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Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

RealIntenseBrainyAction-packed

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kathryn Bigelow
CAST:  Jessica Chastain  •  Jason Clarke  •  Mark Strong  •  Joel Edgerton

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kathryn Bigelow
CAST:  Jessica Chastain  •  Jason Clarke  •  Mark Strong  •  Joel Edgerton

Almost Famous (2000)

RealCharmingOriginalInspiring

In 1973, 15-year-old William Miller's unabashed love of music and aspiration to become a rock journalist lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview and tour with the up-and-coming band, Stillwater.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Cameron Crowe
CAST:  Kate Hudson  •  Billy Crudup  •  Frances McDormand  •  Jason Lee

In 1973, 15-year-old William Miller's unabashed love of music and aspiration to become a rock journalist lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview and tour with the up-and-coming band, Stillwater.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Cameron Crowe
CAST:  Kate Hudson  •  Billy Crudup  •  Frances McDormand  •  Jason Lee

The Dig (2021)

RealIntenseOriginalBeautiful

As WWII looms, a wealthy widow hires an amateur archaeologist to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of its uncertain future‎.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Simon Stone
CAST:  Ralph Fiennes  •  Carey Mulligan  •  Lily James  •  Johnny Flynn

As WWII looms, a wealthy widow hires an amateur archaeologist to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of its uncertain future‎.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Simon Stone
CAST:  Ralph Fiennes  •  Carey Mulligan  •  Lily James  •  Johnny Flynn

The Fighter (2010)

RealEmotionalPowerfulInspiring

Boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.  (more)

DIRECTION:  David O. Russell
CAST:  Mark Wahlberg  •  Christian Bale  •  Amy Adams  •  Melissa Leo

Boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.  (more)

DIRECTION:  David O. Russell
CAST:  Mark Wahlberg  •  Christian Bale  •  Amy Adams  •  Melissa Leo

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009)

InspiringBeautifulRealSimple

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story is a movie based on the life story of world-renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson from 1961 to 1987.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Thomas Carter
CAST:  Cuba Gooding Jr.  •  Kimberly Elise  •  Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor  •  Ele Bardha

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story is a movie based on the life story of world-renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson from 1961 to 1987.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Thomas Carter
CAST:  Cuba Gooding Jr.  •  Kimberly Elise  •  Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor  •  Ele Bardha

Erin Brockovich (2000)

InspiringRealGrippingBrilliant

A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Soderbergh
CAST:  Julia Roberts  •  Albert Finney  •  Aaron Eckhart  •  Marg Helgenberger

A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Soderbergh
CAST:  Julia Roberts  •  Albert Finney  •  Aaron Eckhart  •  Marg Helgenberger

Just Mercy (2019)

IntenseRealGrippingPowerful

The powerful true story of Harvard-educated lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who goes to Alabama to defend the disenfranchised and wrongly condemned — including Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Bryan fights tirelessly for ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Destin Daniel Cretton
CAST:  Michael B. Jordan  •  Jamie Foxx  •  Brie Larson  •  O'Shea Jackson Jr.

The powerful true story of Harvard-educated lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who goes to Alabama to defend the disenfranchised and wrongly condemned — including Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Bryan fights tirelessly for ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Destin Daniel Cretton
CAST:  Michael B. Jordan  •  Jamie Foxx  •  Brie Larson  •  O'Shea Jackson Jr.

Blue Jasmine (2013)

RealBeautifulDramaticDisturbing

After experiencing a traumatic misfortune, Jasmine French, a wealthy woman from New York, moves to San Francisco to live with her foster sister Ginger and the firm purpose of getting a new life, but she will be haunted by anxiety and memories of the past.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Cate Blanchett  •  Alec Baldwin  •  Sally Hawkins  •  Bobby Cannavale

After experiencing a traumatic misfortune, Jasmine French, a wealthy woman from New York, moves to San Francisco to live with her foster sister Ginger and the firm purpose of getting a new life, but she will be haunted by anxiety and memories of the past.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Cate Blanchett  •  Alec Baldwin  •  Sally Hawkins  •  Bobby Cannavale

Million Dollar Arm (2014)

UpliftingCharmingRealInspiring

In a last-ditch effort to save his career, sports agent JB Bernstein dreams up a wild game plan to find Major League Baseball’s next great pitcher from a pool of cricket players in India. He soon discovers two young men who can throw a fastball but know nothing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Craig Gillespie
CAST:  Jon Hamm  •  Bill Paxton  •  Lake Bell  •  Suraj Sharma

In a last-ditch effort to save his career, sports agent JB Bernstein dreams up a wild game plan to find Major League Baseball’s next great pitcher from a pool of cricket players in India. He soon discovers two young men who can throw a fastball but know nothing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Craig Gillespie
CAST:  Jon Hamm  •  Bill Paxton  •  Lake Bell  •  Suraj Sharma

Big Eyes (2014)

