Best movies like On the Ropes

It is 2016 and a fearful world seems to be on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe. A researcher in psychical events and his girlfriend travel to deepest Dartmoor to investigate a centuries-old building. What they unlock and discover is way more than they could have ever bargained for. An exciting first feature from newcomer Eugene McGing, who expertly takes familiar tropes and gives them a fresh spin in this genuinely terrifying haunted house tale.

'THE UPPER FOOTAGE' is the first film experience of its kind. The film is an edited version of 393 minutes of recovered footage documenting a young girl's tragic overdose death and subsequent cover up by a group of affluent socialites. What started as a blackmail plot played out over YouTube, became Hollywood's biggest drug scandal, turned into a heavily controversial film property that was rumored to be held by some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Now, after playing itself out in the media for 3 years it is finally making its way to the public.

Two friends' tour of Europe takes a dark turn when one of them contracts a mysterious illness. They race to find out what it is and how to cure it before the sickness consumes him completely.

In 2009, the small town of Cohasset, Massachusetts was rocked with tragedy. A 17-year-old high school senior named Collin Mason murdered three classmates. All the murders were videotaped and uploaded to the Internet via bit torrent sites and for three days, the world viewed the murders of these three innocent teens. Through legal action, the parents of the victims were able to remove all footage from the Internet and the town tried to save face by pretending it never happened. Bootleg copies of this footage are still passed around and downloaded through illegal means. The impact of this video is still being felt in Cohasset today. The video has become infamous, and is now referred to as The Cohasset Snuff Film.

While shooting a documentary on the suspicious disappearances within the homeless community, a filmmaker and his crew go missing while uncovering a terrifying and vicious secret below the city's surface.

A group of filmmakers sets out to make the first 3D found footage horror movie, but find themselves IN the first 3D found footage horror movie when the evil entity from their film escapes into their behind-the-scenes footage.

In this fictional documentary, U.S. prisons are at capacity, and President Nixon declares a state of emergency. All new prisoners, most of whom are connected to the antiwar movement, are now given the choice of jail time or spending three days in Punishment Park, where they will be hunted for sport by federal authorities. The prisoners invariably choose the latter option, but learn that, between the desert heat and the brutal police officers, their chances of survival are slim.

The bizarre found footage from an investigation into a true crime murder. An unemployed man's curiosity about his neighbor's murder warps into a conspiratorial obsession.

In the autumn of 1960, Father Thomas Riley and Father John Thornton were sent by the Vatican to investigate a miraculous event in an Irish home for 'fallen women', only to uncover something much more horrific.

Karate experts attempt to rescue a girl who was kidnapped by a mother and her two psycho sons.

Chasing their dream of landing their own hunting show, Jake and Stevie head to the dense, secluded mountains of West Virginia. Equipped with only their bow and camera, they have just three days to kill a monster buck big enough to grab the attention of the network...and they've found him. But the sun has set, and they realize they're not alone.

A story that imagines how these real-world phenomena may be related. In this story, startling amateur video and photographic evidence, as well as additional audio recordings, suggests whales weren’t the only creatures affected by the Navy’s sonar. The film follows the two scientists who tracked the whale beachings for years and delivers first-hand, on-camera accounts of what they claim to have discovered in the aftermath of one particular beaching. Their story is nothing less than fantastical: they claim to have found the remains of a mermaid.

In 2010 “Skinwalker Ranch” gained media attention after experiencing a wide range of unexplained phenomena. Reports ranged from UFO sightings to livestock mutilation, but maybe most notable was the disappearance of ranch owner Hoyt Miller’s eight-year-old son Cody on November 11, 2010. Close to a year later, Modern Defense Enterprises has sent a team of experts to document and investigate the mysterious occurrences, which only escalate upon their arrival. Tensions rise as the team must decide how far they will go to unlock the mysteries of “Skinwalker Ranch.” The group debates whether the answers are worth risking their lives for, or if they should just call off the investigation and leave the ranch—that is, if leaving is actually an option…

