The Best Documentaries of 2025 (So Far)

One to One: John & Yoko focuses primarily on John Lennon’s life from 1971 to 1973, when he and Yoko Ono moved to New York City. Lennon performed his only solo show during this time, which was fraught with radical politics and one of his strangest records, Some Time in New York City. As Alan Light wrote in Esquire’s review, the documentary is “a chance to reassess, yet again, one of the most consequential and confounding artists, in any medium, of the 20th century.”

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Following his Best Documentary Oscars win in 2022, the Summer of Soul director and The Roots drummer returns with a deep look into Sly and the Family Stone. Sly Lives! examines an artist who sought to bridge the divide with a mix of Black and white musicians with hits such as “Everyday People” and “Dance to the Music.” The documentary also features testimonials from André 3000, Clive Davis, Nile Rodgers, Chaka Khan, and more.

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Netflix releases a mountain of documentaries every year, but there’s only so much true crime I can handle. Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever is another story entirely. The film follows multi-millionaire Bryan Johnson, who has spent the last few years attempting to reverse aging. While Fyre director Chris Smith likely saw another controversial grifter in Johnson, Don’t Die is also a fascinating portrait of someone who truly believes that they can use their wealth to achieve immortality.

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Speaking of Netflix documentaries, I can’t recommended Pangolin any higher. Directed by the team behind My Octopus Teacher, Pangolin follows one of the most endangered mammals on the planet as they’re rescued by a kindhearted stranger and reared to rehabilitate safely in the wild.

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While Saturday Night sought to dramatize the story of its first night on air, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night features the behind-the-scenes stories told by the comedians themselves. Among all of SNL’s concerts and live celebrations, the documentary was easy to miss. Luckily, the four-part series dives deeper into some of the late-night variety show’s best sketches.

Watch on Peacock

In Brittany Shyne’s directorial debut, Seeds and its look into the lives of Black farmers in the South won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film highlights the struggle of Black farmers as they fight for better working conditions, especially as the government continues to neglect the workers who produce America’s crops. Seeds is a meditative and wholesome film. It’s also the strongest contender yet in the way-too-early Oscar race.

The wonderfully bizarre comedy of Andy Kaufman is explored in Thank You Very Much, a new documentary produced by the Safdie Brothers. Often viewed as one of the creators of cringe comedy, Kaufman's life is celebrated with testimonials from Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, the late Robin Williams, and more.

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Produced in co-operation with the band itself, Becoming Led Zeppelin follows the creation of one of the most celebrated rock outfits in history. It’s the first time ever that surviving members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Robert Plant agreed to feature themselves in a documentary including testimonials, archived audio interviews, and full performances from some of their earliest shows.

Watch on Apple TV+