Documentaries

Black and white students ride the bus together to South Boston High School on Sept. 11, 1975.

‘The Busing Battleground’ revisits a painful chapter in Boston’s history, one that still reverberates

Violence erupted in the wake of an order to desegregate Boston public schools in 1974 — and a long struggle for educational equity preceded it. On PBS, "American Experience" tells the story.

True-crime docuseries ‘Never Let Him Go’ chronicles Cambridge man’s quest for justice
In 1988, Scott Johnson, a gay American man, was found dead in Australia. His brother, Steve Johnson, has been trying to piece together what happened ever since.

At Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival, a new documentary fills in a ‘missing piece’ of civil rights history
"Move When the Spirit Says Move" tells the story of one of King’s closest advisers, the late Dorothy Foreman Cotton.

‘Stephen Curry: Underrated’ shoots and scores

But its Golden State Warriors subject wasn’t always a superstar

Mass. sharks and seals are the stars of a new National Geographic documentary
National Geographic's newest shark documentary follows Massachusetts researchers around the coast of Cape Cod, showcasing their first-of-its-kind research in tracking shark behavior.

Odie Henderson Review | ★★½
‘Desperate Souls, Dark City, and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy’ has a lot to say — maybe too much
New documentary makes a case for the lasting legacy of 1969's ‘Midnight Cowboy’ starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman.

Odie Henderson Review | ★★★1/2
‘The League’: An American story told through the lens of Black baseball
Documentarian Sam Pollard is in a league of his own, continuing his streak of excellent sports documentaries

Odie Henderson Review | ★★★
‘Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed’ is out, proud, and unapologetic
This often-fascinating HBO documentary looks at the life and career of the iconic actor.

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Latest Headlines in Documentaries

Film still of Black Men of Labor marching and singing "Amazing Grace" during their annual second line parade in a scene from Jason Berry's film "City of a Million Dreams."

‘City of a Million Dreams’ looks at New Orleans through lens of jazz funerals

Jazz funerals are "a life force of this culture in this city," says writer and filmmaker Jason Berry, who comes to Somerville and Vineyard Haven this week. 12:44 p.m.

Odie Henderson Review | ★★★

Mary Tyler Moore at a table read for "The Dick Van Dyke Show." From “Being Mary Tyler Moore.”

‘Being Mary Tyler Moore’: Hats off to this new doc about the TV legend

It premieres Friday on MAX. 4:16 p.m.

Odie Henderson Review | ★★★ 1/2

"It Ain't Over" is a new documentary about baseball legend Yogi Berra (center).

You can observe a lot by watching the Yogi Berra doc ‘It Ain’t Over’

Berra’s larger-than-life persona outbalanced his astonishing baseball achievements. This documentary recalibrates the scales. 4:17 p.m.

Michael J. Fox in "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie," premiering May 12, 2023 on Apple TV+.

When documentarian Davis Guggenheim met Michael J. Fox, the actor had one request: ‘No violins’

"Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie" premieres May 12 on Apple TV+. 3:24 p.m.

A still from "Love to Love You, Donna Summer."

Celebrating Donna Summer — and 20 years of IFFBoston

The documentary "Love to Love You, Donna Summer" and biopic of a beloved mobile phone, "BlackBerry," are two films worth checking out. 3:32 p.m.

Little Richard at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, September 1956. From "Little Richard: I Am Everything," a Magnolia Pictures release.

‘There wasn’t anybody like him,’ says ‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’ director Lisa Cortés

A new documentary celebrates the architect of rock 'n' roll and the multiple legacies he built. 8:00 a.m.

Odie Henderson Review | ★★★1/2

Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson is the subject of the documentary "Reggie."

‘Reggie’ tells a parallel story of race and baseball

Alexandria Stapleton’s documentary on Prime Video traces the career of Reggie Jackson, a.k.a. ‘Mr. October.’ 2:54 p.m.

A coyote shot by wildlife videographer Dan Licht in documentary “American Bolshevik."

New documentary ‘American Bolshevik’ looks at the vilification of the coyote

Rhode Island-based fillmmaker Julie Marron grew fascinated with the debate over what to do about the growing coyote ‘problem’ in her home state. 2:42 p.m.