Movies based on real-world events just hit differently. Not only do you get entertainment, but you also get to feel smart. Fortunately, some of the greatest directors and actors also gravitate toward non-fiction source material. These films are the cream of the true-story crop.
1. The Big Short
No film is as constantly relevant as The Big Short. Did you know banks can legally lend out 100% of their customers’ deposits, including yours? Watch The Big Short and truly comprehend that it’s based on a true story, specifically a book by Michael Lewis.
Then, buy gold and put it under your mattress.
2. The Founder
Want to find out how Americans became morbidly obese while being utterly entertained? Check out The Founder, the true story of McDonald’s rise to America’s (and the world’s) sixth food group.
For an even more authentic viewing experience, Uber Eats a couple of Big Macs before viewing. You already know I did.
3. Dog Day Afternoon
Al Pacino robbing a bank has never been so believable. Because it actually happened.
4. Zodiac
David Fincher. Jake Gyllenhaal. Robert Downey, Jr. Brian Cox. Real-life source material. Do I need to go on? If you still need to watch Zodiac, your movie recommendation sites have failed you.
5. The Darkest Hour
You know those films where a single actor could have done all the work, and nobody would have noticed the difference? The Darkest Hour is one of those. Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill for the win.
6. Catch Me if You Can
How could the globe-trotting tale of Frank Abagnale Jr.’s ceaseless fraud be true? Faking a life as a pilot and doctor? The suspension of disbelief has its limits.
No, really, Catch Me If You Can is based on a true story.
7. The King’s Speech
Yes, King George VI struggled with a stuttering (or stammering) problem, and he did see a coach to prepare for being king. Don’t worry, George. We heard it’s a low-pressure gig. Basically a no-show job.
8. The Insider
Movies based on real-life scandals are often eye-rollers, trying to make legal cases far more dramatic than they are. The Insider, which documents the decades-long dishonesty of Big Tobacco, does not manufacture a drop of its drama. The Insider does the scandal justice.
9. Munich
The attacks that marred the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich broke the dream-like haze that most Olympic Games elicit. The revenge plot that ensued afterward? That defies belief.
Yet, it’s all true, and it makes one heck of a thriller in Munich.
10. The Social Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know how Facebook came to be. Isn’t it about time for The Social Network 2: Meta Rising?
11. Captain Phillips
No film has damaged the Somalian Tourism Ministry’s efforts more than Captain Phillips. It wouldn’t be nearly as discouraging if it weren’t a true story.
12. Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan plus real-life source material just isn’t fair. The guy made Batman feel as real as Teddy Roosevelt. When Warner Brothers gave Nolan the liberty to make a movie based on the most unbelievable sequence in World War II, they greenlit a movie that would stand the test of cinematic time.
So, what are you watching this weekend?
This thread inspired this post.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
