Movies Based on a True Story
Please see catalog for complete availability details.
12 Years a Slave
Rated R. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2013. 134 minutes.
The harrowing account of a black man, born free in New York
State, who was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in 1841.
Having no way to contact his family, and fearing for his life if he
told the truth, Solomon Northup was sold from plantation to
plantation in Louisiana, toiling under cruel masters for twelve
years before meeting Samuel Bass, a Canadian who finally put
him in touch with his family, and helped start the process to regain
his freedom.
2013
DVD 12,256 [T]
BR 538 [T]
127 Hours
Rated R. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2010. 94 minutes.
Based on the powerfully uplifting true story of one man's struggle
to survive against mountainous odds. Aron Ralston has a passion
for all things outdoors. But when a falling boulder traps him in a
remote Utah canyon, a thrill-seeker's adventure becomes the
challenge of a lifetime. Over the next five days, Ralston embarks
on a remarkable personal journey in which he relies on the
memories of family and friends as well as his own courage and
ingenuity to turn adversity into triumph!
2011
DVD 9189 [O]
Ali
Rated R. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2001. 157 minutes.
Muhammad Ali shot to fame as America's Heavyweight
Champion in the 1960s, but strong religious and political beliefs
and a tumultuous romantic life led the charismatic boxer toward
the biggest, and most surprising, challenge of his career.
2001
DVD 6457 [A]
All the President's Men
Rated PG. Warner Bros., produced in 1976. 138 minutes.
Two reporters trail the Watergate burglary to the doorstep of the
White House. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman star. Three
Academy Awards went to this true suspenseful story.
1976
CLASSIC DVD
1705 [A]
Alpha Dog
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2007. 118 minutes.
Based on the true story of Jesse James Hollywood. Johnny, a drug
dealer, is unable to pay off his debts, so he and his posse kidnap
his younger stepbrother, but things start to go wrong. To make
matters worse, the police are hot on his trail.
2007
DVD 3541 [A]
Amelia
Rated PG. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 111 minutes.
Bound by ambition and love, Amelia Earhart and husband and
business partner George Putnam's enduring marriage could not be
broken by Amelia's determination to fly, nor her passionate affair
with Gene Vidal. Amelia set off on her most daunting mission yet,
a solo flight around the world that she and George both anxiously
foresaw as destined, whatever the outcome, to become one of the
most talked-about journeys in history. Bonus feature included.
2009
DVD 7583 [A]
American Hustle
Rated R. Columbia, produced in 2013. 138 minutes.
Brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld, along with his equally
cunning and seductive British partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to
work for wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso. DiMaso pushes them
into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia that's as dangerous
as it is enchanting. Carmine Polito is the passionate, volatile, New
Jersey political operator caught between the cons and Feds.
Irving's unpredictable wife Rosalyn could be the one to pull the
thread that brings the entire world crashing down.
2013
DVD 12,283 [A]
Anastasia
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in 1956. 104
minutes.
An amnesia victim is made to believe that she is Anastasia, the
last of the Romanoff family. She becomes part of a scam to collect
millions deposited by her father, the dead Czar. Based on Marcelle
Maurette's play.
1956
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1999
DVD 14,429 [A]
1999
DVD 5557 [A]
2002
DVD 14,384 [A]
1995
DVD 3670 [A]
Angela's Ashes
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 1999. 145 minutes.
Based on the best-selling memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Frank McCourt. The moving story of his impoverished childhood
in 1930s and 1940s Ireland.
Anna & The King
Rated PG-13. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
1999. 147 minutes.
Set in the 19th century Thailand, the film is the true story of the
relationship between British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens and
the King of Siam. Based on historical information from
Leonowens' own diaries.
Antwone Fisher
Rated PG-13. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2002. 120 minutes.
Inspired by true life experiences, Antwone Fisher tells the story of
a troubled sailor who is ordered to see a naval psychiatrist about
his violent temper. What follows is a journey to his troubled past
and connection with the family he never knew.
Apollo 13
Rated PG. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1995. 140 minutes.
A big-picture reenactment of the 1970 Apollo lunar mission that
ran into problems. Stranded 205,000 miles from the Earth in a
crippled spacecraft, astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack
Swigert fight a desperate battle to survive.
Argo
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 2012. 120 minutes.
On November 4. 1979. Iranian militants stormed the American
embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages,
sparking a 444-day ordeal. There's a little-known footnote to the
crisis: six Americans escaped and a midlevel agent named
Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to
rescue them.
2012
DVD 11,540 [A]
2004
DVD 1749 [A]
1995
DVD 14,586 [A]
2001
DVD 14,501 [B]
2007
DVD 4423 [B]
Aviator, The
Rated PG-13. Warner Home Video, produced in 2004. 170
minutes.
An epic biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and
aviator Howard Hughes' career, from the late 1920s to the mid
1940s.
Balto
Rated G. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1995. 78 minutes.
Based on a true story about a team of sled dogs led by half-wolf
half-husky Balto on a mission to bring life-saving medicine to
Alaska. Animated.
Beautiful Mind
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2001. 136 minutes.
The true story of a troubled Princeton mathematician who is able
to overcome years of suffering from schizophrenia to win the
Nobel Prize.
