Best movies like My Family and Autism
A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like My Family and Autism Starring Luke Jackson, Matt Jackson, Anna Jackson, Ben Jackson, and more. If you liked My Family and Autism then you may also like: X+Y, Ways to Live Forever, Neurotypical, Regarding Susan Sontag, Andre and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.
Produced and directed by Fran Landsman, this documentary screened on BBC2 in July 2003. The family in question was the Jacksons, single-parent Jacqui and her seven children, three girls and four boys. All four of the boys, aged between six and nineteen at the time of the making of the film, are on the autistic spectrum.
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Ways to Live Forever
Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
Neurotypical
Neurotypical is an unprecedented exploration of autism from the point of view of autistic people themselves. Four-year-old Violet, teenaged Nicholas and adult Paula occupy different positions on the autism spectrum, but they are all at pivotal moments in their lives. How they and the people around them work out their perceptual and behavioral differences becomes a remarkable reflection of the "neurotypical" world — the world of the non-autistic — revealing inventive adaptations on each side and an emerging critique of both what it means to be normal and what it means to be human.
Regarding Susan Sontag
An intimate study of one of the most influential and provocative thinkers of the 20th century tracking feminist icon Susan Sontag’s seminal, life-changing moments through archival materials, accounts from friends, family, colleagues, and lovers, as well as her own words, as read by Patricia Clarkson.
Armed and Innocent
Based on a true story, an eleven year old boy left home alone, kills two intruders in self defense. He and his family then try to cope with the boy's anguish and the dead intruders' friends who want revenge.
The Breakfast Club
Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. The disparate group includes rebel John, princess Claire, outcast Allison, brainy Brian and Andrew, the jock. Each has a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently -- and when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same.
The Accountant
As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.
The Darkness
A family returns from a Grand Canyon vacation with a supernatural presence in tow.
Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles
The origin story behind one of Broadway's most beloved musicals, Fiddler on The Roof, and its creative roots in early 1960s New York, when "tradition" was on the wane as gender roles, sexuality, race relations and religion were evolving.
Mercury Rising
Renegade FBI agent Art Jeffries protects a nine-year-old autistic boy who has cracked the government's new "unbreakable" code.
Capturing the Friedmans
An Oscar nominated documentary about a middle-class American family who is torn apart when the father Arnold and son Jesse are accused of sexually abusing numerous children. Director Jarecki interviews people from different sides of this tragic story and raises the question of whether they were rightfully tried when they claim they were innocent and there was never any evidence against them.
Nightworld: Lost Souls
As a family moves into their new country home, strange events occur, making them believe that their autistic daughter is somehow communicating with the victims of an unsolved murder 8 years earlier.
Mario
Set during summer in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine of Quebec, Mario and Simon are two brothers living in a fishing village with their mother, who runs a grocery story, and their father, who runs a fishing business. Mario is ten years old, mute and autistic. He is withdrawn from reality and living in a surreal world that only his older brother Simon and his stuffed coyote share. Mario is very close with and deeply admires his 18 year old brother, whom he depends upon for love and attention. Simon reads Arabian Knights stories to Mario, dresses him in sheik's clothing and they play out imaginary wars in an Arabian style fortress that they built. Everything changes when Helene, a beautiful young tourist comes between the two brothers. Simon falls in love and begins to neglect his brother to spend time with her. Mario feels rejected and discovers what hate and jealously are. He sets about a chain of events that lead to tragedy.
Music
Zu, a free spirit estranged from her family, suddenly finds herself the sole guardian of her half-sister, Music, a teenager on the autism spectrum whose whole world order has been beautifully crafted by her late grandmother. The film soon challenges whether it is Zu or Music who has a better view of the world, and that love, trust, and being able to be there for each other is everything.
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Take a stroll down Sesame Street and witness the birth of the most influential children's show in television history. From the iconic furry characters to the classic songs you know by heart, learn how a gang of visionary creators changed the world.
Streetwise
This documentary about teenagers living on the streets in Seattle began as a magazine article. The film follows nine teenagers who discuss how they live by panhandling, prostitution, and petty theft.
Come Next Spring
Matt Ballot has returned home after 12 years of hard-drinking in all 48 states. His wife has managed to raise their 14-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son nicely without his help. Matt is considered a disgrace to the town he came from and now he finds himself trying to win the love of his children, his wife, and the respect of the townspeople. Set in Arkansas in the 1920s.
