True Stories
True Stories are those based (sometimes loosely!) on fact. They cover topics as diverse as drug addiction, poverty, political unrest, the corruption of power, alcoholism, class divisions, sexual inequality, mental illness and other human struggles. Meet some of history's most intriguing characters, find out what it's really like to climb a mountain or paint a masterpiece. Truly, the True Story is one of cinema's most engaging and enthralling genres.
Bio-pics feature in this section and are also gathered together separately under the 'Biography' sublink left.
Pictured: Inside the Las Vegas mob, Scorsese's unromantic 'Goodfellas'
Basquiat (1996)
6.9/10
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Claire Forlani, Willem...
Jeffrey Wright is mesmerising in this true story as Jean-Michel Basquiat, a poor Haitian-American graffiti artist who rapidly ascends New York's raref... Read more
Bathory (2008)
5.9/10
Director: Juraj Jakubisko
Starring: Anna Friel, Franco Nero, Karel Roden
The infamous Countess Erzsebet Bathory, who is said to have maintained youth and beauty into her old age by bathing in the blood of virgins, has her l... Read more
Battle for Haditha (2007)
7/10
Director: Nick Broomfield
Starring: Elliot Ruiz, Falah Abraheem Flayeh, Yasmine Hanani, Andrew McClaren, Eric Mehala...
On November 19, 2005, a convoy of U.S. Marines was targeted by insurgents, resulting in the death of one of their soldiers. In retaliation, they went... Read more
Battle in Seattle (2007)
6.7/10
Director: Stuart Townsend
Starring: Martin Henderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron, Jennifer...
Events at the infamous 1999 World Trade Organisation meetings in Seattle are told through fictional characters in this wrenching ensemble drama that a... Read more
Battle Of Britain (1969)
7/10
Director: Guy Hamilton
Starring: Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Robert Shaw, Trevor Howard...
Featuring a stellar cast, including Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Michael Redgrave, Robert Shaw and Susannah Yo... Read more
Battle of the Sexes (2017)
6.7/10
Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Starring: Alan Cumming, Bill Pullman, Elisabeth Shue, Eric Christian Olsen, Sarah Silverma...
The 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs became the most watched televised sports event of all time. Trapped in the media glare,... Read more
Beat (2000)
5.6/10
Director: Gary Walkow
Starring: Courtney Love, Kiefer Sutherland, Norman Reedus, Ron Livingston, Kyle Secor
A nostalgic look at the colourful last few weeks of Joan Vollmer (Courtney Love), wife of 'beat' writer William S Burroughs, set primarily in Mexico C... Read more
Beautiful Boxer (2003)
7.1/10
Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham
Starring: Asanee Suwan, Sorapong Chatri, Orn-anong Panyawong, Kyoko Inoue, Sitiporn Niyom
A stylish, powerful and poignant blend of testosterone and oestragen telling the true story of Nang Toom, a delicate boy who felt out of place in his... Read more
Beautiful Boy (2018)
7.3/10
Director: Felix Van Groeningen
Starring: Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan, Kaitlyn Dever, Timothy...
Teenager Nicolas Sheff seems to have it all with good grades and being an actor, artist, athlete, and editor of the school newspaper. When Nic's addic... Read more
Beautiful Dreamers (1992)
7/10
Director: John Kent Harrison
Starring: Colm Feore, Wendel Meldrum, Sheila McCarthy, Rip Torn
Set in the Victorian era, 'Beautiful Dreamers' tells the true story of doctor Maurice Bucke (Colm Feore) who defies his superiors over the inhumane tr... Read more