Along with horror, suspense, or rom-com films or series, documentaries, especially crime documentaries, have held a special place in people’s hearts for several years. These documentary films and series are not only informative or educational but also entertaining, addictive, and capable of hooking the audience to the screen. In 2023, a whole lot of documentaries will have been released thanks to our familiar streaming giants, Netflix, Amazon, Hotstar, etc. Starting from different types of crime and its investigation to some inspiring events from various people’s lives, these documentaries highlight some captivating subjects that often open our eyes to help us unravel the mystery of our very own world and the complicated human psychology. Sometimes even the real-life incidents depicted in these documentaries make us reflect on life more than any fictional drama could have ever done. Here we have compiled a list of some of the best documentaries released...
- 12/31/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
The Jewel Thief is a hilarious documentary brought to us by Hulu, directed by Landon Van Soest. The film dives into the life of the criminal mastermind, Gerald Blanchard, who embarked on a series of audacious heists, each more daring than the last. Even the investigating officers couldn’t help but marvel at Blanchard’s ingenious techniques. With a touch of humor, the documentary takes us on a journey through Blanchard’s notorious heists, which he takes great pride in because he believes ordinary people couldn’t accomplish what he had done. This conviction fuels his belief that he has triumphed in life.
Throughout the documentary, Gerald Blanchard, his mother, and accomplices give interviews alongside the investigators. Unapologetic for his past crimes, Blanchard boastfully details his ingenious thefts, showcasing his lack of remorse. However, it becomes clear that his world is often clouded with more fantasy than actual truth. At times,...
Throughout the documentary, Gerald Blanchard, his mother, and accomplices give interviews alongside the investigators. Unapologetic for his past crimes, Blanchard boastfully details his ingenious thefts, showcasing his lack of remorse. However, it becomes clear that his world is often clouded with more fantasy than actual truth. At times,...
- 7/16/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
“Take Care of Maya,” the new feature documentary on Netflix spotlighting medical world instances of families being falsely accused of child abuse, is meant to be the “beginning of the conversation” about a harrowing topic that remains misunderstood to many people, director Henry Roosevelt told TheWrap.
“There’s rarely an hour that goes by that we’re not getting a tweet, direct message, email, phone call or letter. It really shows you how widespread this problem is and how many people are experiencing something similar,” producer Caitlin Keating said. “People are saying that they saw themselves in this film in some way and the response has been overwhelming.”
The sometimes hard-to-watch documentary delves into the heartbreaking case of now 17-year-old Maya Kowalski, who was kept at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital for three months in 2016 against her will because doctors blamed her parents of “medical child abuse.”
At age...
“There’s rarely an hour that goes by that we’re not getting a tweet, direct message, email, phone call or letter. It really shows you how widespread this problem is and how many people are experiencing something similar,” producer Caitlin Keating said. “People are saying that they saw themselves in this film in some way and the response has been overwhelming.”
The sometimes hard-to-watch documentary delves into the heartbreaking case of now 17-year-old Maya Kowalski, who was kept at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital for three months in 2016 against her will because doctors blamed her parents of “medical child abuse.”
At age...
- 7/15/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
“The Jewel Thief” follows the exploits of lifelong criminal Gerald Blanchard, who graduated from ripping off his local Radio Shacks in the ’80s — he once cleaned out an entire store — to stealing the Sis Star, a famous crown jewel, in Austria.
And perhaps even more amazing, Blanchard documented his own crimes every step of the way, giving director Landon Van Soest ample material to craft this eye-opening doc, which premiered this week on Hulu.
“It’s a gift as a filmmaker to have so much to work with,” Van Soest told TheWrap when he sat down to discuss this stranger-than-fiction tale of one man who took pride in outwitting banks and security systems and baffling police around the world.
Also Read:
‘When the LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood’ Wins TheWrap’s ShortList Film Festival Industry Award
TheWrap: It’s incredible that he documented just about everything
How did you first...
And perhaps even more amazing, Blanchard documented his own crimes every step of the way, giving director Landon Van Soest ample material to craft this eye-opening doc, which premiered this week on Hulu.
“It’s a gift as a filmmaker to have so much to work with,” Van Soest told TheWrap when he sat down to discuss this stranger-than-fiction tale of one man who took pride in outwitting banks and security systems and baffling police around the world.
Also Read:
‘When the LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood’ Wins TheWrap’s ShortList Film Festival Industry Award
TheWrap: It’s incredible that he documented just about everything
How did you first...
- 7/14/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
"If you could rob the banks, why not?" A good question. Hulu has revealed an official trailer for a true crime documentary film titled The Jewel Thief, arriving for streaming starting July 13th this month. Yet another crime thriller to keep crime fanatics hooked, but this one is about an art heist master. The Jewel Thief is the unbelievable first-hand account of Gerald Blanchard, one of the most creative, calculating, accomplished criminal masterminds in modern history. The Canadian thief is perhaps most well known for stealing the iconic Star of Empress Sisi from Austria in 1998. It took two weeks before the swap was discovered. He was eventually caught and arrested in 2007, after going on to quietly and discreetly rob many banks in Canada. While "Blanchard and the detectives match wits, they begin to develop a mutual sense of respect through a shared obsession for their chosen professions." You can read...
