The Hours That Changed History

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Bruce McGill, Tim Blake Nelson, Jared Harris, Lee Pace

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I can't listen to this anymore. I can't accomplish a goddamn thing of any human meaning or worth until we cure ourselves of slavery and end this pestilential war! And whether any of you or anyone else knows it. I know! I need this! This amendment is that cure!" - Abraham Lincoln

Why watch this? Folks laud our colonial forefathers... they should look to Lincoln instead.

Plot Summary: In January 1865, President Abraham Lincoln fights to pass the 13th Amendment to permanently abolish slavery before the Civil War concludes and returning southern states can veto it. He employs a team of political operatives to secure the necessary votes from a reluctant Congress, relying on intense lobbying and strategic compromises. While navigating this high-stakes legislative battle, Lincoln manages intense pressure from his cabinet, a tumultuous family life, and the moral weight of continuing the war.

DreamWorks Pics, 20th Century Fox,
Participant Media, Reliance Ent., Dune Ent., Amblin
Ent., The Kennedy/Marshall Co.;
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The only thing more extraordinary than the music is the man behind it: Ray Charles

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Aunjajue Ellis, Harry Lennix, Terrence Howard, Bokeem Woodbine, Sharon Warren, Curtis Armstrong, Larenz Tate, C. J. Sanders, Regina King, Richard Schiff, Wendell Pierce

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I'll show you how to do something once, I'll help you if you mess up twice, but the third time you're on your own. 'Cause that's how it is in the world." - Aretha Robinson to young Ray as he is going blind

Why watch this? Jamie Foxx shines as the incomparable Ray Charles.

Plot Summary: This biopic chronicles the life of legendary musician Ray Charles, following his journey from a childhood of poverty and tragedy in the South to his meteoric rise as a trailblazing star in the 1950s and 60s. While achieving immense musical success, he grapples with personal demons, including a long-term battle with heroin addiction and the emotional trauma of losing his sight and his brother at a young age.

Bristol Bay Productions, Anvil Films, Baldwin
Ent. Group; Universal Pictures

He United the States of America.

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Stephen Dillane, David Morse, Tom Wilkinson, Rufus Sewell, Justin Theroux, Danny Huston, Sarah Polley, Andrew Scott, Željko Ivanek, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, John Dossett

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"It is one thing to turn the other cheek, but to lie down in the ground like a snake and crawl toward the seat of power in abject surrender, well, that is quite another thing, sir. And I have no stomach for it, sir! No stomach at all!" – John Adams

Why watch this? It's a history lesson we need to understand now more than ever.

Plot Summary: This seven-part miniseries chronicles the life of Founding Father John Adams, starting with his defense of British soldiers after the Boston Massacre and his pivotal role in the American Revolution. The plot follows his journey as a devoted husband and dedicated statesman, serving as a diplomat in Europe, the first Vice President, and eventually the second President of the United States. It highlights his often turbulent personal life, strained political relationships, and his profound, unwavering partnership with his wife, Abigail.

High Noon Productions, Playtone, Mid
Atlantic Films; HBO Films

Love is a burning thing.

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick, McGhee Monteith, Dallas Roberts, Dan John Miller, Larry Bagby, Shelby Lynne, Tyler Hilton, Waylon Payne, Shooter Jennings

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"My Daddy's right. It should have been me on that saw. Jack was so good. He would have done so many good things. What have I done? Just hurt everybody I know. I know I've hurt you. I'm nothin'." – Johnny Cash

Why watch this? This amazing, heart-rending film takes us on the road with a legend.

Plot Summary: This biographical drama explores the life of country music icon Johnny Cash, from his humble beginnings in rural Arkansas to his explosive rise to fame. As his career takes off, his personal life begins to unravel due to his struggles with substance abuse and the breakdown of his first marriage. Ultimately, his tempestuous romance and musical collaboration with fellow singer June Carter become the driving force behind his personal redemption and legendary success.
 

Dad's Preview: I am a Johnny Cash fan, not because I grew up with him, but through discovery in my thirties. There is an Americana honesty that he brings like no other. His five American series albums, which he recorded late in his life, are must-haves if you like music. This is the telling of his hard-scrapple Arkansas roots, his rise to fame, and the hard road to get to the only woman he ever loved. This man lived a life worth hearing about. Joaquin Phoenix's performance is so damn good. The only better performance is that of Reese Witherspoon as June Carter. She is incredible, as the feisty, funny and angelic Miss Carter; and she deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar. They both did all the musical work including the vocals. Wow. When the final credits rolled, I felt like I had experienced their tumultuous lives, and now I more clearly understood the man in black.

