A film by Scott Barretta + Joe York “Shake ‘Em On Down” is a one-hour documentary film that tells the story of Fred McDowell, who was first recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959, mentored Bonnie Raitt, and served as the cornerstone of the unique and enduring North Mississippi- style of blues music. Building on the longevity, success, and devoted audience of…
The post The Blues According to Fred McDowell appeared first on Channel Nonfiction.
A film by Scott Barretta + Joe York “Shake ‘Em On Down” is a one-hour documentary film that tells the story of Fred McDowell, who was first recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959, mentored Bonnie Raitt, and served as the cornerstone of the unique and enduring North Mississippi- style of blues music. Building on the longevity, success, and devoted audience of…
The post The Blues According to Fred McDowell appeared first on Channel Nonfiction.
Justin and Christian Combs are teaming up with the Zeus Network for a documentary series in 2026 to share “their personal story and lived experiences” regarding their father
Justin and Christian Combs are teaming up with the Zeus Network for a documentary series in 2026 to share “their personal story and lived experiences” regarding their father
“Radamisto: The Queen’s Heart” by George Frideric Handel
a distillation of the 1720 original, created by Jeffrey Mandelbaum
filmed & edited by H. Paul Moon
additional camera by Kyabell Glass, Erik Ryding, and Dennis Cembalo
featuring:
Jeffrey Mandelbaum as Radamisto
Kristin Renee Young as Zenobia
Teresa Castillo as Polissena
Katherine Lerner Lee as Fraarte
Hans Tashjian as Tiridate
Baroque Orchestra:
Amelia Sie, first violin
Ryan Cheng, second violin
Kristina Giles, viola
Serafim Smigelskiy, cello
Rebecca Pechefsky, harpsichord
dancers:
Adelle Lorraine
Patrick Pride, Jr.
Marty Jeiven, Executive Producer
Jeffrey Mandelbaum, Artistic Director
Rod Gomez, Co-Stage Director/Project Manager
Julia Bengtsson, Choreographer
Ian Cheng Gonzales, Costume Designer
H. Paul Moon, Sound Recording & Mastering
Filmed at Green Oasis Community Garden, New York City on May 24, 2025
To watch the other operas in this series, visit: https://zenviolence.com/handel
For more information about Opera Essentia, visit: https://operaessentia.org
“Radamisto: The Queen’s Heart” by George Frideric Handel
a distillation of the 1720 original, created by Jeffrey Mandelbaum
filmed & edited by H. Paul Moon
additional camera by Kyabell Glass, Erik Ryding, and Dennis Cembalo
featuring:
Jeffrey Mandelbaum as Radamisto
Kristin Renee Young as Zenobia
Teresa Castillo as Polissena
Katherine Lerner Lee as Fraarte
Hans Tashjian as Tiridate
Baroque Orchestra:
Amelia Sie, first violin
Ryan Cheng, second violin
Kristina Giles, viola
Serafim Smigelskiy, cello
Rebecca Pechefsky, harpsichord
dancers:
Adelle Lorraine
Patrick Pride, Jr.
Marty Jeiven, Executive Producer
Jeffrey Mandelbaum, Artistic Director
Rod Gomez, Co-Stage Director/Project Manager
Julia Bengtsson, Choreographer
Ian Cheng Gonzales, Costume Designer
H. Paul Moon, Sound Recording & Mastering
Filmed at Green Oasis Community Garden, New York City on May 24, 2025
To watch the other operas in this series, visit: https://zenviolence.com/handel
For more information about Opera Essentia, visit: https://operaessentia.org
Due to the holidays, we haven’t seen a lot of new documentaries coming out in the next week. Still, we’ve got the first of the month/year approaching this Thursday, so there’s still plenty to highlight on the streaming services, particularly The Criterion Channel. Unrelated to that, one of the best documentaries of 2025 makes its streaming debut this Friday, and one of the best documentaries of all time is airing on cable this Sunday. Our Pick of the Week, however, is one of the films on our list of the best documentaries of last year.
Before we get to all that, I want to highlight the song. “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” by Sara Bareilles from the Apple TV documentary Come See Me in the Good Light is on the Oscar shortlist for Best Original Song. Watch the official lyric video below.
Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, including capsule reviews of new nonfiction films and series. They are followed by daily listings for all known notable releases and broadcasts, plus a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus access to special posts like our best of 2025 and most anticipated of 2026 lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc in need of coverage or a mention in our listings, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.
With the ongoing success of The Secret Agent, now is a great time to celebrate the prior work of Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho. The Criterion Channel is jumping on the idea with a spotlight on Filho starting January 1, so even though his documentary Pictures of Ghosts isn’t new to the streaming service, I think it’s worth noting anyway. The film ranked well on our list of the best documentaries of 2024, but this is an excerpt from our review in one of the first editions of the newsletter:
“A love letter to his childhood home, his neighborhood, and the now-shuttered cinemas of his city, Recife, using new and archival footage, the latter including clips from his narrative films shot in his apartment and the surrounding area. Not only is this the most cohesively focused documentary of its kind in years, but it’s also, as its title indicates, a bewitching reminder of the ways that film can serve as both a time machine and a way to see the spirits of the past.”
Pictures of Ghosts is currently available to stream on The Criterion Channel and Metrograph at Home.
This was our Pick of the Week just last week, and it’s on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. Here’s an excerpt from our review of Cover-Up:
“The film follows the life and career (mostly the latter) of investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, who is one of those writers who best exemplify the need for true journalists. He broke the My Lai massacre story during the Vietnam War, was an integral part of the Watergate scandal coverage, and exposed the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses, among his most significant efforts. He also has a certain charm and wit, despite also being a rather peevish person. Add him to the list of reluctant but relatively cooperative and thorough documentary subjects. He’s a good storyteller and does well talking about his personal and professional lives. Just don’t ask him about his sources, apparently.”
Cover-Up begins streaming exclusively on Netflix on Friday, December 26.
For another documentary about journalism and cover-ups, Critical Incident: Death at the Border is worth watching, even if it’s nowhere near as engaging as the highlight above. The film is directed by Rick Rowley, who earned an Oscar nomination 12 years ago for Dirty Wars, which followed a journalist’s investigation of the U.S.’s covert wars. This time, Rowley follows journalist John Carlos Frey as he investigates cover-ups within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency regarding people dying in their custody. The documentary specifically focuses on the case of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, who was beaten by agents at the border in 2010.
While essential coverage of this story, Critical Incident, unfortunately, feels like old news, especially given how much worse the Department of Homeland Security has been operating in the past year, and how much more obvious the cover-ups are becoming. I recommend finding any of the several uploads of last week’s poorly buried 60 Minutes segment “Inside CECOT,” which looks at a notorious El Salvador prison where the U.S. sent Venezuelan deportees. But deaths in ICE’s custody have also increased substantially since Frey investigated the issue, with this month being particularly high for detention deaths, and 2025 now holds the record for worst yet.
