Love true crime? Here are 10 of the latest documentaries to binge
Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story
While this doco about Britain's worst serial killers, husband and wife Fred and Rosemary West, features 'recently discovered' police interviews (no mention of how they were 'lost') and interviews with relatives of some of the victims, there's little new information. For viewers not familiar with the horrifying crimes carried out by the Wests against at least 12 women (including, horrifyingly, one of their daughters), the three-part series reveals the whole sordid story, and the footage of Fred West directing police where to dig up the family's Gloucester garden is one of the most chilling true-crime moments on camera. Netflix
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Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam
This bingeable three-parter starts like all docuseries about women being swindled on dating sites, but takes some extraordinary turns. Just when you think the reveal is coming, there's another juicy twist. It follows three women who fall in love with the same handsome man online – who just happens to need money urgently transferred to him. Frequently.
Each of them had video calls with him (who went by different names), and despite not having met him in person, trusted him. The series follows their attempts to uncover the truth and leads to some extraordinary revelations – and the truth about the man whose identity these scammers have stolen. This is a seriously gripping one. Disney+
The Mortician
For most of the first episode, I was a little underwhelmed by this tale of the Lamb Funeral Home scandal in California, which begins with David Sconce, who reluctantly joined his family's business, and set about trying to undercut his rivals in the crematorium game. Freshly out of prison, he's one of the main interviewees, so I knew there was more to come. And man alive, do things escalate quickly. Sconce starts out bulk-burning bodies to save money, but his desire for profit soon sees him and his associates – many of whom were gang members – committing increasingly heinous crimes. I'm talking war-crime level. This one is not for the squeamish. Max
Australian Crime Stories
Let's not forget Australia has its own share of grisly crime. Nine's long-running series, now in its fifth season, examines a different crime in-depth each episode, from historic unsolved murders, such as that of Sydney designer Florence Broadhurst in the 1970s and the disappearance of journalist Juanita Nielsen in 1975 to more recent crimes such as the story of barrister Nicola Gobbo, aka Lawyer X.
The latest season also has a grim treat for hardcore crime fans – the tale of serial killer Derek Percy, who came to the attention of Victorian cops in the mid-1960s when he began stealing female underwear and mutilating dolls with razor blades. Strap in. 9 Now
Surviving Ohio State
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Australian filmmaker Eva Orner had to be talked into working on this tale of sexual abuse at Ohio State University by producer George Clooney, feeling she wasn't right for the job. But Orner's outsider status didn't hinder her investigation into the horrifying story of what went on at the university at the hands of sports medicine doctor Richard Strauss.
The once-respected physician worked in the athletic department for 20 years, from 1978, during which time he abused at least 177 male students.
Strauss was known among the students as 'Jellypaws', and the university received complaints about his behaviour as early as 1979, but nothing was addressed until 1996 – and even then, he kept his job. This is another tough watch. Max
Scamanda
An adaptation of a true-crime podcast (an ever-growing genre), this is the story of America's own Belle Gibson: Christian blogger Amanda Riley, who fabricated a moving tale of battling terminal cancer for financial gain.
If you haven't heard the podcast, prepare to be outraged, as the already comfortable (and white) Riley, beloved in her church community, scams not only her fellow congregation members out of money, but also former friends, with her online 'journey' of dealing with Hodgkin's lymphoma for more than a decade. As well as the crime itself, this series examines the idea of societal bias – would Riley have attracted so much sympathy (and cash), had she been from a different race or socioeconomic background? Disney+
Grenfell: Uncovered
This one is an extremely difficult watch, examining the horrific 2017 fire that broke out at a London tower block, killing at least 72 people, and uncovering the ways in which the disaster could easily have been prevented.
Opening with the first emergency call, it follows a linear narrative of the horrific fire, interspersed with accounts from survivors, bereaved families and emergency workers. Then there are the experts whose commentary on the cladding, which caused the fire to rip through the building, is beyond damning. The corporate greed and malfeasance that led to the completely unavoidable deaths of dozens of people are rage-inducing. Netflix
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise
I want to say I'm including this as a palate cleanser, but given what happens (the clue is in the title), that's perhaps not the best description. When an engine fire disables the electricity on board a cruise from Texas to Mexico, it plunges the ship into darkness – and stops other things plunging down the toilets. The plan is to tow the ship to port, but after it drifts out to sea, passengers are left without running water and toilets for four days. But the biggest horror, according to passenger accounts, is the red bags supplied for 'pooping' in. And that's before a free bar is opened, the toilets start overflowing and things turn into a fecal-themed Lord of The Flies. Netflix
Exposed: Naked Crimes
This true-crime series is peak America – at once titillating, voyeuristic and exploitative. Comprising cobbled-together clips of various crimes being committed by naked perpetrators, it also features firsthand accounts from cops, witnesses and the occasional nude criminal themselves.
