Inspiring Documentary Films

            Over the past year or so, I've been taking advantage of Netflix, and more recently, Hulu, and have been seeking out and watching a lot of documentaries.  I’m a sponge when it comes to information and learning about our world, and I feel very fortunate to be living in a time when many discoveries are being made, new tools to observe and understand the Universe are being developed, and information is more widely shared and accessible than ever before.

            The following films have broadened my perspective and exposed me to new ideas, or perhaps simply presented basic ideas in more comprehensive or spectacular ways.  Some have social implications, some spiritual, some historical. Some are hard to watch. Some literally took my breath away.  Some have given me glimpses into aspects of existence and ways of life I’d never considered before. I try to absorb some of the more esoteric ideas with both an open mind and a healthy dose of critical thinking, and the more I learn, the more I see how things connect and fit together into the Big Picture.

            All of these films have given me food for thought, which I have been contemplating and processing, slowly developing an ever-expanding concept of how the Universe works, our place in it, and what it all means.

            If you’re seeking to expand your knowledge of the world, I recommend the following films, which can be found on Netflix, Hulu, or on the internet:

 

David Attenborough’s Life series:

            Life in the Undergrowth

            The Private Life of Plants

            Life In Cold Blood

            The Life of Birds

            The Life of Mammals

            Life on Earth

Attenborough in Paradise

The Queen of Trees

The Story of India series

Connections series by James Burke

The Nature of Things: Biomimicry Parts 1 and2

Dirt, The Movie

Food, Inc.

Quantum Activist

The Nature of Existence

Fractals; Hunting The Hidden Dimension

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

This Emotional Life series

Lord of the Ants

We Live In Public

Disney’s Oceans

Babies

The Human Machine

Fractals; The Colors of Infinity

Wild China series

Alex Grey: Chapel of Sacred Mirrors

Exit Through The Giftshop

Nova Science Now: How Does the Brain Work?

Nova Science Now: Can We Live Forever?

Nova Science Now: How Smart Are Animals?

I Like Killing Flies

National Geographic: Skin

National Geographic: Guns, Germs and Steel

National Geographic: The Incredible Human Machine

National Geographic: Moment of Death

Water: The Great Mystery

Unmistaken Child

Solitary Confinement

The Buddha

The Human Face

Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037

Rivers and Tides

Between the Folds

Witch Hunt

Jesus Camp

Urban Explorers: Into The Darkness

Egypt: Engineering an Empire

The Meaning of Food

Word Wars

The Phoenix Lights

Commune

Deliver Us From Evil

The Blue Planet series

The Cosmic Journeys series

 I've also just discovered Documentary Heaven, which I plan on thoroughly exploring!