Critical Incident: Death at the Border premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Monday, December 29.
Another one of The Criterion Channel’s programming spotlights for January is titled “Actresses Unfiltered,” and it’s a curation of five documentaries profiling specific screen stars or generally glimpsing into being a woman performer in the business. Romy: Anatomy of a Face features French-German actress Romy Schneider, who is best known for starring in the Sissi trilogy and Jacques Deray’s The Swimming Pool. All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story profiles the titular singer and actress, famous for playing Catwoman in the Batman TV show, giving Tony-winning performances on Broadway, and voicing the Disney villain Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove.
Tally Brown, New York looks at the titular opera and blues singer who also starred in underground films in the ‘60s and ‘70s, including some directed by Andy Warhol. Fassbinder’s Women focuses on the women who had personal and/or professional relationships with German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, including actresses Irm Hermann and Hanna Schygulla, both of whom worked with him on several movies. Finally, Be Pretty and Shut Up! features interviews with many film actresses discussing expectations of women in their profession, including Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, Louise Fletcher, and Cindy Williams. Only All by Myself has been available to stream (via Kanopy and VOD) before being added to this curation.
All five of these films debut on The Criterion Channel on Thursday, January 1, four of them exclusively.
This classic documentary by the Maysles brothers, with Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, turned 50 years old this year. It’s one of those films that’s so close to my heart that I haven’t been able to write a concise appreciation yet. But I will highlight it anytime I have an excuse to do so. Grey Gardens is a riches-to-rags profile of a now iconic mother and daughter duo — cousins of Jackie Kennedy, no less — living in a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons. I am constantly surprised at how many people, arts and movie-loving types included, haven’t even heard of this film. Most hardcore cinephiles are familiar with it, at least, thanks to it being in the Criterion Collection and occasionally being shown on Turner Classic Movies.
Grey Gardens airs on TCM on Sunday, December 28.
Is Chevy Chase so disliked in the industry, and especially within the Saturday Night Live camp, that his documentary had to wait until the show’s 50th anniversary year was over to be released? They could have given him the final week of 2025, when fans of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might be more interested in a film about its star, but instead, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not is the first highlight of the new year. Anyway, I wasn’t excited to seek this one out after the disappointment of the recent Eddie Murphy documentary. Even with it being directed by Marina Zenovich, who has made great films about Richard Pryor and Robin Williams (however, she’s best known for her two films about Roman Polanski). I’m highlighting it for her.
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not premieres on CNN on Thursday, January 1.
Last week, a few more regional critics groups revealed their picks for Best Documentary of 2025. The Black Film Critics Circle and the Boston Online Film Critics Association, and the Online Association Of Female Film Critics selected The Perfect Neighbor (now streaming on Netflix), the Kansas City Film Critics Circle chose Secret Mall Apartment (VOD), and the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle picked Grand Theft Hamlet (Mubi), with Orwell 2+2=5 (VOD) as their runner-up.
The Florida Film Critics Circle picked the lesser-known films Sabbath Queen (in theaters) and BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions (in theaters), the latter being their runner-up. The Women Film Critics Circle went with Mariska Hargitay’s My Mom Jayne (HBO Max) as the Best Documentary by or About Women.
Cover-Up (2025) – A documentary feature by Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus about reporter Seymour Hersh. Read our review of Cover-Up. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Junk or Jackpot? (2025) – A docuseries hosted by Bobby Berk about collectors. (HGTV)
Match Your Mood with Westinghouse (1968) – A short documentary showing how women can decorate their refrigerators. (TCM)
Murder at the Motel Season 2, Episode 8: “Sportsmans Lodge” – The latest episode of this true-crime docuseries focuses on a murder in Florida. (A&E)
The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd Season 3, Episode 8: “Unusual Pastimes” – The latest installment of a docuseries about mysterious and bizarre people and things. (History)
Accident, Suicide, or Murder Season 6, Episode 6: “Deadly Double” – The latest episode of this true-crime series involves a case of mistaken identity. (Oxygen)
The Golden Years (1960) – A short documentary about bowling innovations. (TCM)
#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUr the MOVIE (2025) – A concert film starring BTS member Jin during his first solo tour. (In Theaters)
Adventure in Wonder (2025) – A docuseries following a Texas family as they sail the Croatian seas. (Wonder Project)
Grey Gardens (1975) – A classic feature documentary by the Maysles brothers (and Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) on a mother and daughter (Big Edie and Little Edie Beales) living in a decrepit Hamptons mansion. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
Killer Grannies Season 1, Episode 8: “Granny’s Wishing Well” – The latest installment of a true-crime series hosted by June Squibb about elderly woman killers. (Oxygen)
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins Season 4, Episode 8: “Deadly Liasons” – The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about romances gone tragically wrong. (Oxygen)
The Miracle of Sound (1940) – A short documentary showing how sound movies are made. (TCM)
Snapped: Behind Bars Season 3, Episode 8: “Purdie Clark” – The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries featuring interviews with murderers who appeared on the show Snapped. (Oxygen)
Critical Incident: Death at the Border (2025) – A documentary feature about an undocumented Mexican immigrant who died while in custody at the border in 2010. (HBO Max)
Here Come the Irish Season 2, Episode 4: “The Trojans Come to South Bend” – The latest installment of a docuseries that follows the Notre Dame football team. (Peacock)
Beast Wishes (2012) – A medium-length documentary about well-known movie memorabilia collectors and fans Bob and Kathy Burns. (Blu-ray)
The Birds and the Beasts Were There (1944) – A short documentary that takes viewers to the Rare Bird Farm, the Monkey Jungle, and the Parrot Jungle, three animal parks in Miami. (TCM)
Equestrian Acrobats (1937) – A short documentary in the Pete Smith Specialty series that showcases an equestrian circus act. (TCM)
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (2025) – A true-crime documentary about the titular therapist who aided Ruby Franke in child abuse. (Netflix)
Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East Episode 5 – The latest installment of a docuseries that goes behind the scenes of NFL teams. (HBO Max)
Italia: Fire and Ashes (2021) – A documentary feature about Italian silent cinema. (Blu-ray)
The Legend of MexMan (2023) – A documentary feature about a filmmaker’s attempt to make his first feature, MexMan. (Blu-ray)
Lions on the Loose (1941) – A short documentary following two escaped lion cubs. (TCM)
Long Live the King (2016) – A medium-length documentary about the enduring appeal of the character King Kong. (Blu-ray)
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo Season 2, Episode 8: “Secrets from the Skies” – The latest installment of a docuseries exploring hidden worlds. (History)
Nevermore: The Raven Effect (2025) – A documentary feature about the pro wrestler Raven. (Blu-ray)
Trained Hoofs (1935) – A short documentary showing how race horses are trained. (TCM)
The Land of Auld Lang Syne (1950) – A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Edinburgh, Scotland. (TCM)
All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story (1982) – A documentary feature profiling actress Eartha Kitt. (The Criterion Channel)
Be Pretty and Shut Up! (1981) – A documentary feature about how actresses are treated in the movie industry. (The Criterion Channel)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) – A comedic hybrid film following the fictional title character on a tour of America. *NONFICS PICK* (Hulu)
Cheetas Up Close with Bertie Gregory (2025) – A nature documentary about cheetahs. (National Geographic)
