Best movies like The Wizard of Heaven

A vivid, dynamic Southern coming-of-age drama, takes place in the transitional space between high school and college, when life seems to be all questions and no answers, and the future is scarily wide open. Set in and around a Charleston, SC Baptist church, weaving through this ensemble piece are three main characters - Brea, an introspective pastor's daughter experiencing debilitating doubt, the hyperactive Laura, Brea's best friend and a devout believer, and Tim, the open-hearted son of a single father, confronting his homosexuality for the first time. Tensions and buried feelings abound, as colleges are chosen and adults behave badly, as Brea, Laura and Tim attempt to hang onto what they have, all the while yearning to break free.

John H. Groberg, a middle class kid from Idaho Falls, crosses the Pacific to become a Mormon missionary in the remote and exotic Tongan island kingdom during the 1950's. He leaves behind a loving family and the true love of his life, Jean. Through letters and musings across the miles, John shares his humbling and sometimes hilarious adventures with "the girl back home", and her letters buoy up his spirits in difficult times. John must struggle to overcome language barriers, physical hardship and deep-rooted suspicion to earn the trust and love of the Tongan people he has come to serve. Throughout his adventure-filled three years on the islands, he discovers friends and wisdom in the most unlikely places. John H. Groberg's Tongan odyssey will change his life forever.

A group of actors putting on an interpretive Passion Play in Montreal begin to experience a meshing of their characters and their private lives as the production takes form against the growing opposition of the Catholic church.

In the 15th Century, France is a defeated and ruined nation after the One Hundred Years War against England. The fourteen-year-old farm girl Joan of Arc claims to hear voices from Heaven asking her to lead God's Army against Orleans and crowning the weak Dauphin Charles VII as King of France. Joan gathers the people with her faith, forms an army, and conquers Orleans.

"Baptists at Our Barbecue" is the comedic story of the small town of Longwinded, USA, a divided, feuding town of 262 Mormons and 262 Baptists. It's also a love story, about one man who will try anything to end the ridiculous feud, bring the town together, and keep the peace-loving girl of his dreams from leaving town.

The true story of the 4-year old son of a small-town pastor who, during emergency surgery, slips from consciousness and enters heaven. When he awakes, he recounts his experiences on the other side.

Jimmy Gralton returns from New York and reopens his beloved community hall, only to meet opposition from the local parish.

Meghan Doherty is a young, talented executive who neglects her mother and close friends to focus on one goal MAKING MONEY. After closing a multi-million dollar deal Meghan is asked by Mr. Randolph Whitaker (her boss/CEO) to close a deal of a lifetime. She's taking her talent to the Mojave Desert in hopes of getting a Christian land owner to turn over his land before auction. With a $100 million dollar potential deal looming, there is nothing that will stand in the way of her getting what she needs to further her career. Not even GOD? The foreclosed land in question, called God's Country, is owned by Eden Graham, a minister who runs a youth camp there, along with his wife and son, Jake. Upon arrival at the camp in her Ferrari and designer clothes, Meghan is clearly not a good fit, but Eden persuades her to stay; he promises to sign over the property to her if, during her weeklong sojourn there at the camp, she is not convinced of the value of what they are doing.

Vera Farmiga's directorial debut, HIGHER GROUND, depicts the landscape of a tight-knit spiritual community thrown off-kilter when one of their own begins to question her faith. Inspired by screenwriter Carolyn S. Briggs' memoir This Dark World, the film tells the story of a thoughtful woman's struggles with belief, love, and trust - in human relationships as well as in God.

Documentary tracking the exploits of aging Calvinist preacher Fred Phelps, a convicted felon who leads his cult (primarily composed of his wife, nine of their children, and his fifty-two grandchildren) on their "love crusades" across America, which include calling for gays to be killed, praising terrorist attacks, mocking mourners at the funerals of AIDS patients and murder victims, and literally dancing and spitting on the graves of his enemies.

In 1948, Johns served as the outspoken spiritual leader of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Incensed at the racial injustice that pervaded the South, he was determined to fight for equality for all African Americans.