Becoming Jane
Rated PG. Miramax Films, produced in 2007. 120 minutes.
It's the untold romance that inspired the novels of one of the
world's most celebrated authors, Jane Austen. When the dashing
Tom Lefroy, a reckless and penniless lawyer-to-be, enters Jane's
life, he offends the emerging writer's sense and sensibility. Soon
their clashing egos set off sparks that ignite a passionate romance
and fuel Jane's dream of doing the unthinkable; marrying for love.
Beyond the Sea
Rated PG-13. Artisan Entertainment Inc., produced in 2004. 118
minutes.
Kevin Spacey turns in a sparkling performance portraying Bobby
Darin, the hugely popular musician from the 50s, and the struggle
that he faced in his life when crowds went home and the stage
lights turned off.
2004
DVD 2807 [B]
2001
DVD 1649 [B]
2009
DVD 14,566 [B]
2013
DVD 11,927 [B]
Black Hawk Down
Rated R. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2001, 144 minutes.
The true story of an ill-fated humanitarian mission to Somalia on
October 3, 1993, that turned out to be the longest sustained battle
involving American troops since the Vietnam War.
The Blind Side
Rated PG-13. Alcon Entertainment, produced in 2009. 128
minutes.
The remarkable true story of Michael Oher, a homeless AfricanAmerican youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys,
a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the
same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to
some insightful self-discoveries of their own.
Bling Ring
Rated R. Lions Gate Home Entertainment, produced in 2013. 90
minutes.
Inspired by actual events, The Bling Ring tells the story of a group
of fame-obsessed teenagers living in the suburbs of Los Angeles
who use the Internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to
rob their empty homes. Ringleader Rebecca leads the group of
misfits including Marc, Nicki, Sam, and Chloe on the ultimate
heist for designer clothes and jewelry. What starts out as teenage
fun quickly spins out of control.
Born on the Fourth of July
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1989. 145 minutes.
A young man joins the army and fights in Vietnam, only to
become a wheelchair-bound paraplegic resulting from battle. He
then becomes a loud voice in the anti-war movement. Based on
Ron Kovic's book.
1989
DVD 5101 [B]
1999
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1978
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
2013
DVD 12,149 [B]
BR 531 [B]
2008
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BCCLS libraries
Boys Don't Cry
Rated R. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
1999. 116 minutes.
Based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a young woman who
passed herself off as a man in rural Nebraska and was murdered
for it
Buddy Holly Story
Rated PG. Columbia Pictures, produced in 1978, 114 minutes.
A biography of the famed 1950s pop star, spanning the years from
his beginnings in Lubbock to his tragic early death in the now
famous plane crash.
The Butler
Rated PG-13. Anchor Bay Entertainment, produced in 2013, 132
minutes.
Inspired by a true story about Cecil Gaines, a devoted husband,
father, and White House butler who served seven Presidential
administrations during the turbulent politics and civil rights battles
of twentieth century America.
Cadillac Records
Rated R. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in 2008,
109 minutes.
The history of Chicago-based Chess Records is chronicled along
with the turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends,
such as Muddy Waters, Etta James, and Chuck Berry. Includes
featurette, commentary, and deleted scenes.
Capote
Rated R. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2005, 114 minutes.
Famed author Truman Capote befriends two murderers while
researching his celebrated book, 'In Cold Blood,' and finds himself
changed to the core.
2005
DVD 2492 [C]
2013
DVD 12,160 [C]
BR 530 [C]
2002
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BCCLS libraries
2007
DVD 4608 [C]
2005
DVD 10,749 [C]
Captain Phillips
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2013, 134 minutes.
Based on the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009
hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk
Alabama, which was the first American cargo ship to be hijacked
in two hundred years.
Catch Me If You Can
Rated PG-13. DreamWorks Pictures, produced in 2002, 141
minutes.
Based on the autobiography of a brilliant young master of
deception and the FBI agent hot on his trail. Frank W. Abagnale,
Jr. passed himself off as a pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor all before
his 21st birthday.
Charlie Wilson's War
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2007, 102 minutes.
One congressman who loved a good time, one Houston socialite
who loved a good cause, and one renegade CIA agent who loved a
good fight conspired to bring about the largest covert operation in
history.
Cinderella Man
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2005, 145 minutes.
When a nation was on its knees, a courageous underdog brought
them to their feet, overcoming incredible odds to become a
legendary champion and an American hero. The inspiring true
story of boxer Jim Braddock.
Coach Carter
Rated PG-13. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 2005,
136 minutes.
Inspired by a true story, this is the inspirational account of a high
school basketball coach who received high praise, and staunch
criticism, for benching his entire undefeated team due to their
poor academic performances.
2005
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1980
DVD 4988 [C]
1993
DVD 10,371 [C]
2013
DVD 12,254 [D]
BR 537 [D]
2002
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
Coal Miner's Daughter
Rated PG. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1980, 125 minutes.
Biographical tale of Loretta Lynn, who rose from the povertystricken Appalachian area to become one of the biggest country
singers of all time.
Cool Runnings
Rated PG. Disney, produced in 1993, 98 minutes.
