Top Documentaries & Bio-Pics; Dr. Diane Howard; Interviewer, Reviewer, Publicist
Diane Howard, Ph.D. (Performance Studies), entertainment editor, picks Top Documentaries & Bio-Pic movies, for content and artistry which give Good to our world (See https://sonomachristianhome.com/author/diane-howard/)
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- DirectorDavid BattyStarsSelva RasalingamKarima GouitRamdane AalaAccording to THE GOSPEL OF MARK, Jesus is a heroic man of action, an exorcist, healer, and miracle worker - the Son of God who keeps his identity secret. This critically acclaimed, epic production-five years in the making - is based on the latest theological, historical, and archaeological research, and offers an unforgettable, highly authentic telling of the Jesus story - ending with the empty tomb, a promise to meet again in Galilee, and Jesus's instructions to spread the good news of the resurrection.
- DirectorDavid BattyStarsDavid HarewoodSelva RasalingamMourad ZaouiThe life and toils of Jesus Christ, depicted as written in the gospel of John. Narrated in English, following the New International Version of the scripture, while the actors speak in Aramaic.
- DirectorDavid BattyStarsSelva RasalingamKarima GouitRamdane AalaThis critically acclaimed, epic production – five years in the making – is the first-ever word-for-word account of the life of Jesus as recorded in the biblical Gospel of Matthew.
- DirectorDavid BattyStarsSelva RasalingamKarima GouitMourad ZaouiThe Gospel Of Luke from The Bible.
- DirectorCatherine HardwickeStarsKeisha Castle-HughesShohreh AghdashlooOscar IsaacA drama that focuses on the period in Mary and Joseph's life where they journeyed to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.
- DirectorChristopher SpencerStarsDiogo MorgadoAmber Rose RevahGreg HicksThe life story of Jesus is told from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection.
- DirectorJohn GrootersStarsRaluca BotezEmil MandanacGabriel CostinA story of transformation and hope in a time of turmoil and terror.
- DirectorKen DenisonMax McLeanStarsMax McLeanFilmed before a live audience, C.S. Lewis Onstage chronicles the famed author's reluctant journey from atheism to Christianity from his tumultuous youth to his harrowing service in WWI and professorship at Oxford.
- DirectorDome KarukoskiStarsNicholas HoultLily CollinsColm MeaneyTolkien's novels were inspired by his mom's storytelling, falling in love with another orphan, Edith, forming a brotherhood with 3 other misfits at school, the trench war of WWI and later telling stories to his own kids.
- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsAugust DiehlValerie PachnerMaria SimonThe Austrian Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II.
- DirectorStephen ShinMichael ParkerStarsJoseph FiennesJesse KoveBruce LockeEric Liddell - China's first gold medalist and one of Scotland's greatest athletes - returns to war-torn China.
- DirectorAndrew ErwinJon ErwinStarsCaleb CastilleSean AstinJon VoightA gifted high-school football player must learn to embrace his talent and his faith as he battles racial tensions on and off the field.
- DirectorIain MorrisStarsJohn LennoxKevin SorboAgainst The Tide takes viewers on a journey from Oxford to Israel as John Lennox and Kevin Sorbo unpack and analyze theological and scientific evidence of God. "One of the best apologist documentaries ever made." (Crosswalk)
- DirectorBrian Tetsuro IvieStarsGeorge Howard AdamsA.R. BernardNadine CollierAn inside look at the tragic event that took place in Charleston, South Carolina at the Emanuel AME Church, where 9 innocent churchgoers were gunned down.
- DirectorKyle LollisStarsTony EvansTim BrownTony DungyKingdom Men Rising is a documentary exploring what it means to be a real man in the midst of cultural trends where there is confusion about masculinity. Challenging men to rise above what we've become to lives of no more excuses.
- DirectorTodd Douglas MillerStarsNeil ArmstrongMike CollinsBuzz AldrinA look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilots Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins.
- DirectorRoxann DawsonStarsMarcel RuizTopher GraceSarah ConstibleWhen her 14-year-old son drowns in a lake, a faithful mother prays for him to come back from the brink of death and be healed.
- DirectorChuck KonzelmanCary SolomonStarsAshley BratcherBrooks RyanRobia ScottAll Abby Johnson ever wanted to do was help women. As one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation, she believed in a woman's right to choose. Until the day she saw something that changed everything.
- DirectorKevin KnoblockStarsGastón PaulsSantiago AchagaAgustin AmoedoA story of relentless grit, motivational strength and humbling triumph, PALAU is a film many will relate to. As a young man, a passion and vision to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to all the nations was planted deep in Luis Palau's heart. Amidst both seemingly insurmountable struggles and remarkable miracles, Luis never lost sight of his calling. His extraordinary story will bring hope to the masses and encourage all that God has greatness in store for them.
