100+ documentaries that make learning a joy
Whether you loved school or hated it, most of us were blessed with at least one teacher who showed us learning could be exciting. That's what a good documentary is like, getting us eager to learn by introducing us to new places, creatures, or ideas that we've never encountered before, then boiling down complex and important issues into bite-sized chunks we can actually understand and discuss. It's libraries worth of information, presented by leading experts with decades' worth of study, packaged up in just an hour or two.
God has placed us in an enormous world that's part of an even bigger universe, and if we're going to explore as much of it as we can, we are going to need guides. That's what's on offer in the films that follow. Some of the guides are fellow Christians who make the connection between creation and Creator clear, and some of the guides are not Christian, but that connection will still be clear to God's people, even if the guide himself doesn't quite get it.
There are 125 recommendations divided into a dozen categories. 100+ of them have reviews linked to via their titles, while more than 55 can be viewed for free, as noted by FREE.
(If you're more into dramas, be sure to check out "200+ Movies King David Might Watch.")
ANIMALS (9)
Whether secular or Christian, these documentaries highlight the genius of the Great Designer by diving deep into the wonder of His creatures.
DOLPHINS: TRIBES OF THE SEA – 2006, 41 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES – 2012, 44 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
FLIGHT: THE GENIUS OF BIRDS – 2013, 63 minutes – 9/10
LIVING WATERS – 2015, 69 minutes – 8/10
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS – 2005, 80 minutes – 7/10
METAMORPHOSIS: THE BEAUTY AND DESIGN OF BUTTERFLIES – 2011, 64 minutes – 8/10
MICROCOSMOS – 1996, 80 minutes – 9/10
THE RIOT AND THE DANCE: EARTH – 2018, 83 minutes – 8/10
THE RIOT AND THE DANCE: WATER – 2020, 84 minutes – 8/10
THE RIOT AND THE DANCE: THE TV SERIES – 2022, 30 minutes – 9/10 – FREE
APOLOGETICS (3)
All the titles below are demonstrations of presuppositional apologetics, though not all would use that terminology.
COLLISION: CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS vs. DOUGLAS WILSON – 2009, 93 minutes – 9/10 – FREE
THE FOOL – 2019, 65 minutes - 8/10 – FREE
HOW TO ANSWER THE FOOL – 2013, 85 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
ASSORTED CHRISTIAN (23)
The very best documentaries pack books' worth of knowledge into a short hour or two. And these are just that sort.
AS WE FORGIVE – 2010, 54 minutes – 8/10
Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism – 2004, 257 minutes – 8/10
AMERICAN GOSPEL: CHRIST ALONE – 2018, 139 minutes – 8/10
AMERICAN GOSPEL: CHRIST CRUCIFIED – 2019, 176 minutes – 9/10
THE BIBLE VS. THE BOOK OF MORMON – 2005, 66 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
BY WHAT STANDARD? GOD'S WORLD...GOD'S RULES – 2019, 110 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
CALVINIST – 2017, 89 minutes - 8/10
Cessationist – 2023, 111 minutes – 9/10
Epic – 2020, 236 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
THE ESSENTIAL CHURCH – 2023, 126 minutes – 8/10
FACING DARKNESS – 2017, 99 minutes – 8/10
THE GOD WHO SPEAKS – 2018, 92 minutes – 9/10 – FREE
How Should We Then Live? – 2005, 360 minutes – 7/10
IRREPLACEABLE - WHAT IS FAMILY? – 2015, 104 minutes – 8/10
JERICHO UNEARTHED – 2010, 34 minutes – 8/10
THE MARKS OF A CULT – 2005, 115 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
THE NARNIA CODE – 2009, 59 minutes – 8/10
NOTES FROM THE TILT-A-WHIRL – 2011, 51 minutes – 10/10
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN – 2020, 112 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
ORDINARY COMMISSION – 2019, 23 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
SPIRIT & TRUTH: A FILM ABOUT WORSHIPPING GOD – 2019, 87 minutes – 8/10
The Truth Project – 2006, 800 minutes – 9/10
WAIT TILL IT'S FREE – 2014, 82 minutes – 9/10
ASSORTED SECULAR (6)
Not knowing God means the world doesn't have a full grasp on truth. But they can often spot problems, even if they don't know the solutions. Or they can discover beauty, without giving credit to Whom they should. That means we can still benefit from the best of the work, adding to it what they have left out.
