(DML Top 20 Lists - Realist History Films ranked)

Honorable Mention

Country (1984), Director: Richard Pearce, rated PG

In this country, when the land is your life...you fight for your life

Starring: Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, Wilford Brimley, Matt Clark, Therese Graham, Levi L. Knebel, Jim Haynie, Sandra Seacat

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"No sale! No sale! No sale!" – Jewel Ivy

Why watch this? The closure of family farms started in the 1980's, and is still happening today.

Plot Summary: This American story follows a farming family struggling to keep their ancestral farm during the economic hardship of the 1980s. Facing foreclosure due to low crop prices, loans, and a tornado, the family battles to save their home and livelihood. The film showcases the resilience of the family, particularly the farmer's wife, as they navigate the challenges and fight to maintain their way of life.

Dad's Preview: This film, and The River (1984), took a hard look at how family farmers are being forced out of business by greedy politicians and corporations. Here we witness the human toll: bankruptcy, broken homes, even suicide. The tornado scene hits me a little too close to home. The simple statement is this: lone family farmers have to survive everything: weather, big industrial farming operations, bankers, and real estate developers. I saw this in Texas, but it is the same all over: Iowa. Pennsylvania. Michigan. Our country needs its family-owned farms, if for no other reason, to keep the goddamn corporations out.

Touchstone Films, Far West Productions,
Pangaea Corp.; Buena Vista Dist. Co.

Top 20 Realist History Films #20 Top

Roma (2018), Director: Alfonso Cuarón, rated R nudity, language, disturbing images

There are periods in history that scar societies and
moments in life that transform us as individuals.

Starring: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Jorge Antonio Guerrero, Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa, Diego Courtina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Nancy García, Verónica García

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"We are alone. No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone." - Señora Sofía, speaking to Cleo

Why watch this? To understand that even in extreme poverty, little dramas are worth knowing.

Plot Summary: Set in early 1970s Mexico City, the film follows Cleo, a live-in indigenous housekeeper working for an upper-middle-class family navigating a quiet domestic crisis. As the family structure begins to unravel due to the father's abandonment of his wife, Cleo faces her own life-altering personal crisis, forcing both women to rely on each other for strength.

Dad's Preview: A couple I am good friends with walked out of Roma after a few minutes. This did not deter me from seeing this critically acclaimed work, thank goodness. To be fair, it is a slow-moving drama, built on moments, rather than action. It follows a young Mexican girl's meager existence as a maid in the middle-class Colonia Roma neighborhood. When I grew up in El Paso, Texas, my family always had a Mexican maid. This film's heroine, Cleo, reminds me of those hard-working, quiet women whom my sister hired for childcare and housework. They lived with us and became part of our family. They were meek servants with limited English skills and little power or rights, however, we grew to love them. Roma captures Cleo's chronic uncertainty and sadness. Touchingly shot in black-and-white, and using only ambient sounds (no music), it paints a vivid portrait of a girl weathering her birth into poverty within a country rocked by instability. This is Cleo's story, and it builds towards her understated emancipation, and that moment es muy especial.

Espectáculos Fílmicos El Coyúl, Pimienta Films,
Participant Media, Esperanto-Filmoj; Netflix

Top 20 Realist History Films #19 Top

Richard Jewell (2019), Director: Clint Eastwood, rated R for language, sexual references

The World Will Know His Name And The Truth.

Starring: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Nina Arianda, Ian Gomez, Wayne Duvall

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"You're the only one who treated me like a human being! And now you're yelling at me, telling me I have to be somebody that I'm not! I'm not that guy, you're that guy!" - Richard Jewell

Why watch this? Law enforcement and reporters are sometimes the problem.

Plot Summary: Security guard Richard Jewell is hailed as a hero after discovering a bomb and helping evacuate the area during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bombing. His life instantly turns into a nightmare when the FBI suspects him of being the bomber and leaks this false theory to the media. Jewell then relies on an independent attorney to fight against the combined powers of the FBI and a sensationalist press seeking to destroy his reputation.

