Top Rated Documentary Movies on Hoopla - Page 91

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston

2011

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston

2011
2.8
A glowing, prismatic portrait of the rise and fall of America's first celebrity designer—Halston—the man who was synonymous with fashion in the 1970s, and became the emperor of NYC nightlife. Interviews with friends and witnesses (including Liza Minnelli, Diane Von Furstenberg, André Leon Talley, Anjelica Huston, Bob Colacello, and Billy Joel, among others) round out this glittering evocation of the man who defined the most beautiful and decadent era of recent memory.
Crazy Wisdom: The Life and Times of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

2011

Crazy Wisdom: The Life and Times of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

2011
5.5
CRAZY WISDOM explores the arrival of Tibetan Buddhism in America through the story of Chögyam Trungpa, who landed in the U.S. in 1970. Trungpa became renowned for translating ancient Buddhist concepts into language and ideas that Westerners could understand and shattered preconceived notions about how an enlightened teacher should behave. Initially rejected, his teachings are now recognized by western philosophers and spiritual leaders as authentic and profound.
Elevate

2011

Elevate

2011
6.5
From a basketball academy in Senegal, to the high-pressure world of American prep schools, the film documents the extraordinary personal journeys of four particularly tall West African Muslim teenage boys with NBA dreams.
Colony

2009

Colony

2009
6.5
The unexplainable phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder has left landscapes of empty beehives all across the US, threatening not only the beekeeping industry but our food supply. As scientists and beekeepers search for the cause, Colony captures the struggle within the beekeeping community to save the honeybee and themselves. Colony documents a time of unprecedented crisis in the world of the honeybee through the eyes of both veteran beekeeper, David Mendes, and Lance and Victor Seppi, two young brothers getting into beekeeping when most are getting out. As Mendes tries to save the nation's collapsing hives, the Seppi's try to keep their business alive amidst a collapsing economy.
I'm No Dummy

2009

I'm No Dummy

2009
4.8
Explores and examines the world of ventriloquism through clips, photos and interviews with many of the greatest vents from today and yesterday, illustrating that this perceived novelty act is truly an extraordinary art form.
The Congress

1989

The Congress

1989
7.8
For 200 years, the United States Congress has been one of the country's most important and least understood institutions. In this elegant, thoughtful and often touching portrait, Ken Burns explores the history and promise of this unique American institution. Using historical photographs and newsreels, evocative live footage and interviews with David Broder, Alistair Cooke, Cokie Roberts, Charles McDowell and others, the award-winning film chronicles the personalities, events and issues that have animated the first 200 years of Congress and, in turn, our country.
Highwater

2009

Highwater

2009
6.9
"High Water" is an action-packed adventure centered around surfing's Triple Crown competitions,the professional surfing tour's final three competitions held each year on the North Shore of Oahu.
How to Live Forever

2011

How to Live Forever

2011
6
Director Mark Wexler embarks on a worldwide trek to investigate just what it means to grow old and what it could mean to really live forever. But whose advice should he take? Does 94-year-old exercise guru Jack LaLanne have all the answers, or does Buster, a 101-year-old chain-smoking, beer-drinking marathoner? What about futurist Ray Kurzweil, a laughter yoga expert, or an elder porn star? Wexler explores the viewpoints of delightfully unusual characters alongside those of health, fitness and life-extension experts in this engaging new documentary, which challenges our notions of youth and aging with comic poignancy. Begun as a study in life-extension, How To Live Forever evolves into a thought-provoking examination of what truly gives life meaning.
American Jihadist

2010

American Jihadist

2010
4.8
A documentary about Isa Abdullah Ali, an American Muslim, who has been part of many Muslim military movements.
Whaledreamers

2006

Whaledreamers

2006
5.8
"Whaledreamers" - the title alone evokes hypnotic visions of these most magnificent and ancient creatures. This visually stunning film offers an incredible glimpse into a rarely seen and scarcely understood tribal culture whose entire story of creation revolves around whales and has endured for centuries. The film passionately explores the connection between the subtle elegance of these “mothers of the sea” and ancient civilizations around the world whose culture and very existence is based on whales. Intertwining incredible underwater footage with ancient legend, whaledreamers examines the complex past and the possibly dire future of human civilization. Told with moving optimism and spiritual strength, it is a clarion call encouraging humanity’s reconnection to the profound beauty of the natural world and is an appeal to embrace all living beings thereby creating the unity and peace which the Earth itself can bring.
The Invocation

