The Best Documentaries on HBO Right Now (June 2023)

Moonage Daydream (2022): A Trippy Tribute to David Bowie

Take a journey through time and space, from London to West Berlin, from 1972 to 2016, with a soundtrack provided by Ziggy Stardust himself. Using never-before-seen interviews and concert footage, this documentary covers the career of legendary musician David Bowie.

Officially sanctioned by the Bowie estate, Moonage Daydream is a must-see for his fans, but it's really recommended for all lovers of glam rock.

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (2022): A Tribute to a Sports Legend

Tony Hawk is 53 years old, but he's still skateboarding. Through original interviews and archival footage, Until the Wheels Fall Off pays tribute to the most famous skateboarder in the world.

This movie was made for fans of Tony Hawk who may be interested in his personal life, but Hawk's story could inspire anyone to pick up a skateboard.

The Janes (2022): An Empowering and Timely History Lesson

Prior to the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, an underground network of women who all went by the pseudonym “Jane” assisted in thousands of illegal abortions. The infamous Jane network was uncovered in 1972 with the arrest of seven women in Chicago, but the whole story has only recently come to light.

Say Hey, Willie Mays! (2022): Best Baseball Biography

One of the greatest players the game has ever seen, Willie Mays broke records and racial barriers. Say Hey, Willie Mays! uses a mix of archival footage and original interviews to celebrate the baseball legend's accomplishments on and off the field. Whether or not you're a fan of sports, anyone can find inspiration in May's story.

Navalny (2022): A Timely Biography About Anti-Authoritarianism

What's it like being the primary political opposition to one of the world's most notorious dictators? Well, it's certainly not an easy life. This documentary candidly examines the trials of Russian politician Alexei Navalny.

Far from a fluff piece, Navalny focuses less on the man himself and more on what happens to him because of his activism. It's sad, but also inspiring.

The Princess (2022): A Historical Reconstruction of Princess Diana's Last Days

To mark the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's shocking death, this film uses archival footage to document the events leading up to the tragedy and its aftermath. With no commentary, The Princess is a snapshot of history that unfolds exactly how the world experienced it a quarter-century ago.

There are no new revelations about Princess Diana, but if you're fascinated by her life and death, this movie is the most intimate portrait we have of the princess's final days.

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022): A Personal Portrait of Addiction

Photographer Nan Goldin documents her own experience with opioid addiction, which led her to become an advocate for other addicts. Through her art and activism, Goldin successfully brought down Purdue Pharma, one of the companies responsible for the opioid epidemic.

Narrated by the artist herself, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed debuted at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival where it took home top honors.

Beanie Mania (2022): Best Beanie Baby Exposé

Remember Beanie Babies? They're those little stuffed animals that you now see in the bargain bin of your local thrift store. But back in the 90s, they sold for hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. What happened?

To this day, very few people understand the Beanie Baby craze, and all of those people are interviewed in this documentary.

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021)

The director of Won't You Be My Neighbor? brings us another profile of an American icon. For decades, Anthony Bourdain traversed the globe to bring people together over cuisine. Through archival footage and original interviews with the people who knew him, Roadrunner takes viewers on a journey through the life and career of one of the world's most influential chefs.

Love, Lizzo (2022): An Intimate Look at a Living Legend

In Love, Lizzo, one of America's biggest stars opens up about her past, present, and future. Whether or not you're a fan of her music, it's easy to get inspired by Lizzo's message of positivity.

The documentary is a love letter to its subject, but Lizzo is so inviting and relatable that you feel like she's talking directly to you.

Spring Awakening: Those You've Known (2022)—Coming of Age Again

If you missed Spring Awakening on Broadway, you can now watch it with the original cast from the comfort of your couch. They're a little older, but the songs are still timeless.

Based on a 19th-century German play, Spring Awakening pushed the boundaries of what's appropriate in coming-of-age narratives. Those You've Known documents the production of the one-night-only reunion concert in November 2021, from rehearsals to the actual live performance.

Call Me Miss Cleo (2022): The Psychic Scam of the Century

Anyone who watched TV around the turn of the century remembers Miss Cleo, the Jamaican Voodoo Priestess who could see your future for $4.99 per minute. Would you believe that she wasn't actually Jamaican? Whether or not she was a psychic is up for debate.

The story of Miss Cleo is stranger than fiction, and the markers of this documentary did an exceptional job of investigating the life of this enigmatic American icon.

Endangered (2022): A Bleak Look at the State of Free Press

Assaults on freedom of the press are rampant at home and abroad. Endangered follows journalists in Mexico, Brazil, and the U.S. whose jobs have gotten significantly harder since social media has become a substitute for local newspapers and conspiracy theories now have a broader platform than the truth. The slow extinction of trustworthy local news outlets is something that everyone should care about, no matter their political persuasions.

My So-Called High School Rank (2023): A Stressful Musical About Stress

In different parts of the country, students perform a musical about the pressures of high school and getting into college. Meanwhile, they have to actually deal with those issues. Is art imitating life, or is life imitating art?

Filmed prior to the coronavirus pandemic, My So-Called High School Rank has an unexpected twist in its final act that throws everyone's future into question.

Master of Light (2022): A Portrait of an Artist

Classical painter George Anthony Morton spent a decade behind bars for federal drug charges. Finally free, he returns to his Kansas hometown to reconcile with his family by painting their portraits.

Master of Light is a riveting personal story about redemption, but it also serves as an art history lesson about the complex relationship between African and European realism.

Phoenix Rising (2022): Bravest 'Me Too' Documentary

In this two-part documentary, actor Evan Rachel Wood candidly recounts her early days in the entertainment industry, including the abuse she experienced off camera.

Phoenix Rising is uncomfortable to watch sometimes, but it's ultimately an inspirational story about healing and perseverance.

Tina (2021): Simply the Best

This new HBO documentary offers a fresh look at music icon Tina Turner. It charts her early rise to fame, her struggles, and her return to household name status in the 1980s thanks to her album Private Dancer, an appearance in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and more. The film includes never-before-seen footage, audiotapes, photos, and interviews with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Angela Bassett (who memorably portrayed Turner in the 1993 biopic What's Love Got to Do With It?).