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Cinema not only draws on fiction, but on true stories and historic events which are reputed entertaining enough to become part of the multi-billion industry. Here are a few personal favourites that are blockbusters in my eyes when it comes to adapting true stories for the big screen.
1. The Social Network (2010)
Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook success explained. Even though the integrity of Mr Zuckerberg may be implicitly questioned, David Fincher once more proved his talent as a director. This is the captivating story of how the largest social network was born and I bet we were all intrigued by it. It is even more striking given that nothing was actually really planned: an incredible series of events fabulously interpreted by Jesse Eisenberg, Rooney Marra and Justin Timberlake.
2. The Farewell Affair (2009)
Cristian Carion directed Emir Kusturica and Guillaume Canet in this espionage thriller loosely based on the actions of the KGB agent Vetrov who was held responsible for passing Soviets information to the French regime in the 1980s. Numerous lists of Soviet spies and secret information were passed to the government of Mr. Mitterrand. A beautifully interpreted acting with a true James Bond's flavour and a Cold War taste. French cinema confirms its experience with the noir genre.
3. Changeling (2008)
The American drama, directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on the true murder and kidnapping events that took place in 1928 and are remembered as the "Wineville Chicken Coop" case. Angelina Jolie finally shows her talent as actress by playing Christine Collins: a single mother who was disillusioned in the alleged recovery of her missing child by LAPD. The recovered child was indeed not her real son (actually murdered), but a cover up story put in place by LAPD to gain media attention. An intriguing thriller that shows now much political factors are intertwined with reality when it comes to federal investigations.
4. Titanic (1997)
Certainly the movie that led to the three-hour long shows' mania revealed once more James Cameron's innovative talent and his passion for sea exploration technology. How could the largest ever built transatlantic sink and be remembered as one of the most tragic accidents in history? Overconfidence in technology and the megalomaniac visions of Mr. Andrews were not to be taken for granted. A fictional romantic story that propelled Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio to the verge of success set on the narration of 1912 true events beautifully enhanced by the unforgettable special effects. A 3D comeback doesn't come as a surprise.
5. Apollo 13 (1995)
Being passionate about astronomy this was an inevitable choice that reminded me of my childhood dream which sounded more or less like this: "As a grown-up I want to be an astronaut and walk on the moon and explore other galaxies…". The true story of the moon-bound Apollo 13's mission and the challenging return on Earth shows once more how much nature is stronger than humans and totally unpredictable. Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Tom Hanks proved again to be a great cast under Ron Howard's direction. A classic not to be missed.
6. JFK (1991)
Potentially one of the most discussed investigation cases in history. 'JFK' tells the story behind the events that led to the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy on November 22, 1963 seen through the eyes of former New Orleans attorney Jim Garrison. An inconclusive thriller to leave you with a true question on the validity of the case: facts are objectively exposed for you to think about the dramatic event and draw your conclusions. I truly appreciated the depicted tenacity of Mr Garrison in eagerly trying to solve the case. Oliver Stone is faithful to his talent as a blockbusters' director and relies on the unmistakable cast: Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon are all part of the adventure.
Cinema not only draws on fiction, but on true stories and historic events which are reputed entertaining enough to become part of the multi-billion industry. Here are a few personal favourites that are blockbusters in my eyes when it comes to adapting true stories for the big screen.
1. The Social Network (2010)
Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook success explained. Even though the integrity of Mr Zuckerberg may be implicitly questioned, David Fincher once more proved his talent as a director. This is the captivating story of how the largest social network was born and I bet we were all intrigued by it. It is even more striking given that nothing was actually really planned: an incredible series of events fabulously interpreted by Jesse Eisenberg, Rooney Marra and Justin Timberlake.
2. The Farewell Affair (2009)
Cristian Carion directed Emir Kusturica and Guillaume Canet in this espionage thriller loosely based on the actions of the KGB agent Vetrov who was held responsible for passing Soviets information to the French regime in the 1980s. Numerous lists of Soviet spies and secret information were passed to the government of Mr. Mitterrand. A beautifully interpreted acting with a true James Bond's flavour and a Cold War taste. French cinema confirms its experience with the noir genre.
3. Changeling (2008)
The American drama, directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on the true murder and kidnapping events that took place in 1928 and are remembered as the "Wineville Chicken Coop" case. Angelina Jolie finally shows her talent as actress by playing Christine Collins: a single mother who was disillusioned in the alleged recovery of her missing child by LAPD. The recovered child was indeed not her real son (actually murdered), but a cover up story put in place by LAPD to gain media attention. An intriguing thriller that shows now much political factors are intertwined with reality when it comes to federal investigations.
4. Titanic (1997)
Certainly the movie that led to the three-hour long shows' mania revealed once more James Cameron's innovative talent and his passion for sea exploration technology. How could the largest ever built transatlantic sink and be remembered as one of the most tragic accidents in history? Overconfidence in technology and the megalomaniac visions of Mr. Andrews were not to be taken for granted. A fictional romantic story that propelled Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio to the verge of success set on the narration of 1912 true events beautifully enhanced by the unforgettable special effects. A 3D comeback doesn't come as a surprise.
5. Apollo 13 (1995)
Being passionate about astronomy this was an inevitable choice that reminded me of my childhood dream which sounded more or less like this: "As a grown-up I want to be an astronaut and walk on the moon and explore other galaxies…". The true story of the moon-bound Apollo 13's mission and the challenging return on Earth shows once more how much nature is stronger than humans and totally unpredictable. Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Tom Hanks proved again to be a great cast under Ron Howard's direction. A classic not to be missed.
6. JFK (1991)
Potentially one of the most discussed investigation cases in history. 'JFK' tells the story behind the events that led to the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy on November 22, 1963 seen through the eyes of former New Orleans attorney Jim Garrison. An inconclusive thriller to leave you with a true question on the validity of the case: facts are objectively exposed for you to think about the dramatic event and draw your conclusions. I truly appreciated the depicted tenacity of Mr Garrison in eagerly trying to solve the case. Oliver Stone is faithful to his talent as a blockbusters' director and relies on the unmistakable cast: Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon are all part of the adventure.
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