Best tv shows like Pope John Paul II
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Following the death of his mother, Karol Wojtyla is brought up by his father in the Polish city of Krakow during the first half of the 20th century. When his homeland is invaded by the Nazis in 1939, he secretly opposes the systematic persecution of their Polish culture. With the death of his father, Karol decides to follow a priestly vocation. When Poland falls into the grip of Soviet totalitarianism, the newly ordained Karol is constantly surrounded by young people whom he teaches to safeguard and defend human dignity. He could be considered a serious threat to the regime, but the Communist authorities merely see him as an innocuous intellectual and he becomes the youngest bishop in the history of Poland. When he is appointed Cardinal, Karol is more intransigent in the spiritual guidance of his homeland, becoming a real and proper thorn in the side of the Communist government. On the death of Pope John Paul I in 1978, Karol leaves his beloved Poland to become Pope John Paul II.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Italy, Poland, USA
Duration: 201 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, spiritual
Best tv shows and movies like Pope John Paul II (2005):
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Under the Roman Sky (2010)
Plot Summary:
Rome, 1943. The city is occupied by the Nazis. The lives of thousands of Jews are in danger, and in Vatican City, a neutral state within the borders of Rome, Pope Pius XII is struggling to save the city from hunger and destruction.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 322
Genere: Biography
Country: Italy, Germany
Duration: 200 min
Plot tags:
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Karol: The Pope, The Man (2006)
Plot Summary:
This highly acclaimed feature film on Pope John Paul II was filmed on location in Italy and Poland. Focusing on the papacy of John Paul and the tremendous impact he had on the Church and the world, Karol: The Pope, The Man stars actor Piotr Adamczyk in a deeply moving portrayal of the beloved pontiff. It is the powerful true story of a charismatic spiritual leader who helped bring down Communism, renewed the life of the Church, greatly impacted youth worldwide with love for Christ, and a Pope who reached out to other religions and world leaders with a message of peace and love. Also stars Raoul Bova (Saint Francis), Michele Placido (Padre Pio: Between Heaven and Earth) and Adriana Asti as Mother Teresa. The beautiful film score is by legendary film composer Ennio Morricone.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Italy, Poland, Canada
Duration: 155 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 76%
The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
Plot Summary:
Metropolitan Archbishop Lakota of L'viv, freed after twenty years in the Soviet Gulag, travels to Rome where circumstances conspire to see him elevated to the Papacy. Inspired by the life story of Ukrainian Catholic Cardinal Josyf Slipyj,.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 162 min
Plot tags: tense, epic, serious, realistic, christian film, retro, spiritual
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Solomon (1997)
Plot Summary:
David, now an old man, is still king of Israel. Among his sons, the ambitious Adonijah and the clever Solomon. The two young men are fierce rivals, since both are prospective heirs to the throne and only one can be successful.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History
Country: Italy, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, USA, Netherlands, UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: biblical, sincere, atmospheric, epic, serious, realistic
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Abraham (1993)
Plot Summary:
This engrossing dramatization of the life of Abraham, the most tested servant of God and the father of Judaism, spans from the patriarch's quest for the Promised Land to the sacrifice of his son, Isaac.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History
Country: Germany, Italy, USA, Czech Republic, France
Duration: 175 min
Plot tags: biblical, christian film, epic, serious, psychological, captivating, disturbing, exciting
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The Ten Commandments (2005)
Plot Summary:
When an oracle prophesizes that a child will become Prince of Egypt, a time of danger approaches the kingdom. The Egyptian Pharaoh orders the massacre of all newborn males. But one child, Moses-the son of a Hebrew slave-escapes certain death when he is set adrift on the Nile. As years pass, he is raised in a royal Egyptian household and, with no memory of his family, rises to the stature of prince. Upon discovery of his true heritage, and inspired by a fiery message from God, Moses embarks upon a noble and desperate fight to reclaim his destiny as the leader and liberator of the Hebrew people.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 167 min
Plot tags: biblical, exciting, epic, serious
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Karol: A Man Who Became Pope (2005)
Plot Summary:
The life of the pope John-Paul II, from his youth as a writer, actor, and athlete in war-torn occupied Poland to his election as Pope at the age of 58.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Poland, Italy
Duration: 186 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, factual, psychological, touching, crying, christian film
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Father Damien (1999)
Plot Summary:
The true story of the 19th century Belgian priest, Father Damien, who volunteered to go to the island of Molokai, to console and care for the lepers.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Belgium, Netherlands, Australia
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: christian film, sincere, uplifting, touching, serious, emotional, realistic
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Mother Teresa (2003)
Plot Summary:
The inspirational portrayal of Mother Teresa, a simple nun who became one of the most significant personalities of the 20th Century. Armed with a faith that could move mountains, Mother Teresa followed her calling to help the poor, the lepers, the dying and the abandoned children in the slums of Calcutta, challenging many authorities - including the church - along the way.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 756
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Spain, UK, Italy
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, inspirational, touching, sincere, captivating, biblical, spiritual, entertaining