A coach, shamed from bobsledding, returns to Calgary with a ragtag group of Jamaicans to compete for the gold medal.
Dallas Buyers Club
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2013, 117 minutes.
Texas cowboy Ron Woodroof's free-wheeling life was overturned
in 1985 when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive. Shunned and
ostracized by many old friends and bereft of governmentapproved medicines, he decided to take matters in his own hands,
tracking down alternative treatments from all over the world by
means both legal and illegal. Bypassing the establishment, he
joined forces with an unlikely band of renegades and outcasts and
established a hugely successful 'buyers' club.'
Dangerous Minds
Rated R. Touchstone Home Entertainment, produced in 2002, 99
minutes.
Teacher and ex-marine Louanne Johnson accepts a full-time job at
East Palo Alto highschool without realizing that the students in
her class are highly intelligent, but have social problems. She must
learn how to get the students' attention and help them.
Diana
Rated PG-13. Entertainment One, produced in 2013, 113 minutes.
A look into the private realm of one the world's most iconic and
inescapably public women in the last two years of her meteoric
life, exploring the Princess of Wales's final rite of passage: a
secret love affair with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.
2013
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1975
DVD 8920 [D]
2011
DVD 10,459 [D]
2010
DVD 14,505 [E]
2007
DVD 4452 [E]
Dog Day Afternoon
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 1975, 124 minutes.
A bank robbery that was supposed to take 10 minutes ends up
being 12 hours, and turns into a media circus.
Dolphin Tale
Rated PG. Alcon Entertainment, produced in 2011, 113 minutes.
Inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the
compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life.
Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely
damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the
Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her
fight for survival has just begun. Without a tail, Winter's
prognosis is dire.
Eat Pray Love
Rated PG-13. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in
2010, 140 minutes.
A happily married woman who is trying to get pregnant realizes
that her life needs to go in a new direction. After a very painful
divorce, she risks everything and embarks on a journey around the
world that becomes a quest for self-discovery.
Elizabeth: the golden age
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2007, 115 minutes.
Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by familial betrayal and
Spain's invading army, and she must act to protect the lives of her
people, which will include a tragic sacrifice on her part. Includes
deleted scenes, featurettes, commentary, and more.
Erin Brockovich
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 126 minutes.
A brash former beauty queen and single mom talks her way into a
job at a small L.A. law firm and begins investigating mysterious
illnesses.
2000
DVD 14,401 [E]
2010
DVD 7924 [E]
2004
DVD 14,510 [F]
2006
DVD 3285 [F]
2012
DVD 11,508 [F]
Extraordinary Measures
Rated PG. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in 2010,
106 minutes.
On the fast track and ready to taste the success of corporate
America, John Crowley walks away from it all in hopes of finding
a cure for two of his fatally ill children. With his wife Aileen by
his side, he teams up with brilliant but unconventional scientist
Dr. Robert Stonehill, and together they form a company to
develop a life-saving drug. But just when it appears that a solution
may be found, the relationship between the men is tested and the
fate of John's children is at stake.
Finding Neverland
Rated PG. Miramax Home Entertainment, produced in 2004, 101
minutes.
Inspired by events in the life of author James Mathew Barrie,
Finding Neverland traverses both fantasy and everyday reality,
melding the difficulties of adult life with the spellbinding allure
and childlike innocence of the boy who never grows up.
Flags of Our Fathers
Rated R. DreamWorks Pictures, produced in 2006, 132 minutes.
The life stories of the five Marines and one Naval officer that
were forever immortalized as a symbol of WWII by raising the
American flag at the battle of Iwo Jima.
Flight
Rated R. Paramount Pictures, produced in 2012, 138 minutes.
A seasoned airline pilot miraculously crash lands his plane after a
mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board. After the
crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more
questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault
and what really happened on the plane.
Freedom Writers
Rated PG-13. Paramount, produced in 2007, 122 minutes.
Hilary Swank stars in this story about a teacher in a racially
divided school who gives her students what they've always needed
a voice. Swank plays Erin Gruwell, the real-life teacher at Long
Beach's Wilson High who inspired her students to overcome the
gangs that divided them and the education system that forgot
them.
2007
DVD 3506 [F]
2002
DVD 534 [F]
2004
DVD 1389 [F]
2008
DVD 6250 [F]
Frida
Rated R. Miramax Films, produced in 2002, 123 minutes.
A product of humble beginnings, Frida Kahlo earns fame as a
talented artist with a unique vision. From her enduring friendship
with her mentor and husband, Diego Rivera, to her scandalous
affairs, Frida's uncompromising personality would inspire her
greatest creations.
Friday Night Lights
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2004, 118 minutes.
Odessa, Texas has seen better days, yet one hope sustains the
community...when the Permian High Panthers take to the field.
Friday Night Lights captures the frenzy of a small town that
reveres its school team and their weekly games.
Frost/Nixon
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2008, 123 minutes.
When disgraced President Richard Nixon agreed to an interview
with jet-setting television personality David Frost, he thought he'd
found the key to saving his tarnished legacy. But, with a name to
make and a reputation to overcome, Frost became one of Nixon's
most formidable adversaries.
