Best movies & TV Shows like Reel Britannia

A blending of documentary and experimental narrative strategies, combining stunning 16mm landscape cinematography with a bold, lyrical voice-over to share two San Francisco stories: the history of the Golden Gate Bridge as “suicide landmark,” and the story of a butch dyke in San Francisco searching for love and self-discovery. The Joy of Life is a film about landscapes, both physical and emotional.

After rocker Kurt Cobain's death, ruled a suicide, a film crew arrives in Seattle to make a documentary. Director Nick Broomfield talks to lots of people. Portraits emerge: a shy, slight Kurt, weary of touring, embarrassed by fame, hooked on heroin; an out-going Courtney, dramatic, controlling, moving from groupie to star.

A rare look at the the career of film director Pedro Almodóvar, especially his early works, with interviews with the director himself and his stars and admirers.

This documentary explores the legacy of one of the most notorious British sitcoms of all time. Launching alternative comedy onto our screens, the show made household names of its performers and writers and proved to be a huge influence, despite the BBC reportedly being baffled by what they'd commissioned back in 1982. Never before had a flagship comedy show contained so much violence, depravity and anarchy - it was a shot across the bow to mainstream comedians that things would never be the same again.

Continuous Journey is an inquiry into the largely ignored history of Canada's exclusion of the South Asians by a little known immigration policy called the Continuous Journey Regulation of 1908. Unlike the Chinese and the Japanese, people from British India were excluded by a regulation that appeared fair, but in reality, was an effective way of keeping people from India out of Canada until 1948. As a direct result, only a half-mile from Canadian shores, the Komagata Maru was surrounded by immigration boats and the passengers were held incommunicado virtual prisoners on the ship. Thus began a dramatic stand-off which would escalate over the course of two months, becoming one of the most infamous incidents in Canadian history.

Inspired by true events, Todd Verow’s Tumbledown is an explosive cocktail- an emotional rollercoaster ride through the dark sides of sexuality. A complicated love triangle develops after hunky Jay meets bartender Nick and invites him to spend the weekend with him and his partner in their country cabin. Soon, copious amounts of sex, drugs and alcohol lead to a dark obsession and even darker complications. Always bold and never less than riveting, Tumbledown is sure to leave you breathless.

Turning points in ancient Roman history and some of the Empire's greatest stories are brought to life in this drama documentary series.

Natural and man-made catastrophes retold by eyewitnesses and dramatic reconstructions.

A series about the life, career and works of the movie comedy genius.

A worldwide guided tour of the greatest movies ever made and the story of international cinema through the history of cinematic innovation.

Privates is a 2013 BBC One drama television series set in 1960 which follows the stories of eight privates who are part of the last intake of National Service, and their relationships with their officers and non-commissioned officers, civilian staff and families. The series was written by Damian Wayling, directed by Bryn Higgins and produced by Nick Pitt. The setting is the fictional North Yorkshire Regiment, although for dramatic effect the characters are from a variety of backgrounds including London, Liverpool, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Filmed in Northern Ireland, extras were provided by soldiers, wives and families of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles. Locations were Ballykinler Army Base, Tyrella Beach, South Promenade Newcastle.

This series tells the history of three great ships, the Titanic, the Bismarck, and the TS Canberra, that mirror the history of the century.

For many decades, archaeological excavations and scientific expeditions throughout the entire region have been attempting to solve the mystery of what held the Empire by the Nile together for so long. The four-part series Planet Egypt delves deep into crucial periods in the history of the Pharaohs. The documentary depicts the founding of the Empire under King Narmer, the rise of Egypt to a world power under Thutmose III, the revolution during the reign of Akhenaten and the enormous surge in construction activity under Pharaoh Ramses the Great. By means of dramatic re-enactments and lavish computer animations, Terra-X resurrects the world of Ancient Egypt. Entire cities such as Hierakonpolis, Thebes and Amarna are reconstructed in 3-D animations and brought back to life. Each episode sheds light on one of the vital foundation stones at the base of this extraordinary civilisation.

Historian Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she-wolves' was deserved.