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My Name Is Bernadette (2011)
Plot Summary:
Between February and July 1858, in the Massabielle cave, the Virgin appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous, a miserable little girl from Lourdes. A true revolution in the heart of the Second Empire that shakes the established order by his universal message of love and prayer.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 218
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: France
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, biblical, serious, realistic
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Faustina (1994)
Plot Summary:
The Life of saint Maria Faustyna Kowalska, a Polish Nun.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 243
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Poland
Duration: 73 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, thought provoking, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, contemplative, gloomy
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The Gospel of John (2003)
Plot Summary:
A word for word depiction of the life of Jesus Christ from the Good News Translation Bible as recorded in the Gospel of John.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Canada, UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: biblical, atmospheric, serious, christian film, mysterious, epic
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Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II (2005)
Plot Summary:
The eventful life of a humble Polish priest who once decried the pomp of the Catholic Church "a circus" and labeled the Pope a "prisoner of the Vatican" before ascending to the papal throne is explored as actor Thomas Kretschmann takes on the role of Pope John Paul II to the man who would usher Catholicism into the 21st century. Born in Poland and forced to carry on following the untimely death of his family, Karol Wojtyla endured both personal hardships and the rape of his homeland by the Third Reich to spread the word of God through the Catholic Church. Later, as Pope John Paul II, Wojtyla was beloved by millions of Catholics worldwide. From the sexual-abuse scandal that shook the American Catholic Church in the later-20th century to the murder of Salvatorian Archbishop Oscar Romero and the near-fatal assassination attempt made on his own life, Pope John Paul II endured to bridge the gap between various faiths until his death resulting from Parkinson's disease in April of 2005.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 250
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Lithuania, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, captivating
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Grigoriy R. (2014)
Plot Summary:
TV series about the mad monk Grigoriy Rasputin, who became a hugely influential figure at the court of Tsar Nicholas II.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 156
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Russia
Duration:
Plot tags: stylized, atmospheric, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 83%
Galileo (1975)
Plot Summary:
Challenged by a new student, tutor and theorist Galileo co-opts emerging telescope technology and discovers irrefutable proof of the heretical notion that the earth is not the center of the universe. But in a rigid society ruled by an uneasy alliance of aristocracy and clergy already undermined by the Plague and the Reformation, science is a threat and enlightenment is a luxury. Faced with either death at the hands of the Inquisition or recantation to a hypocritical but all-powerful Papacy, Galileo must choose between his own life and the restless scientific curiosity that he has spurned family, friends, and wealth to pursue.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 654
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 145 min
Plot tags: independent film, serious, realistic, talky, hilarious
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Luther (1974)
Plot Summary:
A man's view cause a rift between peasants and the church.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 474
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK, Canada, USA
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: independent film, serious, realistic, contemplative, talky, period drama
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From a Far Country (1981)
Plot Summary:
The film is a biography of Pope John Paul II. It starts in 1926 when the boy Karol Wojtila was celebrating Christmas with his father in Poland. Some years later Nazi Germany attacks Poland and invades the country while Wojtila seeks refuge at the house of Cardinal Wyszynski. Also appear all the other important stations of the life of the Pope.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 199
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Italy, UK, Poland
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: uplifting, thought provoking, bleak, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, disturbing, contemplative, gloomy
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11.25: The Day He Chose His Own Fate (2012)
Plot Summary:
On November 25th 1970, a man committed ritual suicide inside the Tokyo headquarters of the Japanese Ministry of Defence, leaving behind a legacy of masterpieces and a controversy that echoes to this day. The man was Yukio Mishima, one of Japan's greatest and most celebrated novelists. With four members of his own private army - the Tatenokai - Mishima had taken the commandant hostage and called upon the assembled military outside the Ministry to overthrow their society and restore the powers of the Emperor. When the soldiers mocked and jeered Mishima, he cut short his speech and withdrew to the commandant's office where he committed seppuku - the samurai warrior's death - tearing open his belly with a ceremonial knife before being beheaded by one of his colleagues. What was Mishima truly trying to express through his actions? And what did he witness during his final moments?.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 249
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: emotional, realistic, serious, exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, offbeat, contemplative
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Francesco (1989)
Plot Summary:
