Docs to watch as clocks tick to 2017

As the clock ticks toward 2017, many film junkies are compiling their “best of” lists of the feature films released in the past year. And while you may have not had the chance to make it out to the theater on a weekly basis like yours truly, you do have a chance to check out some of the top contenders for this year’s best documentary features. Below is a list of some of those being considered that you can view from the comfort of your own home, and they are available to stream or rent through multiple platforms.

Into the Inferno: From prodigious filmmaker Werner Herzog (this was his third release in 2016 alone), this is a fascinating focus on volcanoes around the globe. The filmmaker is joined by Cambridge University volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer as they talk about these mountains of magma, and the scenes feature stunning cinematography intercut with tales of their destructive force and cultural connotations. This is no dry scholastic study of nature, but a beautifully shot and entertainingly told study of the planet’s most stunning fireworks displays.

Weiner: A fly-on-wall documentary on fallen politician Anthony Weiner that happened to be at the right place at just the right time. The New York congressman, perhaps hoping he could simultaneously make amends for his past indiscretions and chart his attempt at a second chance, allows a filmmaking crew all access to his life when, just as his momentum starts to, um, “rise,” another scandal involving illicit text messages breaks. At times truly uncomfortable, it’s always fascinating (even more so considering another scandal broke at the time of the film’s release).

The Ivory Game: Like “Blackfish” of Africa, this expertly crafted documentary follows poachers and those who wish to protect the endangered elephants who are the innocent victims caught in the middle. Filled with glorious cinematography and packed with drama and thrilling chase scenes, this documentary goes undercover to expose the tangled web of those who wish to illegally obtain tusks for their own greedy gain.

Jim: The James Foley Story: A heartbreaking tale of the American journalist who was kidnapped and killed by ISIS terrorists in 2014. Shot by his childhood friend Jim Oakes, this personal tale attempts to show the man beneath the politicized chatter that followed his execution, featuring interviews with friends, family members and fellow captives who managed to make it out alive.

Life, Animated: At age 3, Owen Suskind was diagnosed with autism and began to withdraw considerably from the surrounding world until his parents discovered his predilection for animated films, especially those of Disney. With help from the Walt Disney Company, Owen begins to emerge from his social cocoon through the language of such films as “Aladdin,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Jungle Book.” At 23, he now faces quite the same challenges as his peers, albeit in a relatively unorthodox way. It’s a heartwarming tale of language and connection without feeling once like a big plug for the Mouse House.

Zero Days: The U.S. and Israel jointly developed a computer virus aimed to thwart the Iranian nuclear program. Stuxnet, as it is called, is essentially a new weapon in global warfare that, in the wrong hands, could signal devastation on a mass scale, and is essentially “out of the bottle,” and could pose a potential threat to the U.S. Noted documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney (“Going Clear,” “We Steal Secrets,” and “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”) admirably takes the rather complicated topic of cyber-security and demonstrates the relative ease with which damage can be inflicted on a global scale.

13th: While the film, which looks at the U.S. prison system and the racial inequities therein, provides viewers with a mountain of stats and facts, it never feels as though it is finger-wagging at its audience, but rather initiating a conversation that urgently needs to take place in the country to overcome centuries of oppression and the resulting emotions felt by all who have been affected. Compelling and of-the-moment, “13th” is essential viewing for at the very least understanding the passions felt in this country, which currently feels more divided than ever.