- DirectorJay LyonsStarsKara TippettsAnn VoskampJoanna GainesKara Tippetts, a wife and young mother with terminal breast cancer, shares the raw edges of dying with grace, dignity, and a sense of humor.
- DirectorTimothy P. MahoneyStarsMichael Shelomo Bar-RonWilliam G. DeverManis FriedmanA filmmaker searches for scientific evidence that Moses wrote the first books of the Bible.
- DirectorAneesh DanielStarsSharman JoshiStephen BaldwinShari RigbyIn India, a journalist investigates whether or not an Australian missionary is performing illegal conversions on the local townspeople.
- DirectorKasi LemmonsStarsCynthia ErivoJanelle MonáeLeslie Odom Jr.The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.
- StarsBarry BostwickPatty DukeDavid DukesThe early life and career of the American General and President through his participation in the Revolutionary War.
- DirectorRandall WallaceStarsGreg KinnearKelly ReillyThomas Haden ChurchA small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world.
- DirectorPatricia RiggenStarsJennifer GarnerKylie RogersMartin HendersonBased on the incredible true story of the Beam family.
- DirectorMichael PolishStarsKate BosworthHayden ChristensenHudson MeekA man involved in a horrific car crash is pronounced dead, only to come back to life an hour and a half later, claiming to have seen Heaven.
- DirectorMani SandovalStarsJohn BurkeKathy BurkeSteve CaballeroA compelling argument is made not only with interviews of those (not necessarily religious believers) who had near-death experiences, but an interview with a Cambridge neurologist who explains the "something" that neurons can't define.
- DirectorTheodore MelfiStarsTaraji P. HensonOctavia SpencerJanelle MonáeThe story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.
- DirectorAndrew ErwinJon ErwinStarsZachary LeviAnna PaquinHayden ZallerThe story of NFL MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming an American Football star.
- DirectorJohn ChesterStarsJohn ChesterMolly ChesterToddDocumentarian John Chester and his wife Molly work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles.
- DirectorChris DanielsonStarsDon KeithSteve SkipperSteve Skipper is one of America's most prolific and honored artists. His works have hung in the Professional Football Hall of Fame, the U.S. Capitol, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Paul W. "Bear" Bryant Museum, the National Art Museum of Sport, NCAA headquarters, and many other venues nationwide. They also grace the walls of private collectors and sports icons worldwide. Additionally, his inspirational Christian art has been purchased by and inspired thousands and he has been commissioned to do numerous important historical and Civil Rights works. But there is so much more to this highly talented artist's story. First, though praised for his technical skill and creativity, he is entirely self taught. Secondly, he became one of the first African Americans to gain acceptance and financial success in the art world. Even more amazing is the fact that this gentle, soft spoken man was once a member of a violent street gang, its chief enforcer, the fierce collector of drug debts. The big transformation in Steve Skipper's life--one that almost certainly saved his life--came at a simple church revival service, one he attended on a dare, more to mock than to listen. There, he experienced a deep religious experience that altered his self destructive path completely. He left the gang the very next day, even though that almost certainly meant death. Now, at the command of God, he has embarked on a new and even more important artistic path. Today, with Steve Skipper's message, his success, and his talent, he inspires millions. And now, with this powerful documentary film, his amazing, true story and his powerful testimony will reach even more who so desperately need to hear his message of determination, salvation, strength through Christ, and deliverance from the demons that hold them back.
- DirectorGeoffrey RogersStarsBrook Susan ParkerA Christian documentary diving into the sex trafficking industry in the US exposing the darkness that fuels demand, highlighting survivors' transformations through Christ, and showing Christ as the hope for all involved.
- DirectorCalvin AurandStarsAlan DershowitzEyal DrorKasim Hafeez"Never Again?" seeks to educate others on the horrors and consequences of anti-Semitism. The film follows the journey of a Holocaust Survivor and former radical Islamist as they seek to leave behind a legacy of love over hate.
- DirectorJohn Lee HancockStarsQuinton AaronSandra BullockTim McGrawThe story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.
- DirectorStephen HerekStarsAlyvia Alyn LindJennifer NettlesRicky SchroderDiscover the magic and warmth of Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, based on the inspiring story of living legend Dolly Parton’s remarkable upbringing in rural Tennessee.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsFionn WhiteheadBarry KeoghanMark RylanceAllied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsAndrew GarfieldSam WorthingtonLuke BraceyWorld War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
- DirectorAaron SchneiderStarsTom HanksElisabeth ShueStephen GrahamSeveral months after the U.S. entry into World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy commander must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by a German submarine wolf pack.