Contemporary Color (2016) – A concert film by the Ross brothers starring David Byrne and celebrating the art of color guard. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
Crime in Progress (2026) – A docuseries following criminal investigations from start to finish using body cams, dash cams, and surveillance cams. (A&E)
The Cult of the Real Housewife (2025) – A three-part docuseries about Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, made famous by The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby. (TLC)
Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1993) – A medium-length documentary about Haitian Vodou. (The Criterion Channel)
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2025) – A biographical documentary by Marina Zenovich (Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind) profiling the titular actor. (CNN)
Fassbinder’s Women (2000) – A documentary feature about women in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s personal and professional lives. (The Criterion Channel)
Free Solo (2018) – An Oscar-winning documentary feature by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin about Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Read our review of Free Solo. *NONFICS PICK* (Netflix)
Jackass 2.5 (2007) – A documentary about the making of Jackass Number Two featuring additional footage. (Paramount+)
Jackass 3 (2010) – The third installment of the Jackass film franchise featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Tubi and Paramount+)
Jackass 3.5 (2011) – A documentary about the making of Jackass 3 featuring additional footage. (Paramount+)
Jackass Number Two (2006) – The second installment of the Jackass film franchise featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Paramount+)
Jackass: The Movie (2010) – The first feature film spin-off of the Jackass TV series featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Paramount+)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) – A hybrid comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as an old man traveling with his grandson and pulling pranks and stunts on real people. (Paramount+)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 (2013) – An unrated and extended version of a hybrid comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as an old man traveling with his grandson and pulling pranks and stunts on real people. (Paramount+)
The Land of Auld Lang Syne (1950) – A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Edinburgh, Scotland. (TCM)
Meditation on Violence (1949) – A short documentary by Maya Deren about a part of the Cloisters museum. (The Criterion Channel)
My Back Pages (2024) – A short documentary about a collector of Bob Dylan memorabilia. (The Criterion Channel)
The Private Life of a Cat (1946) – A short documentary by Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid about a pair of cats and their kittens. (The Criterion Channel)
Romy: Anatomy of a Face (1967) – A documentary feature about actress Romy Schneider. (The Criterion Channel)
Tally Brown, New York (1979) – A documentary feature about the titular actress and singer. (The Criterion Channel)
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018) – A biographical documentary by Morgan Neville about Fred Rogers, star of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Read our review of Won’t You Be My Neighbor? *NONFICS PICK* (Prime Video)
1/16 – Shuffle – A documentary feature about insurance fraud in the addiction treatment industry. (In Theaters)
1/20 – Handome Devil: The Charming Killer – A three-part true-crime docuseries about murderer Wade Wilson, known online as the “Deadpool Killer.” (Paramount+)
1/30 – Natchez – A documentary feature about the historical legacy of the titular town in Mississippi. See where the film ranks on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
2/9 – The Librarians – A documentary feature about librarians fighting against book banning. Read our review of The Librarians. (PBS)
3/30 – Lumière, Le Cinema! – A documentary feature directed by Thierry Frémaux (Lumière!) compiling rare films by the Lumière brothers. (In Theaters)
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Due to the holidays, we haven’t seen a lot of new documentaries coming out in the next week. Still, we’ve got the first of the month/year approaching this Thursday, so there’s still plenty to highlight on the streaming services, particularly The Criterion Channel. Unrelated to that, one of the best documentaries of 2025 makes its streaming debut this Friday, and one of the best documentaries of all time is airing on cable this Sunday. Our Pick of the Week, however, is one of the films on our list of the best documentaries of last year.
Before we get to all that, I want to highlight the song. “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” by Sara Bareilles from the Apple TV documentary Come See Me in the Good Light is on the Oscar shortlist for Best Original Song. Watch the official lyric video below.
Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, including capsule reviews of new nonfiction films and series. They are followed by daily listings for all known notable releases and broadcasts, plus a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus access to special posts like our best of 2025 and most anticipated of 2026 lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc in need of coverage or a mention in our listings, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.
With the ongoing success of The Secret Agent, now is a great time to celebrate the prior work of Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho. The Criterion Channel is jumping on the idea with a spotlight on Filho starting January 1, so even though his documentary Pictures of Ghosts isn’t new to the streaming service, I think it’s worth noting anyway. The film ranked well on our list of the best documentaries of 2024, but this is an excerpt from our review in one of the first editions of the newsletter:
“A love letter to his childhood home, his neighborhood, and the now-shuttered cinemas of his city, Recife, using new and archival footage, the latter including clips from his narrative films shot in his apartment and the surrounding area. Not only is this the most cohesively focused documentary of its kind in years, but it’s also, as its title indicates, a bewitching reminder of the ways that film can serve as both a time machine and a way to see the spirits of the past.”
Pictures of Ghosts is currently available to stream on The Criterion Channel and Metrograph at Home.
This was our Pick of the Week just last week, and it’s on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. Here’s an excerpt from our review of Cover-Up:
“The film follows the life and career (mostly the latter) of investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, who is one of those writers who best exemplify the need for true journalists. He broke the My Lai massacre story during the Vietnam War, was an integral part of the Watergate scandal coverage, and exposed the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses, among his most significant efforts. He also has a certain charm and wit, despite also being a rather peevish person. Add him to the list of reluctant but relatively cooperative and thorough documentary subjects. He’s a good storyteller and does well talking about his personal and professional lives. Just don’t ask him about his sources, apparently.”
Cover-Up begins streaming exclusively on Netflix on Friday, December 26.
For another documentary about journalism and cover-ups, Critical Incident: Death at the Border is worth watching, even if it’s nowhere near as engaging as the highlight above. The film is directed by Rick Rowley, who earned an Oscar nomination 12 years ago for Dirty Wars, which followed a journalist’s investigation of the U.S.’s covert wars. This time, Rowley follows journalist John Carlos Frey as he investigates cover-ups within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency regarding people dying in their custody. The documentary specifically focuses on the case of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, who was beaten by agents at the border in 2010.
While essential coverage of this story, Critical Incident, unfortunately, feels like old news, especially given how much worse the Department of Homeland Security has been operating in the past year, and how much more obvious the cover-ups are becoming. I recommend finding any of the several uploads of last week’s poorly buried 60 Minutes segment “Inside CECOT,” which looks at a notorious El Salvador prison where the U.S. sent Venezuelan deportees. But deaths in ICE’s custody have also increased substantially since Frey investigated the issue, with this month being particularly high for detention deaths, and 2025 now holds the record for worst yet.