DramaticThought provokingEmotionalReal

In the late 1950s and early '60s, artist Walter Keane achieves unbelievable fame and success with portraits of saucer-eyed waifs. However, no one realizes that his wife, Margaret, is the real painter behind the brush. Although Margaret is horrified to learn that ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tim Burton
CAST:  Amy Adams  •  Christoph Waltz  •  Krysten Ritter  •  Danny Huston

In the late 1950s and early '60s, artist Walter Keane achieves unbelievable fame and success with portraits of saucer-eyed waifs. However, no one realizes that his wife, Margaret, is the real painter behind the brush. Although Margaret is horrified to learn that ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tim Burton
CAST:  Amy Adams  •  Christoph Waltz  •  Krysten Ritter  •  Danny Huston

Wild (2014)

AdventurousOriginalRealInspiring

A woman with a tragic past decides to start her new life by hiking for one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jean-Marc Vallée
CAST:  Reese Witherspoon  •  Mo McRae  •  Michiel Huisman  •  Gaby Hoffmann

A woman with a tragic past decides to start her new life by hiking for one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jean-Marc Vallée
CAST:  Reese Witherspoon  •  Mo McRae  •  Michiel Huisman  •  Gaby Hoffmann

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

EmotionalCuteRealDramatic

Gilbert Grape is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother, who is so overweight that she can't leave the house, and his mentally impaired younger brother, Arnie, who has a knack for finding trouble. Settled into a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lasse Hallström
CAST:  Johnny Depp  •  Leonardo DiCaprio  •  Juliette Lewis  •  Darlene Cates

Gilbert Grape is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother, who is so overweight that she can't leave the house, and his mentally impaired younger brother, Arnie, who has a knack for finding trouble. Settled into a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lasse Hallström
CAST:  Johnny Depp  •  Leonardo DiCaprio  •  Juliette Lewis  •  Darlene Cates

The Wrestler (2008)

EmotionalGrippingPowerfulReal

Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Darren Aronofsky
CAST:  Mickey Rourke  •  Marisa Tomei  •  Evan Rachel Wood  •  Ajay Naidu

Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Darren Aronofsky
CAST:  Mickey Rourke  •  Marisa Tomei  •  Evan Rachel Wood  •  Ajay Naidu

Captain Phillips (2013)

DramaticRealIntenseGripping

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Paul Greengrass
CAST:  Tom Hanks  •  Catherine Keener  •  Max Martini  •  Chris Mulkey

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Paul Greengrass
CAST:  Tom Hanks  •  Catherine Keener  •  Max Martini  •  Chris Mulkey

127 Hours (2010)

IntenseRealDisturbingSlow moving

The true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Danny Boyle
CAST:  James Franco  •  Kate Mara  •  Amber Tamblyn  •  Sean Bott

The true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Danny Boyle
CAST:  James Franco  •  Kate Mara  •  Amber Tamblyn  •  Sean Bott

Fruitvale Station (2013)

GrippingPowerfulHeartbreakingReal

Oakland, California. Young Afro-American Oscar Grant crosses paths with family members, friends, enemies and strangers before facing his fate on the platform at Fruitvale Station, in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2009.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ryan Coogler
CAST:  Michael B. Jordan  •  Octavia Spencer  •  Melonie Diaz  •  Ahna O'Reilly

Oakland, California. Young Afro-American Oscar Grant crosses paths with family members, friends, enemies and strangers before facing his fate on the platform at Fruitvale Station, in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2009.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ryan Coogler
CAST:  Michael B. Jordan  •  Octavia Spencer  •  Melonie Diaz  •  Ahna O'Reilly

The Theory of Everything (2014)

PowerfulInspiringDramaticEmotional

The Theory of Everything is the extraordinary story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Marsh
CAST:  Felicity Jones  •  Emily Watson  •  Harry Lloyd  •  David Thewlis

The Theory of Everything is the extraordinary story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Marsh
CAST:  Felicity Jones  •  Emily Watson  •  Harry Lloyd  •  David Thewlis

50/50 (2011)

EmotionalRealFunnyInspiring

Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jonathan Levine
CAST:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt  •  Seth Rogen  •  Anna Kendrick  •  Bryce Dallas Howard

Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jonathan Levine
CAST:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt  •  Seth Rogen  •  Anna Kendrick  •  Bryce Dallas Howard

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

CleverBrilliantGrippingReal

A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Spielberg
CAST:  Leonardo DiCaprio  •  Tom Hanks  •  Christopher Walken  •  Martin Sheen

A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steven Spielberg
CAST:  Leonardo DiCaprio  •  Tom Hanks  •  Christopher Walken  •  Martin Sheen

The King's Speech (2010)

InspiringBeautifulEmotionalBrilliant

The King's Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tom Hooper
CAST:  Colin Firth  •  Geoffrey Rush  •  Helena Bonham Carter  •  Guy Pearce

The King's Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tom Hooper
CAST:  Colin Firth  •  Geoffrey Rush  •  Helena Bonham Carter  •  Guy Pearce
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