Netflix may not have many new releases, but if you are a geek like me and love historical films and documentaries, Netflix is wonderful. Here is a short list of documentaries I've watched on Netflix that I would highly recommend:

The Conscientious Objector

I only recently watched this film and was blown away. This film is about an amazing life. Corporal Desmond T. Doss served in the US Army during WWII. Because of his deep faith in Jesus he passionately refused to ever take life, refused to carry a weapon, and volunteered to be a combat medic. Despite undergoing constant attacks from his fellow soldiers and commanding officers, Doss remained faithful to his Christian convictions. In the particularly gruesome battle of Okinawa, Doss rescued 75 men from the battle field single-handedly, under intense machine-gun and mortar fire, lowering them down a steep plateau using a rope tied around himself. Doss treated men other medics left for dead and even treated Japanese soldiers on the battlefield. Desmond T. Doss was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. This man's life is a true testament to Jesus' nonviolent ethic. War-hardened veterans who fought with Doss cried as they recounted his heroic conduct. Men who tried to have Doss court-martialed and discharged as mentally-ill wept as they told of how he saved their lives on the battlefield. I highly recommend this film. 

King: Man of Peace in a Time of War

Documentaries about Dr. King abound. What sets this film apart from others is the extended footage of an interview King underwent at the height of the fight for Civil Rights on national television. The poise and intellect Dr. King demonstrated as he was berated with insensitive questions from two white men is jaw-dropping. Not only were his responses profound but remain amazingly relevant for us today. Watch this film if for no other reason but to see the television interview.

Crips and Bloods: Made in America

This documentary does not only recount the rise if the notorious South Central gangs, but also details the socio-political climate of LA from the 50s to the 90s, the shape that the fight for civil rights took in LA, and the nonprofit groups that have developed by former gang leaders to combat the youth hopelessness and fatherlessness. Crips and bloods is more than just a film about gangs, it's a film about injustice and justice, hopelessness and hope, opression and freedom. I highly recommend this film to those seeking to understand the plight of urban poor in out nations' cities. 

Guns, Germs, and Steel (National Geographic)

This National Geographic documentary is based on and stars the author of the book by the same title: Jared Diamond. Diamond teaches at UCLA and received the Pulitzer Prize for his work. The film seeks to trace the development of society throughout recorded history in an attempt to answer the question of why early Palestinian and later European cultures seem to have developed faster and into more advanced societies. Diamond is a bird watcher and frequents New Guinea in search of rare birds. After years of traveling to the island, a native friend asked him why white men have more "cargo" than black men. Diamond had no answer. This sparked his research. For Diamond's eventual answer, you'll have to watch the series or read the book.

God in America

This is a series of episodes by PBS about the role faith and religion have played in the history of America, and it's the best historical look at religion in America I've seen. It is very well produced and covers a great deal of subjects from several vantage points. If you're into history and religion, this is a must see!