AARP Hearing Center
The Best Movies and TV Documentaries to Watch About 9/11
On the 25th anniversary of the attacks, these 11 films and series help us honor the victims, celebrate the heroes and understand how that day continues to shape American life
The skyline of New York City on September 11, 2001, in National Geographic's new documentary, “9/11 Reunited,” streaming with 10 other important dramas and docs to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the attack.
Courtesy National Geographic/ Hubert Boesl/ Picture-Alliance/DPA/AP Images
The date — September 11 — is impossible to forget, but what about the details of the events, the players, the aftermath and repercussions? In the 25 years since the 2001 attacks, filmmakers have honored those who lost lives and loved ones or risked their lives in rescue, keeping our collective memory alive. Here are 11 important documentaries and dramas — four of which are new this year to mark the 25th anniversary — that are streaming now.
More Ways to Benefit
- Related Benefit 1
- Related Benefit 2
- Related Benefit 3
- Related Benefit 4
- Related Benefit 5
9/11 Reunited (2026)
This moving three-part docuseries from National Geographic (made in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City) brings together survivors of the tragedy with those who saved their lives. The expressions of gratitude and connection — often for the first time since the event — are uplifting and unforgettable.
Watch it: 9/11 Reunited
Turning Point: Generation 9/11 (2026)
The “Turning Point” documentary series on Netflix turns its attention to a generation of young Americans affected by a single day 25 years ago. The narratives of individuals whose world changed that day — from children grieving parents to reporters shaped by the early War on Terror, as well as those navigating the turbulent exit from Afghanistan — demonstrate that the event’s significance is importantly understood through the people still living its consequences.
Watch it: Turning Point: Generation 9/11
The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph (2026)
Narrated by Gary Sinese, 71, this documentary film offers a look at the profound courage, compassion and perseverance that emerged in the wake of the tragedy. Using historical records and combining personal testimonies of rescue workers, survivors and civilians with cinematic re-creations, the larger message emerges: Even after profound loss, the collective heart and bravery of people can provide a guiding light.
Watch it: The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph
9/11: United We Stand — 25 Years Later (2026)
Hosted by ABC’s Michael Strahan, this moving special looks at how art, music, comedy and sports helped Americans heal emotionally over a quarter-century. Look for cameos from Jon Stewart, 63, Jon Bon Jovi, 64, Robin Roberts, 65, Billy Crystal, 78, Matthew Broderick, 64, and former New York City sports stars Derek Jeter, 52, Mark Messier, 65, and Victor Cruz.
Watch it: United We Stand — 25 Years Later
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room (2021)
Who can forget the footage of then-President George W. Bush sitting with a group of schoolchildren when the news was whispered to him on September 11? This Apple TV Original Documentary shows how the next 12 hours played out in the inner sanctum of the executive office. The former president, now 80, gives his memories of the events, along with Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, 71, Colin Powell and other members of the administration. It’s a deeply personal and fascinating watch.
Watch it: 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room
9/11: One Day in America (2021)
This six-part documentary limited series from National Geographic is an essential watch for young Americans born too late to remember 9/11 — as well as their parents and grandparents. The archival footage and interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses is riveting and vital.
Watch it: 9/11: One Day in America
Come From Away (2021, PG-13)
It may be hard to imagine a feel-good story coming out of the events of September 11, but the truth is that 38 of the many diverted flights that tragic day were directed to — and landed in — the small Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland. That fish-out-of-water story — about how 7,000 strangers came together in the true expression of sanctuary — inspired a 2017 Broadway musical hit that was nominated for seven Tony Awards and won one for best direction. Apple filmed the show live, and we’re so lucky to be able to revisit the tuneful, soulful reminder of humanity’s better nature.
Watch it: Come From Away
Spike Lee’s NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½ (2021)
Passionate New Yorker and heralded filmmaker Spike Lee, 69, found thematic and emotional ties between the tragedies and challenges of 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic, and how his home city and fellow citizens responded. With an incredible array of participants, from politicians to actors to activists, Lee’s lens captures a singular American spirit at the epicenter in this four-episode documentary series.
Watch it: Spike Lee’s NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½
Worth (2020, PG-13)
Michael Keaton, (75 on Sept. 5), plays Kenneth Feinberg, the real-life lawyer who was tasked with calculating the incalculable — the worth of a human being — for the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund. Stanley Tucci, 65, plays an articulate, dogged challenger to Feinberg, with Amy Ryan, 58, as his law partner. A gripping drama that doubles as a profound moral inquiry.
Watch it: Worth
The Looming Tower (2018)
Jeff Daniels, 71, Alec Baldwin, 68, and Peter Sarsgaard, 55, star in Hulu’s brilliant adaptation of Lawrence Wright’s 2006 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, which tells the entire story of the tragedy. Helmed by Dan Futterman (Capote) and Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, along with Wright, The Looming Tower is a taut 10-episode series about the late-1990s rise of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, and how intra-agency battles between the FBI and CIA counterterrorism divisions may have set the table for tragedies to come.
Watch it: The Looming Tower
United 93 (2006, R)
On United Airlines Flight 93, one of the four commercial airliners hijacked on September 11, the passengers and crew thwarted an attack on the U.S. Capitol. Everyone aboard died when it crashed in Pennsylvania. This act of citizen heroism — and the minute-by-minute drama of those aboard, government officials and air traffic controllers — plays out in real time in the Oscar-nominated film.
Watch it: United 93
AARP Membership
Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
More From AARP
Reflecting on 9/11: Personal Stories Shared
Two decades later, people reflect on the tragic events and their lasting impact
Say Their Names: The Role of Ritual in Healing
Traumatic bereavement expert explores the power of collective commemoration
The 9/11 Survivor I Never Expected to See Again
When I met him, his face was covered in ash. We ran into each other 25 years later