- DirectorScott WaughStarsJosh HartnettMira SorvinoSarah DumontAn adrenaline seeking snowboarder gets lost in a massive winter storm in the back country of the High Sierras where he is pushed to the limits of human endurance and forced to battle his own personal demons as he fights for survival...."
- DirectorKevin KnoblockStarsNewt GingrichCallista GingrichRobert LyonsGeorge Washington is central to understanding America's founding. He was the crucial figure in winning the American Revolution, in creating the Constitution, and in establishing the precedents for effective self-government as our first President. George Washington's sense of virtue, his lifelong activity as a citizen, his reverence for the rule of law, and his commitment to establishing the American Republic make him the essential figure for every American to know and study. This is especially true at a time where there has been dramatic decline in the number of Americans who know and understand American history. In this documentary film, The First American, Newt and Callista Gingrich, in collaboration with the Gingrich Foundation and Peace River Company, explore the life and legacy of George Washington. This film features exclusive interviews with H.W. Brands, Douglas Brinkley, Jane Hampton Cook, Joseph Ellis, William Forstchen, Gay Hart Gaines, Allen Guelzo, Victor David Hanson, Walter Isaacson, Edward Larson, and Edward Lengel. The First American was shot on location at location at George Washington's Mount Vernon, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, in Washington D.C. and at historic estates on the James River in Virginia. An America that understands its greatest leader will be a freer, safer, and more prosperous nation. The First American will help ensure that the legacy of George Washington continues to inspire future generations of Americans.
- DirectorJarrod AndersonStarsIsaac Ignacio BennettRandall C. BentonFelipe ChavezPocahontas is the true story of an amazing young woman who became an ambassador between two nations.
- DirectorBrent GudgelChris SinclairStarsDavid EubankKaren EubankPeter EubankThe film follows Dave, Karen, and their three young children, as they venture into war zones where they are fighting to bring hope. Viewers will follow the family into firefights, heroic rescues, and experience life-changing ministry.
- DirectorTrey ReynoldsStarsVictor MarxEileen MarxKarl MarxVictor was abused from a young age through his teen years by several people, and he turned to drugs in adolescence to escape from the emotional pain. Instead of remaining a victim, he turns his life around and now helps others.
- DirectorReuben EvansStarsGeorgia AngelopoulosJacques BerchtoldJ. Keith ElliottDr. Craig Evans travels the globe to track down the most ancient New Testament manuscripts. Along the way, he highlights groundbreaking new evidence, demonstrating the reliability of the New Testament manuscripts.
- DirectorAndrew ErwinJon ErwinStarsJohn Michael FinleyMadeline CarrollDennis QuaidThe inspiring and unknown true story behind MercyMe's beloved, chart topping song that brings ultimate hope to so many is a gripping reminder of the power of true forgiveness.
- DirectorAndrew ErwinJon ErwinStarsK.J. ApaBritt RobertsonNathan ParsonsThe true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsBurt LancasterCharles BickfordSteve CochranThe triumph and tragedy of Native American Jim Thorpe, who, after winning both the pentathlon and decathlon in the same Olympics, is stripped of his medals on a technicality.
- StarsLouis ZamperiniBilly GrahamFranklin GrahamAfter his return from WWII, Louis Zamperini was tormented by the memories of what he'd experienced. Post-traumatic stress led to depression and alcoholism. About to lose his marriage, Louis went to the 1949 Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles. "Captured by Grace" tells the story of Zamperini's life after returning home a hero, the personal battles he faced, and how he overcame them.
- DirectorBharat NalluriStarsDan StevensMark SchrierPatrick Joseph ByrnesThe journey that led to Charles Dickens' creation of "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas.
- CreatorMikko AlanneStarsMichael KellyJason RitterKate BosworthAmerican forces occupying Iraq are ambushed in a Baghdad neighborhood.
- DirectorScott HazeStarsCharles MullyEsther MullyIsaac MulliA homeless orphan in Kenya becomes a lucrative businessman, only to give it all up and open an orphanage that today serves over 2000 Kenyan children.
- DirectorKyle SaylorsStarsSean YoungT.C. StallingsDean CainA jaded reporter is demoted to a rural news station, but her cynicism is slowly transformed when she befriends a recovering addict as she works a news story about a church struggling to purchase a motel for homeless families.
- DirectorWilliam RieadStarsJuliet StevensonRutger HauerMax von SydowA drama that explores the life of Mother Teresa (Juliet Stevenson) through letters she wrote to her longtime friend and spiritual advisor, Father Celeste van Exem (Max von Sydow) over a nearly fifty-year period.
- DirectorStephen BradleyStarsDeirdre O'KaneSarah GreeneGloria Cramer CurtisChristina Noble overcomes the harsh difficulties of her childhood in Ireland to discover her destiny on the streets of Saigon. A true story.
