Top Rated Documentary Movies on Hoopla - Page 242

The Gift of Acadia

1992

The Gift of Acadia

1992
Acadia National Park, Maine, is a favorite vacation destination for good reason. The views are spectacular. The landscape is pristine. And, the wildlife is plentiful and protected. As a result, Acadia National Park is one of the most visited National Parks in the United States.
Praying With Lior

2008

Praying With Lior

2008
Praying with Lior asks whether someone with Down syndrome can be a spiritual genius. Many believe Lior is close to God -- at least that's what his family and community believe -- though he's also a burden, a best friend, an inspiration and an embarrassment, depending on who is asked and when. As this documentary moves to its climax, Lior must pass through the gateway to manhood - his Bar Mitzvah.
Life After Django Reinhardt

2011

Life After Django Reinhardt

2011
Django Reinhardt, the Roma genius, born to Gypsy parents in 1910, is considered by many to be the single most important guitarist in the entire history of jazz. To honor the 100th anniversary of Django's birth, one hundred of his disciples, including his grandson David Reinhardt, have gathered together for the Django 100 Centennial Tour -- traveling the world to pay homage to this exceptional type-setter who marked the 20th century.
From Nothing, Something: A Documentary on the Creative Process

2012

From Nothing, Something: A Documentary on the Creative Process

2012
Everyone has ideas. But what where do they come from? And what ensures they keep coming? How do you sort the genius ideas from the useless ones? Why invest all this hope and energy into making things in the first place? From Nothing, Something profiles creative thinkers across a variety of disciplines and finds common methods, habits, mindsets and neuroses that help bring breakthrough ideas into being. This is a thoughtful, intimate, often funny look at the creative process—straight from the brains of some of our culture's most accomplished and inspiring talents.
Cheech Marin & Friends: Live from South Beach

2006

Cheech Marin & Friends: Live from South Beach

2006
Legendary King of Latino Comedy guy Richard 'Cheech' Marin hosts a unforgettable night of non-stop laughs with five up-and-coming comedians: Al Madrigal,Gilbert Esquivel, Carlos Oscar, Felipe Esparza and Joey Medina.
Who Bombed Judi Bari?

2012

Who Bombed Judi Bari?

2012
Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney were falsely arrested for car-bombing themselves on May 24, 1990 while on an Earth First! musical organizing tour for Redwood Summer. They sued the FBI for violations of the First Amendment, claiming the FBI knew they were innocent but arrested them to try to silence them. Having survived the bomb but now stricken by cancer, Judi Bari, a leader of the movement to save California's old growth redwoods, gives her on-camera, deathbed testimony about the attempt on her life and her colorful organizing history with the radical environmental movement Earth First.
Orchestra of Exiles

2012

Orchestra of Exiles

2012
The suspenseful chronicle of how the prodigious Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman helped save Europe’s premiere Jewish musicians from obliteration by the Nazis during World War II. In three years, he transformed from a world renowned violinist to a humanitarian racing against time.
The Believers

2012

The Believers

2012
March 1989: two respected chemists from the University of Utah stand in front of a wall of reporters. Flashbulbs pop as they announce they have solved the world's energy problems using seawater, batteries and a mysterious glass contraption. 'Cold Fusion' is born. Within days, Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann are on the cover of Time Magazine. But three short months later, their careers in tatters and their reputations ruined, they flee the US as Cold Fusion becomes synonymous with 'bad science.' Twenty-two years later, despite continued disdain from mainstream science, a group of scientists, entrepreneurs and one high school student are confident that Cold Fusion will save the world, and that we're closer than ever to the Holy Grail of civilization. They're The Believers.
Just Around the Corner

2011

Just Around the Corner

2011
Extraordinary, this word perfectly describes Bob Benjamin's life. Being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the young age of 38 was a quite blow to Bob. Instead of letting the disease dictate his future he chose to take the fight to Parkinson's....
The Clintons: An American Odyssey

2012

The Clintons: An American Odyssey

2012
A look at the lives of Bill and Hillary Clinton from meeting in college to the White House.
Raw Faith

2011

Raw Faith

2011
This surprisingly open and revealing documentary follows two years in the private life of a minister. Marilyn Sewell is successful and beloved in the pulpit, but behind the scenes she is lonely and yearning for change. As she considers leaving the ministry, she realizes she will be leaving her only social network. Yet when she falls in love for the first time, she realizes she does not trust intimacy. A study in contrasts, Marilyn must rely on raw faith as she questions her future, her difficult past, her God, and most importantly... her ability to love.
Je Suis A Stand-Up: Eddie Izzard Abroad

