“Unlock the Secrets of Reality: 10 Mind-Bending Documentaries That Will Leave You Questioning Everything!”

Are you tired of the same old Christmas movie marathon that feels more like a déjà vu than a festive experience? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! As we dive headfirst into the holiday season, a fresh alternative has emerged: a carefully curated list of documentaries that promise to “break your brain.” Flynn Slicker, the social media guru over at Letterboxd, recently put out a call on X for mind-bending documentary suggestions, inviting folks to share the ones that left them reeling for weeks. The result? An impressive compilation of over 90 documentary gems, featuring everything from the haunting tales of real life to insightful explorations of art, music, and culture. So, if you’re ready to trade in the predictable plotlines for something that’ll really give your noggin a workout, you’re in for a treat! Buckle up—these docs are anything but just “background noise” while you untangle those holiday lights! LEARN MORE.

If you’re sick of watching all the same Christmas films you did last year, someone’s gone and made a list of mind-blowing docs that are guaranteed to ‘break your brain’ if that’s the kind of thing you’re in to.

Having her own list of suggestions ready to go, social media manager at Letterboxd, Flynn Slicker, wrote on X: “Drop the best documentary that you’ve seen. One that blew your mind and you couldn’t stop thinking about for weeks. I want something that will break my brain.”

Over on the social film platform, Slicker has created a list of more than 90 documentaries she recommends to others.

And the content really is pretty varied. In the mix, there’s a couple of music films like Amy which covers the life of London-born singer Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back from back in 1967 and Moonage Daydream which explores David Bowie’s creative and musical journey.

Don’t F**k with Cats makes the list. (Netflix)

But then there’s really quite dark stuff.

The Act of Killing from 2012 is at the top of Slicker’s list and exposes ‘the horrifying mass executions of accused communists in Indonesia and those who are celebrated in their country for perpetrating the crime’.

Then there’s the infamous Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer which landed on Netflix back in 2019 and has become quite the cult watch.

That’s of course the doc about the group of online justice seekers who aim to track down a guy who posted a clip of him killing kittens.

Another famous watch, there’s the 2017 Abducted in Plain Sight about the 1974 abduction of 12-year-old Jan Broberg.

Or, turning the genre over to animals, there’s the legendary 2013 documentary film Blackfish which heavily features Tilikum, the orca held at SeaWorld.

The full list is as follows:

The Act of Killing

The Dissident

What Remains

Blackfish highly controversy (Magnolia Pictures)

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Free Solo

Three Identical Strangers

Africa Addio

Welfare

Man on Wire

Burden of Dreams

The Thin Blue Line

Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War

Navalny

John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection

The Fog of War

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

Hoop Dreams

Grey Gardens

Moonage Daydream

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

The Queen of Versailles

A Certain Kind of Death

Blackfish

Tim’s Vermeer

Icarus

Rich Hill

The Century of the Self

The Ashram Children: I Am No Body, I Have No Body

The Rescue

Baraka

Touching the Void

Koyaanisqatsi

Meru

Into Great Silence

Harlan County U.S.A.

Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey

Citizenfour

Into the Abyss

Winnebago Man

63 Up

My Eye Is Reflecting

In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin

Exit Through the Gift Shop

They Shall Not Grow Old

Sans Soleil

Fire of Love

Hale County This Morning, This Evening

Original Cast Album: Company

Senna

Amy

House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths

American Nightmare

Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary

Abducted in Plain Sight

King Corn

N.Y.H.C.

Jodorowsky’s Dune

Mermaids: The Body Found

The History of Tetris World Records

The Last Waltz

Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

My Brother Jordan

Any of these tickle your fancy? (Getty Stock Image)

Massacre of the Mormons

The Imposter

No Other Land

Separated

Everybody Street

Grand Prix: The Killer Years

The House I Live In

13th

The Hidden Life of Trees

Evil Genius

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

Phoenix Rising

Life of Crime: 1984-2020

The Art of the Steal

The Gleaners and I

Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back

HyperNormalisation

The Seven Five

9/11: One Day in America

Stevie

For Sama

The Vietnam War

My Octopus Teacher

The Pharmacist

A Trip to Infinity

The Same River Twice

Salesman

Wild Wild Country

Titicut Follies

Leviathan