- 7/7/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
If you’re a fan of true crime documentaries or early millennium classic cartoons then boy does Hulu’s list of new releases have some great news for you!
Hulu continues its implicit understanding that streaming services are basically true crime distribution machines this month with a trio of intriguing titles. While it’s not necessarily true crime per se, The Ashley Madison Affair about the notorious dating platform premieres on July 7. That will be followed by Betrayal: The Perfect Husband on July 11, which is based on a compelling podcast of the same name. The Jewel Thief arrives on July 13 to provide an account of Gerald Blanchard, one of history’s most creative criminals.
But where does the cartoon excitement comes in? Well, that’s because season 11 of Matt Groening’s beloved Futurama premieres on July 24. Fry, Leela, the Professor, and Bender will all return for a direct continuation of...
Hulu continues its implicit understanding that streaming services are basically true crime distribution machines this month with a trio of intriguing titles. While it’s not necessarily true crime per se, The Ashley Madison Affair about the notorious dating platform premieres on July 7. That will be followed by Betrayal: The Perfect Husband on July 11, which is based on a compelling podcast of the same name. The Jewel Thief arrives on July 13 to provide an account of Gerald Blanchard, one of history’s most creative criminals.
But where does the cartoon excitement comes in? Well, that’s because season 11 of Matt Groening’s beloved Futurama premieres on July 24. Fry, Leela, the Professor, and Bender will all return for a direct continuation of...
- 7/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Hulu’s The Jewel Thief documentary chronicles thief Gerald Blanchard, with Blanchard delivering a first-hand look behind the scenes at his lifelong interest in stealing. The trailer shows Blanchard’s humble beginnings and traces his story, with the thief himself helping to narrate his journey.
“Blanchard made headlines for his impossibly elaborate heist of the Sisi Star jewel in Austria, but most people don’t realize that he spent decades crafting increasingly elaborate schemes across the world, targeting everything from gas stations to museums to banks, and getting away with it,” stated the film’s director, Landon Van Soest. “The Jewel Thief dives into his obsession with outsmarting authority, his love of the chase, and an ambitious quest for criminal notoriety.”
Director Van Soest serves as a producer along with Josh Braun, Ben Braun, and Dan Braun. Rick Brookwell and Ben Schwartz are involved as executive producers.
The Jewel Thief...
“Blanchard made headlines for his impossibly elaborate heist of the Sisi Star jewel in Austria, but most people don’t realize that he spent decades crafting increasingly elaborate schemes across the world, targeting everything from gas stations to museums to banks, and getting away with it,” stated the film’s director, Landon Van Soest. “The Jewel Thief dives into his obsession with outsmarting authority, his love of the chase, and an ambitious quest for criminal notoriety.”
Director Van Soest serves as a producer along with Josh Braun, Ben Braun, and Dan Braun. Rick Brookwell and Ben Schwartz are involved as executive producers.
The Jewel Thief...
- 6/22/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Hulu has released the official trailer and key art for the documentary feature, The Jewel Thief, premiering July 13th. The film is an unbelievable first-hand account of Gerald Blanchard, one of the most creative, calculating, and accomplished criminal masterminds in modern history. Two unlikely Winnipeg detectives track Blanchard across the globe as he perpetrates a series of increasingly elaborate heists in a quest for fame and notoriety through a life of crime. “Blanchard made headlines for his impossibly elaborate heist of the Sisi Star jewel in Austria, but most people don’t realize that he spent decades crafting increasingly elaborate schemes across the world, targeting everything from gas stations to museums to banks, and getting away with it,” says the film’s director, Landon Van Soest. “The Jewel Thief dives into his obsession with outsmarting authority, his love of the chase, and an ambitious quest for criminal notoriety.” The Jewel...
- 6/22/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
“When was the last time you heard of anyone stealing a crown jewel?”
The trailer for Hulu’s doc The Jewel Thief, out July 13 on the streamer, asks this and other questions as it pertains to the life and crimes of Gerald Blanchard, with Blanchard on hand to answer them.
Landon Van Soest directs the doc that, according to the film’s logline, tells “the unbelievable first-hand account of Gerald Blanchard, one of the most creative, calculating and accomplished criminal masterminds in modern history. Two unlikely Winnipeg detectives track Blanchard across the globe as he perpetrates a series of increasingly elaborate heists in a quest for fame and notoriety through a life of crime.”
Blanchard is best known for stealing a Star of Empress Sisi, one of the diamond-and-pearl hair ornaments worn by Elisabeth of Bavaria, the Empress of Austria. He also robbed multiple banks and was wanted by Interpol.
The trailer for Hulu’s doc The Jewel Thief, out July 13 on the streamer, asks this and other questions as it pertains to the life and crimes of Gerald Blanchard, with Blanchard on hand to answer them.
Landon Van Soest directs the doc that, according to the film’s logline, tells “the unbelievable first-hand account of Gerald Blanchard, one of the most creative, calculating and accomplished criminal masterminds in modern history. Two unlikely Winnipeg detectives track Blanchard across the globe as he perpetrates a series of increasingly elaborate heists in a quest for fame and notoriety through a life of crime.”
Blanchard is best known for stealing a Star of Empress Sisi, one of the diamond-and-pearl hair ornaments worn by Elisabeth of Bavaria, the Empress of Austria. He also robbed multiple banks and was wanted by Interpol.
- 6/22/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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