Archive for the ‘Biography’ Category

Cesar Chavez

Friday, April 4th, 2014

Genre: Biography

Release Year: 2014

Runtime: 118

Language: English

Director: Diego Luna

Plot: Directed by Diego Luna, Chávez chronicles the birth of a modern American movement led by famed civil rights leader and labor organizer, Cesar Chavez. Torn between his duties as a husband and father and his commitment to bringing dignity and justice to others, Chavez embraced non-violence as he battled greed and prejudice in his struggle for the rights of farm workers. His triumphant journey is a remarkable testament to the power of one individual’s ability to change the system.

 

Invictus

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, History, Sport

Release Year: 2009

Country: USA

Runtime: 133 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: His people needed a leader. He gave them a champion.

 

Cast: Morgan Freeman … Nelson Mandela
Matt Damon … Francois Pienaar
Tony Kgoroge … Jason Tshabalala
Patrick Mofokeng … Linga Moonsamy
Matt Stern … Hendrick Booyens
Julian Lewis Jones … Etienne Feyder
Adjoa Andoh … Brenda Mazibuko
Marguerite Wheatley … Nerine
Leleti Khumalo … Mary
Patrick Lyster … Mr. Pienaar
Penny Downie … Mrs. Pinnear
Sibongile Nojila … Eunice
Bonnie Henna … Zindzi
Shakes Myeko … Minister of Sport
Louis Minnaar … Springbok Coach

 

Plot: Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. add synopsis

 

Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 17 nominations

Amelia

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama

Release Year: 2009

Country: USA | Canada

Runtime: 111 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: Defying The Impossible. Living The Dream.

 

Cast: Hilary Swank … Amelia Earhart
Richard Gere … George Putnam
Ewan McGregor … Gene Vidal
Christopher Eccleston … Fred Noonan
Joe Anderson … Bill
Cherry Jones … Eleanor Roosevelt
Mia Wasikowska … Elinor Smith
Aaron Abrams … Slim Gordon
Dylan Roberts … Leo Bellarts
Scott Yaphe … William Dalten
Tom Fairfoot … Balfour
Ryann Shane … Young Amelia
William Cuddy … Gore Vidal
Elizabeth Shepherd … Frances Putnam
Richard Donat … Gallagher

 

Plot: A look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world. add synopsis

 

Awards: 1 win & 1 nomination

Creation

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama

Release Year: 2009

Country: UK

Runtime: 108 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: How he saw the world changed it forever

 

Writers: John Collee (screenplay) Randal Keynes (biography)

 

Cast: Paul Bettany … Charles Darwin
Jennifer Connelly … Emma Darwin
Jeremy Northam … Reverend Innes
Toby Jones … Thomas Huxley
Benedict Cumberbatch … Joseph Hooker
Jim Carter … Parslow
Martha West … Annie Darwin
Teresa Churcher … Mrs. Davies
Harrison Sansostri … Lenny Darwin
Pauline Stone … Mrs. Darwin's Maid
Zak Davies … Jemmy Buttons
Christopher Dunkin … George Darwin

 

Plot: English naturalist Charles Darwin struggles to find a balance between his revolutionary theories on evolution and the relationship with religious wife, whose faith contradicts his work. add synopsis

The Last Station

Friday, September 4th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, History

Release Year: 2009

Country: Germany | Russia | UK

Runtime: 112 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: Intoxicating. Infuriating. Impossible. Love.

 

Cast: James McAvoy … Valentin Bulgakov
Christopher Plummer … Leo Tolstoy
Helen Mirren … Sofya Tolstoy
Anne-Marie Duff … Sasha Tolstoy
Paul Giamatti … Vladimir Chertkov
Kerry Condon … Masha
Patrick Kennedy … Sergeyenko
John Sessions … Dushan
David Masterson … Reporter
Nenad Lucic … Vanja
Tomas Spencer … Andrey Tolstoy
Maximilian Gärtner … Kind

 

Plot: A historical drama that illustrates Russian author Leo Tolstoy’s struggle to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a life devoid of material things. add synopsis

 

Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 11 nominations

Julie & Julia

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Release Year: 2009

Country: USA

Runtime: 123 min

Languages: English | French

Director:

Tagline: Passion. Ambition. Butter. Do You Have What It Takes?