Gandhi
Rated PG. Columbia Pictures, produced in 1982, 191 minutes.
Follows the life of Mahatma Gandhi from his days as a lawyer in
South Africa to his role as India's spiritual leader against the
British. Bonus features include featurettes, interviews, an
introduction by Sir Richard Attenborough, and more.
1982
DVD 4979 [G]
1999
DVD 7548 [G]
2006
DVD 2650 [G]
1990
DVD 6913 [G]
2005
J DVD 4731 [G]
Girl, Interrupted
Rated R. Columbia Pictures, produced in 1999, 127 minutes.
Based on Susanna Kaysen's best-selling memoir about her 18
month stay as an adolescent girl in a New England psychiatric
hospital in the 1960's.
Glory Road
Rated PG. Disney, produced in 2006, 118 minutes.
Don Haskins, the future Hall of Fame coach of tiny Texas
Western University, bucks convention by simply starting the best
players he can find: history's first all-African American lineup.
Goodfellas
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 1990, 146 minutes.
A young man grows up in the mob and works hard to advance
himself through the ranks, enjoying the life of the rich and violent.
Adapted from the book by Nicholas Pileggi.
Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
Rated PG. Disney, produced in 2005, 121 minutes.
Based on the 1913 U.S. Open golf championship - at which two
equally sympathetic young men, both of whom grew up
economically and socially disadvantaged, go club to club in one of
the most exciting and dramatic athletic events of the 20th century.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
Rated G. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in 2009,
93 minutes.
The heartwarming true story of a loyal dog named Hachiko. This
very special friend would accompany his master to the train
station every day and return each afternoon to greet him after
work. Even after his master passed away, he continued to return to
the same spot at the station every day for the next nine years to
wait. During his daily visits he touched many lives and taught the
local people about love, compassion, and, above all, unyielding
loyalty.
2009
DVD 7948 [H]
2013
DVD 11,657 [H]
2004
DVD 11,645 [H]
2012
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Hemingway & Gellhorn
Rated TV-MA. Home Box Office, produced in 2012, 155 minutes.
Tells the story of the passionate love affair and tumultuous
marriage between Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway,
following the adventurous writers through all the great conflicts of
their time.
Hidalgo
Rated PG-13. Touchstone Home Entertainment, produced in 2004,
136 minutes.
Hidalgo recounts the life of legend Frank T. Hopkins. In the
1800s, Frank and his mustang Hidalgo win the Ocean of Fire, a
race of endurance across the Middle Eastern deserts. Frank also
learns that the key to happiness is accepting yourself as you are.
Hitchcock
Rated PG-13. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2012, 98 minutes.
Plagued by both a reckless ego and nagging self-doubt,
Hollywood legend Alfred Hitchcock becomes obsessed with a
grisly murder story that the studios won't back. Determined, he
risks his reputation, his home, and even the love of his wife Alma
as he sets out to make the film. Ultimately, Hitch wins Alma over,
and the two collaborate to create an enduring masterpiece: Psycho.
Hotel Rwanda
Rated PG-13. Metro Goldwyn Mayer, produced in 2004, 122
minutes.
The deeply moving true story of a five-star hotel manager who
used his wits and words to save more than 1,200 lives during the
1994 Rwandan conflict.
2004
DVD 14,406 [H]
Hurt Locker
Rated R. Summit Entertainment, produced in 2009, 130 minutes.
When a new sergeant, James, takes over a highly trained bomb
disposal team amid violent conflict, he surprises his two
subordinates, Sanborn and Eldridge, by recklessly plunging them
into a deadly game of urban combat. As the men struggle to
control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, and
James' true character reveals itself in a way that will change each
man forever.
2009
DVD 7381 [H]
Hyde Park on Hudson
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2012, 95 minutes.
As Great Britain faces an imminent war with Germany, US
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, invited the
King and Queen of England for a weekend at their home in
upstate New York. But during the first-ever visit of a reigning
British monarch to America, international affairs must be juggled
with the complexities of FDR's domestic establishment, as wife,
mother, and mistresses all conspire to make the royal trip an
unforgettable one.
2012
DVD 11,679 [H]
2006
DVD 3119 [I]
Invincible
Rated PG. Disney, produced in 2006, 104 minutes.
Inspired by the true story of Vince Papale, a down-on-his-luck
teacher and part-time bartender, who lives every fan's fantasy of
moving from the stands to the field when he makes it onto his
hometown's professional football team during an open tryout.
Iron Lady
Rated PG-13. Anchor Bay Entertainment, produced in 2011, 105
minutes.
A surprising and intimate portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the first
and only female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. One of
the 20th century's most famous and influential women, Thatcher
came from nowhere to smash through barriers of gender and class
to be heard in a male-dominated world.
2011
DVD 10,738 [I]
2011
DVD 10,712 [J]
2005
DVD 2469 [J]
1991
DVD 5163 [J]
J. Edgar
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 2011, 137 minutes.
J. Edgar Hoover was head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
for nearly 50 years. Hoover was feared, admired, reviled, and
revered, a man who could distort the truth as easily as he upheld
it. His methods were at once ruthless and heroic, with the
admiration of the world his most coveted prize. But behind closed
doors, he held secrets that would have destroyed his image, his
career, and his life.