Alone in the Woods
Ten-year-old Justin finds himself hitching a ride with two kidnappers when he climbs aboard the wrong van -- thinking it's his family's vehicle -- and gets separated from his parents. When the bumbling crooks hatch a plan to nab a business tycoon's daughter, Justin finds his only recourse is to save the girl while making his escape.
Jack
Jack Powell suffers from an affliction that makes him grow four times faster than normal, so the 10-year-old looks like a 40-year-old man. After years of being tutored at home, Jack convinces his overprotective parents to send him to public school. The children don't know what to make of Jack, but with the help of his fifth-grade teacher, he makes an effort to win them over.
Come Play
A lonely young boy feels different from everyone else. Desperate for a friend, he seeks solace and refuge in his ever-present cell phone and tablet. When a mysterious creature uses the boy’s devices against him to break into our world, his parents must fight to save their son from the monster beyond the screen.
Adeline
When a mysterious doctor arrives in a small Midwestern town, her therapy horse, Adeline, quickly gains a reputation for ‘healing’ those with special needs. Not used to this alternative form of healing, some begin to question the authenticity of Adeline’s methods and tensions arise. But one day during an equine therapy session, a destructive tornado descends upon the barn. Adeline leaps into action and corrals her students, pushing them against the founding wall of the stable. Although Adeline saves the lives of 12 people, she takes the brunt of the storm’s destructive force and suffers a shattered leg. With the town’s people now convinced of Adeline’s amazing spirit, they band together to raise the funds necessary to fix her leg and save her life. Based on an inspirational true story, Adeline teaches all those she encounters the same powerful lesson: miracles happen when you let go of the reins.
Rich Hill
If you ever find yourself traveling down Interstate 49 through Missouri, try not to blink—you may miss Rich Hill, population 1,396. Rich Hill is easy to overlook, but its inhabitants are as woven into the fabric of America as those living in any small town in the country. This movie intimately chronicles the turbulent lives of three boys living in said Midwestern town and the fragile family bonds that sustain them.
Run Wild, Run Free
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian, this 1969 British children's film stars Mark Lester as a young boy, unable to speak, who befriends both a wild colt with blue eyes and a falcon named "Lady". The cast also includes John Mills, Gordon Jackson and Sylvia Sims.
The Mask You Live In
Compared to girls, research shows that boys in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with a behaviour disorder, prescribed stimulant medications, fail out of school, binge drink, commit a violent crime, and/or take their own lives. The Mask You Live In asks: as a society, how are we failing our boys?
Somewhere Between
Questions of race, identity and heritage are explored through the lives of young American women growing up as adoptees from China. These four distinct individuals reflect on their experiences as members of transracial families.
Is That Black Enough for You?!?
A look at the Black revolution in 1970s cinema, from genre films to social realism, from the making of new superstars to the craft of rising auteurs.
Silent Fall
When an autistic boy witnesses his parents' double murder, controversial therapist Dr. Jake Rainer seeks to probe the child's mind in order to solve the case.
Trading Mom
The Martin kids learn of a magic spell that will take them to the 'mommy market' so they can get a more user friendly model. After giving a few other moms a try, they want their own back. But that is not so easy.
When She Was Bad...
Stressed by a recent move and being a stay-at-home mom, Teeny takes out her bottled-up rage on her daughter Robbie. Only the help of her friends, family and counselors can stop her from harming Robbie and herself.
Magnificent 7
Inspired by the life of Jacqui Jackson, the story follows a self-sacrificing mother of seven children, four of whom are, in one form or another, autistic.
A Family Is a Family Is a Family: A Rosie O'Donnell Celebration
What is a family? Rosie O'Donnell looks at the many answers to this question in this documentary that features original songs and thoughtful kids musing on love and family. The show provides a less than moving portrait of the remarkable diversity of so called families today, including same-sex parents, mixed-heritage families, and stories of adoption. Animated songs and musical performances by kids and families spice up the festivities along with performances and recordings by artists including Ziggy Marley, Bonnie Raitt, Doris Day, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Frank Sinatra, Rosie O'Donnell and They Might Be Giants.
Politics of the Heart
Based in Quebec, this film is a portrait of lesbian and gay families as well as the story of how they organized out of conditions of violence and discrimination to win recognition of their relationships, families and parenting rights. Also tells the story of the landmark case in Quebec that broke the ban against same-sex marriage, making Quebec the third province in Canada to recognize equal marriage.
A Question of Love
A lesbian mother fights to keep her son when a custody suit is brought by her ex-husband.
