Top 10 Mind Blowing Conspiracy Documentaries

It’s no secret that social media is bad for you. But we didn’t know just how bad. “The Social Dilemma” is a very sobering documentary from Jeff Orlowski that expounds on the dangerous influence of your favorite social app. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or the app formerly known as Twitter, they all have the same goal - to keep you scrolling. What results sounds like something out of a conspiracy thriller; a world in the throes of phone addiction, political radicalization, mass amounts of misinformation, actual propaganda, and plummeting mental health rates. And there’s no way out. Interviews with prominent social media experts detail how it all works, and it makes us want to go “Office Space” on our phones and computers.

UFOs, the cornerstone of any great conspiracy theory. But what if UFOs themselves were the conspiracy theory? Stay with us. “Mirage Men” posits the possibility that the American government intentionally fabricates so-called “UFO” sightings. And why would they do that? Seemingly, to draw attention away from top-secret military projects. One can’t help but think of Area 51, the infamous Air Force facility that tests experimental aircraft in the Nevada desert. “Mirage Men” features extensive interviews with a former member of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigation, which lends further credence to the film’s thesis. It’s a thought-provoking documentary about government cover-ups and manipulation, and really, what more can you ask for?

We’ve all been down the JFK road before. Even for those who don’t often buy into conspiracy theories, the JFK assassination bears an intense and tantalizing interest. An Australian detective named Colin McLaren wrote a book titled “JFK: The Smoking Gun,” which argued that Kennedy was accidentally shot by an agent of the Secret Service. This book was then adapted into a film, which blends investigative and ballistics work to uncover the truth behind the President’s death. There are some interesting arguments here, and it’s nice to see a new theory about the shooting that hasn’t been covered again and again. It all adds another layer to the enduring mystery.

Let’s head back to Facebook because that site is just a trove of conspiracies-turned-true. In 2018, a man named Christopher Wylie came forth and dropped a bombshell. A British consulting firm called Cambridge Analytica had been harvesting personal data from millions of Facebook profiles and selling this data to American political campaigns. “The Great Hack” explores this scandal in great depth using interviews with prominent figures, including a former employee of Cambridge Analytica and journalist Carole Cadwalladr. It asks us to consider notions of privacy in the digital age and informs us with startling clarity that, yes, our identities are absolutely for sale.

This shouldn’t come as a big surprise, but corporations do not have our best interests at heart. “The Devil We Know” is all about perfluorooctanoic acid, a dangerous compound used in a wide variety of products. If listening about industrial compounds sounds boring, rest assured, it isn’t. The documentary’s argument is told through the lens of Parkersburg, West Virginia, a small town that once housed a DuPont facility. DuPont would dump the industrial acid into the local water, killing cattle, deforming children, and giving both locals and workers cancer. It’s a fascinating if terrifying story about corporate negligence, the intentional concealment of dangerous information, and the lengths that companies will go to to gain more profit.

The world has seen a sharp rise in flat Earthers in recent years, and most people blame the internet for that. “Behind the Curve” explores the recent phenomenon, delving into the belief itself, how it spreads, and the way that these people find community through their fringe opinions. The film contains a lot of memorable characters and hilarious situations, like when the believers conduct tests to prove that the Earth is flat, only to end up proving the exact opposite. But the documentary also has a heart and never sets out to demonize its subjects. Rather, it takes a rather sympathetic approach and asks the viewer to consider how it is they got to that point in the first place.

There are about a billion alien documentaries out there, but none quite like “Unacknowledged.” That’s thanks to the presence of Steven M. Greer, a prominent ufologist who founded the Disclosure Project back in 1993. The goal of this project was to get the truth about extraterrestrial life and UFO sightings out of the secretive American government. “Unacknowledged” convincingly presents Greer’s findings through never-before-seen documents and witness testimonies, including briefings with Pentagon Generals and even the Director of the CIA. It has a degree of authority and legitimacy that other alien documentaries do not, and it may just convert a few non-believers to the cause.

Coming from filmmakers Christopher Martin and John Pilger, “The War on Democracy” makes a very uncomfortable thesis. With fantastic archival footage and absorbing narration, it posits that the United States has secretly but directly intervened in Latin American politics. Along the way, the country has often undermined the democracy of others for its own self-interests. Through the manipulation of politics and even the direct overthrow of democratically elected leaders, American intervention has led to a full-blown human rights crisis. “The War on Democracy” explores how larger and more powerful nations often mold the less fortunate, and often for their own selfish gains.

A fast-paced and wickedly exciting documentary, “Icarus” plays out like a Hollywood thriller. Filmmaker Bryan Fogel hopes to explore the concept of doping in professional sports, so he consults with the head of Russia’s anti-doping agency, Grigory Rodchenkov. As their friendship blossoms, Rodchenkov reveals that Russia has a widespread doping system in place and that the country continuously cheats in the Olympics. These revelations allegedly put Rodchenkov’s life in danger, and the filmmakers are forced to protect him from those hoping to silence his revelations. With the reveal of shocking truths and an absorbing storyline, “Icarus” is a documentary that proves real life can be as exciting as fiction.

When it comes to conspiracy documentaries, there’s just no beating Laura Poitras’ “Citizenfour.” This was the codename given to Edward Snowden, the famous whistleblower who uncovered a global surveillance program. This documentary is shot in an unconventional manner, with Poitras sitting in a hotel room with Snowden and journalist Glenn Greenwald. This firsthand account provides unique and intimate access into the unfolding story, as Snowden grapples with the revelations and the personal consequences that he will face for revealing them. The strong emotional connection is also bolstered by an exhilarating storyline, as Snowden hosts clandestine meetings, evades the law, and smuggles himself out of the country. It’s a thriller with a heart, and it’s all unbelievably real.