1. Nowhere Boy (2009) Directed By: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Kicking it off with a musician biopic, in honor of Straight Outta Compton, let's talk about Nowhere Buy. Directed By Sam Taylor-Johnson and Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson this is one of the few films we have that effectively explores the story of The Beatles. Well, not necessarily the entirety of The Beatles, more specifically this film focuses on the early teenage years of John Lennon and how he and the band ultimately came together. It explores what in Lennon's life created the musical genius inside him, and how his absentee mother and his relationship with his aunt who raised him shaped him as a person and artist. This allows the film to keep itself from becoming a by-the-books biopic that barely scratches the surface of one of the most iconic musicians of all-time. Nowhere Boy gives a fascinating look not only into the young life of John Lennon and the rest of The Beatles, but at growing up in London during those times. This is a must see for all Beatles fans and anyone looking for a good period piece biopic.
2. Into the Wild (2007) Directed By: Sean Penn
This is one of the more popular films on my list but it is still a biopic that doesn't seem to get talked about enough. Chronicling the incredible true life story of Christopher McCandless as he gives up his entire life fortune, burns his social security card and hits the road to live life in the wilderness. All leading up to his incredible journey into Alaska, where he attempted to live off the land for as long as possible and prove to himself that the life we all live today isn't one of necessity. Sean Penn wrote and directed this phenomenal adaptation of the Jon Krakauer book and gave life to a man that so many wrote off as an immature imbecile.
This movie is not only an incredible peek into the mind of McCandless but it also serves as fairly clever social satire and human drama. While on the road he encounters all different kinds of people and his interactions with them paint a wonderful picture of the diversity of America. This movie consumed me when I first saw it, I immediately read the book and researched every little piece of information I could about Christopher McCandless. If you haven't seen this movie then give it a chance to do the same for you, It is quite the inspiring story.
3. The Basketball Diaries (1995) Directed By: Scott Kalvert
People love to go through and list all of the Leo DiCaprio movies that they love and adore yet I feel like I almost never see anyone talk about this film. One of his earliest movie performances, The Basketball Diaries is the true life account of Jim Carroll's downward spiral into a world of drug addiction while just a 17 year old kid. Leo puts in an incredible performance alongside Mark Wahlberg and the two give a chilling portrayal of just how destructive drug addiction really is. We watch as they go from the stars of their high school basketball team and free fall into the deepest of addictions. They drop out of school, leave their homes, and do whatever they can to get their next fix. It is at times terrifying and at others completely inspiring, consider this a must watch if you want to see the best of Leo.
4. Bronson (2008) Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn
This was my introduction to both Tom Hardy and Nicolas Winding Refn and is still some of the most impressive work I have seen to date by either. Hardy has gone on to find massive success and Winding Refn seems to be getting crazier with each film he makes. Bronson is the two at the height of their insanity, focusing on the most notorious prisoner in British history. Arrested and sentenced to seven years for robbing a post office, this young man would end up spending three decades in solitary confinement for literally being the biggest pain in the ass you have ever seen. While in jail the man adapts an alter-ego for himself named Bronson and uses that to express the violent side of his personality. Tom Hardy is as good as he has ever been in this picture and he got massive for the part, you won't ever look at him the same after seeing this movie.
5. Moneyball (2011) Directed By: Bennett Miller
This probably the most popular of the movies on this list, it came out just a few years ago and received great critical response but still, I feel it's almost never talked about. Not only is this a wonderful biopic but it is also one of the best sports movies I have seen. The movie Stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the man who came is as General manager for the Oakland A's and took a bottom of the barrel team and turned them into a group of champions by the season's end. He did this all by using a computer system of analytics to acquire new players and build his team. It was so successful that this practice has now been adapted in pretty much all major sports and has been amazingly successful. The film also stars Philip Seymour-Hoffman who is as good as he has ever been, and it also features Jonah Hill in one of his first dramatic roles that showed us all he could do more than make poop and fart jokes. If you haven't seen this movie yet I highly recommend it as it is a viable piece of recent sports history.
Honorable Mention: October Sky (1999) Directed By: Joe Johnston
This is my honorable mention since I just highlighted the film a few weeks ago when Southpaw came out, but it's too good not to mention again. The true story of NASA engineer Homer Hickam, this movie is a truly inspiring story of following your dreams. You can find my full review and retrospective of the film here. Watch it if you haven't seen it.
As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!
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