Why are we here, What are we striving for?

They often blend archival footage, new interviews, and investigative journalism to peel back the glamorous surface of Hollywood, music, sports entertainment, and reality TV.

The current landscape is filled with highly anticipated titles that explore the "messy backstories" and cultural impacts of the industry: Retro 13 The Phantom lives! - Stephen Romano Express

By the 1970s and 80s, documentaries began focusing on the grueling reality of production. Notable examples include Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991), which chronicled the chaotic production of Apocalypse Now , and Burden of Dreams (1982), which followed Werner Herzog's obsessive struggle to film in the Amazon.

These are overtly political. They don't look at one movie or one star; they look at the machine. Specifically, they target the studios, the streaming algorithms, or the toxic work environments.