Jarhead
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2005, 123 minutes.
Based on the book by Anthony Swofford about his experiences in
Operation Desert Storm, from his rigorous Marine basic training
to the punishing heat of the desert, and the intolerable long wait
for battle.
JFK
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 1991, 205 minutes.
The story of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison whose
investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy became an
obsession.
Jobs
Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in 2013, 127
minutes.
A riveting story of a true American visionary, a man who let
nothing stand in the way of greatness. It chronicles the iconic
innovator and entrepreneur's early days. He was a college dropout
who co-founded Apple Computer Inc. and was then forced to
leave. More than a decade later, Jobs returns and single-handedly
sets a course that will turn the once-tiny startup into one of the
world's most valuable companies. His epic journey blazes a trail
that changes technology-and the world-forever.
2013
DVD 12,130 [J]
2009
DVD 7268 [J]
2010
DVD 14,134 [K]
BR 347 [K]
1987
DVD 4477 [L]
(SHELVED IN
BACK)
Julie & Julia
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2009, 123 minutes.
Julia Child's beginning in the cooking profession is intertwined
with the life of thirty-year-old Julie Powell, who decides to cook
all 524 recipes in Child's first book in one year to escape from the
monotony of her daily life.
King's Speech
Rated R. The Weinstein Company Home Entertainment, produced
in 2010, 119 minutes.
The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension
to the throne, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure
monarch become worthy of it.
Last Emperor
Rated PG-13. Artisan Entertainment Inc., produced in 1987, 218
minutes.
An epic that details the life of Pu Yi, crowned at the age of three
as the last emperor of China before the Communist reign. Follow
him from his childhood to manhood to fugitive to puppet ruler to
party proletariat.
Last King of Scotland
Rated R. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2006, 123 minutes.
A Scottish doctor on a mission to Uganda becomes the personal
physician to Idi Amin, the country's leader. What starts off as a
fascinating job soon turns to horror as the doctor realizes what
kind of man he really works for.
2006
DVD 3498 [L]
1992
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
2012
DVD 11,613 [L]
2005
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BCCLS libraries
League of Their Own
Rated PG. Columbia Pictures, produced in 1992, 127 minutes.
The true story of the women's professional baseball league during
WWII.
Lincoln
Rated PG-13. DreamWorks Pictures, produced in 2012, 150
minutes.
A revealing drama that focuses on the 16th president's tumultuous
final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong
winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to
end the war, unite the country, and abolish slavery. With the moral
courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during
this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.
Lords of Dogtown
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2005, 107 minutes.
Based on the true story of the legendary Z-Boys, this film is a
fictionalized take on a brilliant group of young skateboarders who
perfect their craft in the empty swimming pools of unsuspecting
suburban homeowners, pioneering a thrilling new sport.
Lovelace
Rated R. Anchor Bay Entertainment, produced in 2013, 93
minutes.
In 1972, before the Internet, Deep Throat was a phenomenon: the
first scripted pornographic theatrical feature film, featuring a
story, some jokes, and Linda Lovelace. Escaping a strict family,
she discovered freedom and married Chuck Traynor. As Linda
Lovelace she became an international sensation, fully inhabiting
her new identity and a enthusiastic spokesperson for sexual
freedom. Later she presented another, utterly contradictory
narrative to the world, a far darker story.
2013
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1992
DVD 6266 [M]
2013
DVD 12,295 [M]
2010
DVD 9569 [M]
Malcolm X
Rated PG-13. Warner Bros., produced in 1992, 201 minutes.
The life of Malcolm X, the black activist who became a Muslim
and was a leader in the Nation of Islam until his assassination.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Rated PG-13. Anchor Bay Films, produced in 2013, 141 minutes.
Based on South African President Nelson Mandela's
autobiography of the same name, it chronicles his early life,
coming of age, education, and 27 years in prison before becoming
president and working to rebuild the country's once segregated
society.
Mao's Last Dancer
Rated PG. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2010, 117 minutes.
Based on an inspiring true story, this emotionally powerful crowdpleaser emerged as one of the year's most talked about
independent films. It's the fascinating and epic tale of Li Cunxin, a
peasant boy from rural China who beats impossible odds to
become a world-renowned ballet dancer. Through breathtaking
talent and sheer determination, Li makes his way to the United
States; but when he falls in love with an American woman, he
must risk everything to remain in the land of the free.
Marie Antoinette
Rated PG-13. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in
2006, 123 minutes.
The story of a 14-year-old girl who is taken from her parents to
become the Queen of France, and how a young woman must grow
up in front of an entire country.
2006
DVD 3309 [M]
Mighty Heart
Rated R. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 2007, 108
minutes.
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
The terrifying and unforgettable account of Wall Street Journal
reporter Danny Pearl's life and death, as told by his wife Mariane.
Bonus features include public service announcements, featurette,
and more.
Milk
Rated R. Focus Features, produced in 2008, 129 minutes.
His life changed history. His courage changed lives. Based on the
inspiring true story of the first openly gay man elected to major
public office. Follow Harvey Milk's powerful journey to inspire
hope for equal rights during one of the least tolerant times in our
nation's history.
