A good documentary is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

They inspire, educate and entertain. In several cases, documentary films have been the driving force behind real social change, from plummeting the market value of Sea World, to overturning criminal convictions.

Nick Fraser for The Guardian writes, “It would be more accurate to say that documentaries are among the most valuable, neglected cultural forms of our time. They aren’t all good… but the best are unusual, persuasive, seductive.”

We are in the midst of a Golden Age for documentaries, with streaming services like Netflix and Stan making it easier than ever to access hundreds of thousands of films.

We are in the midst of a Golden Age for docos. Image via iStock.

But there are just as many ordinary, or downright awful documentaries, as there are brilliant ones. So we've sifted through 'the classics' and the highest grossing docos of all time, to come up with 11 that absolutely everyone must watch.

Bowling for Columbine

Michael Moore's 2002 documentaryBowling For Columbineis considered one of the best documentaries ever made. It explores the cause of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, and the gun culture that contributed to it. It won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and theBBCdescribes it as "Funny, chilling and provocative...This is a bold, blackly comic masterpiece - everyone should see it."

Bowling For Columbineis the seventh highest grossing documentary ever made, with five of Moore's films being included in the top 25. I could have named five of his documentaries in this list, but instead just chose my favourite. Other must-sees include:Fahrenheit 9/11(the highest grossing documentary of all time),Capitalism: A Love Story,SickoandRoger and Me.

You can watch the trailer for Bowling for Columbine, here. Or the full movie on Netflix or iTunes, here.

LISTEN: If you're after another documentary, we spoke to Louis Theroux on The Binge. Post continues after audio.

Exit Through The Gift Shop: A Banksy Film

This 2010 documentary directed by famous street artist Banksy, tells the story of Thierry Guetta, a French immigrant from the United States who is desperate to locate and befriend Banksy. He describes it as "...the story of how one man set out to film the un-filmable. And failed."

Exit Through The Gift Shopwas nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and has a 96 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

You can watch the trailer for Exit Through The Gift Shop, here. Or the full movie on iTunes, here.

Man On Wire

A 2008 British biographical documentary directed by James Marsh,Man On Wirechronicles the 1974 attempt by Philippe Petit to walk on a single wire between New York's Twin Towers. Petit was eventually arrested, and the film contains rare footage of the preparations, photographs of his attempt and exclusive interviews with participants.

Man On Wirewon the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. 100 per cent of the reviews onRotten Tomatoesare positive, and it's been described as an "unforgettable documentary".

You can watch the trailer for Man on Wire, here. Or the full movie on Stan, or on iTunes, here.

Searching for Sugarman

Documentary critics often regardSearching For Sugarmanas one of the most incredible examples of documentary film in recent years.

Released in 2012, the film set out to explore the life of Sixto Rodriguez, a Detriot folksinger who became a pop music icon in South Africa in the 1970s. Long rumoured to have died by suicide, the film offers an enormous twist, with filmmakers finding more than they ever hoped for.

Commonsense Media describes it as a "captivating film [with] such a wild story that it has to be true; nobody would take it seriously if it were fiction."Searching for Sugarmanwon a BAFTA and an Academy Award.

You can watch the trailer for Searching for Sugarman, here. Or the full movie on iTunes, here.

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

If I had to recommend one documentary - that I'd classify hands down as the best I've ever watched - it would beDear Zachary.

In 2001, Andrew Bagby was murdered by his girlfriend Shirley Jane Turner after he ended their relationship. After she was arrested, it was revealed that Turner was pregnant with Bayby's child. She decided to name him Zachary.

So documentary maker and close friend of Bagby, Kurt Kuenne, decided to make a film to give to Zachary, so he could see what an incredible man his father was. But this would not be the end of the story.

Andrew Bagby. Image via Oscilloscope.

In an incredible twist,Dear Zacharybecomes a true-crime documentary that shakes everyone who watches it.

Martin Tsai of the New York Sun describes the film as "a first-rate thriller...and the film is so unsettling that it will stay with viewers for a long time... It's hands down one of the most mind-blowing true-crime movies in recent memory, fiction or nonfiction."

You can watch the trailer for Dear Zachary above, or watch the full movie on iTunes, here.

Deliver Us From Evil

This 2006 documentary explores the life of Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady, who confessed to having molested and raped 25 children between the 1970s and 1990s.

Directed by Amy J. Berg, the film includes interviews with O'Grady who was released after serving only seven years in prison.

Deliver Us From Evilwas the best reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes in 2006 and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Image via Lionsgate.

clear-sighted, tough-minded and devastating, a portrait of individual criminality and institutional indifference, a study in the betrayal of trust and the irresponsibility of authority

Although it's hard to watch, it's incredibly important. The New York Times describesDeliver Us From Evilas "clear-sighted, tough-minded and devastating, a portrait of individual criminality and institutional indifference

You can watch the trailer for Deliver Us From Evil, here. Or the full movie on iTunes, here.

Going Clear

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Beliefis a 2015 documentary directed by Alex Gibney which delves into the Church of Scientology.

Incredibly produced, the film received widespread praise and was nominated for seven Emmy Awards. It's also the second most watched HBO documentary of the last ten years.

TheBBC'sOwen Gleiberman praisedGoing Clearas "the most exciting – and disturbing – work of cinematic non-fiction in a long time, and awarded it five stars.

You can watch the trailer for Going Clear, here. Or the full movie on iTunes, here.

Blackfish

This 2013 documentary explores the captivity of killer whales by SeaWorld and has changed the course of history.

It features Tilikum (who died only last week), a killer whale held by SeaWorld who was involved in three deaths. The film argues that animals experience extreme stress, and that water parks have been dishonest about the impact captivity has on killer whales' life expectancy and wellbeing.

Tilikum. Image via Netflix.

Since its release, SeaWorld profits have dropped by 84%, and it was announced in March last year that the breeding program would end immediately and thus this generation of killer whales will be the park's last.

Blackfishwas nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Documentary and has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 98 per cent.

You can watch the trailer for Blackfish, here. Or the full movie on Netflix, or on iTunes, here.

The Thin Blue Line

This 1988 film is considered by many critics as one of the greatest documentaries ever made.

Directed by Errol Morris,The Thin Blue Linedepicts the story of Randall Dale Adams, who was convinced and sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit.

Morris' investigation revealed that five witnesses committed pergury. A year after the film was released, Adams was released from prison.

Varietycalled the film "the most political work of cinema in the last 20 years", and it is widely understood as the first movie to actually solve a murder.

Morris also directedThe Fog Of War,a highly acclaimed documentary about warfare in modern America.

You can watch the trailer for The Thin Blue Line, here. Or the full movie on SBS (for free), here.

Amy

Released in 2015,Amycovers the life and death of British singer-song writer, Amy Winehouse.

Exclusive footage gives viewers an insight into her struggle with substance abuse, the overbearing paparazzi and a tumultuous love life.

To date,Amyis the highest grossing British documentary of all time. It has been nominated for 33 awards, winning a Grammy for Best Music Film and the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Peter Bradshaw fromThe Guardiandescribed it as "a tragic masterpiece".