Best Documentary Movies of 2023

The highest-rated documentary films from 2023, ranked by MovieMagicScore based on authentic viewer ratings.

Documentary 2022 Documentary 2024 All Time Documentary

Action Comedy Drama Horror Science Fiction Thriller Romance Animation Fantasy Crime

20 Days in Mariupol

2023

As the Russian invasion begins, a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting the war's atrocities.

8.0

Making Squid Game: The Challenge

2023

Go behind the scenes and witness how the "Squid Game"-inspired reality show transformed from a scripted drama to a cutthroat, nail-biting competition.

8.0

To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb

2023

Explore how one man's relentless drive and invention of the atomic bomb changed the nature of war forever, led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and unleashed mass hysteria.

7.7

STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie

2023

A short kid from a Canadian army base becomes the international pop culture darling of the 1980s—only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?

7.8

BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas

2023

Join RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook in this special cinematic cut, re-edited and remixed for the big screen. Watch new close-up angles and a whole new view of the entire concert, BTS Yet To Come in Busan. Featuring hit songs from across the group's career, including "Dynamite," "Butter" and “IDOL," plus the first concert performance of "Run BTS" from the group’s latest album Proof.

8.3

The Deepest Breath

2023

Bonded by their love of freediving, a record-setting champion and a heroic safety diver try to make history with a remarkable feat, ready to risk it all.

7.5

Take Care of Maya

2023

When Jack and Beata Kowalski are wrongfully accused of child abuse after their 10-year-old daughter Maya visits the ER, a nightmare unfolds.

7.7

Sly

2023

His love of film began as an escape from a rocky childhood. From underdog to Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone tells his story in this documentary.

7.2

Four Daughters

2023

Between light and darkness stands Olfa, a Tunisian woman and the mother of four daughters. One day, her two older daughters disappear. To fill in their absence, the filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses and invents a unique cinema experience that will lift the veil on Olfa and her daughters' life stories. An intimate journey of hope, rebellion, violence, transmission and sisterhood that will question the very foundations of our societies.

7.4

#10

Pamela, A Love Story

2023

In her own words, through personal video and diaries, Pamela Anderson shares the story of her rise to fame, rocky romances and infamous sex tape scandal.

7.0

#11

Return

2023

RETURN tells the story of a retired Green Beret who embarks on a healing journey from Montana to Vietnam. There he retraces his steps, shares his wartime experiences with his son, treats his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and seeks out the mountain tribespeople he once lived with and fought alongside as a Special Forces officer.

6.8

#12

Return

2023

"Behind every strong man is a strong woman!", Mumine shouts as her husband is arrested. She has 4 children, she's in her mid-30s, and she's the wife of a Crimean Tatar political prisoner. Muslim Crimean Tatars have been oppressed for a long time. They were deported under Stalin, allowed to return under Gorbachev, and since the occupation of Crimea in 2014 under Putin, they are being persecuted again. "Return" is a portrait of Mumine and Maye, two strong women struggling with the consequences of oppression. Their traditional understanding of their role as women does not stand in the way of their dedication. They possess strength, beauty and dignity. Only in their most intimate moments, they are overwhelmed by desperate helplessness.

6.5

#13

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker

2023

This shocking documentary chronicles a happy-go-lucky nomad's ascent to viral stardom and the steep downward spiral that resulted in his imprisonment.

6.2

#14

Money Shot: The Pornhub Story

2023

Featuring interviews with performers, activists and past employees, this documentary offers a deep dive into the successes and scandals of Pornhub.

5.8

Best Documentary Movies of 2023

This ranking features the top documentary movies released in 2023, sorted by MovieMagicScore viewer ratings. Looking for more? Browse all genres from 2023 or see the best documentary movies of all time.