2008
DVD 5989 [M]
2004
DVD 916 [M]
1988
DVD 4280 [M]
Miracle
Rated PG. Disney, produced in 2004, 136 minutes.
Based on the true story of the most famous team in the history of
American sports: the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. Follow
from the team's selection process to the ultimate victory over
Finland for the gold. Celebrate American patriotism at its best.
Mississippi Burning
Rated R. Metro Goldwyn Mayer, produced in 1988, 127 minutes.
When three civil activists come up missing two FBI agents are
sent to investigate the disappearances.
Moneyball
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2011, 133 minutes.
The story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's
successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by
employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
2011
DVD 10,467 [M]
BR 423 [M]
2003
DVD 917 [M]
2004
DVD 1441 [M]
2005
DVD 2669 [M]
1999
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Monster
Rated R. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2003, 108 minutes.
Based on the true story of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who was
executed in 2002 for the brutal murders of at least six men in
Florida.
The Motorcycle Diaries
Rated R. Focus Features, produced in 2004, 127 minutes.
An inspirational adventure, based on the true story of two young
men whose thrilling and dangerous road trip across Latin America
becomes a life-changing journey of self-discovery.
Munich
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2005, 164 minutes.
An explosive suspense thriller set in the aftermath of the heinous
murders of 11 athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Inspired by
true events, this highly charged film tracks a team of assassins
who mount a secret war of revenge against the murderers.
Music of the Heart
Rated PG. Touchstone Home Entertainment, produced in 1999,
123 minutes.
Based on the true story of violinist Roberta Guaspari. Abandoned
by her husband & and left with 2 boys, Guaspari ends up teaching
music in a tough East Harlem school. Resented at first her
program becomes world renowned - until budget cuts threaten it.
My Week with Marilyn
Rated R. Anchor Bay Entertainment, produced in 2011, 99
minutes.
In the summer of 1956, 23-year-old Colin Clark, determined to
make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant on
the set of The Prince and the Showgirl, the film that famously
united Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe. When his diary
account was published, one week was missing. This is the story of
that week: an idyll in which he escorted a Monroe desperate to get
away from Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work.
2011
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1995
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1979
DVD 5046 [N]
2008
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
2005
DVD 5673 [O]
Nixon
Rated R. Touchstone Home Entertainment, produced in 1995, 192
minutes.
A look at the life of Richard Nixon, taking into consideration the
importance of his public life, and speculating about his private
one.
Norma Rae
Rated PG. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
1979, 114 minutes.
A woman teams up with a New York labor organizer to unionize
the workers at a Southern textile mill.
Notorious
Unrated. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2008, 123 minutes.
Chronicling the extraordinary life of Christopher 'The Notorious
B.I.G.' Follow the young rapper from the tough streets of
Brooklyn to the heights of superstardom as he juggles the
increasing demands of fatherhood, marriage, and a music career
amid chaos and controversy.
October Sky
Rated PG. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1998, 108 minutes.
The true story of Homer Hickam, Jr., a high school student in
rural West Virginia who seemed destined to repeat his father's
harsh life in the coal mines until he turned his attention to the
skies.
Other Boleyn Girl
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2008, 115 minutes.
Two sisters, driven by their family to win the heart of the king for
wealth and power, develop a bitter rivalry - out of ambition and
affection - that threatens to tear England apart.
2008
DVD 4990 [O]
1985
DVD 104 [O]
1998
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
2001
DVD 562 [P]
2000
DVD 112 [P]
Out of Africa
Rated PG. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1985, 161 minutes.
The fascinating true story of Karen Blixen, a strong-willed woman
who, with her philandering husband, runs a coffee plantation in
Kenya, circa 1914. To her astonishment, she soon discovers
herself falling in love with the land, its people, and a mysterious
white hunter.
Patch Adams
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1998, 116 minutes.
Based on the true story of a compassionate but outrageous med
student who risks his career by defying the medical profession
with his unwavering belief that laughter is the best medicine.
Pearl Harbor
Rated PG-13. Touchstone Home Entertainment, produced in 2001,
183 minutes.
Two friends are caught up in the events that draw the United
States into World War II. One of them enlists with the U.S. Army
Air Corps and the other flies for the British Royal Air Force, but
they both find themselves in love with the same woman.
Perfect Storm
Rated PG-13
Warner Bros., produced in 2000, 130 minutes. $183M, sales rank:
6359
Based on a true story and the book by Sebastian Junger, The
Perfect Storm tells the story of the courageous people who risk
their lives every day working on the ocean. Their fears are
realized when the most powerful storm ever hits them
unexpectedly.
Philomena
Rated PG-13. Anchor Bay Films, produced in 2013, 98 minutes.
In 1952, a young Philomena was sent to the convent of Roscrea in
Ireland after giving birth to her first child. When her son became a
toddler, the nuns sent him to America for adoption. Philomena
then spent the next fifty years seeking for him in vain.
2013
DVD 12,427 [P]
BR 612 [P]
2002
DVD 842 [P]
2006
DVD 842 [P]
2003
DVD 827 [R]
1980
CLASSIC DVD
843 [R]
2004
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
Pianist
Rated R. Focus Features, produced in 2002, 150 minutes.