Critical Incident: Death at the Border premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Monday, December 29.
Another one of The Criterion Channel’s programming spotlights for January is titled “Actresses Unfiltered,” and it’s a curation of five documentaries profiling specific screen stars or generally glimpsing into being a woman performer in the business. Romy: Anatomy of a Face features French-German actress Romy Schneider, who is best known for starring in the Sissi trilogy and Jacques Deray’s The Swimming Pool. All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story profiles the titular singer and actress, famous for playing Catwoman in the Batman TV show, giving Tony-winning performances on Broadway, and voicing the Disney villain Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove.
Tally Brown, New York looks at the titular opera and blues singer who also starred in underground films in the ‘60s and ‘70s, including some directed by Andy Warhol. Fassbinder’s Women focuses on the women who had personal and/or professional relationships with German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, including actresses Irm Hermann and Hanna Schygulla, both of whom worked with him on several movies. Finally, Be Pretty and Shut Up! features interviews with many film actresses discussing expectations of women in their profession, including Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, Louise Fletcher, and Cindy Williams. Only All by Myself has been available to stream (via Kanopy and VOD) before being added to this curation.
All five of these films debut on The Criterion Channel on Thursday, January 1, four of them exclusively.
This classic documentary by the Maysles brothers, with Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, turned 50 years old this year. It’s one of those films that’s so close to my heart that I haven’t been able to write a concise appreciation yet. But I will highlight it anytime I have an excuse to do so. Grey Gardens is a riches-to-rags profile of a now iconic mother and daughter duo — cousins of Jackie Kennedy, no less — living in a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons. I am constantly surprised at how many people, arts and movie-loving types included, haven’t even heard of this film. Most hardcore cinephiles are familiar with it, at least, thanks to it being in the Criterion Collection and occasionally being shown on Turner Classic Movies.
Grey Gardens airs on TCM on Sunday, December 28.
Is Chevy Chase so disliked in the industry, and especially within the Saturday Night Live camp, that his documentary had to wait until the show’s 50th anniversary year was over to be released? They could have given him the final week of 2025, when fans of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might be more interested in a film about its star, but instead, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not is the first highlight of the new year. Anyway, I wasn’t excited to seek this one out after the disappointment of the recent Eddie Murphy documentary. Even with it being directed by Marina Zenovich, who has made great films about Richard Pryor and Robin Williams (however, she’s best known for her two films about Roman Polanski). I’m highlighting it for her.
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not premieres on CNN on Thursday, January 1.
Last week, a few more regional critics groups revealed their picks for Best Documentary of 2025. The Black Film Critics Circle and the Boston Online Film Critics Association, and the Online Association Of Female Film Critics selected The Perfect Neighbor (now streaming on Netflix), the Kansas City Film Critics Circle chose Secret Mall Apartment (VOD), and the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle picked Grand Theft Hamlet (Mubi), with Orwell 2+2=5 (VOD) as their runner-up.
The Florida Film Critics Circle picked the lesser-known films Sabbath Queen (in theaters) and BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions (in theaters), the latter being their runner-up. The Women Film Critics Circle went with Mariska Hargitay’s My Mom Jayne (HBO Max) as the Best Documentary by or About Women.
Cover-Up (2025) – A documentary feature by Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus about reporter Seymour Hersh. Read our review of Cover-Up. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Junk or Jackpot? (2025) – A docuseries hosted by Bobby Berk about collectors. (HGTV)
Match Your Mood with Westinghouse (1968) – A short documentary showing how women can decorate their refrigerators. (TCM)
Murder at the Motel Season 2, Episode 8: “Sportsmans Lodge” – The latest episode of this true-crime docuseries focuses on a murder in Florida. (A&E)
The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd Season 3, Episode 8: “Unusual Pastimes” – The latest installment of a docuseries about mysterious and bizarre people and things. (History)
Accident, Suicide, or Murder Season 6, Episode 6: “Deadly Double” – The latest episode of this true-crime series involves a case of mistaken identity. (Oxygen)
The Golden Years (1960) – A short documentary about bowling innovations. (TCM)
#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUr the MOVIE (2025) – A concert film starring BTS member Jin during his first solo tour. (In Theaters)
Adventure in Wonder (2025) – A docuseries following a Texas family as they sail the Croatian seas. (Wonder Project)
Grey Gardens (1975) – A classic feature documentary by the Maysles brothers (and Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) on a mother and daughter (Big Edie and Little Edie Beales) living in a decrepit Hamptons mansion. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
Killer Grannies Season 1, Episode 8: “Granny’s Wishing Well” – The latest installment of a true-crime series hosted by June Squibb about elderly woman killers. (Oxygen)
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins Season 4, Episode 8: “Deadly Liasons” – The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about romances gone tragically wrong. (Oxygen)
The Miracle of Sound (1940) – A short documentary showing how sound movies are made. (TCM)
Snapped: Behind Bars Season 3, Episode 8: “Purdie Clark” – The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries featuring interviews with murderers who appeared on the show Snapped. (Oxygen)
Critical Incident: Death at the Border (2025) – A documentary feature about an undocumented Mexican immigrant who died while in custody at the border in 2010. (HBO Max)
Here Come the Irish Season 2, Episode 4: “The Trojans Come to South Bend” – The latest installment of a docuseries that follows the Notre Dame football team. (Peacock)
Beast Wishes (2012) – A medium-length documentary about well-known movie memorabilia collectors and fans Bob and Kathy Burns. (Blu-ray)
The Birds and the Beasts Were There (1944) – A short documentary that takes viewers to the Rare Bird Farm, the Monkey Jungle, and the Parrot Jungle, three animal parks in Miami. (TCM)
Equestrian Acrobats (1937) – A short documentary in the Pete Smith Specialty series that showcases an equestrian circus act. (TCM)
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (2025) – A true-crime documentary about the titular therapist who aided Ruby Franke in child abuse. (Netflix)
Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East Episode 5 – The latest installment of a docuseries that goes behind the scenes of NFL teams. (HBO Max)
Italia: Fire and Ashes (2021) – A documentary feature about Italian silent cinema. (Blu-ray)
The Legend of MexMan (2023) – A documentary feature about a filmmaker’s attempt to make his first feature, MexMan. (Blu-ray)
Lions on the Loose (1941) – A short documentary following two escaped lion cubs. (TCM)
Long Live the King (2016) – A medium-length documentary about the enduring appeal of the character King Kong. (Blu-ray)
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo Season 2, Episode 8: “Secrets from the Skies” – The latest installment of a docuseries exploring hidden worlds. (History)
Nevermore: The Raven Effect (2025) – A documentary feature about the pro wrestler Raven. (Blu-ray)
Trained Hoofs (1935) – A short documentary showing how race horses are trained. (TCM)
The Land of Auld Lang Syne (1950) – A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Edinburgh, Scotland. (TCM)
All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story (1982) – A documentary feature profiling actress Eartha Kitt. (The Criterion Channel)
Be Pretty and Shut Up! (1981) – A documentary feature about how actresses are treated in the movie industry. (The Criterion Channel)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) – A comedic hybrid film following the fictional title character on a tour of America. *NONFICS PICK* (Hulu)
Cheetas Up Close with Bertie Gregory (2025) – A nature documentary about cheetahs. (National Geographic)