Reverend Robert Gibbs is a young, hip pastor who temporarily takes over the helm of a Fundamentalist Baptist church while his predecessor Reverend Matthews recovers from a stroke. While trying to impress Reverend Matthews, Gibbs has to win the approval of his congregation, the Deacon board, and most importantly Reverend Matthews? daughter Divine, who has recently lost her faith in God.

A young Christian boy attends a druid worship that is attacked by invading Irish tribes. Taken captive, he is taken back to Ireland to become a slave. Enduring many hardships, he finds comfort and eventually salvation in his faith. After several years, he escapes back to England, where he joins a convent to prove his faith. His greatest desire is to return to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity. Years later, he is given the opportunity. Upon setting foot on the Irish soil, all snakes are aitomatically driven from the land. He then overcomes many obstacles, including disagreements with the British Cardinal (Malcolm McDowell), to fulfill his destiny and ultimately being given Sainthood.

Some punks go into a small town and start hassling the gas station owner; Billy Ray Dalton a friend of the owner pulls a shot gun on them and tells them to go away. Later they go back and force the owner to tell them where Dalton lives. Now, Dalton a part time musician's out on a gig, when they go to his house and kill his pregnant wife, and take his daughter. Dalton follows them to try and get his daughter back.

Family man Matt Winslow accepts a new job in Silicon Valley and quickly finds that his associates are obsessed with a mysterious local country club whose manager, Jessica Jones, holds sway over the community.

ALL SAINTS is based on the inspiring true story of salesman-turned-pastor Michael Spurlock, the tiny church he was ordered to shut down, and a group of refugees from Southeast Asia. Together, they risked everything to plant seeds for a future that might just save them all.

In the last days of the life of Elvis Presley, he struggles to overcome the effects on his body and soul of prescription drug abuse and personal mistakes in his lifestyle. In flashback sequences similar to Dickens's "A Christmas Carol", Elvis is guided by a "Mysterious Man" to re-examine turning points in the life he has led. These reflections lead to recognition, realization, repentance, and ultimately ... redemption. -- based on true events

Most of us know Billy Graham as the self-assured and charismatic preacher who became one of the most important figures of 20th Century Christianity. Now, with the release of Billy: The Early Years, we meet Billy as the earnest and promising young man at the crossroads of faith and doubt, ultimately facing the moment of decision that launched one of history’s most powerful evangelistic careers.

Piedmont (Italy), nineteenth century. In Turin, the priest Don Bosco, a man from a humble farming family, he gave himself totally and passionately to the task of collecting from the streets to marginalized children and care for them. Not only out of poverty, ignorance and social distress, but it got for the first time, to feel loved. He fought with extraordinary faith and tenacity to overcome obstacles and snares that both the civilian and ecclesiastical authorities, they put in their path to prevent him from completing his goal: the founding of the Congregation of the Salesians, which would guarantee the future of their children .

This iconic American story was written in 1900 by L Frank Baum, a Chicago businessman, journalist, chicken breeder, actor, boutique owner, Hollywood movie director and lifelong fan of all things innovative and technological. His life spanned an era of remarkable invention and achievement in America and many of these developments helped to fuel this great storyteller's imagination. His ambition was to create the first genuine American fairytale and the story continues to fascinate, inspire and engage millions of fans of all ages from all over the world. This documentary explores how The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has come to symbolise the American Dream and includes previously unseen footage from the Baum family archives, still photographs and clips from the early Oz films, as well as interviews with family members, literary experts and American historians as it tells the story of one man's life in parallel to the development of modern America.

Fifty years since the start of The Troubles, the film captures the remarkable history of the Irish national rugby union team, which despite violence, opposition and partition in Ireland, has brought together players and fans from two countries and united them on and off the rugby pitch. BT Sport ambassador, and former Ireland and British & Irish Lions captain Brian O’Driscoll, takes viewers on a powerful journey as he explores how Irish rugby manages to navigate and nurture a successful team through the years of violence that have claimed the lives of more than 3,500 people. Ireland has been divided not just on a map but by politics, history and religion. However, the Irish Rugby Union has continued to be the governing body of rugby, leading to the remarkable situation of players from two countries competing as one.