The (mercifully) grainy footage is culled from CCTV, home security cameras and police body-worn cameras, and the crimes range from everything to DUI arrests to petty theft. While some of it is amusing, it's hard not to feel for the birthday-suited crims, many of whom are clearly not in their right minds. Unbelievably, this cheaply produced series is in its third season. Max
Lucy Worsley Investigates
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The historical crimes featured in historian Lucy Worsley's latest series are no less brutal than modern ones, but watching dramatic re-enactments of bloodthirsty murders at such a remove is somehow less stressful.
Worsley examines the Jack the Ripper murders, and how the breathless newspaper accounts of the murders became the prototype for all true-crime stories that followed, the motives behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and the case of Queen Mary I, aka 'Bloody Mary', among others. Lovely Lucy and her posh bob ensure this one is more of a cosy true-crime binge, but no less compelling. ABC iview
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ABC News
9 hours ago
- ABC News
Thailand punches above its weight in film creativity and cross-border appeal. Here's why
A Useful Ghost, an internationally acclaimed new film from Thailand, features a woman who dies from dust pollution and returns to posses her husband's vacuum cleaner to protect him from suffering the same fate. It's a sly commentary about power inequality, queer love, and pollution. Written and directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, the indy film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and was the first Thai film to win a Critics' Week grand prize, or Grand Prix. The award recognises early filmmakers. A Useful Ghost was Boonbunchachoke's debut feature and the first "proper film shoot" he had been on. Judges described the film as bold, free and unclassifiable, "a first feature that plays with genres, bends the rules, and offers a vision that is both intimate and universal." It's just the latest in a slew of Thai drams turning heads abroad as the industry builds on its reputation for distinctiveness and creativity. Last year, humorous tear-jerker How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies set a new Thai record for international box office takings. Mad Unicorn — a series about a start-up courier service — reached fourth on Netflix's weekly top 10 for non-English series last month. Other successful productions included Master of the House and Ready, Set, Love, and Hunger, both on Netflix. According to audience analytics firm Media Asia Partners (MPA), Thai content among South-East Asian nations had the most cross-border appeal in Asia. The "travelability" of Thai content (how much of it was consumed overseas vs domestically) was even catching up to Japan, the agency found. So, what is it about Thai cinema that's pulling audiences from around the globe? Thai people loved a good drama, A Useful Ghost writer-director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke told the ABC. He said they measured a film's success by how emotive it was, driving creators to make dramatic and emotionally rich films. "Thai film is like Thai food — the flavour needs to be strong," he said. "Culturally authentic" hyperlocal elements in film also resonated with audiences, said Mary Ainslie, an associate professor in film and media studies at the University of Nottingham. Besides seeing representations of local identity, these depictions appealed to foreign audiences because that knowledge made them "cultural insiders", she said. "That's about constructing yourself as a very cosmopolitan person, and that's very attractive." Being over-the-top is not limited to drama series or movies. Advertising is often where film directors cut their teeth before producing feature films and Thai commercials have a reputation for being "consistently" creative and unconventional, said Paul Nagy, the chief creative officer at VML Asia Pacific. Mr Nagy judged the film adverts at the 2024 Cannes Lions awards when Thailand won nine awards from 210 entries — the second highest win-to-entry ratio in the Asia-Pacific. "One of the major takeaways for me last year was just how incredibly creative and joyful the work coming out of Thailand was," he said. He said the Western world often followed formulaic narratives in storytelling, whereas Thai creators threw out the rule book and leaned into what felt most interesting. "They don't feel the same kind of constraints as the rest of the world in the same way to tone things down," Mr Nagy said. This made it fertile ground for creative story telling as nothing was too over-the-top he said. He cited as an example a government road-safety advertisement where a motorcyclist's brain came out the back of his head the faster he went, a metaphor for him losing control. "If you're learning your film trade in the advertising industry in Thailand you're unconstrained. "That's why they do such exciting film work when they leave the advertising industry." He said with how sophisticated AI has become at creating traditional advertisements, the rest of the world needed to quickly learn from what Thailand was doing to remain competitive. "We are moving into an era where average is going to be invisible and that's one thing the Thais never are … and that's their starting point." Much of the latest wave in Thai cinemas was the result of a rapid modernisation and an increasingly affluent middle class, said Dr Ainslie. Thailand has the eighth-fastest broadband internet in the world and 91 per cent of its population is connected to the internet, according to the Digital 2025 report by Meltwater and We Are Social. The global average is 68 per cent. Dr Ainslie said modernity was no longer limited to large cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai because the provincial rural population was now affluent, middle-class who were "globally savvy", well-connected, and had travelled overseas. Thai directors were also being trained abroad and returning home and studios had started conglomerating into oligopolies creating an ecosystem of cinema and production companies, she said. Thailand is recognised by international film producers as an