'Our Father' and other controversial docs you need to watch

Just over a year after Evan Rachel Wood dropped a bombshell on Instagram and named "Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” as her alleged abuser, HBO released a two-part documentary called 'Phoenix Rising,' which details how the actress fought for the Phoenix Act in California and follows her as she connects with other individuals who accused Manson of sexual assault, grooming, and manipulation.

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'Secrets of Playboy' -

A&E's explosive 10-part docuseries 'Secrets of Playboy' sends shivers down the spine. Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner's main girlfriend from 2001-2008, opens up about her experience. "I feel like on 'Girls Next Door,' Hef was portrayed as a kindly grandpa but that's not how he is," said Madison. "It would make me so angry how manipulative he was. Hef controlled every aspect of our life." She details the first time they had sex, which was "gross to me how Hef didn't want to use protection," and talked about how he would pit the women against each other so that they were easier to control. While there are opinions shared from those in Hefner's circle claiming that all the women could have simply left, Madison revealed why she felt she couldn't: "If I left, there was just this mountain of revenge porn just waiting to come out," she said. "When you would go out with Hef, he's taking all types of naked pictures of these women when they're wasted out of their minds. It's just gross."

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'Malfunction' -

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's performance at the 2004 Super Bowl gave way to one of the most infamous moments in the history of live TV. Timberlake tore a piece of Jackson's outfit away which exposed one of her breasts. The fallout was instant and complaints from viewers and sponsors poured in. The backlash Jackson faced almost ended her career, while Timberlake's popularity continued to climb. The New York Times are releasing a documentary called 'Malfunction' which explores how the incident happened and why the consequences for the two performers were so different.

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'Toxic: Britney Spears' Battle For Freedom' -

At the height of the 'Free Britney' campaign and the legal proceedings to end the conservatorship, CNN released the documentary ''Toxic: Britney Spears' Battle For Freedom.' Spears herself watched some of the doc and was not a fan... She posted a sarcastic response on social media: "Wow they used the most beautiful footage of me in the world [weary emoji] !!! What can I say .. the EFFORT on their part [applause and eye-rolling emojis] !!!" Several documentaries about her career and conservatorship have been released in the past year, but Spears has not supported any of them, informing fans that much of what they say about her is not true.

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'Allen v. Farrow' -

HBO's explosive four-part docuseries 'Allen v. Farrow' details the allegations of sexual abuse against Woody Allen involving Dylan, his then seven-year-old adoptive daughter, as well as his subsequent custody battle with Mia Farrow and the controversial aftermath in the years that followed. It features Mia, actress and mother of 14, speaking publicly for the first time in decades about her former partner, Woody Allen. Ronan Farrow also congratulated his sister Dylan as she too appears for a first-person interview in the series, sharing previously unseen information regarding her sexual abuse allegations against Allen. Though he hasn't directly commented, a spokesperson for the disgraced director released a statement which said, "These documentarians had no interest in the truth. Instead, they spent years surreptitiously collaborating with the Farrows and their enablers to put together a hatchet job riddled with falsehoods."

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'Allen v. Farrow' -

Woody Allen has continuously denied all accusations of misconduct against him, and has never been arrested or prosecuted. The docuseries, however, takes a much closer look at the allegations of sexual abuse aimed at the famous director, including records, documents, police investigations, social workers’ investigations, and even home videos taken of Dylan by Mia in the days after the alleged assault, in which she hauntingly describes what her "Daddy" did to her in the attic. Many say this series could be the final nail in the coffin for Allen's career.

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'Tiger' -

Tiger Woods has lived out a tumultuous celebrity reputation. HBO’s two-part documentary, ‘Tiger,’ which dives into his his relationship with his father, is once again stirring up all those darkest bits of the legendary golfer’s life. Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg made a statement that went so far as to call the documentary “just another unauthorized and salacious outsider attempt to paint an incomplete portrait of one of the greatest athletes of all-time."

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'(My) Truth' -

Former child actor Corey Feldman's documentary '(My) Truth' documents the sexual abuse he alleges he suffered, along with fellow child star Corey Haim's (1971-2010) own history of sexual abuse. Amongst those he accuses are actor Charlie Sheen, who he says sexually assaulted Haim when he was 13 (Sheen would've been 19). In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Sheen denied the allegations: "These sick, twisted and outlandish allegations never occurred. Period."

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'Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez' -

Netflix's documentary series 'Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez' naturally focuses on Aaron Hernandez, the NFL star convicted of murder who went on to take his own life in jail. Hernandez's story is one of physical abuse, drug use, struggles with his sexuality, and much more, all of which is detailed in the doc series.

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'Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning' -

After all the buzz around 2019's 'Surviving R. Kelly,' a second part to the controversial documentary series aired on Lifetime in early 2020.

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'Surviving R. Kelly Part I' -

Lifetime aired out nearly every accusation levied against R. Kelly, the R&B star who has been plagued with sexual assault allegations for over 25 years.

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'Surviving R. Kelly Part I' - The doc has polarized many viewers. A large majority of celebs have joined the #MuteRKelly movement, while others continue to doubt the accusations. However, Kelly has been arrested since the documentary aired, and his criminal case is still ongoing.

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'Leaving Neverland' -

'Leaving Neverland' premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019. Naturally, MJ's fans and family were furious, and the doc saw huge backlash. Yet it went on to win the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, bringing it once again into the spotlight.