 

Cast: Meryl Streep … Julia Child
Amy Adams … Julie Powell
Stanley Tucci … Paul Child
Chris Messina … Eric Powell
Linda Emond … Simone Beck
Helen Carey … Louisette Bertholle
Mary Lynn Rajskub … Sarah
Jane Lynch … Dorothy McWilliams
Joan Juliet Buck … Madame Brassart
Crystal Noelle … Ernestine
George Bartenieff … Chef Max Bugnard
Vanessa Ferlito … Cassie
Casey Wilson … Regina
Jillian Bach … Annabelle
Andrew Garman … John O'Brien

 

Plot: Julia Child’s story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell’s 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child’s first book. add synopsis

 

Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 9 wins & 13 nominations

Public Enemies

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Thriller

Release Year: 2009

Country: USA

Runtime: 140 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: America's Most Wanted

 

Cast: James Russo … Walter Dietrich
David Wenham … Harry 'Pete' Pierpont
Christian Stolte … Charles Makley
Jason Clarke … John 'Red' Hamilton
Johnny Depp … John Dillinger
John Judd … Turnkey
Stephen Dorff … Homer Van Meter
Michael Vieau … Ed Shouse
John Kishline … Guard Dainard
Wesley Walker … Jim Leslie
John Scherp … Earl Adams
Elena Kenney … Viola Norris
William Nero Jr. … Farm Boy
Channing Tatum … Pretty Boy Floyd
Christian Bale … Melvin Purvis

 

Plot: The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.

 

Awards: 8 nominations

Bright Star

Friday, May 15th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, Romance

Release Year: 2009

Country: UK | Australia | France

Runtime: Canada:119 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: First Love Burns Brightest

 

Cast: Ben Whishaw … John Keats
Abbie Cornish … Frances 'Fanny' Brawne
Kerry Fox … Mrs. Brawne
Paul Schneider … Charles Armitage Brown
Edie Martin … Margaret 'Toots' Brawne
Thomas Sangster … Samuel Brawne
Gerard Monaco … Charles Dilke
Antonia Campbell-Hughes … Abigail O'Donaghue Brown
Samuel Roukin … John Reynolds
Amanda Hale … Reynolds' Sister I
Lucinda Raikes … Reynolds' Sister II
Samuel Barnett … Joseph Severn
Jonathan Aris … Leigh Hunt
Olly Alexander … Tom Keats
Theresa Watson … Charlotte

 

Plot: The drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats’ untimely death at age 25.

 

Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 14 nominations

The Soloist

Friday, April 24th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, Music

Release Year: 2009

Country: UK | USA | France

Runtime: 117 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: Life has a mind of its own

 

Cast: Jamie Foxx … Nathaniel Ayers
Robert Downey Jr. … Steve Lopez
Catherine Keener … Mary Weston
Tom Hollander … Graham Claydon
Lisa Gay Hamilton … Jennifer Ayers (as Lisagay Hamilton)
Nelsan Ellis … David Carter
Rachael Harris … Leslie Bloom
Stephen Root … Curt Reynolds
Lorraine Toussaint … Flo Ayers
Justin Martin … Young Nathaniel
Kokayi Ampah … Bernie Carpenter
Patrick Tatten … Paul Jr.
Susane Lee … Marisa (as Susane E. Lee)
Marcos De Silvas … Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Ilia Volok … Harry Barnoff

 

Plot: A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Julliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.