- DirectorTimothy P. MahoneyStarsKevin SorboBenjamin NetanyahuDavid RohlAn investigation into the validity of the Exodus.
- DirectorTimothy P. MahoneyStarsBarry BeitzelManfred BietakJason DerouchieOne of the greatest miracles in the Bible is Moses and the Israelites trapped at the sea by Pharaoh's army, when God miraculously parts the waters, but is there any evidence that it really happened, and if so, where?
- DirectorAndrew HyattStarsJim CaviezelJames FaulknerOlivier MartinezLuke risks his life to visit Paul, who is captive in a Roman prison under Nero's rule. Together, they struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit to live out the Gospel and spread the message to the world.
- DirectorBen SmallboneStarsJoel SmallboneBianca A. SantosDavid KoechnerA widower who's lost custody of his daughter finds himself unable to hold down a job. He agrees to drive a truck cross-country, no questions asked, but when he discovers the nature of his cargo, he is faced with a life-changing decision.
- DirectorRolf ForsbergStarsMelisa KingDavid WilliamsDaniel RowlandShe was an expectant mother, but she endured every hardship these seasoned soldiers experienced. Without her the Corps of Discovery would have failed. This program re-enacts her journey in her words. Sacagawea will save Lewis and Clark time and time again on their expedition from negotiating for horses and show them which plants are edible.
- DirectorXavier KollerStarsAdam BeachMandy PatinkinSheldon Peters WolfchildFictional chronicle of Squanto's life prior to and including the arrival of the "Mayflower" in 1620.
- CreatorTy ScottTy Swaggalee ScottRi-Karlo HandyStarsVanessa Bell CallowayClifton PowellJasmine BurkeA Southern Baptist church and its surrounding community are entrenched in a world of crime, lust, deceit, and greed.
- DirectorBruce MacdonaldGabriel SabloffStarsTaylor JamesBilly ZaneLindsay WagnerAfter losing the love of his life to a cruel Philistine Prince, a young Hebrew with supernatural strength defends his people, sacrificing everything to avenge his love, his people, and God.
- DirectorEric WelchStarsBenjamin A. OnyangoScott William WintersEmily Ricks HahnAs three fathers fight to save their families, their lives become intertwined in an unlikely journey across the globe, where they learn the healing power of forgiveness and reconciliation.
- DirectorAva DuVernayStarsDavid OyelowoCarmen EjogoOprah WinfreyA chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.
- DirectorJon ErwinBen SmallboneStarsMel GibsonMel NovakGary SiniseSteve McQueen truly is an American Icon. One of America's most endearing and intriguing movie stars, he "is still the King of Cool" according to Esquire Magazine-50 years after the zenith of his career. The strangest thing about him, however, is barely known, despite countless biographies and articles. Steve McQueen was a believer in Jesus Christ. On the surface McQueen had everything he could want-fame, cars, homes, more money than he could spend in a lifetime. An avid fan of the actor (and owner of a replica of McQueen's car in the classic film Bullitt), Pastor Greg Laurie hits the road in his mint Mustang, traveling the country in search of the true, untold story of McQueen's redemption-filled final chapters.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsTom HanksAaron EckhartLaura LinneyWhen pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger lands his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save the flight's passengers and crew, some consider him a hero while others think he was reckless.
- DirectorRic BurnsStarsSue AllanBernard BailynMichael BraddickArguably one of the most fateful and resonant events of the last half millennium, the Pilgrims' journey west across the Atlantic in the early 17th century is a seminal, if often misunderstood episode of American and world history.
- DirectorAmma AsanteStarsDavid OyelowoRosamund PikeTom FeltonThe story of King Seretse Khama of Botswana and how his loving but controversial marriage to a British white woman, Ruth Williams, put his kingdom into political and diplomatic turmoil.
- DirectorAngelina JolieStarsJack O'ConnellMiyaviDomhnall GleesonAfter a near-fatal plane crash in WWII, Olympian Louis Zamperini spends a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before he's caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.
- DirectorAaron LieberStarsAlana BlanchardAdam DirksTobias DirksAfter losing an arm to a shark attack at age 13, Bethany Hamilton refuses to give up her dreams of being a professional surfer.
- DirectorLuc JacquetStarsMorgan FreemanRomane BohringerCharles BerlingIn the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
- DirectorJon ErwinBrent McCorkleStarsJoel CourtneyJonathan RoumieKimberly Williams-PaisleyThe true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 1970s and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California.
- DirectorNorman StoneStarsMax McLeanNicholas RalphEddie Ray MartinSpanning C.S. Lewis' bitter childhood, WWI and his life-changing friendships at Oxford, The Most Reluctant Convert depicts the events that shaped Lewis' early life and journey from hard-boiled atheism to prolific Christianity.