Real-Life-Based Movies

Barry (movie 2016): Former U.S. President Barack Obama and the author have a number of things in common, as discussed in this film commentary. Devon Terrell stars.

Sully (movie 2016) review: Tom Hanks personifies the ‘all-American hero’ as idealized by director Clint Eastwood in this drama that distorts real-life events. Laura Linney costars.

Truth (movie 2015) review: Cate Blanchett delivers a great star turn in this engrossing but less than objective docudrama. Robert Redford costars.

Captain Phillips (movie 2013) review: Tom Hanks’ American seaman is the wrong central character in Paul Greengrass’ unsatisfying political thriller. Barkhad Abdi costars.

The Fifth Estate (movie 2013) review: Benedict Cumberbatch creates a fuzzy Julian Assange in Bill Condon’s two-dimensional WikiLeaks’ drama.

Warren Beatty in Dick Tracy with Madonna. June 22 update: Warren Beatty used to be known as a Ladies’ Man. Before Annette Bening, there were stories about Natalie Wood, Leslie …

The Way Back box office: Peter Weir’s ‘inspirational’ adventure tale of survival has turned out to be a commercial fiasco. Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell and Ed Harris star.

The King’s Speech with Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter The King’s Speech (movie 2010) review I can’t imagine what it must be like to be born into royalty. That kind …

The Fighter movie (2010): ‘Smart’ (as in Marketable) Hollywood product with impressive Oscar winners Melissa Leo and Christian Bale.

Conviction box office: Starring Hilary Swank, Tony Goldwyn’s real-life-based legal drama is on its way to becoming a sizable commercial dud.

Secretariat box office: Starring Diane Lane, the racehorse drama has failed to match the popularity of either The Blind Side or the similar Seabiscuit.

The Social Network box office: David Fincher’s Facebook drama is a rare critically acclaimed and adult-oriented hit. Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield star.

The Honeymoon Killers (movie 1970) review: Leonard Kastle’s crime tale rivals better-known fare partly thanks to Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco’s charismatic performances.

Charlie Wilson’s War box office: Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts have failed to lure audiences to Mike Nichols’ political comedy-drama. Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman costar.

Breach (movie 2007) review: Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper deliver first-rate performances in Billy Ray’s mature spy thriller based on the FBI’s infamous Robert Hanssen case.

Hotel Rwanda Movie: Facts or fiction in Rwandan genocide drama featuring Oskar-Schindler-like hero – Paul Rusebagina now himself a controversial figure.

The Sea Inside (movie 2004) review: Javier Bardem is an inadequate lead in Alejandro Amenábar’s pro-euthanasia melodrama. But the supporting cast is first-rate.

J.M. Barrie and Peter Pan origins: Marc Forster’s Finding Neverland opts for crowd-pleasing myths instead of a depiction of a darker, more complex reality.

Music of the Heart (1999) review: Meryl Streep is an ‘inspirational’ presence in Wes Craven’s sentimental and unusually gore-free drama.

The Hurricane (1999) review: An ineffectual Denzel Washington stars as jailed boxer Rubin Carter in what may well be Norman Jewison’s worst effort

Marc Forster’s J.M. Barrie movie Finding Neverland is the National Board of Review Awards’ Best Film. Annette Bening wins Best Actress.