2010

The Invocation

2010
5
An exploration of the notion of 'God' and World Peace through Religion, Spirituality, History, Science, Politics and Arts.
Price for Peace

2002

Price for Peace

2002
5.6
This powerful and thought provoking film chronicles the compelling events in the Pacific Theater of WWII, from the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the American occupation of Japan in 1945. It depicts the strength and courage of America's youth, while examining how these men and women dealt with being thrust into this brutal war. The film includes interviews with war veterans, both American and Japanese, from all branches of the military. It features testimony from medics, nurses, dog handlers, as well as Japanese-Americans who were imprisoned at internment camps in the United States. The film also includes a first hand account of the tragic impact of the atomic bomb on Japanese citizens. Among the veterans who appear is Zenji Abe, a Japanese veteran who flew the mission to bomb Pearl Harbor, and retired General Paul Tibbets who flew the mission to bomb Hiroshima.
Act of God

2009

Act of God

2009
4.1
A Canadian documentary feature film that investigates the effects of being struck by lightning.
Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating

2004

Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating

2004
7.5
Crazy Legs Conti is an eccentric New York window washer, nude model and sperm donor, and huge fan of the annual July 4th hot dog eating competition. When he casually breaks the world oyster eating record in New Orleans, he decides to dedicate himself to fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a professional competitive eater.
The Wonder of It All

2007

The Wonder of It All

2007
6.5
The Wonder of it All focuses on the human side of the men behind the Apollo missions through candid interviews with seven of the Apollo astronauts: Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Edgar Mitchell, John Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt. They all reflect on the training, the tragedies, the camaraderie, and the effect that their space travel has had on their families.
Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning

2025

Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning

2025
6.3
Jim Thorpe was a Native American icon whose athletic prowess reshaped the landscape of 20th-century sports, defying the brutal challenges of racial prejudice along the way. Based on extensive interviews and utilizing Jim’s own writing this documentary brings together a diverse array of Native American scholars, historians, athletes, and influential sports commentators.
Bearing Witness Native American Voices in Hollywood

2025

Bearing Witness Native American Voices in Hollywood

2025
7.3
For over 100 years, Hollywood cinema has crafted the ultimate "villain"- the Indian, as they were labeled in early Westerns. Confined almost exclusively to this genre, the Western became a vehicle for American racism, obscuring the genocide upon which the United States was built. In this documentary, only Native Americans are given a voice to share their story, one that has been overshadowed by Hollywood's portrayal. Their narrative, part of the larger American story, highlights how cinema has long been used as a powerful propaganda tool, distorting history and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
Norman's Rare Guitars Documentary

2024

Norman's Rare Guitars Documentary

2024
4
A well renowned institution where legends jam, and find inspiration. A chronicles of the shop's spirit as Norman, its beloved founder, faces retirement, marking a turning point for this cultural haven.
No Hamburg, No Beatles

2024

No Hamburg, No Beatles

2024
7.5
“We were born in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg”, John Lennon once said. This feature documentary seeks to find the truth in those words. The long and winding road that the Beatles took to worldwide fame passed through Hamburg, Germany in the early 1960s. Only a couple of years before they became household names, the former Quarrymen were cutting their musical teeth on nightclub stages in the city. Hamburg had become the vice capital of Europe after World War Two, its neon-lit streets home to sailors, sex workers, drug dealers, gangs and low life. Meanwhile, the English band was still developing, still young and virtually unknown. By the time of their last German visit in 1966, the Beatles were an international phenomenon. 'No Hamburg, No Beatles' explains how learning their trade in this fascinating city helped propel them to global stardom.
Nosferatu: The Real Story

2024

Nosferatu: The Real Story

2024
5.7
Nosferatu was a silent horror film, an unauthorised Dracula adaptation. Despite a court order to destroy it, surviving copies became highly influential in cinema. This documentary traces its origins, impact, and legacy, leading to the 2024 remake.