Fox 2000 Pictures; 20th Century Fox

12 Years a Slave (2013), Director: Steve McQueen, rated R for violence, torture, cruelty, nudity

The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Lupita Nyong'o, Adepero Oduye, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, Michael Kenneth Williams, Alfre Woodard

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"If you want to survive, do and say as little as possible. Tell no one who you really are and tell no one that you can read and write."
Clemens

Why watch this? You want to play down slavery? Watch this film, then we'll talk.

Plot Summary: In the pre-Civil War United States, a free Black man named Solomon Northup from upstate New York is abducted and sold into slavery. He endures twelve years of brutality and hardship on cotton plantations in Louisiana, facing cruelty from his owners and struggling to survive. Despite the challenges, Solomon fights to maintain his dignity as he desperately looks for ways to regain his freedom.

Regency Ent., River Road Ent., Plan B Ent., Film4;
Fox Searchlight Pictures

In 1976, a 30-year-old bartender, who played only one year of high school football,
tried to become the NFL's most unlikely rookie.

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Elizabeth Banks, Greg Kinnear, Kevin Conway, Kirk Acevedo, Dov Davidoff, Michael Kelly, Stink Fisher

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"These are the toughest fans there are. They threw snowballs at Santa Claus." - Carol Vermeil, about her husband taking the Philadelphia Eagles head coaching job

Why watch this? It's one of my favorite sports films, and I hate the Eagles.

Plot Summary: This is the true story of Vince Papale, a 30-year-old substitute teacher and bartender in 1970s Philadelphia, who faces a series of personal setbacks including losing his job and a separation from his wife. A lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, Vince decides to try out for his favorite team when the newly hired coach announces open tryouts. Despite never having played college football, Vince's determination leads to him being offered a spot at training camp.

Walt Disney Pictures, Mayhem Pictures;
Buena Vista Pictures Dist.

Based on the inspirational best seller.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffman, Michiel Huisman, Thomas Sadoski, Keen McRae, W. Earl Brown, Kevin Rankin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"My mother used to say something that drove me nuts, 'There's a sunrise and a sunset every day, and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty." - Cheryl Strayed

Why watch this? The hike, the miles - it's about the journey to forgive oneself.

Plot Summary: Cheryl Strayed went on a 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. Driven by a desire to cope with the death of her mother, the dissolution of her marriage, and a history of self-destructive behavior, she embarks on the arduous journey despite lacking experience.

Pacific Standard, River Road Ent.,
TSG Ent.; Fox Searchlight Pictures

The spectacular story of America's first astronauts.

Starring: Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Fred Ward, Sam Shepard, Lance Henriksen, Kim Stanley, Barbara Hershey, Veronica Cartwright, Pamela Reed

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It takes a special kind of man to volunteer for a suicide mission, especially when it's on national TV." – Chuck Yeager

Why watch this? It's an educational, and thoroughly engaging, film about the U.S. space program.

Plot Summary: Based on Tom Wolfe's book, the film chronicles the early days of the American space program, focusing on the lives of the first astronauts. It follows their selection and rigorous training as they strive to be the first Americans in space, juxtaposed with the exploits of legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager.

The Ladd Company; Warner Bros.

The World Forever Changes

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Benny Safdie, Jason Clarke, Dylan Arnold, Tom Conti

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"They won't fear it until they understand it. And they won't understand it until they've used it. Theory will take you only so far." - J. Robert Oppenheimer

Why watch this? The Manhattan Project changed everything in a world shackled to a war with no end in sight.

Plot Summary: This historical drama details the origins of atomic theory, the determined scientists, the desperate military leaders, the governmental pressures - all to culminate in a world-changing event. It is a moment in our nation's past that is truly incredible, yet simultaneously horrible - the advent of nuclear fission. Oppenheimer was an American theoretical physicist who served as the Manhattan Project's director at Los Alamos Laboratory, where the atomic bombs were developed that would obliterate two Japanese cities, Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and effectively end World War II.

Syncopy Inc., Atlas Ent., Gadget Films,
Breakheart Films, Peters Creek Ent.;
Universal Pictures

"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster."
-- Henry Hill, Brooklyn, N.Y. 1955.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero, Tony Darrow, Mike Starr, Frank Vincent, Chuck Low

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You took your first pinch like a man, and you learned the two most important things in life. You listenin'? Never rat on your friends, and ALWAYS keep your mouth shut." - Jimmy "The Gent" Conway

Why watch this? A superb mobster film with great performances from the film's stars.

