10 Best inspirational documentaries
9/26/2016
We all need a dose of inspiration now and then and having access to so many documentaries online in different platforms from Netflix to Amazon Video and You Tube ... we don't seem to run out of "access" but we run of out of patience sometimes when we are overwhelmed with so many choices.
So if you are looking for inspiring, intelligent and powerful documentaries to watch, we selected the best that most people swear by if you need a dose of inspiration that will lift your spirit, get you out of your chair and get moving to work towards your dream. Hope you check them out and get inspired!
MAN ON WIRE
On August 7th 1974, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire and illegally rigged between the New York's twin towers. After nearly an hour dancing on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released. This documentary complies Petit s footage to show the numerous extraordinary challenges he faced in completing the artistic crime of the century.
I AM
I AM is the story of a successful Hollywood director, Tom Shadyac (LIAR LIAR, NUTTY PROFESSOR, BRUCE ALMIGHTY), who experienced a life threatening head injury, and his ensuing journey to try and answer two very basic questions:
What s wrong with our world? and What can we do about it?
With a film crew of four, Tom visits some of today s great minds, including authors, poets, teachers, religious leaders, and scientists (Howard Zinn, Lynn McTaggart, Desmond Tutu, Thom Harmann, Coleman Barks) searching for the fundamental endemic problem that causes all of the other problems, while simultaneously reflecting on this own life choices of excess, greed and eventual healing.
We started by asking what s wrong wit the world, and ended up discovering what s right with it. Tom Shadyac
SENNA
Ayrton Senna was the definitive genius behind the steering wheel. The former Formula One racing driver has collected a total of 41 victories and 65 pole positions, making him the winner of the World Drivers Championships three times. But his greatest victory was beyond the race track, it was the respect coming from the people who loved him. He was adored in his native Brazil and reached superstar status in the ’80s and ’90s. His spotless career and fame was only marked by his rivalry with another race star, Alain Prost.
The documentary is a splendid outlook on his life, his achievements, his personal life and it is an inspiring example how the power of a single person can make a huge impact.
FINDING JOE
Winner 2012 COVR Award, Best Video of the Year. In the early 20th century while studying world mythology, Joseph Campbell discovered a pattern hidden in every story ever told. He called it "the hero's journey." Finding Joe explores how the hero's journey is relevant and essential in today's world. It provides a narrative for how to live a fully realized life or, as Campbell would simply state, how to "follow your bliss." The film takes us on an inspirational quest of self-discovery. As you slay dragons and uncover treasures, you just may find that the holy grail you seek is closer than you think.
FOR GRACE
Curtis Duffy, one of the country's most renowned chefs, is building his dream restaurant despite the nightmarish state of his personal life. The recipient of two coveted Michelin stars, Duffy has a laser focus on his cooking career that cost him his marriage and two young daughters. His ambition is to make his Chicago restaurant, Grace, the best in the country. FOR GRACE follows the building of the restaurant from concrete box to its opening night. It also revisits Duffy's turbulent childhood: how a teacher recognized talent in a troubled teenager; how an unimaginable family tragedy made Duffy seek refuge in the kitchen; and how cooking took from him as much as it gave.
HAPPY
Does money make you happy? Kids and family? Your work? Do you live in a world that values and promotes happiness and well-being? Are we in the midst of a happiness revolution?
HAPPY, the latest award-winning film from Academy Award® nominated director, Roko Belic (Genghis Blues) and Executive Producer, Tom Shadyac (Nutty Professor, Bruce Almighty, I AM), takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Combining real life stories of people from around the world and powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research, HAPPY explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion.
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest ‘70s rock icon who never was. After being discovered in a Detroit bar, Rodriguez’s sound struck 2 renowned producers and they signed a recording deal. But when the album bombed, the singer disappeared into obscurity. A bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero.
JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of 85-year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world's greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious three-star Michelin Guide rating, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro's sushi bar.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a thoughtful and elegant meditation on work, family, and the art of perfection, chronicling Jiro's life as both an unparalleled success in the culinary world and as a loving yet complicated father.
DON'T STOP BELIEVING
Dont Stop Believin : Everymans Journey follows the real life rock n roll fairy tale of Filipino Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from YouTube to become the front man for iconic American rock band Journey. In this Cinderella story for the ages, Arnel, having overcome a lifetimes worth of hardships, must now navigate the immense pressures of replacing a legendary singer and leading a world-renowned band on their most extensive world tour in years.
HAPPY PEOPLE
A YEAR IN THE TAIGA
With Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, Werner Herzog takes viewers on yet another unforgettable journey into remote and extreme natural landscapes. The acclaimed filmmaker presents this visually stunning documentary about the life of indigenous people living in the heart of the Siberian Taiga. Deep in the wilderness, far away from civilization, 300 people inhabit the small village of Bakhtia at the river Yenisei. There are only two ways to reach this outpost: by helicopter or boat. There's no telephone, running water or medical aid, The locals, whose daily routines have barely changed over the last centuries, live according to their own values and cultural traditions. With insightful commentary written and narrated by Herzog, Happy People: A Year in the Taiga follows one of the Siberian trappers through all four seasons of the year to tell the story of a culture virtually untouched by modernity.
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