 

Awards: 1 nomination

Coco avant Chanel

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama

Release Year: 2009

Country: France

Runtime: 105 min

Languages: French

Director:

Tagline: Before she was France's famous mademoiselle…

 

Writers: Edmonde Charles-Roux (book) Anne Fontaine (writer)

 

Cast: Audrey Tautou … Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel
Benoît Poelvoorde … Étienne Balsan
Alessandro Nivola … Arthur 'Boy' Capel
Marie Gillain … Adrienne Chanel
Emmanuelle Devos … Emilienne d'Alençon
Régis Royer … Alec, le jockey
Etienne Bartholomeus … Maître d'hôtel Balsan
Yan Duffas … Maurice de Nexon
Fabien Béhar … Patron boutique
Roch Leibovici … Jean, le palefrenier
Jean-Yves Chatelais … Directeur beuglant
Pierre Diot … Acteur théâtre
Vincent Nemeth … Gros homme théâtre
Bruno Abraham-Kremer … Tailleur Deauville
Lisa Cohen … Gabrielle Chanel, 10 ans

 

Plot: The story of Coco Chanel’s rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world. add synopsis

 

Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 10 nominations

Notorious

Friday, January 16th, 2009

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, Music

Release Year: 2009

Country: USA

Runtime: 122 min | 128 min (unrated director's cut)

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: No dream is too big

 

Cast: Jamal Woolard … Christopher 'Biggie' Wallace
Mohamed Dione … Record Executive at Party
Derek Luke … Sean 'Puffy' Combs
Dennis L.A. White … Damion 'D-Roc' Butler
Marc John Jefferies … Lil Cease
Menyone DeVeaux … Hot Girl
Ginger Kroll … Debbie
Ricky Smith … Wally
Christopher Jordan Wallace … Biggie (age 8-13)
Amanda Christopher … Keisha
Angela Bassett … Voletta Wallace
Nina Daniels … Street Commentator
Jasper Briggs … Damion (age 8-13)
Cyrus Farmer … Selwyn
David Costabile … Mr. Webber

 

Plot: The life and death story of Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Christopher Wallace), who came straight out of Brooklyn to take the world of rap music by storm.

 

Awards: 6 nominations

Cadillac Records

Friday, December 5th, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, History, Music, Romance

Release Year: 2008

Country: USA

Runtime: 109 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: If you take the ride, you must pay the price.

 

Cast: Adrien Brody … Leonard Chess
Jeffrey Wright … Muddy Waters
Gabrielle Union … Geneva Wade
Columbus Short … Little Walter
Cedric the Entertainer … Willie Dixon
Emmanuelle Chriqui … Revetta Chess
Eamonn Walker … Howlin' Wolf
Mos Def … Chuck Berry
Beyoncé Knowles … Etta James rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joshua Alscher … Mick Jagger
Tim Bellow … Man in the Caddy
Tony Bentley … Lomax
Lawrence P. Beron … Overseer
Tammy Blanchard … Isabelle Allen
Eric Bogosian … Alan Freed
Marc Bonan … Keith Richards
Wayne Cobham … Piano – Ettas Recording Recording Group
Ryan Curtis … Picnic Boyfriend
Veronika Dash … Blonde
Eshaya Draper … Charles Waters – 7 Years Old
John Farrer … Violinist – Ettas Recording group
Shiloh Fernandez … Phil Chess
Jill Flint … Shirley Feder
Doug W. Goldman … Trumpet – Ettas Recording group
Gano Grills … Slick Pimp
Suzette Gunn … Minnie
Evan Hart … Young lover
Osas Ighodaro … Vicky – Maid
Kevin Jackson … Mysterious Black Man
Albert Jones … Hubert Sumlin
Nate Jones … Etta's Recording Group
Rayan Lawrence … Harmonica Player
Chyna Layne … Juanita
Malikha Mallette … Little Walter's girlfriend
Kevin Mambo … Jimmy Rogers
Aaron Munoz … Manager
Anthony Del Negro … Bandstand Dancer
Natasha Ononogbo … Muddy Waters' Girlfriend
Ginnie Randall … Muddy Waters Grandmother
Norman Reedus … Chess
Jake Robards … Robert
Jay O. Sanders … Mr. Feder
Stephen Seidel … Officer Brown
Derrick Simmons … Dice Player
Valence Thomas … James Cotton
Isiah Whitlock Jr. … Black mississippi dj
Dwan Dink Young … Drums – Ettas Recording group

 

Plot: Chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists.

