History Lessons

Platoon (1986)

A film by Oliver Stone about the Vietnam War. In my opinion, the most important film about that era besides Apocalypse Now*. Winner of Best Picture and Best Director (and others) at the 1987 Oscars, this film shows the struggles of the daily life of American soldiers in Vietnam, and some of the challenges they had to face. Performances by Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen and especially Willem Dafoe are stunning, and a very young Johnny Depp is a cute bonus.

*See my list of Modern Adaptations.

The King (2019)

Based not only on history but specifically on Shakespeare's plays about King Henry V. The young prince lives a wild life, but needs to grow up quickly when his father dies. This new production combines historical costumes, setting and events with modern filmmaking techniques and great acting, especially by leading actor Timothée Chalamet and the amazing Sean Harris and Joel Edgerton as his advisors. A hilarious performance of Robert Pattinson as the Dauphin au France adds some comedy to the serious period piece. 

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Based on the free-born Solomon Northup's memoir about being conned and sold into slavery in the America of 1841. He subsequently lived as a slave for 12 years, and experienced the same horrors as many other slaves he met along the way. Produced by Brad Pitt's company Plan B, this film is very well-made and boasts an all star cast in all minor roles, such as Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch and Pitt himself. The leading roles, however, are the most stunning, and brought Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong'o fame and many awards.

Braveheart (1995)

Known as one of the most inaccurate films about historical events, this is nevertheless a must on such a list. Besides some liberties taken by the filmmakers, there are also many very accurate elements in this biography of William Wallace, the Scottish hero. It depicts his fight against the English king in the First War of Scottish Independence, and is full of heroism and bravery. Besides the American-Australian Mel Gibson, there are some great Scottish actors in this film such as Brian Cox, Tommy Flanagan and Irish actor Brian Gleeson.

1917 (2019)

There are not that many good films about WWI, and Sam Mendes has definitely added one for the ages with his addition to cinema history. The protagonists are two young English soldiers who are sent to the front line with a dangerous mission. The cinematographer Roger Deakins won an Oscar and plenty of admiration for his work, as the entire film is shot as if the camera were constantly following the protagonists, without any visible shots.* An unmissable experience, also due to the great performances by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, as well as many cameos by British film elite.

*A feat achieved in Birdman (2014)  as well, besides that very rarely even tried for a longer sequence.

Midway (2019)

While the name Midway is not as famous as Pearl Harbour* for logical reasons, it is also one of the most important events related to the beginning of the American involvement in WW2. This is of course a remake of the film Midway (1976), using a huge budget as always in films by Roland Emmerich and the great technical advancement since the Seventies to make this film very realistic and visually stunning. The film shows the soldiers on both the American and Japanese side, from admirals to commanders to young pilots. The great cast with Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Mandy Moore and many others is on point.

*The film Pearl Harbour (2001) is also worth watching, despite being quite melodramatic.

Lincoln (2012)

A biographical film about American president Abraham Lincoln made by Steven Spielberg, especially dealing with the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. This film manages to show the era with an expensive and elaborate production. Daniel Day-Lewis brings Lincoln to life in a way that is sometimes uncanny, and the creators have managed to make this piece of history seem very connected to the values and discussions we have today. Sally Field, David Straithairn and many other great supporting actors add to this realistic world of Lincoln. 

The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

This film is based on King Henry VIII's love for Anne Boleyn, which has changed the course of history forever*. It is, however, not based solely on facts, as the script of the film is adapted from the novel by Philippa Gregory - there are thus some liberties taken. The focus of the plot is, therefore, not only the famous Anne Boleyn, but also her sister Mary - the other Boleyn Girl. Both sisters were at some point mistresses of the king, and some calculating relatives had their hands in the events. Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman are well-chosen for the sisters who are very dissimilar, and especially fun for viewers nowadays are minor roles by the young Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Garfield and Alfie Allen. Mark Rylance, in my opinion one of the greatest English actors, is amazing as Mary and Anne's conniving father.

*This is also shown for example in the series The Tudors, as discussed in the post on Historical Series.

Cry Freedom (1987)

There are many great films about Nelson Mandela that are worth watching, but this one about Steve Biko, the probably second-most famous South African leader, is much better at showing the horrors of Apartheid. This film, which is based on the memoirs of journalist Donald Woods, shows how Biko tried to inspire the South African people to move forward without using violence. The friendship between Biko and Woods was very important not only for the publication of the ideas of the Black Consciousness Movement, but also for the lobbying abroad for Biko's cause. Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington with some of their best performances.

First Man (2018)

This film tells the story of Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, and his struggles. Especially interesting are not only the astronaut-related parts which are often written and talked about, but rather the family challenges he was dealing with. it is therefore no surprise that not only Ryan Gosling is the star of the film, but also Claire Foy, who plays his wife, is very important and gives a great performance. Director Damian Chazelle, who is knows for his great music-related films, created film with once again a great score, and also amazing visuals.