Cool It: Are We Saving the World or Just Burning Money? – 2010, 88 minutes – 8/10
CITIZENFOUR – 2014, 113 minutes – 7/10
DEMOGRAPHIC WINTER – 2008, 56 minutes – 7/10– FREE
LONG SHOT: THE KEVIN LAUE STORY – 2012, 91 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
The Question of God – 2004, 225 minutes – 8/10
UNCLE TOM – 2020, 106 minutes – 8/10
BABIES, BORN AND UNBORN (10)
We have contributions from incrementalists and abolitionists below, as well as one secular offering.
180: FROM PRO-CHOICE TO PRO-LIFE IN SECONDS – 2011, 33 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
BABIES ARE MURDERED HERE – 2014, 54 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
BABIES ARE STILL MURDERED HERE - 2019, 102 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE – 2015, 49 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
HARDER TRUTH – 2003, 9 minutes – 10/10 – FREE
In the Womb – 2005, 89 minutes – 8/10
RESCUED: THE HEART OF ADOPTION – 2012, 62 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
The Matter of Life: are the unborn one of us? – 2021, 101 minutes – 8/10
THE MISSING PROJECT - 2019, 75 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
A Storm Comes Rolling Down the Plain – 2022, 99 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
BIOGRAPHY (6)
Jim Elliot, Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, Mosab Hassan Yousef, and Steve Bell are among the Christians profiled in these documentaries.
BEYOND THE GATES OF SPLENDOR – 2005, 96 minutes – 7/10
THE GREEN PRINCE - 2014, 101 minutes – 8/10
LOGIC ON FIRE – 2015, 102 minutes – 7/10
THE LONG GOODBYE: THE KARA TIPPETTS STORY – 2019, 88 minutes – 10/10
RETURN TO GRACE: LUTHER'S LIFE AND LEGACY – 2017, 106 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
WINGS OF AN EAGLE: A MUSICIAN'S JOURNEY INTO AMERICA – 2017, 98 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
CREATION vs. EVOLUTION (21)
The Creation account upheld, to the glory of our Creator...
ALIEN INTRUSION – 2018, 109 minutes – 8/10
THE ARK AND THE DARKNESS – 2024, 110 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
DISMANTLED: A DECONSTRUCTION OF EVOLUTION – 2020, 93 minutes – 8/10
DNA BATTLES: WERE ADAM AND EVE HISTORICAL? – 2018, 59 minutes – 7/10
DRAGONS OR DINOSAURS? – 2010, 84 minutes – 7/10
EVOLUTION'S ACHILLES' HEELS – 2014, 96 minutes – 10/10
FOUNDATIONS – 2020, 24 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
GENESIS IMPACT - 2020, 67 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
GENESIS: PARADISE LOST – 2018, 109 minutes – 8/10
GOD OF WONDERS – 2008, 85 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
INCREDIBLE CREATURES THAT DEFINE DESIGN – 2011, 62 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
IS GENESIS HISTORY? – 2017, 100 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
LIFE'S STORY: THE ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN TOLD – 2004, 58 min – 7/10 – FREE
LIFE'S STORY 2: THE REASON FOR THE JOURNEY – 2006, 107 min – 6/10 – FREE
THE MASTER DESIGNER: THE SONG – 2014, 76 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
MOUNTAINS AFTER THE FLOOD – 2023, 102 minutes –7/10 – FREE
MOUNT ST. HELENS: MODERN EVIDENCE FOR A WORLDWIDE FLOOD – 2012, 36 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
NOAH'S ARK: THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX – 2008, 35 minutes – 8/10
Patterns of Evidence: Exodus – 2014, 115 minutes – 8/10
Patterns of Evidence: The Moses Controversy – 2019, 140 minutes – 7/10
What You Aren't Being Told about Astronomy Vol. 1 – 2009, 110 minutes – 7/10
INTELLIGENT DESIGN (9)
Evidence of all sorts of design, but no specific glory given to our God.
DARWIN: THE VOYAGE THAT SHOOK THE WORLD – 2009, 55 minutes – 8/10
EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED – 2008, 95 minutes – 8/10
Icons of Evolution – 2002, 52 minutes - 7/10
THE PRIVILEGED PLANET – 2005, 60 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
REVOLUTIONARY – 2016, 60 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
SCIENCE UPRISING – 43 minutes, 2019 – 8/10 – FREE
SECRETS OF THE CELL – SEASON 1 – 30 minutes, 2020 – 8/10 – FREE
SECRETS OF THE CELL – SEASON 2 – 63 minutes, 2023-24 – 8/10 – FREE
UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF LIFE – 67 minutes, 2003 – 8/10 – FREE
ECONOMICS (3)
An important but sometimes dry subject is made scintillating.
LOVE GOV – 2015, 28 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
Poverty Inc. – 2014, 94 minutes – 8/10
THE PURSUIT – 2019, 77 minutes - 7/10 – FREE
EDUCATION (3)
Public education is a problem, as these secular and Christian documentaries agree.
INDOCTRINATION – 2011, 102 minutes – 9/10
TRUTH & LIES IN AMERICAN EDUCATION – 2022, 69 minutes – 7/10
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN – 2010, 111 minutes – 8/10
FOR KIDS (12)
Documentaries aren't generally targeted to children, but these are, and will be a hit with the younger crowd.
BUDDY DAVIS' AMAZING ADVENTURES:
– I Dig Dinosaurs – 2011, 26 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
– Swamp Man – 2012, 45 minutes – 7/10
– Extreme Caving – 2013, 58 minutes – 7/10
– Alaska – 2015, 25 minutes – 6/10
– Ice Age – 2017, 25 minutes – 7/10
DUDE PERFECT: BACKSTAGE PASS – 2020, 84 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: YOUNG EXPLORERS – 2020, 190 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
INCREDIBLE CREATURES THAT DEFY EVOLUTION I-III – 2000-2006, 47-79 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
A LEGO BRICKUMENTARY – 2015, 93 minutes – 7/10
THE WILD BROTHERS (8 episodes) – 2015-2020, 28-30 minutes each – 7/10
INTERNET SAFETY (5)
With screens everywhere, how do we keep our children safe? Here's some help.
CAPTIVATED – 2011, 107 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
CONNECT: REAL HELP FOR PARENTING KIDS IN A SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD – 2018, 70 minutes – 8/10
INTO THE LIGHT: A TEACHING DOCUMENTARY ON FREEDOM FROM PORNOGRAPHY – 2023, 81 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
OUR KIDS ONLINE...HOW TO KEEP THEM SAFE – 2020, 88 minutes - 8/10
RAISED ON PORN – 2021, 37 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
SEXUALITY (5)
Tackling homosexuality, transgenderism, and more.
THE FREE SPEECH APOCALYPSE – 2015, 89 minutes – 8/10
HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW? – 2016, 88 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
IN HIS IMAGE: GOD'S PLAN FOR SEXUALITY – 2020, 104 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
TRANS MISSION: WHAT'S THE RUSH TO REASSIGN GENDER? – 2021, 52 minutes – 7/10 -FREE
WHAT IS A WOMAN? – 2022, 95 minutes – 9/10
WORLD WAR II (10)
To help us remember...
GOODBYE HOLLAND: THE DESTRUCTION OF DUTCH JEWRY – 2004, 90 minutes – 8/10
HIDDEN HEROES – 1999, 50 minutes – 8/10 – FREE
THE RECKONING – 2006, 96 minutes – 7/10 – FREE
Why we fight – 1943-45 – 7/10
– Prelude to War / The Nazis Strike – 95 minutes – FREE
– Divide and Conquer / The Battle of Britain – 106 minutes – FREE
– The Battle of Russia – 83 minutes – FREE
– The Battle of China / War Comes to America – 131 minutes – FREE...