Loosely based on the memoirs of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish
Jew who was a brilliant pianist. He watched as his family was
shipped off to Nazi labor camps. He managed to escape and lived
for years in the ruins of Warsaw, hiding from the Nazis.
Pursuit of Happiness
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2006, 117 minutes.
The story of Christopher Gardner, who struggled with his young
son while working as an unpaid intern at a prestigious stock
brokerage, and became a millionaire.
Radio
Rated PG. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2003, 111 minutes.
When a football coach befriends a student who is mentally
challenged, little does he know how much impact the student will
have on his life and the community over the next several decades.
Raging Bull
Rated R. Metro Goldwyn Mayer, produced in 1980, 129 minutes.
Widely hailed as the greatest film of the 1980s, this searing story
charts the tortured rise and fall of middleweight champion Jake
'The Bronx Bull' La Motta.
Ray
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2004, 153 minutes.
Ray Charles went blind at the age of seven. Inspired by his
mother, who insisted he make his own way, he found his calling at
the keyboard. Follow Ray as he overcomes drug addiction while
becoming one of the country's most beloved performers.
Remember the Titans
Rated PG. Touchstone Home Entertainment, produced in 2000,
114 minutes.
A black football coach is hired over a white coach in Alexandria,
Virginia in the early 1970s during a time when the high school has
just been integrated to allow blacks into the school.
2000
DVD 9965 [R]
1993
DVD 5012 [R]
2013
DVD 12,268 [S]
1998
DVD 536 [S]
1993
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
Rudy
Rated PG. Columbia Pictures, produced in 1993, 114 minutes.
The true story of a mediocre student who, through sheer will,
plays football for Notre Dame.
Saving Mr. Banks
Rated PG-13. Disney, produced in 2013, 125 minutes.
When P.L. Travers travels from London to Hollywood in 1961 to
finally discuss Walt Disney's desire to bring her beloved
character, Mary Poppins, to the motion picture screen (a quest he
began in the 1940s as a promise to his two daughters), Disney
meets a prim, uncompromising sexagenarian not only suspect of
the impresario's concept for the film, but a woman struggling with
her own past. During her stay in California, Travers reflects back
on her difficult childhood in 1906 Australia.
Saving Private Ryan
Rated R. DreamWorks Pictures, produced in 1998, 169 minutes.
In this D-Day war drama, U.S. soldiers led by a captain go behind
enemy lines to save a missing paratrooper.
Schindler's List
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
1993, 196 minutes.
The incredible true story follows the enigmatic Oskar Schindler,
who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the
Holocaust. It is the triumph of one man who made a difference
and the drama of those who survived one of the darkest chapters
in human history because of what he did.
Seabiscuit
Rated PG-13. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2003, 141 minutes.
2003
DVD 14,514 [S]
2010
DVD 9068 [S]
2016
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
1983
DVD 4992 [S]
2010
DVD 8949 [S]
DVD 8951 [S]
The epic tale of three remarkable individuals who, against all
odds, set out to turn a long-shot racehorse into a legendary hero.
Secretariat
Rated PG. Disney, produced in 2010, 123 minutes.
Behind every legend lies an impossible dream. Witness the
spectacular journey of an incredible horse named Secretariat and
the moving story of his unlikely owner, a housewife who risked
everything to make him a champion.
Sid & Nancy
MVD Visual, produced in 2016, 95 minutes.
Sad Vacation is an up close and personal account of the
tumultuous and stormy relationship between Sid Vicious and
Nancy Spungen and how it ended in Room 100 of the Chelsea
Hotel. Directed by Danny Garcia (The Rise and Fall of The Clash,
Looking for Johnny), this films holds no punches and reveals the
facts through personal friends, insiders and witnesses providing a
first hand account of Sid and Nancy's mysterious deaths.
Silkwood
Rated R. Metro Goldwyn Mayer, produced in 1983, 131 minutes.
Story of Karen Silkwood, a nuclear plant employee and activist
who died in a mysterious car crash in 1974.
Social Network, the
Rated PG-13. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2010, 120 minutes.
In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in computer
programming genius Mark Zuckerberg's dorm room soon
becomes a global social network and a revolution in
communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later,
Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history, but for this
entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal
complications.
Soloist, the
Rated PG-13. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 2009,
116 minutes.
A Los Angeles newspaper reporter discovers a homeless musical
prodigy while looking for a new article for the paper. The two
form a unique friendship that will transform both their lives.
2009
DVD 6660 [S]
2011
DVD 9947 [S]
1976
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
2005
DVD 2742 [S]
2006
DVD 2837 [T]
Soul Surfer
Rated PG. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in 2011,
106 minutes.
Teen surfer Bethany Hamilton loses her arm in a shark attack and
courageously overcomes all odds to become a champion again,
through her sheer determination and unwavering faith. Special
features include: deleted scenes, documentary, and featurettes.
Sybil
Not rated. Warner Bros., produced in 1976, 180 minutes.
A landmark, classic drama depicting the extraordinary real life of
a young woman suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Syriana
Rated R. Warner Bros., produced in 2005, 128 minutes.