"A Summer in the Cage" is filmmaker Ben Selkow's feature-length documentary chronicling his friend Sam's battle with manic-depressive illness, also known as bipolar disorder. The film follows Sam for seven years as he suffers delusional manic episodes, battles paralyzing depressions, and tries to escape the legacy of his bipolar father who committed suicide when Sam was eight years old. By showing the difficult emotional impact of being bipolar on Sam, his family, all those who care about him and the filmmaker, "A Summer in the Cage" hopes to put a human face on an illness that affects millions of American families. But as this dramatic story unfolds and heads to an explosive standoff, it also becomes a unique tale about friendship and the ethical responsibilities of a documentary filmmaker.

Jane is a beautiful but troubled American girl backpacking through Japan, when her raw street fighting skills draw the attention of Oshima, Japanese karate champion, who recruits and trains her to fight in the vicious, all-female, underground martial arts tournament known as "The Kumite". After months of rigorous preparation, Jane is ready to face off against the deadliest female fighters in the world, including Ling, the Chinese apprentice of Oshima's nemesis. But other nefarious forces lie in the shadows, and Jane and Ling will have to unite on a journey that will take them from the gritty underworld of Hong Kong to the glitz of Macao, before deciding who really is the best female fighter on the planet.

Exhibit A tells the timely story of a normal family disintegrating under financial pressure. All is not as it seems as the King family go about their day-to-day lives oblivious of the horror to come. Dad Andy (Bradley Cole) is nursing a secret that ultimately leads to terrible consequences for them all. We witness these chilling events unfold through daughter Judith's video camera, which subsequently becomes Exhibit A.

An insight into the life and work of celebrated painter Paula Rego directed by her son, the film maker Nick Willing. Notoriously private and guarded, Rego opens up for the first time surprising her son with secrets and stories of her unique life, battling fascism, a misogynistic art world and depression.

Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour, a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to find out what really happened.

A documentary study of martial arts films and their leading protagonists. Included are profiles of such artists as Bruce Lee, Cynthia Rothrock, Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme and John Woo favourite Chow Yun Fat.

From the makers of The Last Exorcism comes a boldly original vision of horror. What if the most chilling novel of all time was actually based on a true account of a horrific experiment gone awry? When he is suspended from his university job for his outlandish ideas, Professor John Venkenheim leads a documentary film crew to the rim of the Arctic Circle in a desperate effort to vindicate his academic reputation. His theory: Mary Shelley's ghastly story, "Frankenstein," is, in fact, a work of non-fiction disguised as fantasy. In the vast, frozen wilderness, Venkenheim and his team search for the legendary monster, a creature mired in mystery and drenched in blood. What they find is an unspeakable truth more terrifying than any fiction...a nightmare from which there is no waking.

“Laughing Lexi” has gone missing. As the tale unfolds, the story of what really happened becomes stranger than fiction.

The Robertson County Sheriff's Department has released footage found on the bodies of the Sawyer family's cell phones and video cameras. What was first thought to be a murder-suicide is now believed to be the return of a centuries-old demon responsible for America's most famous paranormal event.

The story of a reality T.V. crew of paranormal researchers who journey to Colorado's San Luis Valley in order to investigate the unexplained phenomena of cattle mutilations. Over the course of their three day investigation they find much more than they ever could have bargained for.

An enthusiastic lecturer and her student travel to Europe to go after the mythology of the Mothman, but they soon have to fight for survival.

Angela Bennett is conducting an investigation into the paranormal events that happened at a haunted house in Sherwood. What Angela doesn't know is that she is being followed by Karen, who is making a film of her own.

A year after the collapse of a low-budget British rom-com, documentary maker Andy Wiseman sets out to find out what went wrong. He speaks to the producer, Nicholas Johnson, an alcoholic whose office is a lap-dancing club, the writer, Flynn Beatty, living in a suburban semi, and the deluded 'visionary' director, Harlan Noble, dwelling in deserved obscurity. But as the cast and crew tell their tale, will Andy ever get to the bottom of the farrago that was 'Just for the Record'?