1996

Je Suis A Stand-Up: Eddie Izzard Abroad

1996
BBC2 documentary of Eddie Izzard's first foray into world touring. Beginning in her "hometown" of Eastbourne and and culminating in her month long show in the East village of New York, Izzard travels to Paris (her first, unsuccessful French language show,) Copenhagen, Reykjavik, and Stockholm.
Broken on All Sides

2012

Broken on All Sides

2012
The project began as a way to explore, educate about, and advocate change around the overcrowding in the Philadelphia jail system. It has come to focus on mass incarceration across the nation and the intersection of race, poverty, and the criminal justice and penal systems. The documentary centers around Michelle Alexander's theory in her book, The New Jim Crow: since the rise of the drug war and explosion of prison populations, because discretion within the system allows for prosecution of people of color at disproportionately high rates, mass incarceration is a new version of Jim Crow. The movie also dissects the War on Drugs and 'tough on crime' movement, and offers possible reforms and solutions to ending mass incarceration and this new racial caste system.
8 Murders a Day

2011

8 Murders a Day

2011
The greatest human rights disaster in the world is happening 10 feet from the U.S.A. An investigation of the political, social, and economic forces that have left tens of thousands of innocent Mexicans dead.
Fixation

2012

Fixation

2012
Fixation is a documentary, focusing on the thrilling world of fixed gear cycling. This film captures the excitement and popularity of this growing sport from all perspectives. With the resurgence of this original form of cycling, we discover the appeal to having only one gear. Though technology has developed multiple speed bicycles, for faster and easier riding, both fixed and freewheel single speeds continue to have a strong following. The range of riders is vast, from professionals to the casual everyday rider. Their styles and motives are different, but their outcome seems to be the same: the freedom, the simplicity and the challenge of having one gear is what brings them back to the basics. We explore the full spectrum of this lifestyle: Messengers, Olympic Racing, City Riders, Bike Polo, Brakeless, Freestyle and more. "Fixation" showcases the different personalities of those involved with fixed gear cycling community, in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose.
The Curators of Dixon School

2012

The Curators of Dixon School

2012
Public schools don’t have to be a minefield of metal detectors, minimal expectations, and mind-numbing routine. An alternative exists right here in Chicago, at the Dixon Elementary Public School in the Chatham neighborhood, where former principal Joan Crisler and her successor Sharon Dale have implemented the idea that art should be an integral part of the learning environment, with museum-quality works openly adorning the halls. The results, in terms of student performance and morale, have been spectacular, but, as this inspiring but pragmatic documentary demonstrates, there are no miracle solutions: Crisler’s protégé Carol Briggs has an uphill battle applying the same approach at another school, and recent budget cuts have left even the most successful programs vulnerable to the axe.
The Magic Life

2012

The Magic Life

2012
"The Magic Life" chronicles the journey of three magician hopefuls: a 17-year-old from Beijing who travels to the U.S. to attend magic school, a 25-year-old trying to make rent by performing on Hollywood Blvd for tips, and a 32-year-old New York University MBA graduate who moves to Los Angeles to perform at the world famous Magic Castle. The film depicts the challenges of following an unconventional career path. Forget about parents, family, or friends who may not understand or support your choices - there's almost an invisible societal pressure in terms of what types of jobs are acceptable. "The Magic Life" is about those who are willing to risk everything to take the road not normally taken. Sometimes the risk pays off, sometimes it doesn't.
Witness to Hope: The Life of Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II

2002

Witness to Hope: The Life of Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II

2002
A documentary about the life of Pope John Paul II
Washington the Beautiful

2008

Washington the Beautiful

2008
Take to the sky in Washington the Beautiful and come face-to-face with Washington state’s majestic mountains, including one of the Pacific Northwest’s most well-known symbols: Mount Rainier. Celebrate the diversity of the state’s landscapes from the glittering Puget Sound in the west to the rolling Palouse in the east and everything in between — all in high definition to display brilliant detail. Continue the journey by foot in this spectacular film with cultural events, recreational activities, and everything that makes Washington state a Pacific Northwest treasure.
Living for 32

2010

Living for 32

2010
Living for 32 is the inspirational story of Colin Goddard, a survivor of the tragic gun shooting massacre which occurred on the Virginia Tech campus, April 16th, 2007. The winning combination of Colin's passion, charisma and optimism has commanded the attention of the American public and media since the devastating incident which left 32 dead and 17 injured. In Living for 32, Colin shares an intimate account of terror he and his classmates endured and the courageous journey of renewal and hope he chose to pursue.