Every now and then, we’re all down for a good cry.
‘The Discovery’
This fiction film explores what happens when a scientist discovers proof of the afterlife. While it seems like this knowledge would make people thrilled, it actually begins to cause a rash of suicides by people who are so unhappy with their lives, they’d rather move on to the next world. Robert Redford, Rooney Mara and Mary Steenburgen star.
‘The Ivory Game’
The ivory trade has been around for centuries, but now it’s hitting critical mass. Majestic elephants are being hunted by poachers threatening their very existence. This heartbreaking documentary follows a group of brave wildlife activists as they hunt down the hunters.
‘My Beautiful Broken Brain’
When a 34-year-old woman suffers a hemorrhagic stroke, she’s thrown into a distorted reality. Her sensory perception changes so much, she can’t read, write or speak. This documentary uses video footage she began to take of herself while she was still in the hospital. Her courage, resourcefulness and ability to gather hope will set the waterworks in motion.
‘Okja’
This sci-fi drama is about a little girl who risks her life to save a giant animal created by a fame-hungry scientist. Sometimes, humans are the cruelest animals of them all. Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano and Lily Collins star.
‘E-Team’
This documentary follows members of the organization Human Rights Watch as they report and document war crimes to the world. The film takes you to the front line in Syria and Libya and examines the lives of those brave enough to risk it all.
‘Barry’
This movie brings on a flood of tears — especially if you’re not a Donald Trump supporter. This fiction film explores the college days of Barack Obama as he tries to reconcile being biracial and fitting into a world that doesn’t know what to do with an incredibly smart and motivated man of color.
‘Mission Blue’
This beautifully shot documentary follows oceanographer, marine biologist, environmentalist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Sylvia Earle as she embarks on a journey to save Earth’s oceans, all while the Deepwater Horizon oil well spews an unprecedented amount of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
‘The Fundamentals of Caring’
When Ben (Paul Rudd) loses his young son in a tragic accident, he becomes the caregiver of a disabled boy and takes him on a road trip. This movie will pull all your heartstrings as the unlikely friends search for hope and happiness in an unfair world. Selena Gomez also stars.
’13th’
This powerful documentary from Ava DuVernay (director of Selma) charts the growth of the prison population in America. In just 50 years, the prison population has gone from 200,000 to more than 2 million. The title of the movie refers to the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The parts about prisoners in solitary confinement will break your heart.
‘Divines’
This movie tells the story of a 15-year-old Muslim girl, Dounia (Oulaya Amara), as she tries to navigate life in a poor neighborhood just outside of Paris, France. When a teen boy who likes to dance comes between Dounia and her best friend, Maimouna (Deborah Lukumuena), both girls learn harsh lessons about life proving how fragile their existence really is.
‘Tallulah’
This indie film is about Carolyn (Tammy Blanchard), a self-absorbed Beverly Hills mother who’s desperate to be freed of her responsibility to care for her toddler. Tallulah (Ellen Page) becomes the child’s babysitter and feels the need to rescue the little girl as she bonds with her ex-boyfriend’s mother, Margo (Allison Janney). This movie will provoke your “mama bear” instinct and move you in deep maternal ways.
‘Virunga’
This shocking documentary follows an ex-child soldier turned park ranger as he works with other conservationists to save the last of the mountain gorillas from a violent armed militia and heinous poachers struggling to control Congo’s rich natural resources. This film will make you weep over the sad fate of these majestic apes that are so much like us.
‘Sand Castle’
Henry Cavill and Nicholas Hoult star as U.S. soldiers trying to protect and rebuild a small town in Iraq while dealing with the futility and horrors of a violent, senseless war.
‘Beasts of No Nation’
This brutal drama follows Agu (Abraham Attah), a boy who is forced to join a group of soldiers in West Africa. Agu’s life becomes a world of fear, violence and an enduring hope that things will get better. This movie depicts a shattering loss of innocence and is inspired by shocking pictures from real-life photojournalists.
‘Audrie & Daisy’
Of all the documentaries on Netflix, this is the most disturbing. It’s about sexual assult and cyber-bullying of young girls here in America. The film reveals how “the system” protects boys no matter how vile their behavior. This is a must-watch film for every parent.
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