While we often do our best to avoid drama in our real lives, we do anything we can to enjoy the drama on the big screen. There are several films that have been made that should absolutely be added to anyone and everyone’s ‘bucket list’ if you will. These films dive deep into our hearts and minds and show us how important it is to appreciate at least some drama.
From the incredible Will Smith to the incomparable Robin Williams, these films jump off the screen and into our hearts with a zeal and a passion that makes us realize how truly important it is to appreciate movies and to really understand their meaning in our lives. These films give us the opportunity to escape from ourselves and be enmeshed with these lovely characters.
'Seven Pounds' (2008)
This is one of Will Smith’s most incredible and underrated films. It absolutely tugs at your heartstrings and makes you experience all the feels, as the kids say. Will Smith’s performance soars and truly touches the heavens with depth and passion. His incredible performance is surpassed only by the amazing story that keeps you surprised all the way through.
Coupled with the amazing cast of Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Octavia Spencer, and Woody Harrelson, 'Seven Pounds' is an honest-to-goodness amazing film. Built upon the simple premise of a man (Smith) who endeavors to change the lives of seven people, watching it unfold with various twists and turns, it is a perfect film and truly a must-see.
‘Good Will Hunting’ (1997)
The film that put both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck on the map for the world to love and cherish, Good Will Hunting is an absolute treasure. It brought those two together with Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, and Stellan Skarsgard to round out an amazing cast to tell such a delicate and intimate story.
Centered around Will Hunting (Damon), a night janitor at MIT. He is a self-taught genius and after a few unpleasant altercations with the police, ends up having to agree to some interesting methods to keep himself out of jail. As he works with a psychologist (Williams), his defenses begin to come down, and we see amazingly beautiful growth.
'Dead Poets Society’ (1989)
In another amazing performance, Robin Williams absolutely dazzles the audience as John Keating, an English teacher at an all-male prep school. His ways are often unorthodox, but incredibly effective at bringing to life the hearts and passions of each of his students.
Together with an all-star cast of Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles, and Kurtwood Smith, Dead Poets Society really makes us think and feel things that wouldn’t normally be expected from a film, which is why this film is immeasurably important and why it is an absolute must-see film!
‘Remember the Titans’ (2000)
Another film that is based on actual individuals, Remember the Titans is a film, led by Denzel Washington, that tells the story of Herman Boone, as he attempted to lead a high school football team into a championship while also championing the integration of students of different races.
This film has some very tense moments, but it ultimately opens our hearts and our eyes to the injustice that once existed, and that still does in some places. Washington played the part with an incredible passion and helped in earning the film almost a dozen awards.
‘A Beautiful Mind’ (2001)
In one of the most incredible films based on actual events, A Beautiful Mind really is one not to be missed. It dives into the life of John Nash, a famous mathematician and Nobel Laureate in economics, and stars Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Christopher Plummer, and Ed Harris.
While some creative liberties were taken for this film, it follows the real-life struggle that Nash had with schizophrenia. Not only does the film deliver some amazing and well-deserved award-winning performances, but it also helped to shed a light on the illness for the world to be more aware of so that there could be a destigmatized nature of it.
‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
Tom Hanks has proven time and again that he is truly a force to be reckoned with. He definitely did so with this film. When Forrest Gump came out in 1994, Hanks was at the top of his game, having just won the Best Actor Academy Award for his part in Philadelphia, this film received such amazing praise and recognition, including another Best Actor Award for Hanks, and almost thirty other awards.
Bringing the amazing talents of Hanks together with Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field, and a young but amazingly talented Haley Joel Osment as Gump’s son, not only does this film have amazingly talented actors bringing the story to life, but the soundtrack is yet another part of the movie that is absolutely worth the price of admission (or download and streaming).
‘The Passion of the Christ’ (2004)
Whether you are a religious person or not, The Passion of the Christ sets the bar incredibly high. Not only does the film have an incredible cast, but there are several Biblical languages spoken throughout (Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic, all learned and spoken by the cast). This film depicts the gruesome final hours of the life of Jesus Christ on Earth.
Directed by Mel Gibson, this film really takes the Biblical accounts from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and shows the world the harsh reality behind that sacrifice that was made for mankind all those years ago. It is a beautiful representation and an incredible film to behold. While it has some moments of extreme violence, there is also a more edited version that is more friendly. The success of the film has even spawned a sequel in the works.
'A Streetcar Named Desire’ (1951)
Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1951 film that stars Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, and Vivien Leigh. The film tackles topics of infidelity, alcoholism, mental instability, and various other topics that were truly taboo at the time it was made, and does so with grace.
In one of Brando’s most memorable roles, this film helped to show the world how truly incredible he was as an actor. Not only that, but it also brought about one of the most well-known single word movie quotes of all time: “Stella!”
'Billy Elliot’ (2000)
This film is a beautiful stereotype breaker. It takes the ideals and stereotypes we might hold for various aspects of life, and it shatters them in the most fantastic way. It follows the story of Billy Elliot, a young boy in England who discovers he is truly passionate about ballet and the difficulty that ensues in his life based on those stereotypes.
It stars a very young Jamie Bell as the titular boy. Bell truly showed the world what it meant to act in this film. He was only 12-years old at the time of filming, and he absolutely nailed it in the role. While Bell went on to star in many amazing films, it was this one that introduced him to the world and showed them that he was definitely someone worth looking out for.
‘Whiplash’ (2014)
If you love music, this is an amazing film choice for you. Starring J.K. Simmons, Miles Teller, and Paul Reiser, Whiplash follows the story of a jazz student who becomes so enmeshed with the oftentimes abusive methods of his music instructor.
Receiving overall amazing praise across the board and almost fifty awards, Whiplash is such an amazing film and really touches on the passionate lengths that musicians are willing to push themselves to perfect their craft. Whether you are a musician or not, this is absolutely worth watching.