Contemporary Color (2016) – A concert film by the Ross brothers starring David Byrne and celebrating the art of color guard. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
Crime in Progress (2026) – A docuseries following criminal investigations from start to finish using body cams, dash cams, and surveillance cams. (A&E)
The Cult of the Real Housewife (2025) – A three-part docuseries about Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, made famous by The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby. (TLC)
Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1993) – A medium-length documentary about Haitian Vodou. (The Criterion Channel)
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2025) – A biographical documentary by Marina Zenovich (Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind) profiling the titular actor. (CNN)
Fassbinder’s Women (2000) – A documentary feature about women in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s personal and professional lives. (The Criterion Channel)
Free Solo (2018) – An Oscar-winning documentary feature by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin about Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Read our review of Free Solo. *NONFICS PICK* (Netflix)
Jackass 2.5 (2007) – A documentary about the making of Jackass Number Two featuring additional footage. (Paramount+)
Jackass 3 (2010) – The third installment of the Jackass film franchise featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Tubi and Paramount+)
Jackass 3.5 (2011) – A documentary about the making of Jackass 3 featuring additional footage. (Paramount+)
Jackass Number Two (2006) – The second installment of the Jackass film franchise featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Paramount+)
Jackass: The Movie (2010) – The first feature film spin-off of the Jackass TV series featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Paramount+)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) – A hybrid comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as an old man traveling with his grandson and pulling pranks and stunts on real people. (Paramount+)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 (2013) – An unrated and extended version of a hybrid comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as an old man traveling with his grandson and pulling pranks and stunts on real people. (Paramount+)
The Land of Auld Lang Syne (1950) – A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Edinburgh, Scotland. (TCM)
Meditation on Violence (1949) – A short documentary by Maya Deren about a part of the Cloisters museum. (The Criterion Channel)
My Back Pages (2024) – A short documentary about a collector of Bob Dylan memorabilia. (The Criterion Channel)
The Private Life of a Cat (1946) – A short documentary by Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid about a pair of cats and their kittens. (The Criterion Channel)
Romy: Anatomy of a Face (1967) – A documentary feature about actress Romy Schneider. (The Criterion Channel)
Tally Brown, New York (1979) – A documentary feature about the titular actress and singer. (The Criterion Channel)
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018) – A biographical documentary by Morgan Neville about Fred Rogers, star of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Read our review of Won’t You Be My Neighbor? *NONFICS PICK* (Prime Video)
1/16 – Shuffle – A documentary feature about insurance fraud in the addiction treatment industry. (In Theaters)
1/20 – Handome Devil: The Charming Killer – A three-part true-crime docuseries about murderer Wade Wilson, known online as the “Deadpool Killer.” (Paramount+)
1/30 – Natchez – A documentary feature about the historical legacy of the titular town in Mississippi. See where the film ranks on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
2/9 – The Librarians – A documentary feature about librarians fighting against book banning. Read our review of The Librarians. (PBS)
3/30 – Lumière, Le Cinema! – A documentary feature directed by Thierry Frémaux (Lumière!) compiling rare films by the Lumière brothers. (In Theaters)
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Due to the holidays, we haven’t seen a lot of new documentaries coming out in the next week. Still, we’ve got the first of the month/year approaching this Thursday, so there’s still plenty to highlight on the streaming services, particularly The Criterion Channel. Unrelated to that, one of the best documentaries of 2025 makes its streaming debut this Friday, and one of the best documentaries of all time is airing on cable this Sunday. Our Pick of the Week, however, is one of the films on our list of the best documentaries of last year.
Before we get to all that, I want to highlight the song. “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” by Sara Bareilles from the Apple TV documentary Come See Me in the Good Light is on the Oscar shortlist for Best Original Song. Watch the official lyric video below.
Without further ado, below are this week’s documentary highlights, including capsule reviews of new nonfiction films and series. They are followed by daily listings for all known notable releases and broadcasts, plus a brief look at what’s coming soon for doc fans. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future, plus access to special posts like our best of 2025 and most anticipated of 2026 lists, and to give me more time to watch more (if not everything) available. If you have a doc in need of coverage or a mention in our listings, you can reach me at christopherbartoncampbell (at) gmail.
With the ongoing success of The Secret Agent, now is a great time to celebrate the prior work of Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho. The Criterion Channel is jumping on the idea with a spotlight on Filho starting January 1, so even though his documentary Pictures of Ghosts isn’t new to the streaming service, I think it’s worth noting anyway. The film ranked well on our list of the best documentaries of 2024, but this is an excerpt from our review in one of the first editions of the newsletter:
“A love letter to his childhood home, his neighborhood, and the now-shuttered cinemas of his city, Recife, using new and archival footage, the latter including clips from his narrative films shot in his apartment and the surrounding area. Not only is this the most cohesively focused documentary of its kind in years, but it’s also, as its title indicates, a bewitching reminder of the ways that film can serve as both a time machine and a way to see the spirits of the past.”
Pictures of Ghosts is currently available to stream on The Criterion Channel and Metrograph at Home.
This was our Pick of the Week just last week, and it’s on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. Here’s an excerpt from our review of Cover-Up:
“The film follows the life and career (mostly the latter) of investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, who is one of those writers who best exemplify the need for true journalists. He broke the My Lai massacre story during the Vietnam War, was an integral part of the Watergate scandal coverage, and exposed the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses, among his most significant efforts. He also has a certain charm and wit, despite also being a rather peevish person. Add him to the list of reluctant but relatively cooperative and thorough documentary subjects. He’s a good storyteller and does well talking about his personal and professional lives. Just don’t ask him about his sources, apparently.”
Cover-Up begins streaming exclusively on Netflix on Friday, December 26.
For another documentary about journalism and cover-ups, Critical Incident: Death at the Border is worth watching, even if it’s nowhere near as engaging as the highlight above. The film is directed by Rick Rowley, who earned an Oscar nomination 12 years ago for Dirty Wars, which followed a journalist’s investigation of the U.S.’s covert wars. This time, Rowley follows journalist John Carlos Frey as he investigates cover-ups within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency regarding people dying in their custody. The documentary specifically focuses on the case of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, who was beaten by agents at the border in 2010.
While essential coverage of this story, Critical Incident, unfortunately, feels like old news, especially given how much worse the Department of Homeland Security has been operating in the past year, and how much more obvious the cover-ups are becoming. I recommend finding any of the several uploads of last week’s poorly buried 60 Minutes segment “Inside CECOT,” which looks at a notorious El Salvador prison where the U.S. sent Venezuelan deportees. But deaths in ICE’s custody have also increased substantially since Frey investigated the issue, with this month being particularly high for detention deaths, and 2025 now holds the record for worst yet.