The best known and most notorious PoW camp in history is Colditz, an 18th century castle in eastern Germany. With its imposing walls, steep cliffs, and rigorous policing, it was seen as the ultimate prison, home to the worst troublemakers from allied PoW camps all over Europe. Using archive material and dramatic reconstruction, and the personal testimony of Colditz veterans, this series documents the creative and often spectacular attempts to go over, under, around or through the walls. A specially commissioned archaeologist, working with the veterans, also uncovers the secret rooms, hidden tunnels and concealed doors that were so important in securing each precious escape from Colditz. At the start of 1942, British prisoners were lagging behind the French and Dutch in terms of "home runs" but the British success rate was about to improve, as they were getting help from a new source.

“Broken Silence” is composed of five hourlong shorts from a quintet of international directors: Hungary’s Janos Szasz (“Eyes of the Holocaust”), Argentina’s Luis Puenzo (“Some Who Lived”), Russia’s Pavel Chukhraj (“Children From the Abyss”), the Czech Republic’s Vojtech Jasny (“Hell on Earth”) and Poland’s Andrzej Wajda (“I Remember”). The helmers, some descendants of Holocaust survivors, focus on the atrocities within their particular parts of the world, with testimonials, pictures and an overall tone as they pertain to each region’s culture and history.

Dan Snow examines how the Allied Forces planned and executed the D-Day landings, as surviving veterans tell the story of one of the most dramatic military operations in history.

Five programmes that trace a remarkable decade in British film-making through interviews with its stars and directors.

Two-part documentary in which Jonathan Meades makes the case for 20th-century concrete Brutalist architecture in an homage to a style that he sees a brave, bold and bloodyminded. Tracing its precursors to the once-hated Victorian edifices described as Modern Gothic and before that to the unapologetic baroque visions created by John Vanbrugh, as well as the martial architecture of World War II, Meades celebrates the emergence of the Brutalist spirit in his usual provocative and incisive style. Never pulling his punches, Meades praises a moment in architecture he considers sublime and decries its detractors.

The series heads to the very frontiers of space and science to produce the definitive television history of science fiction, told through its impact on cinema, television and literature, with the help of filmmakers, writers, actors, and graphic artists. Each episode will explore one of the enduring themes of science fiction: time travel; the exploration of space; robots and artificial intelligence; and aliens.

This three-part special tells the story of the Egyptian empire from its beginning in 1560 B.C. to its collapse in 1080 B.C. Interviews with scholars and dramatic re-creations bring the story to life.

Award-winning comedian Nick Helm presents a helter-skelter ride of songs, sketches, jokes, poetry, fireworks, stunts, dance, and whatever else he can muster.

Three-part documentary about the sinking of the Spanish Armada, featuring dramatic reconstructions and information gleaned from recently recovered documents. Dan Snow takes to the sea to tell the story of how England came within a whisker of disaster in summer 1588.

Acclaimed filmmaker Jennifer Fox maps the world of female life and sexuality today -- from the dramatic turns in her own life to the stories of women around the globe that shed light on the universal issues all women face. Employing a groundbreaking camera technique, called "passing the camera", this powerful series creates a new type of documentary language and storytelling that mirrors the special way women communicate.

In an ambitious and groundbreaking approach to drama and history featuring dramatic reconstruction, historian Lucy Worsley time travels back to the Tudor Court to witness some of the most dramatic moments in the lives of Henry VIII's six wives.

Sample the bold new flavors of France with chefs who are pushing the boundaries of fine dining and reinventing a rich culinary tradition.

The extraordinary story of how Hollywood changed World War II – and how World War II changed Hollywood, through the interwoven experiences of five legendary filmmakers who went to war to serve their country and bring the truth to the American people: John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens. Based on Mark Harris’ best-selling book, “Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War.”

Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces, explores how the physical and mental health of our past monarchs has shaped the history of the nation.

On its 70th anniversary, Anita Rani explores the human impact of the 1947 Partition of India through the dramatic stories of three British families - one Muslim, one Hindu, and one British Colonial. Anita and her mother Lucky also explore their own Partition story, as they become the first members of her Sikh family to return to their ancestral home in what is now Pakistan.

A six part docuseries that explores how 12 apostles became 1.2 billion Catholics today and goes inside the Vatican to reveal the true power held by popes throughout the ages.

