexual assaults, this documentary shows what it's like to deal with not only the trauma of the event but everything that comes after. Through police investigations, trials, and public shaming on social media, these two girls serve as a lens for how incredibly difficult it is to speak up against the person who's harmed you and how social media has really changed the way we seek and obtain justice and recovery.
The Hunting Ground
The 2015 documentary focuses on sexual assault on college campuses across the United States and tackles how poorly many university faculty members handle incidents after the fact. Though the main subjects are the victims of assault (including male victims), the film also features interviews with campus police, family members, government officials, and college administrators.
Cartel Land
A huge winner at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, Cartel Land examines the incredibly violent and volatile Mexican drug war that shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. Seen through the lens of vigilante groups trying to knock the cartels out of power on both sides of the Mexican border in Arizona and in Mexico, it shows a side of the brutal war that not many people have seen or are aware of in an incredibly powerful way.
Into the Abyss
Written and directed by legendary documentarian Werner Herzog, the film examines death row and capital punishment in the United States, as seen through the story of Michael Perry, who was convicted of murder and subsequently executed just a week after his interviews were recorded in 2010. Similar to Making a Murderer, the film doesn't suggest that Perry is innocent or guilty, instead it traces the journey from conviction to execution in the most subjective way possible.
Cocaine Cowboys
Cocaine Cowboys is a cult favorite documentary — and it's got a whole host of subsequent sequels and follow-up films to prove it. The film investigates the development of the cocaine trade in Miami in the '70s and '80s, how it led to entire communities being built in the city, and the effect it had on everyone who lived in Miami at the time.
Shenandoah
Immigration is a real hot-button issue in the 2016 election, and this documentary focuses on the true human cost of bias. A small mining town in Pennsylvania is rocked when four of its football stars are charged with the murder of a Mexican immigrant, bringing all of the town's values into question. It's a truly brutal yet beautiful film, brought to life by a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer whose goal was to explore "the American Dream on trial."
Tabloid
Tabloid is the story of a beautiful, brilliant woman who kidnaps a Mormon missionary and holds him hostage for three days in a cottage in Devon, England. Covered extensively in the tabloids — it was the headline story in 1977 — the movie investigates the he-said-she-said story and subsequent trial and includes interviews with the woman herself.
Soaked in Bleach
One of the most notable celebrity deaths of the 1990s was that of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, and this documentary traces his last days and the events that took place prior to his death. Featuring reenactments, archival footage, and interviews, the film questions something we've been led to believe: that perhaps his death might not have been a suicide after all.