The best documentaries on Amazon Prime Video right now

Chicken People feels like it should be a mockumentary, but it is deadly serious. This wacky documentary dives into the high-stakes world of competitive poultry. Following three passionate chicken farmers, the film explores their struggles and triumphs as they flaunt their chickens from the Ohio National Poultry Show to the Dixie Classic in Tennessee.

Justin Bieber has been the star of numerous documentaries about his life and this is the latest. In all seriousness, Our World gives a look at the pop superstar in a relatively stable place, not always an easy accomplishment for the Canadian who became a sensation while the rest of us were in high school. The documentary is a behind-the-scenes look at preparation for a pandemic-era concert, so the hallmarks of Covid-19 are unmistakable – this is not an escapist film. Because of where Bieber is in his life, it’s also not particularly dramatic or titillating. It gives insights into Bieber’s life but isn’t pushing the envelope in any particular way. Beliebers will eat this up, while other fans will see it as a nice documentary and a reminder that this is Bieber’s world, we’re all just living in it.

Far too few people know the name Pauli Murray, but the titular documentary should help change that. Murray was a lawyer, poet, and activist, among other roles, but she was also the first Black woman to be ordained. But Murray had a number of struggles in her life, most notably her struggle as a non-binary person, a term not used during her time (the documentary uses “she” and “her” pronouns throughout). My Name is Pauli Murray gives insight into somebody not as well known as other activists, but influential to the likes of Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It’s a life worth celebrating and discovering all over again.

If you’re immersed in the history of American fashion, then chances are good that you know the name Roy Halston Frowick. In the ‘70s, he simply went by “Halston,” and he created an international sensation thanks to his unique designs that catered to women. Halston became a celebrity for his exploits, his successes, and his epic fall and expulsion from the company that he founded. The documentary Halston offers an unflinching look at the man himself, with rare footage from his family as well as testimonials from his surviving friends and colleagues who knew him best.

The lead-up to the 2020 election was one of the most contentious periods in recent American history. From the coronavirus pandemic to the fight for racial justice to the staggering economic downturn affecting millions around the country, it’s never been more important to make sure your voice is heard and vote. That’s the message behind All In, an Amazon Original released in September, less than two months before Election Day. The filmmakers get their message across by zeroing in on the issue of voter suppression, focusing on the 2018 gubernatorial race in Georgia, where Stacey Abrams allegedly lost due to voter suppression. Abrams has since founded Fair Fight Action, an organization dedicated to addressing the issue.

That Sugar Film is in the same mold as Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me, except it’s Australian and focuses on an even more pervasive food industry evil: sugar. Director Damon Gameau decides to consume a high-sugar diet — through foods commonly assumed to be healthy — for 30 straight days. No, he’s not stuffing his face with candy and soda; Gameau instead illuminates how massive amounts of sugar are often found in places you likely thought were safe. With entertaining cameos from Hugh Jackman and Stephen Fry, That Sugar Film feels like a sugar high, right until the eye-opening crash.

This film was so powerful that many credit it with influencing McDonald’s Restaurants to eliminate their super-sizing options, even though the company swears their decision had nothing to do with the documentary. Morgan Spurlock set out to undergo a crazy experiment: Only eat food from McDonald’s for 30 days straight, three meals a day, to see how it affects him. Without giving too much away, Spurlock documents the various changes he undergoes in body and mind throughout the 30-day period, and it’s staggering, to say the least. The intent was to raise awareness around fast-food companies that encourage poor nutrition for the sake of their own profits and to shed light on America’s obesity problem. It’s a fascinating watch that shows just how much of a difference what you eat can make in your life.

In recent years, the Jonas Brothers have worked hard to shed their Disney Channel-tinged image and enter the next phase of their musical career. To do so, however, they had to discover what life was like apart from one another. Chasing Happiness documents the lives of the three brothers, from their publicized breakup in 2013 to their reunion in 2019. The documentary in part promoted their first new record in years, Happiness Begins, but it’s far from being a public relations-palooza, as it also contains previously unreleased footage and personal interviews with the brothers.

Steve Gleason was on top of the world as a defensive back for the New Orleans Saints, and was best known for monumentally blocking a punt by the opposing Atlanta Falcons during the Saints’ first game back at the Superdome in nearly two years following Hurricane Katrina. The team would go on to win that game, sparking one of the most successful seasons in Saints history. But in 2011, Gleason’s life changed forever when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The documentary, filmed over a period of five years, looks at his life after diagnosis, including the announcement of his wife’s pregnancy, how the diagnosis has played into his family life, and the advancement of his disease to today, where he relies on assistive technology to communicate. It’s an emotional journey of strength, resilience, and determination.