Critical Incident: Death at the Border premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Monday, December 29.
Another one of The Criterion Channel’s programming spotlights for January is titled “Actresses Unfiltered,” and it’s a curation of five documentaries profiling specific screen stars or generally glimpsing into being a woman performer in the business. Romy: Anatomy of a Face features French-German actress Romy Schneider, who is best known for starring in the Sissi trilogy and Jacques Deray’s The Swimming Pool. All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story profiles the titular singer and actress, famous for playing Catwoman in the Batman TV show, giving Tony-winning performances on Broadway, and voicing the Disney villain Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove.
Tally Brown, New York looks at the titular opera and blues singer who also starred in underground films in the ‘60s and ‘70s, including some directed by Andy Warhol. Fassbinder’s Women focuses on the women who had personal and/or professional relationships with German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, including actresses Irm Hermann and Hanna Schygulla, both of whom worked with him on several movies. Finally, Be Pretty and Shut Up! features interviews with many film actresses discussing expectations of women in their profession, including Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, Louise Fletcher, and Cindy Williams. Only All by Myself has been available to stream (via Kanopy and VOD) before being added to this curation.
All five of these films debut on The Criterion Channel on Thursday, January 1, four of them exclusively.
This classic documentary by the Maysles brothers, with Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, turned 50 years old this year. It’s one of those films that’s so close to my heart that I haven’t been able to write a concise appreciation yet. But I will highlight it anytime I have an excuse to do so. Grey Gardens is a riches-to-rags profile of a now iconic mother and daughter duo — cousins of Jackie Kennedy, no less — living in a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons. I am constantly surprised at how many people, arts and movie-loving types included, haven’t even heard of this film. Most hardcore cinephiles are familiar with it, at least, thanks to it being in the Criterion Collection and occasionally being shown on Turner Classic Movies.
Grey Gardens airs on TCM on Sunday, December 28.
Is Chevy Chase so disliked in the industry, and especially within the Saturday Night Live camp, that his documentary had to wait until the show’s 50th anniversary year was over to be released? They could have given him the final week of 2025, when fans of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might be more interested in a film about its star, but instead, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not is the first highlight of the new year. Anyway, I wasn’t excited to seek this one out after the disappointment of the recent Eddie Murphy documentary. Even with it being directed by Marina Zenovich, who has made great films about Richard Pryor and Robin Williams (however, she’s best known for her two films about Roman Polanski). I’m highlighting it for her.
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not premieres on CNN on Thursday, January 1.
Last week, a few more regional critics groups revealed their picks for Best Documentary of 2025. The Black Film Critics Circle and the Boston Online Film Critics Association, and the Online Association Of Female Film Critics selected The Perfect Neighbor (now streaming on Netflix), the Kansas City Film Critics Circle chose Secret Mall Apartment (VOD), and the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle picked Grand Theft Hamlet (Mubi), with Orwell 2+2=5 (VOD) as their runner-up.
The Florida Film Critics Circle picked the lesser-known films Sabbath Queen (in theaters) and BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions (in theaters), the latter being their runner-up. The Women Film Critics Circle went with Mariska Hargitay’s My Mom Jayne (HBO Max) as the Best Documentary by or About Women.
Cover-Up (2025) – A documentary feature by Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus about reporter Seymour Hersh. Read our review of Cover-Up. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
Junk or Jackpot? (2025) – A docuseries hosted by Bobby Berk about collectors. (HGTV)
Match Your Mood with Westinghouse (1968) – A short documentary showing how women can decorate their refrigerators. (TCM)
Murder at the Motel Season 2, Episode 8: “Sportsmans Lodge” – The latest episode of this true-crime docuseries focuses on a murder in Florida. (A&E)
The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd Season 3, Episode 8: “Unusual Pastimes” – The latest installment of a docuseries about mysterious and bizarre people and things. (History)
Accident, Suicide, or Murder Season 6, Episode 6: “Deadly Double” – The latest episode of this true-crime series involves a case of mistaken identity. (Oxygen)
The Golden Years (1960) – A short documentary about bowling innovations. (TCM)
#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUr the MOVIE (2025) – A concert film starring BTS member Jin during his first solo tour. (In Theaters)
Adventure in Wonder (2025) – A docuseries following a Texas family as they sail the Croatian seas. (Wonder Project)
Grey Gardens (1975) – A classic feature documentary by the Maysles brothers (and Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) on a mother and daughter (Big Edie and Little Edie Beales) living in a decrepit Hamptons mansion. *NONFICS PICK* (TCM)
Killer Grannies Season 1, Episode 8: “Granny’s Wishing Well” – The latest installment of a true-crime series hosted by June Squibb about elderly woman killers. (Oxygen)
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins Season 4, Episode 8: “Deadly Liasons” – The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries about romances gone tragically wrong. (Oxygen)
The Miracle of Sound (1940) – A short documentary showing how sound movies are made. (TCM)
Snapped: Behind Bars Season 3, Episode 8: “Purdie Clark” – The latest installment of a true-crime docuseries featuring interviews with murderers who appeared on the show Snapped. (Oxygen)
Critical Incident: Death at the Border (2025) – A documentary feature about an undocumented Mexican immigrant who died while in custody at the border in 2010. (HBO Max)
Here Come the Irish Season 2, Episode 4: “The Trojans Come to South Bend” – The latest installment of a docuseries that follows the Notre Dame football team. (Peacock)
Beast Wishes (2012) – A medium-length documentary about well-known movie memorabilia collectors and fans Bob and Kathy Burns. (Blu-ray)
The Birds and the Beasts Were There (1944) – A short documentary that takes viewers to the Rare Bird Farm, the Monkey Jungle, and the Parrot Jungle, three animal parks in Miami. (TCM)
Equestrian Acrobats (1937) – A short documentary in the Pete Smith Specialty series that showcases an equestrian circus act. (TCM)
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (2025) – A true-crime documentary about the titular therapist who aided Ruby Franke in child abuse. (Netflix)
Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East Episode 5 – The latest installment of a docuseries that goes behind the scenes of NFL teams. (HBO Max)
Italia: Fire and Ashes (2021) – A documentary feature about Italian silent cinema. (Blu-ray)
The Legend of MexMan (2023) – A documentary feature about a filmmaker’s attempt to make his first feature, MexMan. (Blu-ray)
Lions on the Loose (1941) – A short documentary following two escaped lion cubs. (TCM)
Long Live the King (2016) – A medium-length documentary about the enduring appeal of the character King Kong. (Blu-ray)
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo Season 2, Episode 8: “Secrets from the Skies” – The latest installment of a docuseries exploring hidden worlds. (History)
Nevermore: The Raven Effect (2025) – A documentary feature about the pro wrestler Raven. (Blu-ray)
Trained Hoofs (1935) – A short documentary showing how race horses are trained. (TCM)
The Land of Auld Lang Syne (1950) – A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Edinburgh, Scotland. (TCM)
