DVDs that are true stories (1 Viewer)

[Jim Williams]

My wife prefers to watch movies that are true stories. She does not like any science fiction, fantasy, or any movie whose story line is too far fetched. As an example she really enjoyed "Gangs of New York" and "The Pianist".

With that in mind, can you please recommend some good movies that you think that she would enjoy. As long as I give her a good mix of movies she likes, I get to watch stuff like "Terminator 3", "Star Trek Nemesis", "Aliens", etc.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Richard EO]

The Straight Story is a great movie. Just watched it again last night.

 

[Joe Schwartz]

You could let her believe that Fargo is based on a true story, as it claims to be.

 

[Dave Corder]

Glancing quickly through my collection, these are the movies that I see that are based on true stories:

61*
A Beautiful Mind
Apollo 13
October Sky
We Were Soldiers

Dave

 

[Joey Gunz]

My picks:

1) Ed Wood
2) Black Hawk Down

 

[Juan M. Rico]

Jurasic Park

 

[Dennis Heller]

Band of Brothers
Cath Me if You Can
JFK (very loosely based!)
Tombstone (ditto)

 

[ChadP2k]

My guess is your wife isn't too big of a sports fan if she's like most, but these "true story" sports movies come to mind...

Hoosiers
Remember the Titans
Seabiscuit
Radio

 

[Ray O]

Rudy. Sean Astin's performance was great.

 

[Kenneth_C]

A few more based (sometimes very loosely) on true stories:

Amadeus
Bonnie & Clyde
Braveheart
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
Coal Miner's Daughter
A Cry in the Dark
Elizabeth
Erin Brockovitch
In Cold Blood
Lawrence of Arabia
Out of Africa
Silkwood
Soldier of Orange
The Sound of Music
Spartacus

 

[Jim Williams]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. To help narrow things down a bit, of the suggestions I have gotten we have seen and she liked:

Erin Brokovitch
A Beautiful Mind
Coal Miner's Daughter
Antwone Fisher (Not on the list, but she loved it)
Braveheart (the violence turned her off, as it did in Gangs of NY, but she liked it anyway.)

Neither of us like sports movies or musicals.

I am going to try:
A Cry in the Dark
The Straight Story

 

[Zach Foster]

I just saw "A Beautiful Mind" for the first time today, and it is really good. It's an absolutely intriguing movie, I highly recommend it,

 

[MartinTeller]

Keep in mind that A Beautiful Mind is far from a "true" story. Some fairly major things were glossed over.

 

[Marko Berg]

Alive (1993) with Ethan Hawke.

 

[MarkHastings]

Catch Me If You Can (2002) is based on a true story.

 

[KylePete]

"Jeremiah Johnson"
"A River Runs Through It" (I don't think it's actually based on a true story)

 

[Zach Foster]

Hmm. Good point Martin. I guess then the question is how true of a true story do you want it to be? lol If you want near full-on authenticity, "Black Hawk Down" is good, although not for the less action inclined.

 

[Allan Cast]

Places in the Heart (oscar winner)
Matewan
The Long Riders
Glory
The Killing Fields (oscar winner)
Proof of Life
The Commitments
The Last Emperor
Empire of the sun

 

[Cees Alons]

Jim,

If I understand what you're saying, those stories don't have to be "historically" true, but if they aren't they should at least "feel" true or be possible.

If that's correct, then here are some more recommendations:

About Schmidt
Glengarry Glen Ross
Muriel's Wedding
A Night to Remember (= Titanic, which was partly based on this film, without the ... you know)
Nobody's Fool
On Golden Pond
One Hour Photo
Rain Man


Cees

 

[John Stone]

One of my favorites (just watched it again today, in fact) is "The Falcon and the Snowman"