10 Shows Like The Dictator’s Playbook

Description: A profound examination of the decision-making processes behind wartime strategies, featuring former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. It reflects on the moral ambiguities and consequences of political leadership during crises.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and is structured around 11 lessons from McNamara's life.

Description: An exploration of the modern corporation's role in society, examining its legal status as a 'person' and the ethical implications of its actions. It critiques the unchecked power of large institutions.

Fact: The film uses diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV to argue that corporations exhibit psychopathic behavior.

Description: This documentary dissects the rise and fall of the Enron Corporation, showcasing corporate greed, deception, and the collapse of ethical boundaries in pursuit of power and profit.

Fact: The film is based on the best-selling book of the same name and features audio recordings of Enron traders joking about California's energy crisis.

Description: This documentary explores the psychological and moral consequences of political violence, focusing on the perpetrators rather than the victims. It delves into the mechanisms of power and how individuals justify their actions under authoritarian regimes.

Fact: The film features former Indonesian death squad leaders reenacting their real-life mass killings in various cinematic genres, blurring the line between reality and fiction.

Description: A companion piece to 'The Act of Killing,' this documentary examines the aftermath of genocide through the eyes of a survivor confronting the perpetrators. It highlights the enduring impact of state-sponsored violence and the silence that often follows.

Fact: The film's protagonist, Adi, is an optometrist who uses his profession as a way to interview his brother's killers while fitting them for glasses.

Description: This documentary provides an intimate look at the revelations of mass surveillance by Edward Snowden. It captures the tension and paranoia of exposing government secrets and the personal risks involved.

Fact: The film was shot in real-time as the events unfolded, with director Laura Poitras receiving encrypted messages from Snowden before they even met.

Description: A sprawling essay film that dissects the complexities of modern politics, media, and technology, arguing that society has accepted a simplified, distorted version of reality.

Fact: The film's title refers to a term coined by anthropologist Alexei Yurchak to describe the Soviet Union's late-stage stagnation.

Description: This documentary investigates the massive leak of documents exposing offshore tax havens used by the global elite. It reveals how wealth and power are shielded from public scrutiny and accountability.

Fact: The leak involved

Description: A comprehensive documentary series that delves into the American Civil War, exploring the political, social, and personal dimensions of the conflict. It highlights the leadership and moral dilemmas of the era.

Fact: The series was a ratings phenomenon and remains one of the most-watched programs in PBS history, narrated by historian Shelby Foote.

Description: A historical documentary series that chronicles the interconnected events of World War I and World War II, focusing on the leaders and decisions that shaped the conflicts.

Fact: The series uses dramatic reenactments and CGI to bring historical events to life, blending documentary and narrative techniques.