 

Awards: Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 16 nominations

Milk

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, History, Romance

Release Year: 2008

Country: USA

Runtime: 128 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: His life changed history. His courage changed lives.

 

Cast: Sean Penn … Harvey Milk
Emile Hirsch … Cleve Jones
Josh Brolin … Dan White
Diego Luna … Jack Lira
James Franco … Scott Smith
Alison Pill … Anne Kronenberg
Victor Garber … Mayor George Moscone
Denis O'Hare … State Senator John Briggs
Joseph Cross … Dick Pabich
Stephen Spinella … Rick Stokes
Lucas Grabeel … Danny Nicoletta
Brandon Boyce … Jim Rivaldo
Howard Rosenman … David Goodstein
Kelvin Yu … Michael Wong
Jeff Koons … Art Agnos

 

Plot: The story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official.

 

Awards: Won 2 Oscars. Another 34 wins & 48 nominations

W.

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama

Release Year: 2008

Country: USA | Hong Kong | Germany | UK | Australia

Runtime: 129 min

Languages: English | Spanish

Director:

Tagline: Get Ready

 

Cast: Josh Brolin … George W. Bush
Elizabeth Banks … Laura Bush
Ellen Burstyn … Barbara Bush
James Cromwell … George H.W. Bush
Richard Dreyfuss … Dick Cheney
Scott Glenn … Donald Rumsfeld
Toby Jones … Karl Rove
Stacy Keach … Rev. Earle Hudd
Bruce McGill … George Tenet
Thandie Newton … Condoleezza Rice
Jeffrey Wright … Colin Powell
Ioan Gruffudd … Prime Minister Tony Blair
Noah Wyle … Don Evans
Dennis Boutsikaris … Paul Wolfowitz
Michael Gaston … General Tommy Franks

 

Plot: A chronicle on the life and presidency of George W. Bush.

 

Awards: 4 nominations

Little Ashes

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama

Release Year: 2008

Country: UK | Spain

Runtime: 112 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: Love. Art. Betrayal.

 

Cast: Javier Beltrán … Federico García Lorca
Robert Pattinson … Salvador Dalí
Matthew McNulty … Luis Buñuel
Marina Gatell … Magdalena rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adria Allue … Guardia
Simón Andreu … Fernando de Valle
Rubén Arroyo … Rafael
Ferran Audí … Guardia 1
Adrian Devant … Titiritero
Ramón Enrich Borrellas … Profesor
Sue Flack … Señora
Diana Gómez … Ana María
Arly Jover … Gala
Ferran Lahoz … Señor Milagro
Esther Nubiola … Adela
Bruno Oro … Pepín Bello
Vicky Peña … Tía de Magdalena
Joan Pico … Joven Oficial
Marc Pujol … Carlos
Christian Rodrigo … Joven Periodista
Pep Sais … Profesor de Arte
Xavi Siles … Hombre 1

 

Plot: About the young life and loves of artist Salvador Dal

Bronson

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

All Genres:
Action, Biography, Drama, Thriller

Release Year: 2008

Country: UK

Runtime: 92 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: The Man. The Myth. The Celebrity.

 

Writers: Brock Norman Brock (screenplay) and Nicolas Winding Refn (screenplay)

 

Cast: Tom Hardy … Charles Bronson
Matt King … Paul rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kelly Adams … Irene
Katy Barker … Julie
Edward Bennett-Coles … Brian
June Bladon … Party guest
Amanda Burton … Mum
William Darke … Charles Bronson – Age 13
Mark Devenport … Nurse
Andrew Forbes … Joe Peterson
Helen Grayson … Uncle Jack's Party Guest (as China-Black)
Anna Griffin … Train Girl
Kate Hesketh … Uncle Jack's Party Guest
Leah Hinton-Fishlock … Uncle Jack's Party Guest
Mandy Kay … Boxing Crowd Member
James Lance … Phil
Matt Legg … Prisoner
Brendan McCoy … Prisoner
Jane McLennan … Uncle Jack's Party Guest
Juliet Oldfield … Alison
Jonathan Phillips
Hugh Ross … Uncle Jack
Dean Spicksley … Prisoner
Mark Stocks … Gangster
Joe Tucker … John White