The life of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) as related by followers who gather after his death to tell stories so that Leone can record them: a privileged and virile youth, a prisoner of war, an heir who turns away from his father and gives all to the poor, a beggar for others, and an inspiration to friends who accept the Gospels' life of poverty. He seeks the Pope's blessing, and he endures persecution at the hands of the family of Chiara Offreduccio (1194-1253), who becomes St. Clare. Many join the order he has established and then rebel at his expectations. In near despair - and ill - he writes a Rule to take to the Pope; then, the Lord sends him a message. He dies smiling.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Italy, West Germany
Duration: 157 min
Plot tags: emotional, bleak, serious, factual, cult classic, christian film, sincere, captivating, realistic, gloomy
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Francis of Assisi (1961)
Plot Summary:
The story of a lusty, fighting young adventurer who exchanged his sword for a cross.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: christian film, biblical, serious, captivating, realistic, crying, vintage
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Thérèse (2004)
Plot Summary:
The mesmerizing story of a young girl's romance with God. Her faith, trials, and sacrifices reveal a way of life based on love and simplicity. A contemplative film based on the true story of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the most popular saint of modern times.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 539
Genere: Biography, Drama, Family, History
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: uplifting, emotional, realistic, contemplative, spiritual, serious, captivating, stylized
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John Wycliffe: The Morning Star (1984)
Plot Summary:
This affecting biography chronicles the life and times of prominent European philosopher John Wycliffe, who was the first to translate the Bible into English. The 14th century, Oxford University scholar often found himself caught between opposing theological, political and societal forces: He defended England's autonomy against the pontiff's authority and championed the indigent against the wealthy's abuses.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 160
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 75 min
Plot tags: uplifting, serious, realistic
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Billy: The Early Years (2008)
Plot Summary:
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.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 816
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: christian film, serious, captivating, realistic
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King (1978)
Plot Summary:
A 1978 TV miniseries about the career of Martin Luther King Jr. from his days as a Baptist minister in Atlanta in the early '50s until his assassination in 1968.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 431
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 271 min
Plot tags: sincere, thought provoking, serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing
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The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake (2011)
Plot Summary:
When the women of her time had their feet bound to please men, Qiu Jin was already questioning the sexual inequality of feudal traditions. Free-spirited and well-educated, she grew up practicing martial arts and was as well versed in poetry as she was in sword-fighting. When this rebellious girl moved to Beijing with her husband, she witnessed how her country was raided and ravaged by foreign powers. With the encouragement of her neighbor Wu Zhiying, the wife of righteous magistrate Li Zhongyue, Qiu Jin left her family behind to pursue study in Japan. There, she met some like-minded schoolmates who shared her ideals, including revolutionary leader Xu Xilin, and secretly joined his anti-Qing cause. After returning to China, Qiu Jin participated in the uprisings staged by Xu Xilin, leading a small group of hot-blooded students against the armed forces of the corrupt Qing government.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 403
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, stylized, rough, captivating, emotional, realistic
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Fidel & Che (2002)
Plot Summary:
Fidel Castro rises to power in Cuba.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 206 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, tense, sincere, edutainment
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Luther (2003)
Plot Summary:
During the early 16th Century idealistic German monk Martin Luther, disgusted by the materialism in the church, begins the dialogue that will lead to the Protestant Reformation.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Germany, USA, Czech Republic, Italy
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: uplifting, political, biblical, christian film, sincere, touching, intellectual, inspirational, costume drama, intense
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Truman (1995)
Plot Summary:
Biographical account of America's President for the latter part of WWII. Shows Truman's rise from small-town nobody to leader of the USA, his decision to use the Atomic Bomb against Japan, and subsequent election as the US' post-war President.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 135 min
Plot tags: political, historical drama, sincere, serious, captivating, realistic, political drama
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The Last Sentence (2012)
Plot Summary:
Renowned journalist Torgny Segerstedt declares war against Hitler as he criticizes Swedish politicians who tried to look away from the tyranny of the Nazis with the good excuse of “neutralism”. His only weapon is his pen and his life is full of gossip such as an affair with his boss’ wife, a love scandal with a secretary younger than his daughter, and the suicide of his wife. However, he continues to fight a one man battle against Hitler and the Nazi regime until his death, throwing the question “Can one person really change history?” to the audience.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 839
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Sweden, Norway
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, touching, serious, uplifting, bleak, realistic, gloomy, period drama
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John Adams (2008)
Plot Summary:
The life of one of the USA's Founding Fathers, its second President, and his role in the nation's first 50 years.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 36000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 71 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, political, period piece, sentimental, sincere, serious, realistic, costume drama, epic, historical drama