attractive filming destination because of its scenery, affordability, and labour force with mature production and English-language skills, aspects the Thai government is capitalising on. This has created even more opportunities for Thai crew to work alongside international productions to hone their craft to an even higher standard, Booncunchachoke said. Last year, 491 foreign films like Jurassic World and shows like White Lotus were shot in Thailand which generated THB 6.58 billion ($309.8 million) for the economy. Along with Pad Thai, mango and sticky rice and Muay Thai, the Thailand's government has identified film as another cultural export instrumental to its influence by persuasion, or soft power. In November 2024, the prime minister met with executives from Netflix, HBO, Disney, and the Motion Picture Association, The government also announced increases in cash rebates of up to 30 per cent for eligible foreign productions if they employed Thai cast and crew, used designated tourist areas as film locations, and portrayed Thailand or its culture in a positive light. The Thai Film Office is part of the government's tourism department and has been integral in growing the industry, but Dr Ainslie warned the incentives biased certain productions which could also lead to a typecasting of Thailand. This could be frustrating for filmmakers wanting to make other kinds of films, she said. The lack of diverse depictions could also result in the curating a history to fit a certain state agenda. "If you construct an image, the image ultimately becomes truth, becomes a representation," Dr Ainslie said. One example was the "salacious and hedonistic" depictions of Thailand associated with sex tourism, lawlessness, and drugs seen in The Hangover Part II and The Beach. After the pandemic, young Thai people participated in widescale anti-government protests. Boonbunchachoke hoped media and cinema would follow suit in challenging the establishment, but felt that traction for freer expression had waned. Nonetheless, he noticed some commercial film studios beginning to take risks beyond their "comfort zone" of crowd-pleasers and join independent films in taking on darker and grittier topics. He has also noticed independent film houses starting to censor themselves less and becoming more creative in how they criticised the status quo. "I think nowadays [these film makers] kind of know and [are finding] new ways to speak and talk about the issue without compromising too much," he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
9 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It's a story you already love': Can fairytales lure young people to the opera?
In the early '90s, nearly every girl in Sarah Giles' grade one classroom was singing Part of Your World – the yearning soprano ballad from Disney's recent princess film The Little Mermaid. Giles can't remember whether she saw the film in cinemas or at home on VHS, but warmly recalls loving the Caribbean musical numbers and thinking Ariel's crustacean sidekick Sebastian was hilarious. But the ending? In her words, it was 'horseshit'. 'There's a version of The Little Mermaid where the lesson you take away is change yourself, give up anything you can for the man you love, and make sure that above all else, he is happy before you. That's a shit lesson,' she tells me emphatically over the phone. This month, Giles will bring her production of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak's Rusalka to the Sydney Opera House. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's original and far grittier mermaid fairytale, Rusalka follows the eponymous water nymph who falls in love with a prince and longs to live on the surface. Under Giles' direction – which stars renowned Australian soprano Nicole Car as the titular lead – Rusalka is no lovesick maiden but a fierce and courageous explorer who wishes to change her destiny. 'She doesn't like the world that she's in,' Giles says of Rusalka. 'She sees this prince as an opportunity for freedom, as an opportunity to try a different world, but that isn't her place either. It's essentially like what we've done is turned the fairytale into a tale about relentlessly pursuing and searching for where you feel you belong, and not really giving up, and trying to find yourself and be true to yourself. 'So I felt like that felt quite relevant to my kind of contemporary experience as a woman.'
The Age
9 hours ago
- The Age
‘It's a story you already love': Can fairytales lure young people to the opera?
In the early '90s, nearly every girl in Sarah Giles' grade one classroom was singing Part of Your World – the yearning soprano ballad from Disney's recent princess film The Little Mermaid. Giles can't remember whether she saw the film in cinemas or at home on VHS, but warmly recalls loving the Caribbean musical numbers and thinking Ariel's crustacean sidekick Sebastian was hilarious. But the ending? In her words, it was 'horseshit'. 'There's a version of The Little Mermaid where the lesson you take away is change yourself, give up anything you can for the man you love, and make sure that above all else, he is happy before you. That's a shit lesson,' she tells me emphatically over the phone. This month, Giles will bring her production of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak's Rusalka to the Sydney Opera House. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's original and far grittier mermaid fairytale, Rusalka follows the eponymous water nymph who falls in love with a prince and longs to live on the surface. Under Giles' direction – which stars renowned Australian soprano Nicole Car as the titular lead – Rusalka is no lovesick maiden but a fierce and courageous explorer who wishes to change her destiny. 'She doesn't like the world that she's in,' Giles says of Rusalka. 'She sees this prince as an opportunity for freedom, as an opportunity to try a different world, but that isn't her place either. It's essentially like what we've done is turned the fairytale into a tale about relentlessly pursuing and searching for where you feel you belong, and not really giving up, and trying to find yourself and be true to yourself. 'So I felt like that felt quite relevant to my kind of contemporary experience as a woman.'