 

Plot: A young man who was sentenced to 7 years on prison for robbing a post office ends up spending 30 years in solitary confinement. During this time, his own personality is supplanted by his alter ego, Charles Bronson. add synopsis

 

Awards: 2 wins & 3 nominations

The Duchess

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, History, Romance

Release Year: 2008

Country: UK | Italy | France

Runtime: 110 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: There were three people in her marriage

 

Cast: Keira Knightley … Georgiana
Ralph Fiennes … The Duke
Charlotte Rampling … Lady Spencer
Dominic Cooper … Charles Grey
Hayley Atwell … Bess Foster
Simon McBurney … Charles Fox
Aidan McArdle … Richard Sheridan
John Shrapnel … General Grey
Alistair Petrie … Heaton
Patrick Godfrey … Dr. Neville
Michael Medwin … Speechmaker
Justin Edwards … Macaroni
Richard McCabe … Sir James Hare
Calvin Dean … Devonshire House Servant
Hannah Stokely … Devonshire House Maid

 

Plot: A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life.

 

Awards: Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 14 nominations

Vals Im Bashir

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

All Genres:
Animation, Biography, Drama, War

Release Year: 2008

Country: Israel | Germany | France | USA | Finland | Switzerland | Belgium | Australia

Runtime: 90 min

Languages: Hebrew | German | English | Arabic

Director:

Tagline:

 

Cast: Ron Ben-Yishai … Himself (voice)
Ronny Dayag … Himself (voice)
Ari Folman … Himself (voice)
Dror Harazi … Himself (voice)
Yehezkel Lazarov … Carmi Cna'an (voice)
Mickey Leon … Boaz Rein-Buskila (voice)
Ori Sivan … Himself (voice)
Zahava Solomon … Herself (voice)

 

Plot: An Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict. add synopsis

 

Awards: Nominated for Oscar. Another 23 wins & 23 nominations

The Edge of Love

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, Romance, War

Release Year: 2008

Country: UK

Runtime: 110 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: The only thing dangerous than war… is love.

 

Cast: Simon Armstrong … Wilfred Hosgood
Ben Batt … Sergeant
Geoffrey Beevers … Registrar
Rachel Bell … Midwife
Paul Brooke … Mr. Justice Singleton
Huw Ceredig … John Patrick
Richard Clifford … Alistair Graham
Richard Dillane … Lt Col David Talbot Rice
Joel Dommett … Train Soldier
Rachel Essex … Mel
Craig Gallivan … Sailor Beating Dylan
Callum Godfrey … Boy on Train
Simon Kassianides … Partisan
Keira Knightley … Vera Phillips
Anne Lambton … Anita Shenkin

 

Plot: Two feisty, free-spirited women are connected by the brilliant, charismatic poet who loves them both.

 

Awards: 1 win & 1 nomination

The Other Boleyn Girl

Friday, February 15th, 2008

All Genres:
Biography, Drama, History, Romance

Release Year: 2008

Country: UK | USA

Runtime: 115 min

Languages: English

Director:

Tagline: The only thing that could come between these sisters… is a kingdom.

 

Writers: Peter Morgan (screenplay) Philippa Gregory (novel)

 

Cast: Natalie Portman … Anne Boleyn
Scarlett Johansson … Mary Boleyn
Eric Bana … Henry Tudor
Jim Sturgess … George Boleyn
Mark Rylance … Sir Thomas Boleyn
Kristin Scott Thomas … Lady Elizabeth Boleyn
David Morrissey … The Duke of Norfolk
Benedict Cumberbatch … William Carey
Oliver Coleman … Henry Percy
Ana Torrent … Katherine of Aragon
Eddie Redmayne … William Stafford
Tom Cox … Rider
Michael Smiley … Physician
Montserrat Roig de Puig … Lady in Waiting
Juno Temple … Jane Parker

 

Plot: Two sisters contend for the affection of King Henry VIII.

 

Awards: 3 nominations