No More Goodbyes
After his foster mother dies, sixteen-year-old Mark goes on the run with his foster brother Tristan, a young boy with Autism and PTSD in order for them to stay together and not become separated by the system. However, Mark finds out that keeping him and his brother together is going to be harder than it looks ...
The Big Question
Although it was shot on the set of director Mel Gibson's controversial epic The Passion of the Christ, this thought-provoking documentary is not about the making of the movie. Rather, filmmakers Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari delve into the nature of divinity and spiritual beliefs through revealing interviews with Gibson and members of his cast and crew -- including stars Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci.
Abner, the Invisible Dog
A bullied teen stumbles into possession of a top-secret government formula that turns his dog invisible and gives it the power of speech.
A Passage to Middle-earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'
The making of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's classic work.
The Alternativity
The story of how Britain’s favourite artist Banksy teamed up with Britain’s favourite film director Danny Boyle to put on a moving nativity play at The Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem in December 2017. This was a two-part special for BBC2, the first comprising of a behind the scenes documentary, whilst the second part was the performance itself.
Kids and Guns
The controversial right to bear arms is at the heart of American culture. It is so deeply ingrained that parents often pass down their love of guns to their children, and gun companies now market real rifles to kids as young as four - with blue ones for boys and pink for girls. This documentary sheds light on the world of young shooters, illuminating the beliefs, ambitions, and paranoia that motivate adults to put guns in the hands of children. Teaching kids to shoot is seen as a fun family experience and yet over 3000 children are injured or killed every year in accidental shootings. This documentary follows the stories of three American families tackling the difficult issues behind the American relationship with firearms and the compelling stories behind the horrifying statistics.
The Brain
THE BRAIN is an astonishing voyage of discovery into our last biological frontier. Although today s computers can make calculations in one-100th of a second and technology can transport us outside the bonds of Earth, only now are we beginning to understand the most complex machine in the universe. Using simple analogies, real-life case studies, and state-of-the-art CGI, this special shows how the brain works, explains the frequent battle between instinct and reason, and unravels the mysteries of memory and decision-making. It takes us inside the mind of a soldier under fire to see how decisions are made in extreme situations, examines how an autistic person like Rain Man develops remarkable skills, and takes on the age-old question of what makes one person good and another evil. Research is rushing forward. We’ve learned more about the workings of the brain in the last five years than in the previous one hundred.
Anatomy of Violence
Documentary of the Symposium on the Dialectics of Liberation and the Demystification of Violence, held in London, July 1967, organized by R.D.Laing, with Stokely Carmichael, Allen Ginsberg, Paul Goodman, Herbert Marcuse, John Gerassi, and many others. An important record of the spectrum of left-wing politics and personalities during the turbulent Sixties.
The Innocents
Four children become friends during the summer holidays, and out of sight of the adults they discover they have hidden powers. While exploring their newfound abilities in the nearby forests and playgrounds, their innocent play takes a dark turn and strange things begin to happen.
B-Boy Blues
Follows the relationship of 27-year-old journalist Mitchell Crawford and 21-year-old bicycle messenger Raheim Rivers, who meet at a gay bar in Greenwich Village during the summer of 1993.
Suzie
Suzie, a 58 year old depressed taxi driver on the night shift. On Halloween, she finds a 10 year old autistic boy in the back seat of her taxi with 50$ and an address. As Suzie arrived at the father's address, she realizes the mess this family is in. This child and her own troubled past lead her down a surprising road. In French with English subtitles.
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion
Through in-depth interviews with cast and crew, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Assembled uncovers how Marvel Studios’ “Secret Invasion” was born. Witness what it took to conjure the world of the show, and spend time with Samuel L. Jackson as he dons the patch once again to engage in the most baffling battle of Nick Fury’s career.
Thriller 40
Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.
Return to Jurassic Park
A multi-part documentary about the making of the Jurassic Park trilogy. Each part walks through the making of part of one of the films, including the hurricane during the shooting of the first film, and how advances in CGI for Jurassic Park helped change the world of special effects forever. All interviews for these retrospective documentaries come with comments from Spielberg, Johnston, Neill, Dern, Goldblum, the effects crews, the child actors, and Peter Stormare. This documentary is broken into six parts: Dawn of a New Era (25 min), Making Prehistory (20 min), The Next Step in Evolution (15 min), Finding the Lost World (28 min), Something Survived (16 min), and The Third Adventure (25 min).
X+Y
A socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad.