Worst2First: My Top Ten Biopic Films

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Biopic Films

A biopic is a film that's a biographical story of someone who really existed in life.  They're wonderful, powerful, moving stories of average, everyday people who did great things, and deserve to have their stories told for all to admire.

Here are my personal top ten biopic films, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS!**

#10

Milk

"Milk" tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man who ran for office in San Francisco.  In the late 70s, the world looked on homosexuality very differently than now, and being an openly gay man during that time was met with violence, hostility, and threats.  Yet Harvey Milk continued to fight for gay and lesbian rights and bucked the system, and forever changed the world.  Sean Penn earned an Oscar for his portrayal, and the film also featured a standout cast including James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin and Diego Luna.

#9

The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, a Cambridge mathematician who was recruited by British Intelligence's MI6 to decipher Nazi codes, including a code that was deemed unbreakable.  His courage, intelligence and determination led to an allied victory and forever changed the world, but Turing himself fell on very hard times when his sexuality was revealed, and during that time he faced extreme judgment and persecution for it.  Turing was a hero, and this film shows how amazing the man really was.

#8

Straight Outta Compton

Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Yella and MC Ren took the music world by storm and revolutionized the industry, forming the hip-hop group N.W.A., and forever changed the way we listen to music.  It's a powerful, moving story of a group of men who wanted to show the world a different voice, and we see their rise, success, and trials they faced together.  The film stars Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Paul Giamatti and O'Shea Jackson Jr. playing the role of Ice Cube, his real-life father. 

#7

Lincoln

Daniel Day-Lewis is the definition of character actor, a man who is easily a chameleon - transforming himself into whatever role he takes on.  In "Lincoln," he portrays our sixteenth President during a very tumultuous time in America - the Civil War is raging, and he wants to pass the 13th Amendment that would outlaw slavery.  He has to use all his courage, intelligence and determination to make it happen in a very divided America, and somehow find a way to unite everyone.  Easily earning an Oscar for his performance, Daniel Day-Lewis epitomized everything Lincoln was, and delivered a gut-wrenching, powerful performance. 

#6

Raging Bull

Robert De Niro won the Oscar portraying Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer who wanted to earn the boxing crown, but was haunted by demons of a self-destructive attitude, unquenchable rage, and personal jealousies.  The tale is powerful, and is easily one of Martin Scorsese's best works, shot in beautiful black and white and features De Niro at his best. 

#5

Hidden Figures

"Hidden Figures" is the story of three unsung heroines who forever changed the NASA space program, and helped establish America as the most powerful country in space.  Taraji P. Henson stars as Katherine Jackson, an acclaimed mathematician who worked closely with NASA to help get the first man into orbit.  Octavia Spencer stars as Dorothy Vaughan, a NASA supervisor who learned how to work with computers, and Janelle Monae stars as Mary Jackson, a NASA engineer who helped develop the ship John Glenn would fly in.  These women faced severe prejudice for being African American, and instead of shrinking back they took the world by storm and shaped the space race forever.

#4

Braveheart

Mel Gibson stars as William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero who went up against the English monarch and Edward I after suffering personal tragedy at his hands.  He united the country and rallied them for the cause, and led a rebellion that forever changed the course of history and earned Scotland their independence.  The film has one of the best speeches in film history ("They can take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"), and also was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning five - Best Picture, Best Director (for Mel Gibson), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Best Sound Editing.

#3

Lion

It was an impossible task - a young man born in India but raised in Australia using Google Earth to locate his home town, without knowing the name, actual location or anything else about it.  Yet that was the dream of Saroo, who, as a young child, was left abandoned at a train station.  His journey is powerful, stirring, unforgettable and unrelenting, and his determination to find the mother and brother he left behind is moving, heartfelt and poignant.  It's a grand film about the power of family, and never forgetting where you came from, and it's all true.  

#2

Gandhi

Ben Kingsley stars as Mohandas Gandhi, who is most well-known for being an Indian leader who stood against the British rule over his country through the use of non-violent means.  His character, his nature and his determination changed the world and forever cemented him in the halls of history.  Kingsley won the Academy Award for his performance, which holds today as one of the best performances in cinematic history.

#1

Schindler's List

Oskar Schindler was a businessman who hired Jewish workers during World War II in Germany because it was expedient, but soon realized that the Nazis were exterminating them.  He brought in more Jewish people and helped protect them, rescuing them from the Nazi regime.  Liam Neeson gives a powerful, once-in-a-lifetime performance, telling the story of an ordinary man who rescued over a thousand lives and forever left an indelible imprint in history.