All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story (1982) – A documentary feature profiling actress Eartha Kitt. (The Criterion Channel)
Be Pretty and Shut Up! (1981) – A documentary feature about how actresses are treated in the movie industry. (The Criterion Channel)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) – A comedic hybrid film following the fictional title character on a tour of America. *NONFICS PICK* (Hulu)
Cheetas Up Close with Bertie Gregory (2025) – A nature documentary about cheetahs. (National Geographic)
Contemporary Color (2016) – A concert film by the Ross brothers starring David Byrne and celebrating the art of color guard. *NONFICS PICK* (The Criterion Channel)
Crime in Progress (2026) – A docuseries following criminal investigations from start to finish using body cams, dash cams, and surveillance cams. (A&E)
The Cult of the Real Housewife (2025) – A three-part docuseries about Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, made famous by The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby. (TLC)
Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1993) – A medium-length documentary about Haitian Vodou. (The Criterion Channel)
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2025) – A biographical documentary by Marina Zenovich (Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind) profiling the titular actor. (CNN)
Fassbinder’s Women (2000) – A documentary feature about women in Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s personal and professional lives. (The Criterion Channel)
Free Solo (2018) – An Oscar-winning documentary feature by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin about Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Read our review of Free Solo. *NONFICS PICK* (Netflix)
Jackass 2.5 (2007) – A documentary about the making of Jackass Number Two featuring additional footage. (Paramount+)
Jackass 3 (2010) – The third installment of the Jackass film franchise featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Tubi and Paramount+)
Jackass 3.5 (2011) – A documentary about the making of Jackass 3 featuring additional footage. (Paramount+)
Jackass Number Two (2006) – The second installment of the Jackass film franchise featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Paramount+)
Jackass: The Movie (2010) – The first feature film spin-off of the Jackass TV series featuring spectacular stunts and pranks. (Paramount+)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) – A hybrid comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as an old man traveling with his grandson and pulling pranks and stunts on real people. (Paramount+)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 (2013) – An unrated and extended version of a hybrid comedy starring Johnny Knoxville as an old man traveling with his grandson and pulling pranks and stunts on real people. (Paramount+)
The Land of Auld Lang Syne (1950) – A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Edinburgh, Scotland. (TCM)
Meditation on Violence (1949) – A short documentary by Maya Deren about a part of the Cloisters museum. (The Criterion Channel)
My Back Pages (2024) – A short documentary about a collector of Bob Dylan memorabilia. (The Criterion Channel)
The Private Life of a Cat (1946) – A short documentary by Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid about a pair of cats and their kittens. (The Criterion Channel)
Romy: Anatomy of a Face (1967) – A documentary feature about actress Romy Schneider. (The Criterion Channel)
Tally Brown, New York (1979) – A documentary feature about the titular actress and singer. (The Criterion Channel)
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018) – A biographical documentary by Morgan Neville about Fred Rogers, star of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Read our review of Won’t You Be My Neighbor? *NONFICS PICK* (Prime Video)
1/16 – Shuffle – A documentary feature about insurance fraud in the addiction treatment industry. (In Theaters)
1/20 – Handome Devil: The Charming Killer – A three-part true-crime docuseries about murderer Wade Wilson, known online as the “Deadpool Killer.” (Paramount+)
1/30 – Natchez – A documentary feature about the historical legacy of the titular town in Mississippi. See where the film ranks on our list of the best documentaries of 2025. *NONFICS PICK* (In Theaters)
2/9 – The Librarians – A documentary feature about librarians fighting against book banning. Read our review of The Librarians. (PBS)
3/30 – Lumière, Le Cinema! – A documentary feature directed by Thierry Frémaux (Lumière!) compiling rare films by the Lumière brothers. (In Theaters)
Nonfics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
“Isn’t that the hope of life, that it’s a feel good tragedy?” asks Song Sung Blue star Kate Hudson. Hudson, speaking with journalists virtually, reflects upon playing Claire Sardina, part of a musical duo inspired by the real life musical act Lightning & Thunder. Song Sung Blue offers of one the season’s best surprises with Hudson recently earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her turn as a Patsy Cline interpreter. Hudson is heartbreakingly good as she completely loses herself in Claire’s passion for the stage, but also the ache that comes when her love for performing is cut short by a freak accident until she finds hope again through music.
“When you talk to any spiritual leader, religious leader, gurus,” continues Hudson, “the thing that we know that we’re going to experience is tragedy. What we don’t know what we’re going to experience is joy and levity and light and laughter. It’s actually a much more challenging thing to nurture or to motivate.”
The bittersweet notes of the film have all the staples for a great Hollywood ending, but Song Sung Blue actually draws inspiration from the Lightning & Thunder’s story, which was first told in the 2008 documentary of the same name by Greg Kohs. Don’t be surprised if a Broadway musical pops up in the near future.
Song Sung Blue offers a tragicomic musical as it tells how Claire fell in love with Mike Sardina, a Neil Diamond performer who struck gold when he followed her advice to be a Neil Diamond “interpreter” rather than an “impersonator.” Mike, played by Hugh Jackman, enlists Claire’s Patsy Cline vocals to harmonize his Neil Diamond covers. They make beautiful music together surprising crowds in bars, and eventually the audience before Pearl Jam, with their renditions of “Sweet Caroline,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and Mike’s favourite “Soolaimon.” It’s a terrific story about pursuing one’s passion, told with an eye for the working class reality of making it from gig to gig as an entertainer on the bar scene.
“The broad strokes of their life were already almost too good to be true for a narrative feature,” Brewer (Hustle & Flow) tells POV in a separate interview. “One thing that audiences always love is a good surprise where they think that a story’s going one way and then wham, something comes along and changes that. And in my opinion, the documentary had that in a perfect way.”
Both the documentary and the drama follow the doozy of a twist that life throws at Claire, while her comeback story in the second act ends with a twist one wouldn’t necessarily believe in a Hollywood movie. But sometimes, the right bit of dramatic interpretation, like a fan’s rendition of a beloved musician’s song, can accentuate the real story with the right dramatic punch.
Actors Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson with director Craig Brewer on the set of Song Sung Blue | Sarah Shatz/Focus Features
Brewer says that he approached the adaptation by speaking with Claire and the surviving members of the Sardina family to learn more about their lives. “They provided me with so many moments that Greg Kohs, the great documentary filmmaker, just probably didn’t have room in his movie to put in,” says Brewer. “But when I heard these moments, I was like, ‘Ah, that’s a real cinematic moment.’”
The director cites one example as the character development for Mike and Claire’s teenage daughters, as both singers have kids from previous relationships. The reality of supporting kids as a musician adds to the grounded and authentic portrait of Mike and Claire’s hustle. Brewer says these conversations also revealed nuances that developed the characters.