In an effort to give filmmaking one last try, failed director Kipp Swanson accepts a job to document an allegedly haunted house in his town, assembling a team of ghost experts, including his ex-girlfriend.

Ewelyn and Pau are a mid twenties couple residing in the USA. Ewelyn being a Chritian and Pau an atheist. One summer, they travel to Europe, ultimately visiting Chodecz, Poland, where the girl was born. At first, things are going great; Ewelyn gets to see her grandmothers and relatives, and visits the graveyard where her parents are buried. As the week goes by, strange phenomena starts to occur. The couple will find themselves threatened, not only at a relationship level, but also to fear for their lives.

Documentary-drama recounting the Martian War of 1913–1917. Europe was on tenterhooks in the 2nd decade of the 20th century, everyone was expecting a Great War between the major European powers. But then, in 1913, something crashed into the forests of SW Germany. Troops were sent to investigate but were wiped out. Martian fighting machines began making their way across Western Europe and the countries of Europe combined forces to resist them. With aspects taken from ‘The War of the Worlds’ by H.G. Wells and from WWI itself, this dramatisation presents a documentary style look at events as they unfolded and the effect they had of our world today. Lots of references to real events including the mass attacks and defeats as men were thrown against machines on the Western front, the Christmas truce and the Angel of Mons, America's isolationism and late entry into the conflict, the worldwide Spanish flu epidemic that killed more people than the war, and many other things.

Purporting to be an investigation into the UK's contemporary "brain drain", Alternative 3 uncovered a plan to make the Moon and Mars habitable in the event of climate change and a terminal environmental catastrophe on Earth.

The gritty true-life story of a notorious Boston criminal and his gang who, driven by addiction and greed, commit a series of dangerous robberies during the height of the OxyContin drug trade.

While filming a documentary series about Appalachian folklore and mythology, a crew of amateur filmmakers uncover the legend of a mysterious box hidden away deep in a wilderness area known as "Jeffrey's Hell" in the Appalachian mountains of East Tennessee. As the mystery unfolds they soon discover that some secrets are best locked away and forgotten. Based on actual events.

S&Man (also known as Sandman) is a 2006 pseudo-documentary film that examines the underground subculture of horror films. It combines real interviews with indie horror film makers and a scripted plot that does not immediately come into focus until the second half of the film.

FBI agent Kate Mason, an expert in martial arts, becomes the main target for a gangster, after she kills one of his closest employees.

Karate Wars is an all or nothing tournament where the prize is honor, self respect and a million dollars. Karate master Oyama, trains his loyal students in the ancient, mystical arts of Kung Fu. His top student Jason is faced with the challenge of fighting his hated rival in a fight to the finish. Oyama's students train vigorously in the secret Chinese style of the snake and crane... When the "Karate Wars" tournament gets canceled, another war begins on the streets, where there is no ring...no rules...and no million dollars...

An Original Documentary that explores the unexplained events at 5 unique locations including an Antebellum Haunted Mansion, the most spirited Movie Palace in America, a tragic spot in the Florida Clay Pits, Al Capone's Florida Hideout and more with 4 Expert Investigation Teams.

A crime documentary project gets hijacked by its subject.

"YouthMin" is a mockumentary following an attention seeking youth pastor and his small group of Christian teens at Bible camp.

This true story covers ground-breaking research into the aviation that took place at the Groom Lake Testing Facility, otherwise known as Area 51, which ensured US Aerial supremacy from the Cold War through to the present day. Utilising CIA documents that have recently been declassified this programme identifies specific individuals who worked at the top secret base in a variety of roles – the radar specialists, pilots and security guards. Their personal testimonies provide a unique impression not just of the work that was carried out, but of the site itself. We reveal just how tight security had to be to keep the development of the U2, A12 and HAVE BLUE aviation programmes under wraps. This is a film that concentrates on delivering history and factual accuracy in a fresh and engaging style – one that answers the question ‘what really happened at Area 51’?