Plot Summary: This epic chronicles the rise and fall of Henry Hill, an Irish-Italian American who, from a young age, became involved with the Mafia in a working-class Brooklyn neighborhood. He begins working for local gangsters and climbs the ranks, eventually becoming a trusted associate, alongside Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito. The film explores the allure and brutality of their lifestyle, showing how the trio navigate the world of organized crime through robberies, extortion and violence.

Irwin Winkler Productions; Warner Bros.

Every man dies, not every man really lives.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick MaGoohan, Angus Macfadyen, Catherine McCormack, Brendan Gleeson, Peter Hanly, Ian Bannen, James Cosmo, David O'Hara

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk fought for William Wallace. He fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him, when I betrayed him." - Robert the Bruce

Why watch this? This is a powerful film about historical Scotland and its hero, William Wallace.

Plot Summary: This story features William Wallace, a Scottish warrior who leads a rebellion against the tyrannical King Edward I of England. Wallace unites his people and fights for Scotland's independence, driven by personal tragedy and a desire for freedom. His bravery inspires a nation and leaves a lasting legacy in their struggle for freedom.

Icon Productions, The Ladd Company;
Paramount Pictures

All the President's Men (1976), Director: Alan J. Pakula, rated PG

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are about to ask you a few questions.

Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, Hal Holbrook , Jason Robarbs, Ned Beatty

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It leads everywhere. Get out your notebook. There's more." - Deep Throat

Why watch this? This explains Watergate in a very interesting and suspenseful manner.

Plot Summary: Two reporters from the Washington Post, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, are assigned to what initially seems like a minor break-in at the Democratic Party Headquarters in the Watergate complex. As they investigate, they uncover a much larger political conspiracy, tracing the trail of illegal activity higher and higher within the Nixon administration, despite obstacles and threats to their safety. Their persistent investigative journalism ultimately aims to reveal the truth about the Watergate scandal and its connections to those in power.

Wildwood Enterprises; Warner Bros.

It takes leadership to confront a nation's fear. It takes friendship to conquer your own.

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Gambon, Claire Bloom

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"This family's been reduced to those lowest, basest of all creatures. We've become actors!" - King George V

Why watch this? Some British films are so delightful. This is one of them.

Plot Summary: Prince Albert, Duke of York, unexpectedly becomes King George VI and must overcome a severe stammer to lead his nation. His wife, Elizabeth, seeks the help of an unconventional Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. Despite initial clashes, a unique and supportive friendship blossoms between the two men as Logue employs unorthodox methods to help the future king find his voice and confidence, especially as World War II looms.

UK Film Council, Aegis Film Fund, FilmNation
Ent., See-Saw Films, Bedlam Prod.;
Momentum Pictures

The True Enigma Was the Man Who Cracked The Code

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, Mark Strong, Matthew Beard

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Sometimes it's the very people who no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine." – Christopher Morcom

Why watch this? This engrossing story is based on the life of brilliant cryptographer Alan Turing.

Plot Summary: Mathematician Alan Turing and his team of codebreakers work for Britain's top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park during World War II. Facing the seemingly unbreakable Nazi Enigma machine, Turing attempts to build a device that can decipher its messages.

Black Bear Pictures, Bristol Automotive
Orange Corp.; The Weinstein Co.

An Immortal Screen Classic that will live Forever!

Starring: Renée Jeanne Falconetti, Eugène Silvain, André Berley, Maurice Schutz, Antonin Artaud, Gilbert Dalleu, Michel Simon 

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"When the mission that God has entrusted to me is over, I will again dress as a woman." - Jeanne d'Arc, when asked why she wears men's clothing

Why watch this? ... her passion, as shown here, is otherworldly.

Plot Summary: This silent film chronicles the 15th-century trial of Joan of Arc, a young warrior accused of heresy for claiming divine visions. The film focuses on her intense interrogation by church officials who attempt to force her to recant her claims and beliefs. Ultimately, she faces a brutal punishment and becomes a symbol of martyrdom and steadfast faith.

Société Générale des Films

He Saw The World In A Way No One Could Have Imagined.

Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, Christopher Plummer, Adam Goldberg, Josh Lucas, Judd Hirsch

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Imagine if you suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse, had never been. What kind of hell would that be?" – Dr. Rosen

Why watch this? What is the difference between genius and insanity? A mere thread.

Plot Summary: Mathematician John Nash started college as a brilliant young student, making a revolutionary discovery. Then he had to face profound mental challenges.

DreamWorks Pictures, Imagine Ent.;
Universal Pictures

A Salute to a Rebel

Starring: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, David Bauer, Edward Binns, John Doucette, Michael Strong

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." - General Patton

Why watch this? This is the role George C. Scott was destined to play.

Plot Summary: This war film chronicles the World War II career of the controversial American General George S. Patton, beginning with his command in North Africa after a devastating defeat. The film follows his leadership across key campaigns, including the Allied invasion of Sicily and the Battle of the Bulge. Throughout, it explores his complex personality, highlighting both his brilliant military strategy and his outspoken nature and difficult relationships with superiors and subordinates.

Frank McCarthy; 20th Century Fox

"I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!"

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, Michael Elphick, Hannah Gordon

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If only I could find her, so she could see me with such lovely friends here now; perhaps she could love me as I am. I've tried so hard to be good." John Merrick, speaking of his mother

Why watch this? ... to see that certain humans can be as good as others are cruel.

Plot Summary: This drama follows a severely deformed man, John Merrick, who lives as a sideshow attraction in Victorian London. A compassionate surgeon, Dr. Frederick Treves, takes Merrick under his care at a London Hospital. There, John slowly reveals his intelligence, sensitivity, and desire for acceptance as a human being. The film explores themes of dignity and societal attitudes towards disability through Merrick's journey to find a place in society beyond being a curiosity.

Brooksfilms; Paramount Pictures

A mighty motion picture experience... touch it... sense it... feel it... you can't forget it!

Starring: Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Joy, Inga Swenson, Andrew Prine, Kathleen Comegys, John Bliss

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"The rooms a wreck but she folded her napkin!" - Ann Sullivan

Why watch this? The clash of two indomitable wills is more than worth the price of admission.

Plot Summary: This is the true story of Helen Keller, a young girl who is blind, deaf, and mute and experiences significant frustration and behavioral challenges due to her inability to communicate. Her desperate parents hire Annie Sullivan, a former student from the Perkins School for the Blind who also experienced visual impairment, to tutor their daughter. A battle of wills ensues as Annie, through persistence, tough love, and sheer stubbornness, strives to teach Helen language and connect her to the world around her.

Playfilm Productions; United Artists

A Mighty Motion Picture Of Action And Adventure!

Starring: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Jose Ferrer, Claude Raines, Omar Sharif

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"He was a poet, a scholar and a mighty warrior. He was also the most shameless exhibitionist since Barnum & Bailey." – Jackson Bentley

Why watch this? An epic movie about a man who's life was, in itself, an epic.

Plot Summary: T. E. Lawrence is a British officer, who navigates the complex politics of the Middle East during World War I. Tasked with liaising between the Arabs and the British against the Ottoman Turks, Lawrence becomes increasingly drawn into the Arab cause for independence. He unites disparate Arab tribes, leading them in daring raids and victories against the Turks, but struggles with his identity and the conflicting loyalties between his British origins and his adopted Arab allies.

Horizon Pictures; Columbia Pictures

His Triumph Changed The World Forever.

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergman, Trevor Howard, John Gielgud, Martin Sheen, Daniel-Day Lewis, Roshan Seth

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always." – Mohandas Gandhi

Why watch this? This stunning epic still finds a way to intimately touch each heart that views it.

Plot Summary: This epic drama follows the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the influential leader of India's nonviolent independence movement against British rule. The story showcases his journey from his time as a lawyer in South Africa to his eventual leadership of the movement in India, promoting his philosophy of nonviolent resistance. It highlights significant events in his personal and political life, depicting both his successes and the challenges he faced in uniting his country and achieving self-rule.
 

Dad's Preview:  It's hard to argue with 8 Academy Awards. This film is massive and unrelenting, as it follows the life of Mohandas Gandhi, and his non-violent protests against the British occupation of India. Ben Kingsley's performance is hypnotic - he transforms into the peaceful leader. The man Gandhi, was a miracle of a humanity on this Earth and we should all acknowledge his beliefs and way of thinking.

Goldcrest Films; Int'l Film Investors, Nat'l Film Dev.
Corp. of India Indo-British Films; Columbia Pics