Historical biographies are not movies that appeal to everyone. Indeed, most of the time, such movies take on a serious tone to depict real-life events as accurately as possible (though they don't always succeed in this). In fact, biopics can often come off as boring if they don't have a grain of humor in them.
Yet, such movies are a necessary part of cinema because they allow audiences to learn about important historical events and significant figures in an enjoyable and easy way. Fortunately, there are historical biographies about virtually any topic, so everyone will definitely find something they will like.
Creation (2009)
Though not a very well-known movie, 2009's Creation has been well-received by audiences and is an interesting addition to Paul Bettany's career.
A fictionalized account of what is recounted in the book the movie is based on, it follows Charles Darwin and his relationship with his wife Emma. As Charles recalls his memories about his daughter Annie, he struggles to write his monumental work On the Origin of Species.
The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)
A moderate success at the box office, 2015's The Man Who Knew Infinity stars Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons, and was received well both by critics and audiences.
Based on the book of the same name, it tells the real-life story of a poor Indian mathematician named Srinivasa Ramanujan who is admitted to Cambridge University during World War I where he is guided by professor G.H. Hardy to become a pioneer in mathematical theories.
First Man (2018)
One of the most recent space movies, Damien Chazelle's First Man is a film that feels real thanks to its minimalistic yet powerful performances. Starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, it was both a critical and box office success.
Based on the 2005 book by James R. Hansen, it depicts the years leading up to the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969 with Neil Armstrong being the protagonist. It did so by telling this iconic story in an intimate fashion.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Unlike other movies on this list, Apollo 13 is a docudrama meaning that it is a reenactment of the events that actually happened and comes as close as possible to the true story. Starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton, it was a huge success and went down in history as one of the best movies about space ever made.
An adaptation of the 1994 book Lost Moon, it reenacts the story of astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise who are on America's fifth crewed mission to the Moon that suddenly goes awry because of an explosion and turns into a struggle to get the three men home safely.
The Theory Of Everything (2014)
Arguably one of the most inspiring biopics of all time, The Theory of Everything stars the talented Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking and Felicity Jones as his wife Jane Hawking. It was a critical and commercial success with Jones getting a Best Actress Academy Award nomination and Redmayne winning for Best Actor.
Based on Jane Hawking's book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, the film depicts the life of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking as he meets his wife, gets diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and makes significant findings in the field of physics.
Hidden Figures (2016)
History is often written by those in the spotlight, so some instrumental people often stay unnoticed - and Hidden Figures is the movie that tries to right this wrong. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe, it shined with critics and fans and went on to receive multiple award nominations.
Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, it follows three Black female mathematicians who worked for NASA during the Space Race and helped calculate flight trajectories for and supervised various missions.
October Sky (1999)
A forgotten work in Jake Gyllenhaal's filmography, October Sky is actually a very motivational and inspiring story about always following your dreams no matter how many people believe in you or what background you come from.
Based on the memoir of the same name, it depicts the true story of a coal miner's son named Homer H. Hickam Jr. who was inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 and decided to become a NASA engineer against his father's wishes.
The Right Stuff (1983)
One of the best movies about space exploration, The Right Stuff was a box office failure yet it received widespread critical acclaim and won four Academy Awards out of the eight nominations it received.
Based on the book of the same name, it follows the test pilots involved in aeronautical research at Edwards Air Force Base and the seven military pilots known as the Mercury Seven who were selected for the first-ever human spaceflight by the United States known as the Project Mercury. It has since been adapted into a National Geographic series on Disney+.
The Imitation Game (2014)
A great success with critics and audiences, The Imitation Game stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley among others, and was nominated for and won multiple awards (including a win for Best Adapted Screenplay).
Based on the 1983 biography by Andrew Hodges, it follows British cryptoanalyst Alan Turing who worked for the British government during World War II decrypting German intelligence messages.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
A movie that The Imitation Game is often compared to, A Beautiful Mind stars Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, and Jennifer Connelly among others, and was likewise a big success both with critics and at the box office.
Based on the book of the same name, it depicts the life of the American mathematician John Nash with the story beginning when Nash was a graduate student at Princeton University. As the story goes on, he is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia which affects his life and relationships.