A politically charged thriller that unfolds against the intrigues and
corruption of the global oil industry. From the players brokering
back-room deals to the men toiling in the oil fields, the film
illuminates the consequences of the pursuit of power.
Take the Lead
Rated PG-13. New Line Home Video, produced in 2006, 118
minutes.
Internationally acclaimed ballroom dancer Pierre Dulane
volunteers to teach dance in the New York public school system.
His background clashes with his students' tastes...but together they
create a completely new style of dance.
Temple Grandin
Rated TV-PG. Home Box Office, produced in 2010, 109 minutes.
sales rank: 16703
An engaging portrait of an autistic young woman who became,
through timely mentoring and sheer force of will, one of
America's most remarkable success stories.
2010
DVD 8411 [T]
2000
DVD 224 [T]
1997
DVD 1 [T]
2006
DVD 2867 [U]
Thirteen Days
Rated PG-13. New Line Home Video, produced in 2000, 145
minutes.
An inside look at how the Kennedy administration responded to
the discovery of offensive Soviet weapons in Cuba, and the
pressurized tug-of-war that ensued between the US and the USSR
during the thirteen days of the missile crisis in 1962.
Titanic
Rated PG-13. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 1997,
194 minutes.
A timeless love story born of tragedy that created an international
phenomenon. This epic masterpiece is destined to sweep
audiences anew into the journey of a lifetime.
United 93
Rated R. Universal Studios Home Entertainment, produced in
2006, 111 minutes.
This powerful film about September 11th, one of the darkest days
in our history, paints an unforgettable and inspiring portrait of the
40 passengers and crew who sat down as strangers and found the
courage to stand up as one.
Valkyrie
Rated PG-13. Metro Goldwyn Mayer, produced in 2008, 120
minutes.
Based on the incredible true story of Colonel Claus von
Stauffenberg and his ingenious assassination plot targeting Adolf
Hitler, this engrossing thriller reenacts the daring operation to
eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known.
DVD 6196 [V]
Vow
Rated PG-13. Spyglass Entertainment, produced in 2012, 104
minutes.
A young couple has a car accident that puts the wife in a coma.
After she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband sets his
sights on winning her heart again.
2012
DVD 10,878 [V]
2005
DVD 2576 [W]
2006
DVD 3828 [W]
2002
DVD 452 [W]
2013
DVD 12,305 [W]
Walk the Line
Rated PG-13. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2005, 136 minutes.
The love story of country stars Johnny Cash and June Carter
during the early years of Cash's career with Sun Records in
Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee
Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
We Are Marshall
Rated PG. Warner Bros., produced in 2006, 131 minutes.
The inspiring story of how a small town in West Virginia, steeped
in the rich tradition of college football, struggled to cope with a
devastating loss and restore their community after one of the worst
disasters in the history of American sports.
We Were Soldiers
Rated R. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 2002, 138
minutes.
An action-packed war movie that features explosive battle
sequences, thrilling aerial photography, and unforgettable military
heroes who fought for their country, their loved ones, and their
freedom.
Wolf of Wall Street
Rated R. Paramount, produced in 2013, 179 minutes.
Martin Scorsese directs the story of New York stockbroker Jordan
Belfort. From the American dream to corporate greed, Belfort
goes from penny stocks and righteousness to IPOs and a life of
corruption in the late '80s. Excess success and affluence in his
early twenties as founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont
warranted Belfort the title 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'
Won't Back Down
Rated PG. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, produced in
2012, 121 minutes.
Frustrated by her dyslexic daughter's struggles at a failing innercity school, Jamie Fitzpatrick tries to enroll her somewhere else.
When this fails, Jamie recruits a disillusioned but caring teacher to
try to fix the broken school.
2012
DVD 11,459 [W]
2006
DVD 3080 [W]
1946
Available at other
BCCLS libraries
2009
DVD 7734 [Y]
2012
DVD 11,584 [Z]
World Trade Center
Rated PG-13. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 2006,
128 minutes.
The unforgettable true story of the courageous rescue and survival
of two Port Authority policemen who were trapped in the rubble
on September 11, 2001, after they volunteered to go in and help
the victims.
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Not rated. Warner Bros., produced in 1946, 126 minutes.
This story of composer George M. Cohan is on the AFI's Top 100
Films list, nominated for 8 Academy Awards.
Young Victoria
Rated PG. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, produced in 2009,
105 minutes.
Chronicles the life and times of Queen Victoria from her
childhood to her early rise to power and the first turbulent years of
her rule. Her romantic relationship and eventual marriage to
Prince Albert culminates in a royal power struggle which
ultimately is the key to her happiness when she comes to the
realization that he is someone she can fully trust and believe in.
Zero Dark Thirty
Rated R. Columbia Pictures, produced in 2012, 157 minutes.
Chronicles the decade-long search for Osama bin Laden following
the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of Navy
SEAL Team 6.
Zodiac
Rated R. Paramount Home Entertainment, produced in 2007, 158
minutes.
Four investigators are obsessed with the case of a serial killer on
the loose in San Francisco in the '60s and '70s, who leaves cryptic
letters regarding the unsolved murders. Based on actual case files.
2007
DVD 3690 [Z]