Reel Reviews

Hollywood has always found a path to cinematic greatness hidden beneath the often untold stories of real-life people. Whether celebrities, athletes, historical figures or just ordinary folk like you and me, everyone's got a story to tell. And following is a list of the best Biographical movies (biopics) of all time… in no particular order.

If you don't find your own favorite on the list, let others know about it in the comments section at the end of the article.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - David Lean directs Peter O'Toole as T.E. Lawrence, who blazed his way to glory in the Arabian desert, then sought anonymity as a common soldier under an assumed name. His actions almost single-handedly helped destroy the Ottoman Empire. Also stars Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif, and Anthony Quinn.

Sergeant York (1941) - Gary Cooper plays Sgt. Alvin York, a simple farmer from Tennessee who, despite his conscientious objections to fighting in WWI, ends up becoming a true war hero by capturing over a hundred armed German soldiers.

Capote (2005) - Philip Seymour Hoffman plays author Truman Capote during the period of time he researched the murders of a Kansas family. His research eventually led to him not only writing In Cold Blood, but also falling in love with one of the killers.

What's Love Got to Do With It? (1993) - Tina Turner's rocky rise to stardom with Ike Turner comes to life in this 1993 biopic named after one of the solo artist's biggest hits. Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne star as the abusive musical couple.

Goodfellas (1990) - Ray Liotta stars as Irish-Italian-American Henry Hill, a petty crook who eventually worked his way up through the Italian Mafia hierarchy, only to bring it down as an informant for the FBI. Directed by Martin Scorcese and won one Oscar amongst six Academy Award nominations.

The Social Network (2010) - The fascinating story of how Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg founded one of the biggest and most influential web sites on the internet, the social-networking site, Facebook. Stars Jesse Eisenberg as the abrasive entrepreneur.

Braveheart (1995) - Mel Gibson stars as Scottish commoner William Wallace, who unites the 13th century Scots in a quest to overthrow English rule headed by Edward the Longshanks. The story has been mythologized throughout the years, but it's impact can't be denied. "Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!"