“Rachel [Claire’s daughter] had this really interesting relationship with Mike once they started working on cars together,” explains Brewer on developing that storyline. “Mike wanted to be a good dad to [his daughter] Dana, but Dana wasn’t really into fixing up cars, but here’s this teenage daughter saying, ‘I’ll do it.’ And I thought that’s a very interesting way that this girl could get to know her stepdad. She was such a character that seemed to be taking care of everybody. It seems that she would be the kind of girl who would do her own oil changes.”
Focus Features
For Hudson, having the documentary Song Sung Blue was a great resource for researching her Claire in terms of technicalities and perfecting her Milwaukee accent, but she took Brewer’s lead in terms of approaching Sardina herself. “Craig didn’t really want me to get too close to Claire because he wrote a great script and didn’t want me to be on set saying things like, ‘Well, what about that story that Claire told me? Why isn’t that in the movie?’” says Hudson.
“I think finding Claire’s voice was a mixture between honouring what Claire was for Mike, which is that she really was his support and harmonized him. It was all about picking him up and making him look the best he could possibly look and supporting him and loving him like crazy,” Hudson continues. “We had to find what the song sounded like as a duo, other than the Patsy Cline songs, but for us—as me supporting him, finding the harmonies, and making some songs feel like a duet even though he is at the centre of it.”
But the actress says that making the music itself and going into the recording studio were key parts of bringing the character to life anew. Hudson says it was also important to find the best in the music to give Song Sung Blue a powerful soundtrack that inspires audiences to rock out. “With Hugh, we went in the studio first and it allowed us to connect differently than if we started shooting right away,” says Hudson. “Because when you’re recording, you have to make so many awful mistakes. You have to try to hit notes and find notes that sound horrible and you have to be able to laugh at yourself.”
Brewer adds that he wasn’t too worried about Hudson and Jackman recreating the styles and sounds of their real life counterparts too much as they reinterpreted the characters. In doing so, they remain true to the spirit of Lightning & Thunder. “One thing that we did early on was take our cue from the real Mike Sardina and say we’re not here to do exact impersonations of everybody because they’re not doing exact impersonations of anybody,” notes the director. “They’re not trying to do a note for note impersonation of Neil Diamond or Patsy Cline. They’re taking that presence and that image, but they’re also putting their own artistry into it, so it was important for me to give Hugh and to give Kate the room to create their own characters from this.”
However, Brewer admits that visits to the set from family members generally confirmed that the performances were spot on. “Even though we tried to not be anchored into them, we found our way back to them in a way,” he says.
Hudson adds that she could easily relate to the Sardinas’ passion for music given her own background as a performer and singer. Besides appearing in movie musicals like Rob Marshall’s Nine (2009) and films deeply rooted in a passion music, like her Oscar-nominated performance as “band aid” Penny Lane in Almost Famous (2000), inspired by director Cameron Crowe’s experience as a music critic for Rolling Stone, Hudson released her first studio album, Glorious, in 2024.
Actors Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson with director Craig Brewer on the set of Song Sung Blue | Sarah Shatz/Focus Features
“Making my album, which started four years ago now, I think was the first step to Claire in the sense of understanding what it is to not be able to live without music, and finding your strength and your courage to own your voice,” observes Hudson. “It’s like when Claire says, ‘I disappear in the music and I should have never let anyone take that away from me.’ I understand what that feels like, even though it’s a different circumstance.” (The star admits she’s never seen a Kate Hudson impersonator, although she has encountered people interpreting her characters like Stephanie from Nine or Penny Lane in Almost Famous.)
However, Hudson acknowledges that working as a recording artist and live performer proves a different beast from making a music film. Song Sung Blue lets the documentary exist as its own vérité chronicle of Lightning and Thunder’s musical life, while Brewer favours some highly stylized concert moments to immerse audiences in the thrill and passion the performers feel while taking the stage.
“Music movies are really hard to make well, and I think that the directors who do them the best are those that have music in them,” says Hudson. “They have the soul of a musician. Cameron Crowe lived that life. He knows it so well. Craig Brewer, he’s a Memphis music guy. The people who really know how to give us the experience are people who live and breathe music, and can then create the visual medium to go with it.”
Ask Brewer about staging the musical numbers and he can easily pinpoint the moment he felt lightning strike when bringing the Neil Diamond songs to life: Lightning and Thunder’s performance of “Play Me.” In fact, Brewer says the song was on his mind as soon as he imagined giving the documentary the Hollywood treatment. “I remember thinking, this is how I’m going to show two people falling in love with each other in less than two minutes. It’s very hard thing to do it, and so I had this whole way of filming it in my mind,” says Brewer.
The song appears early in the film when Claire and Mike realise they share a spark. Claire invites Mike home and gives him advice about being a Neil Diamond tribute performer, and he strums a ballad when her mom asks them to shut up. Claire, struck by the beautiful music, pulls out her keyboard and follows along. She eventually joins Mike as a duet, harmonizing his vocals just as the song hits the lyrics, “You are the sun, I am the moon / You are the words, I am the tune” and the camera rotates around them in a two-shot.
However, come the day of filming “Play Me,” Brewer says he had only 20 minutes to get the shot—an impossible feat when one considers the duet between Jackman and Hudson that makes the film. “I felt like, okay, so the one scene that has gotten me here, I’m now going to ruin,” laughs Brewer.
“But I went over to my cameraman and I said, ‘Look, I just want you to glide. I’m not going to tell you where to put the camera. I want you to trust my dolly operator and move where you think you need to move,’” he says. “And I went to Kate and Hugh and I said, ‘Here’s the very basic staging of what I think. I’m going to go over to the monitor and we’re going to hope for the best.’ I look at that scene now every time the movie plays when they’re singing to each other at that last note. And it’s one of the most magical moments I’ve ever seen in my work where I can’t believe we’re getting what we’re getting and it’s just happening completely organically.”
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As euphorically great as the musical numbers are—you’ve never heard “Soolaimon” like you have here—Hudson says that tapping into Claire’s comeback arguably proved the greatest challenge. The singer recalibrates in the film’s second act as she seeks to return to the stage following her accident and subsequent struggle with addiction. “For me, the physicality wasn’t necessarily difficult to play. It was the mental with the physicality,” says Hudson.
“Then at the ‘Holly Holy’ scene, she completely reconnects back to the love and that connection with him.” Much like Brewer’s use of “Play Me” to convey the story of Lightning and Thunder falling in love, Song Sung Blue uses Diamond’s hits in jukebox musical fashion to convey narrative arcs, like with “Holly Holy” expressing Claire’s recovery and using the emotional appeal of the music to find her voice again as the crowd joins the therapeutic refrain “Sing, sing, sing, sing.” Claire’s passion for performing carries the family through the second tragedy that awaits.
“Getting the levels as we were shooting it is when you start to take your work really seriously,” says Hudson. “When you’re playing someone who’s a real person, you realize how important it becomes because just want to get it right for them.”
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