The passionate advocates of the ‘Cigar Box Guitar Revolution’ express their love of making unique hand-made instruments and the democratic, re-cycling ethos of the movement. Many of these musicians are from northern, post-industrial British towns, and create a self-identity through making these three-stringed guitars. Born from the Blues, the emotional connection they feel for their instruments creates a unique and evocative sound that transports musicians and audiences alike. Screened on BBC1 & BBC4 & iplayer

The complex engineering challenges that make re-entry into the earth's atmosphere so dangerous. Scientists have labored for years to bring a crew safely home in what is essentially a meteorite, wrapped in a cocoon of fire, hurtling towards earth six times faster than the fastest bullet. Scientific experts from NASA explain the significance of Columbia's events as they unfolded, offer insights into what may have caused them and how those key events contributed to the shuttle’s ultimate destruction.

In 2018 a string of tragedies unfold in the high desert of North Eastern Nevada. A woman was found dead and another would vanish along the same stretch of remote highway. Could these events be linked to the infamous 2017 disappearance of outdoorsman Gary Hinge?

A caring housekeeper and a protective gardener support three elderly Jewish sisters who are left to keep what remains of a most unique vow. Three wayward young women are on a destructive path of pain and sorrow. The six lives are merged when a merciful judge grants the young women a lifeline of hope, but cultural and moral differences create an expected resistance as the young women fight against the sisters' rules of decency and respect. All are forced to confront the realities of their decisions when the power of redemption attempts to cross the barriers of ethnic tensions. Considered one of the best drama movies of 2022, The Lady Makers does not disappoint. This independent produced, feature film has guts.

Three first-time filmmakers, Justin, Dana and John set out to make a documentary about the hardships of inner-city life. Justin follows two NYPD officers while Dana and John focus on Thomas (a black youth poised to move up from his hardships). Stories merge, relationships corrode and the filmmakers become participants in the underground world they set out to document.

In 1974, President Ford ordered the evacuation of Boston, OH. Theories as to why included the cover up of a mutation-causing chemical spill; extreme paranormal activity; and Boston being taken over by a satanic cult. But what really happened in Helltown?

Doctors are baffled when an expectant mother wakes to find her nearly-to-term pregnancy apparently disappear overnight. Police investigate the situation as a missing child, and only her husband and brother trust her version of events.

Based off of true events, Within Madness follows the video diary of Donovan Summers, a personal trainer who tells his story through his videos. On the way Donovan starts to become obsessed with a customer at his gym which leads him down a dark road of obsession taking him to lengths of unimaginable self destruction. Within Madness is a dark tale of a man lost in his own desires and the consequences of what happens when all hope is gone.

In "The Soul of A Man," director Wim Wenders looks at the dramatic tension in the blues between the sacred and the profane by exploring the music and lives of three of his favorite blues artists: Skip James, Blind Willie Johnson and J. B. Lenoir. Part history, part personal pilgrimage, the film tells the story of these lives in music through an extended fictional film sequence (recreations of '20s and '30s events - shot in silent-film, hand-crank style), rare archival footage, present-day documentary scenes and covers of their songs by contemporary musicians such as Shemekia Copeland, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Garland Jeffreys, Chris Thomas King, Cassandra Wilson, Nick Cave, Los Lobos, Eagle Eye Cherry, Vernon Reid, James "Blood" Ulmer, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Marc Ribot, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Lucinda Williams and T-Bone Burnett.

When National Geographic photographer James Balog asked, “How can one take a picture of climate change?” his attention was immediately drawn to ice. Soon he was asked to do a cover story on glaciers that became the most popular and well-read piece in the magazine during the last five years. But for Balog, that story marked the beginning of a much larger and longer-term project that would reach epic proportions.

Madness, mayhem, and mummification rites ensue when a documentary filmmaker visits the rural commune of an Ancient Egyptian inspired cult to interview its enigmatic leader.