Best Illuminate Movies & TV Shows

Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.

Explore the process and progress of The New York Times and its journalists in covering the Trump administration. Through extraordinary access, on-the-scene filmmaking, and exclusive sit-down interviews, this documentary series illuminates critical issues facing journalism today – including the challenge to the bedrock concept of truth, the changing role of the media, and the Times’ response to President Trump’s war of words.

An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.

Battlefield Detectives is a forensic documentary television series that aired on the History Channel from 2003 to 2006. The series explores famous battles focusing on the battlefield itself, and tell its story based on recent scientific research. It uses modern science to examine how the battles were won or lost. According to History Television, "This series approaches the perennially interesting topic of famous battles in a fresh and exhilarating way. Focusing on the battlefield itself, each programme takes an important battle telling its story and posing a puzzling central question about the battle that recent scientific research is helping to illuminate - a contemporary journey of discovery and a compelling story from the past."

Over 100 years ago, Albert Einstein grappled with the implications of his revolutionary special theory of relativity and came to a startling conclusion: mass and energy are one, related by the formula E = mc2. In "Einstein's Big Idea," NOVA dramatizes the remarkable story behind this equation. E = mc2 was just one of several extraordinary breakthroughs that Einstein made in 1905, including the completion of his special theory of relativity, his identification of proof that atoms exist, and his explanation of the nature of light, which would win him the Nobel Prize in Physics. Among Einstein's ideas, E = mc2 is by far the most famous. Yet how many people know what it really means? In a thought-provoking and engrossing docudrama, NOVA illuminates this deceptively simple formula by unraveling the story of how it came to be.

As a visually radical memoir, CAMERAPERSON draws on the remarkable footage that filmmaker Kirsten Johnson has shot and reframes it in ways that illuminate moments and situations that have personally affected her. What emerges is an elegant meditation on the relationship between truth and the camera frame, as Johnson transforms scenes that have been presented on Festival screens as one kind of truth into another kind of story—one about personal journey, craft, and direct human connection.

For high schooler Aaron Corbett, turning 18 means becoming not just a man but a nephilim, too -- half human, half angel, with supernatural abilities.

A social event choreographed in the manner of a dance, illuminated by concepts drawn from Greek legend; one of filmmaker Maya Deren’s most intriguing works.

Two cabbies search San Francisco's Chinatown for a mysterious character who has disappeared with their $4000. Their quest leads them on a humorous, if mundane, journey which illuminates the many problems experienced by Chinese-Americans trying to assimilate into contemporary American society.

Faced with the murder of three medicine men, Navajo police must find the culprit. That the murders appear to be the work of a Skinwalker, or bad medicine man, complicate and illuminate the detective's work.

Henri was raised by religious in a convent and lived with them until the women, now elders, moved, leaving him alone. Henri fixes lamps. Since his young age, he's been replacing burned light bulbs and illuminates people's lives. After following signs, he finds himself working in a lamp company. Through his new work, he meets an old man trying to never forget his glory days and a blind woman, teller in an adult cinema, with whom he falls in love.

Funny, passionate, exciting, and smart: ‘Muse Of Fire’ will change the way you feel about Shakespeare forever. This unique feature documentary follows two actors, Giles Terera and Dan Poole, as they travel the world to find out everything they can about tackling the greatest writer of them all. Together they have directed and produced an inspiring film that aims to demystify and illuminate Shakespeare’s work for everyone: from actors, directors and students of all disciplines, right through to the? man on the street? Denmark with Jude Law, Baz Luhrmann in Hollywood, Prison in Berlin, and on the street with Mark Rylance. Think Shakespeare is boring? Think again!

For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers, in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, before the the lights go out forever.

A subjective documentary that explores various theories about hidden meanings in Stanley Kubrick's classic film The Shining. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments.

Poetry by Rudyard Kipling, John Milton, and William Blake, and excerpts from speeches by Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, all read by Laurence Olivier, illuminate documentary footage of England during its defense against the Nazi blitz in World War II. This short film serves as both propaganda and as a rallying cry to the British people.

Lucinda Price is sent to a reform academy under the assumption that she has killed a boy. There, she meets two mysterious boys, Cam and Daniel, to whom she feels drawn to both. But as the love triangle unfurls, it is Daniel that Luce cannot keep herself away from, and things begin to take a darker turn when she finds out his true identity.

Six years in the making, this documentary film follows outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction, to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today. BOB AND THE MONSTER crafts contemporary footage, animation and compelling interviews with archival performances and personal videos from Bob's past to reveal the complex layers of this troubled, but hopeful soul. Testimony from his peers, including Courtney Love, Anthony Kiedis and Flea add texture, but it's the depth of Bob's music, interwoven throughout the film, that illuminates this unforgettable and inspirational story.

Dublin; June 16, 1904. Stephen Dedalus, who fancies himself as a poet, embarks on a day of wandering about the city during which he finds friendship and a father figure in Leopold Bloom, a middle-aged Jew. Meanwhile, Bloom's day, illuminated by a funeral and an evening of drinking and revelry that stirs paternal feelings toward Stephen, ends with a rapprochement with Molly, his earthy wife.

A documentary series that explores the furthest reaches of the internet and the people who frequent it, Dark Net provides a revealing and cautionary look inside a vast cyber netherworld rarely witnessed by most of us. Provocative, thought-provoking and frequently profound, each episode illuminates an exciting, ever-expanding frontier where people can do anything and see anything, whether they should or not.

Five fabulous, queer ghost hunters criss-cross the country, helping the living by healing the dead. As they explore some of the world’s most infamous haunted locations, they’ll shed light on those not seen and illuminate untold stories. Together they’ll push past boundaries to bring acceptance to the misunderstood – living and dead.

The timely biopic focuses on John Lewis’ longstanding prominence as a civil rights champion and his continuing crusade for racial and social equality. The documentary illuminates the 80-year-old Congressman’s life as it chronicles the moments on the extraordinary journey that have shaped his place in history and make him such a galvanizing figure today as protests circle the globe. Lewis’ schedule has increased ten-fold as he has become the go-to figure for TV news shows, podcasts and newspapers and magazines from the Washington Post to Vanity Fair, commenting on and leading the way forward through today’s worldwide protests and demonstrations.

A sports documentary series featuring a range of stories that illuminate how public policies have contributed to inequities in the sports landscape and society at large.

Through this three part series Art Historian Dr Janina Ramirez tells the story of the Medieval monarchy as preserved through stunning illuminated manuscripts from the British Library's Royal Manuscripts collection.

In this documentary, historians, politicians and actors (including Danny Glover and Sissy Spacek) try to illuminate the quixotic nature of founding father Thomas Jefferson, focusing on his views about slavery and rumored affair with his slave Sally Hemmings. Though many consider Jefferson America's most influential political logician, his life was a series of paradoxes. Edward Herrmann is featured as the voice of the conflicted aristocrat. [netflix]

A Wiki-Leaks release illuminates the collusion amongst politicians and the medical industry that drives the cost of medical care to an unattainable price for the middle class. With the guilty parties' names and addresses being released, a vigilante movement springs up around the Untied States. After his father loses the battle with cancer, Mason, along with Thompson and Bobbi, seek violent justice and hope for riches along the way. A shotgun blast sparks a string of unintended consequences that leads the group down a dark road.

An unconventional comedy spiked with a touch of magical realism that follows four friends in their twenties as they navigate life at the unpredictable, emotional, but illuminative hour of 4 a.m. Dealing with themes of life and death, love and heartbreak, friendship and betrayal, it's a series about self-discovery, disappointment, and clawing after dreams that always feel out of reach.

Autoerotic follows four interconnected Chicago couples as they explore the boundaries of self-pleasure and sexual exploration. Through a unique blend of outrageous comedy and in-your-face sex, Autoerotic insightfully illuminates the private sexual lives of America’s urbanites.

A compilation of erotic films intended to illuminate the points where art meets sexuality.

NOIR transports you back to a time of black and white movies of the 30s, 40s and 50s. It's New York City, a single spotlight illuminates a detective sat at his desk, fog swirls around his feet as he lights his cigarette, jazz music echoes all around, Welcome to the world of NOIR. Veronica Smart is a beautiful 40-year-old woman married to her husband Cliff for 16 years, always wanting to be a star, she has now grown tired of the marriage and wants out. Meeting a group of teenagers at the local school she works, sets in motion a plan that will include seduction, passion, lies, manipulation and murder. Now available on Prime Video in the UK and USA.

A shy and troubled photography student's life is illuminated when her voyeuristic nature behind the camera lens leads her to a beautiful and confident girl.

Blues Story presents an impressionistic history of one of the most lasting art forms America has ever produced - as told for the first time through the eyes of the artists who lived it. Combining exclusive interview and performance footage with vintage clips and the music of many Blues legends long gone, the history of this richly felt music is illuminated - from its African roots to its American urban expression - along with its profound place in our cultural heritage. The result is a rare, first-hand glimpse into the lives of these vanishing artists, and a moving, insightful and informative look into a music that continues to be loved by millions throughout the world.

Author and adventurer Sam Sheridan travels the globe in search of the most cursed places on Earth. Entrenching himself in macabre modern day culture, Sam explores the region's haunting history and fascinating folklore, employs cutting-edge science to illuminate the dangers of the curse, and paints a new and revealing portrait of a doomed place and the people who live there in the process.

Tropes vs. Women in Video Games aims to examine limiting, sexist patterns associated with female representations in games, and to illuminate how these patterns reinforce and perpetuate harmful attitudes about women in our culture.

An 8-part series that illuminates amazing stories from across the globe, where communities are working together for a better future.

In a three-hour presentation of nonfiction and fiction short films, The Latino Experience explores a broad collection of experiences, perspectives, and points of view to highlight the diversity of the Latino/a/x community and to illuminate the vibrancy of the United States and Puerto Rico.

Award-winning journalist and women’s advocate Gretchen Carlson travels the country uncovering untold stories of sexual harassment and abuse. Gretchen illuminates stories of sexual harassment as told by the ‘every woman’, from her exclusive look into the alleged abuse within a fast food giant to the work environment at a county fire department.

"In C, Too" illuminates how close our dreams are to a common reality. Through structured visual improvisational techniques, the work explores how humanity survives because of our imagination and desire to transcend. "In C, Too" is also an origin story, operating in renunciation to mortality, focused on life's essentials - existence, exploration and how entropy ignites evolution.

Benedict Arnold is not the villain of American history most people were taught to believe. New facts and never before presented material illuminate his heroic contributions to the American Revolution and explains his later change of allegiance.

The grounds of Klaus Rinke’s Los Angeles studio overflow with an otherworldly cactus garden. The cactus—a plant firmly rooted in the horticultural zeitgeist—is a lifelong obsession of the enigmatic artist whose career as a pioneering conceptual artist spans more than 6-decades. Striking footage of the cacti garden reveals a surreal hidden geometry and illuminates the uncanny ways in which cacti and humans express themselves and coexist.

Explores the role of American journalists in the pivotal conflicts of the 20th century and beyond. From San Juan Hill to the beaches of Normandy, from the jungles of Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, reporters who witnessed and wrote the news from the battlefield share dramatic and surprising stories. Examines the challenges of frontline reporting and illuminates the role of the correspondent in shaping the way wars have been remembered and understood.

Inside the NBA – the Sports Emmy Award-winning studio show known for its entertaining style and unfiltered commentary – pulls back the curtain on its more than 30-year history in this four-part documentary series. Interviews with celebrities, crew members, sports reporters and more illuminate the show’s evolution into a cultural phenomenon with untold stories that highlight the chemistry between Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.

Every year in June, nearly 2,000 athletes out of high school and college are chosen from an amateur baseball draft to play in the minor leagues. This inspiring documentary follows the lives of two young players on their arduous journey to launch Major League Baseball careers. As one faces his final year to tryout, another player wrestles with the pressure of keeping his million-dollar first-round draft contract intact. This thrilling and emotional journey illuminates the power determination can have on whether dreams are achieved or lost.

They arrive, they smoke, they wait - armed robbers seeking redemption, life-long thieves, addicts and anxious fathers of wayward children. Hard exteriors hide soft centres, old lives exist in young bodies - ordinary people awaiting judgement on an unlovely stretch of pavement outside a London magistrates' court. Whilst waiting for their cases to be heard they reveal their lives, and the complexities of the human soul are laid bare. Tense and intimate conversations with the filmmaker illuminate stories that the magistrates hear daily. Director Marc Isaacs spent three months outside Highbury Magistrates Court and, in doing so, demonstrates how the eye of the camera has the ability to delve much deeper into character and motivation than the eye of the law. Consequently, the more we get to know the characters in this film, the harder it is to make easy judgements. Whilst the court must judge, the filmmaker need not.

Carmilla inadvertently infects Ron, Fang, and Corey with her vampirism. Unaware of their condition, these three misfit vampires' hysterical misadventures illuminate the sudden changes in their nature. While attending a support group recommended by Dr. Acula for what is thought to be a medical condition, the three connect back with Carmilla and learn the truth of their new existence. Cast out by Martin and the old vampires, pursued by the determined Eddie Van Helsing, Ron and Carmilla seek to maintain some humanity and lead their menage through the challenges of vampire life in the modern world.

Set in 1947, Knights of Swing is a feature film that chronicles a group of young jazz musicians whose dream is to form a “really swingin’ Big Band”. Unfortunately, things prove much more complicated when the community objects to the diversity of the band. Alliances form, and lines are drawn. What follows is soul searching, uplifting, and through music, our story illuminates forgiveness, healing and unconditional love.