Novelist Michael Peterson and his wife Kathleen are the toast of Durham, North Carolina. But that all changes on December 9, 2001, when Kathleen is found dead in her home at the bottom of a staircase. Michael claims it was a tragic, accidental fall. But was she murdered? In this three-part series, we investigate the shocking details of the case through the people closest to it. We'll also reveal a 16-year-old secret and examine one of the most dramatic trials in recent history.

A unique portrait of how art and activism for black people in film are indivisible from race and cinema.

Professor Brian Cox explores the dramatic lives of the eight majestic planets/worlds that make up our solar system.

Explore American cinema through the decades and the cultural, societal and political shifts that framed its evolution.

A landmark, three-part series that tells the human story through our relationship to water. We find out how our success is intimately connected to our control of the molecule, but that the growth of our civilizations has also created a dangerous dependence on a precious resource. One that may be about to run out.

In The Pale Tourist, Gaffigan boldly goes where no stand-up comedian has gone before: everywhere. The two hour-long specials were filmed as part of Gaffigan's The Pale Tourist worldwide tour, in which he traveled the world--in each country meeting people, eating the food, and learning a bit about the history. He would then transform those experiences into a stand-up set of all-new material and perform it for locals and expatriates, before heading on to another destination and doing it all over again.

Blending in-depth interviews, rare archival footage, and cinematic recreations, this docuseries on the lives of America's most iconic First Ladies is a bold revision of each woman's traditional portrayal, revealing how they were impacted during their time in the White House, and how their achievements fundamentally shaped American and global history.

Inspired by the music and subjects featured in the series “Godfather of Harlem,” this documentary series brings alive the dramatic true story of Harlem and its music during the 1960s, and connects that history to our present moment.

A guided tour of all things Channel 4 in a celebration of four decades of iconic TV shows, from live autopsies and award-winning documentaries to anarchic live shows and ground-breaking comedy

The comedian explores the British isles in her vintage camper van, Helen, taking in some dramatic scenery, unspoilt countryside and incredible historic sights along the way.

Five established comedians take on the challenge of mentoring and training five celebrities to perform a stand up comedy routine in aid of the Stand Up to Cancer charity.

With the 00s now firmly in our rear view mirror, the decade is ripe for re-evaluation. From 9/11 to the financial crisis, the decade shows not only a period of turmoil in the United States but its also a golden age when the Internet hadnt been colonized by corporations, when social media was still young and fresh and when it was easy to make money.

Amol Rajan tells the story of one of the most dramatic periods in modern royal history, looking at how the younger royals' relationship with the media changed following the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Lucy Worsley re-investigates some of the most dramatic chapters in British history. She uncovers forgotten witnesses, re-examines old evidence and follows new clues.

A dramatic and detailed 3-part documentary series that reveals the events that led to the 1986 nuclear accident.

On November 4, 1979, Iranian student activists stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking over 60 Americans hostage. What was planned as a 48-hour sit-in to protest American imperialism, ballooned into an international crisis and 24/7 media event that would last 444 days. With never-before-seen archival footage and revelatory new interviews with the American hostages and Iranian hostage-takers alike, the series is a gripping chronicle of one of the most dramatic international deadlocks in American history, a deep dive into the geo-political history that led to the crisis, and an exploration of the political fallout that reverberates today.

'Kingdom of Dreams' is a stunning four-part series chronicling three critical decades of the fashion world, from the early 1990s through to the 2010s. Described as a Golden Age, this period of time was an era of disruption and innovation as the traditional fashion business bumped heads against the young and exciting international visionaries who were shaking up the industry. Using rare library material, never-before-seen personal archives and story-driven interviews, explore a pivotal time in fashion history up close.

On a humid evening in 1995, Colleen Nick’s life would be forever changed when her daughter, Morgan Nick, was kidnapped while playing with friends nearby. Her friend, Patty Wetterling, is one of few people who can relate to life with a child missing for 27 years. Patty’s son, Jacob, was kidnapped six years before Morgan. When the Morgan Nick case is reexamined in 2020, a documentary crew was there with the new investigators - leading to the first dramatic shift in the investigation in 25 years.

Audiences are invited to look back at The 2010s, a turbulent era marked by political and social upheaval, culminating in the single most dramatic year of the 21st century: 2020. It was a decade in which social media transformed society and streaming upended entertainment, resulting in genre-defying music and ushering in the era of "peak TV".

Comedian Ruby puts her mind through the ultimate test: marooned on an island for ten days.