On the 5th of March 1985, a crowd gathered in a South Yorkshire pit village to watch a sight none of them had seen in a year. The villagers, many of them in tears, cheered and clapped as the men of Grimethorpe Colliery marched back to work accompanied by the village’s world-famous brass band. The miners and their families had endured months of hardship. It had all been for nothing. The miners had lost the strike called on March 6th 1984. They would lose a lot more in the years to come. But was it a good thing for the country that the miners lost their last battle?

When David Smallbone's successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.

With guidance from their mother, five siblings overcome humble beginnings to form the renowned gospel group the Clark Sisters.

Pastor Estus W. Pirkle preaches about hell, where all non-Christians will suffer eternal torment. He's also visited by two self-professed “Christians” who don't believe in hell.

Johnny Cash appears in and narrates this retelling of the story of Jesus' Life, Death and Resurrection.

Examines the pre-ministry life of Jesus starting with his baptism with John the Baptist. From there Jesus embarks on his self- exploration journey into the wilderness for 40 nights. He is tempted by the Devil thrice in various forms.

Pass the Light tells the story of Steve Bellafiore, an 17 year old high school senior who decides to run for Congress in order to protect the faith that he so loves.

Based on a true story. College student Riley wakes up the morning after being roofied at a bar to find 50 missed calls from her estranged mother Karen. Riley must choose to reconnect with her alcoholic mother turned Pastor or continue to push away from all of the pain in her past. This one choice could radically change her life.

This is a fictional love story with the 1856 Handcart Pioneers as the backdrop. Sam Hunter, falls for a Mormon Pioneer woman, Abigail, as she is moving west. As the pioneers stop in his town of Iowa City, he pretends to desire joining the Mormon Church to show his love for Abigail. As hardships prevail, his faith is tested on their way to Zion.

Pre-war intelligence man Tommy Blythe interrupts his honeymoon to investigate the discovery of vital Air Ministry blueprints on a woman killed in a London road accident. The trail leads to a boarding house in Notting Hill and its varied tenants.

A Psychological Thriller, Drama about a Mirror that has no respect of person; no matter what your Social Economic status. The Mirror of truth follows the journey of Dr. Roosevelt Jones, a successful African-American Pastor searching for the truth while living a double life with a Caucasian stripper. From the church boardroom and his large congregation, Dr. Jones' trail takes him to a gentleman's club where he is infatuated with another lifestyle. In spite of his obsession with a stripper, Jones always returns home to his wife Robin. The Jones' have been married for 20 years, however they only have a business relationship. In the story's triumphant conclusion, truth and love overcomes greed and immorality.

Inspired by Mickey Guyton’s song of the same name, “Heaven Down Here” tells the story of four disparate people who find themselves stranded in a local diner on Christmas Eve when a snowstorm hits the town. Imani is a widowed mother of two who’s having trouble making ends meet and reluctantly agrees to work the Christmas Eve shift, where she clashes with her boss Dan, who doesn’t exactly embody the Christmas spirit. Felix is a local pastor desperately trying to secure food for parishioners while his faith is challenged by his son's alienation. Clara is a hospice nurse with an obstinate patient and whose daughter is moving away, causing her to question her place in this world. Throughout the evening, these four bicker, bond and unwittingly provide each other with the answer to their respective prayers.

"Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World", is the remarkable, behind-the-scenes story of how a little known music festival came together against all odds. Young, scrappy concert promoter John Brower puts his life on the line to turn his failing Toronto Rock n Roll Revival into a one-day event, later coined in rock mythology as “the second most important event in rock n’ roll history.” And it almost didn't happen. The festival united rock legends and the almost famous, but it was the 11th hour arrival of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band that ignited a truly seminal moment for the 20,000 fans at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, triggering Lennon's final decision to leave the Beatles forever.

As 85-year-old President Lorenzo Snow struggles to vanquish the two million dollar indebtedness of the Mormon church in 1899, he feels inspired to journey from Salt Lake City by train and carriage to St. George in southern Utah. Along the way he witnesses the effects of severe drought. The next day, in the St. George Tabernacle, he receives inspiration that by paying tithing, the "windows of heaven" will open, pouring out blessings. He promises the people that they can plant crops and rain will come, then continues to preach tithing as he returns home where he awaits favorable weather reports from St. George.