If you were captivated by the twists and turns of The Invisible Pilot (2022), this article is for you. We’ve curated a list of 10 gripping movies and shows that share its blend of mystery, true crime, and high-stakes drama. Whether you loved the documentary’s shocking revelations or its cinematic storytelling, these picks will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Description: A groundbreaking true crime documentary that uses stylized reenactments and interviews to challenge the official narrative of a murder case, ultimately leading to the exoneration of a wrongfully convicted man.
Fact: This film is credited with helping to overturn the conviction of Randall Dale Adams, who was serving a life sentence for murder. It pioneered the use of reenactments in documentaries.


Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Description: A disturbing and intimate portrait of a family torn apart by allegations of abuse, using home videos and interviews to explore the elusive nature of truth and memory.
Fact: The film includes extensive home footage shot by the Friedman family themselves, providing an unprecedented look into their lives. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.


The Devil You Know (2019)
Description: A chilling investigation into a notorious cult, combining archival footage and new interviews to uncover the dark truths behind a charismatic leader's hold on his followers.
Fact: The documentary focuses on the cult leader Vince Weiguang Li, who was involved in multiple criminal activities. It was released on Hulu.


The Scheme (2020)
Description: A riveting expose of corruption and deception in college basketball, featuring secret recordings and insider accounts that reveal a web of lies and manipulation.
Fact: The film includes never-before-heard wiretaps of key figures in the scandal. It was produced by HBO, known for its investigative documentaries.


The Imposter (2012)
Description: A gripping documentary that explores deception and identity through a stranger-than-fiction true story, blending interviews and reenactments to unravel a complex web of lies.
Fact: The subject of the documentary, Frédéric Bourdin, actually participated in the film, providing his own perspective on the events. The film won the BAFTA for Best Documentary.


The Act of Killing (2012)
Description: A harrowing and surreal examination of guilt and memory, where perpetrators of atrocities reenact their crimes in the cinematic styles they admire, blurring the lines between reality and fiction.
Fact: The film was initially intended to be about the survivors of the Indonesian killings, but shifted focus when the perpetrators agreed to participate. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.


The Central Park Five (2012)
Description: A powerful documentary that exposes systemic injustice and wrongful convictions, highlighting how media frenzy and racial bias can lead to tragic miscarriages of justice.
Fact: The film was co-directed by Ken Burns, his daughter Sarah Burns, and her husband David McMahon. It later inspired the Netflix miniseries 'When They See Us.'


The Family I Had (2017)
Description: A heartbreaking exploration of a family tragedy, blending personal interviews and archival footage to examine the aftermath of a shocking crime and its impact on those left behind.
Fact: The film features intimate interviews with the family members, including the mother who struggles to come to terms with her son's actions. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.


The Witness (2015)
Description: A deeply personal investigation into a notorious crime, examining the complexities of truth and the impact of media narratives on public perception of events.
Fact: The film focuses on the brother of Kitty Genovese, who was murdered in 1964 in a case that became famous for the alleged bystander effect. The brother's quest for truth reveals inconsistencies in the original story.


Icarus (2017)
Description: A thrilling documentary that starts as a personal experiment and spirals into an international scandal, exposing systemic corruption and cover-ups at the highest levels of sports.
Fact: The filmmaker Bryan Fogel initially set out to investigate doping in amateur sports but stumbled upon a much larger story involving Russia. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
