Film fans list the best movie biopics of all time

Film fans have been sharing their favourite ever biopics, from movies about music legends to political leaders.

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Biopics dramatise the life of a real person and are frequently among the most highly rated and awards-nominated films released each year, with movies such as Oppenheimer, Maestro, Elvis and King Richard all picking up Best Picture nominations at the Oscars in recent years.

Reddit user samx3i prompted the discussion on Thursday (August 15) after watching 1984’s Amadeus, another major Oscar winner that told the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s rivalry with Antonio Salieri.

“Incredible film if you haven’t seen it, and if you think you need to be a huge Mozart fan to get the full benefit of it, you do not (although it couldn’t hurt),” they wrote. “No sooner than Amadeus had ended did I immediately start thinking, “I wonder if there are biopics near as good regarding other great composers?”

The post then asked others to recommend other great films in the genre, and people were not slow in coming forward.

Films about the lives of musicians were common suggestions. “Coal Miner’s Daughter (about country singer Loretta Lynn) and The Buddy Holly Story are both great,” replied one user. “No lip-syncing to the music either. Sissy Spacek and Gary Busey actually perform the songs.”

“Walk The Line for me,” wrote another. “I remember sitting through the credits waiting to see who did such great [Johnny] Cash renditions, and it was Joaquin [Phoenix] – I was blown away.”

• READ MORE: ‘Back To Black’ review: Marisa Abela makes a worthy Amy Winehouse

“The Joy Division biopic Control is a bleak, beautiful, black and white masterpiece,” was another user’s pick.

“I enjoyed Back To Black which came out a few months ago (Amy Winehouse),” wrote another. “As someone who’s struggled with addiction, I could relate. I didn’t know much of her story prior to seeing it.”

It wasn’t all about the musicians, however. One pointed to Spike Lee’s epic 1992 drama Malcolm X, starring Denzel Washington as the civil rights activist. “One of the few biopics I’ve seen that gets the essence of its main character and their journey across rather than just being a Wikipedia summary of their life,” they wrote. “Denzel’s best performance and for my money the best final 30 minutes of any movie and one of the best needle drops.”

Among the other picks were Lawrence Of Arabia, I, Tonya, Ed Wood, Sid And Nancy and La Vie En Rose.

Another suggested this year’s Best Picture winner Oppenheimer as a standout. “For me, not only is the history and context absolutely captivating (and the acting of course), the directing and editing is wonderful, weaving together 2 or 3 different important periods in the titular character’s life to create a fascinating narrative,” they argued.

In a five-star review of that film, NME wrote: “Not just the definitive account of the man behind the atom bomb, Oppenheimer is a monumental achievement in grown-up filmmaking. For years, Nolan has been perfecting the art of the serious blockbuster – crafting smart, finely-tuned multiplex epics that demand attention; that can’t be watched anywhere other than in a cinema, uninterrupted, without distractions. But this, somehow, feels bigger.”

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