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'Leaving Neverland' - 'Leaving Neverland' isn't the first controversial doc about Michael Jackson, but with the current climate, the doc reopens a decades-long debate: did MJ do it? Specifically, did Michael Jackson abuse children at his Neverland ranch? The film focuses on two accusers, Wade Robson (left) and James Safechuck, and has reignited a cultural debate about Jackson's guilt.

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'The Clinton Affair' -

Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky was one of the most hysterical political scandals in history. 'The Clinton Affair' shines light on those events, as well as the aftermath.

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'The Clinton Affair' - Among other things, 'The Clinton Affair' centers on how the media treated the accusers. The doc is a huge sign of how things have changed, especially in the #MeToo era.

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'Whitney' - 'Whitney' follows the life and times of Whitney Houston, from career beginnings to her untimely death in 2012.

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'Whitney' - The doc has been criticized for betraying its subject, arguably focusing on her tragic downfall over her unique musical talent.

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'Seeing Allred' - 'Seeing Allred' is the smartly titled doc about Gloria Allred, a revered women's rights lawyer who has taken on celebs like Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, and Harvey Weinstein.

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'Seeing Allred' - The doc has been criticized for being made with Allred's cooperation. Some see the film as biased, while also offering mixed evidence.

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'Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond' - 'Jim & Andy' centers on Jim Carrey, specifically his portrayal of Andy Kaufman in the film 'Man on the Moon.'

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'Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond' - Kaufman was an eccentric comedian, and Carrey prepared for the performance by staying in character during the production of 'Man of the Moon.' Among other things, the film asks a difficult question: when does a joke go too far?

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'Beyond the Mat' -

This doc hit cinema screens back in 1999. It follows the lives of pro wrestlers, like Mick Foley (pictured), inside and outside the ring.

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'Beyond the Mat' -

The filmmakers fought with Vince McMahon (pictured), a giant of pro wrestling, to get the film finished. The aftermath of the film's subjects has also made 'Beyond the Mat' a harrowing and haunting watch.

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'Living with Michael Jackson' - 'Living with Michael Jackson' was released in 2003, and was a shock to the zeitgeist.

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'Living with Michael Jackson' - The TV doc follows Martin Bashir as he befriends, and interviews, Michael Jackson. The journalist was accused of betrayal, and celebs such as Madonna responded negatively to the doc.

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'The Staircase' - Directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (right), 'The Staircase' is a harrowing true crime series. It may not be as famous as 'Making a Murderer,' yet 'The Staircase' is arguably much more complex.

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'The Staircase' - The series follows the trial of Michael Peterson, a novelist who was convicted of murdering his wife in 2003. Audiences are split on the doc, with some arguing that there is no clear purpose to the series.

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'Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press' - 'Nobody Speak' tackles free speech in American media. It largely focuses on Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media, who published portions of Hogan's sex tape with Heather Clem.

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'Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press' - The documentary spotlights how billionaire Peter Thiel (center) heavily bankrolled the lawsuit. It's revealed that Gawker outed Thiel as being gay in 2007, prompting the question: can free speech be bought?

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'Capturing the Friedmans' - 'Capturing the Friedmans' is a harrowing HBO documentary, which centers around the investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman for child molestation.

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'Capturing the Friedmans' - Director Andrew Jarecki originally just wanted to make a film about David Friedman, a professional clown, but discovered so much more. The film examines the Friedmans' guilt, leading the real family to protest the film's Oscar nomination.

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'I Called Him Morgan' -

'I Called Him Morgan' tells the chilling life story of Lee Morgan, the jazz great who was murdered by his common-law wife Helen Morgan.

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'I Called Him Morgan' - Funnily enough, the film was critiqued for being bogged down in the facts, and for being too distant (in time and personal relation) from its subject.

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'The Act of Killing' - 'The Act of Killing' is one of the weirdest films here. It follows Joshua Oppenheimer as he builds a relationship with the perpetrators of the Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66.

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'The Act of Killing' - The perpetrators are persuaded to recreate their historic killings in cinematic style. But the Indonesian government responded negatively, and Oppenheimer has said he cannot safely return to the country.

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'Titicut Follies' - 'Titicut Follies' is a different kind of horror film. It focuses on the goings on at the Bridgewater State Hospital for the criminally insane.

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'Titicut Follies' -

The film shows patients being force fed, misdiagnosed, and mistreated. Initially, the film was banned from being released, but the ban has since been lifted.

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'Interview with a Cannibal' - 'The Silence of the Lambs' this is not. 'Interview with a Cannibal' is the real deal.

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'Interview with a Cannibal' -

The documentary centers on Armin Meiwes, a man who became world famous after he ate a voluntary victim.

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'Our Father' and other controversial docs you need to watch

Netflix documentary 'Our Father' uncovers the scandalous actions of fertility doctor Donald Cline

12/05/22 | StarsInsider

MOVIES Documentaries

Netflix are on a roll with their explosive documentaries at the moment. The most recent exposé to shock viewers is 'Our Father,' which tells the unbelievable story of a doctor who played God. Donald Cline worked as a fertility doctor in Indianapolis, however, instead of inseminating his female patients with specimens from sperm donors, he secretly used his own sperm. He did this for decades before his bizarre scheme came to light. One of his many biological children was shocked to discover they had a number of half-siblings after taking an at-home DNA test, which started the investigation. The incredible scale of his crime becomes apparent as the documentary unfolds.

Want to know more? Click on to discover other documentary films that have struck up controversy.