Dad's Preview: There are two takeaways from this film. First, Clint Eastwood again proves that he is a stellar director. This lean story relies simply on its plot and the actors' performances. This is the product of professionals. Second, when there was a bombing at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, officials and the media wanted immediate answers. Enter Richard Jewell - a loner because of his obesity, he lives with his mother, and has a hard time keeping security jobs. He also fits a certain profile, consistent with some of history's bombers. It is clear that the FBI fast-tracked their investigation and strategically leaked it to the Georgia press. Jewell instantly went from hero to heel, and they ate him alive. They were also wrong. He was never charged him with anything, and in 2003, Eric Rudolph confessed. Jewell died at age 44 of weight-related illnesses.

Malpaso Prod., Appian Way Prod., Misher Films,
75 Year Plan Prod.; Warner Bros. Pictures

Top 20 Realist History Films #18 Top

Spotlight (2015), Director: Tom McCarthy, Rated R for language, mature subjects

The true story behind the scandal that shook the world.

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Brian D'Arcy James, Stanley Tucci, Elena Wohl, Lou Cariou

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"They knew and they let it happen! It could've been you, it could've been me, it could've been any of us." - Mike Rezendes

Why watch this? This covers the breaking story that many refused to believe.

Plot Summary: This crime true story recounts the Boston Globe's investigative reporting team as they uncover a massive scandal within the local Catholic Archdiocese. Prompted by a new editor, the team begins to delve into allegations of child molestation by priests and discovers a deep-rooted cover-up. Their meticulous investigation ultimately exposes a system that protected perpetrators and silenced victims, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Dad's Preview: Child manipulation and molestation are horrible. There can be no tolerance of it. Catholic priests are revered like they are God. This power, in the hands of people who are around children a great deal, can only corrupt. It also attracts those who's motive is to molest our most innocent. When confronted, the Church covers it up. The pedophile priests are transferred to new parishes. It's so goddamn ugly and disgusting. You need to see this film, about the determination to bringing sin into light. Covering up for pedophiles... God can't be happy about that.

Participant Media, First Look Media, Anonymous
Content, Rocklin/Faust Prod., Spotlight Film;
Open Road Films

Top 20 Realist History Films #17 Top

Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Director: Bryan Singer, rated PG-13

For ten years one woman never stopped searching for the most wanted man in history

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, James Gandolfini, Harold Perrineau, Mark Duplass, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Callan Mulvey

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I'm going to smoke everyone involved in this op and then I'm going to kill bin Laden." - Maya

Why watch this? My one post-viewing thought was, "Any country on this planet would be a fool to mess with our military".

Plot Summary: This CIA and military film focuses on Maya, a CIA operative responsible for finding, through any means, the whereabouts of Al Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden. She's a direct, determined and no bullshit lady. Finally, in 2011, her team's efforts identify a compound in Pakistan where it is very likely Bin Laden lives. A U.S. Navy SEAL team, at night, is sent in to kill or capture Bin Laden.

Dad's Preview: There is a very strong cast, but nobody can hold a candle to Chastain. She commands the screen as a leader, but we also see her vulnerable side. This is a powerful education on the capabilities of the U.S. defense machine. It's quite badass, and scary, when it needs to be.

First Light; Annapurna Pic; Columbia
Pics through Sony Releasing Pictures

Top 20 Realist History Films #16 Top

The Proposition (2005), Director: James L. Brooks, rated R for language, Western violence

Three brothers: one must live; one must die; one must decide

Starring: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, John Hurt, David Wenham, Emily Watson, Richard Wilson, Noah Taylor, Jeremy Madrona

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I was, in days gone by, a believer. But, alas, I came to this beleaguered land and the God in me just evaporated. Let us change our toast, then, to the God that has forgotten us."- Jellon Lamb

Why watch this? This uber-realistic film is stark, honest and bare-bones wonderful.

Plot Summary: In the harsh Australian outback of the 1880s, two outlaw brothers are apprehended by a lawman determined to bring order to the land. Faced with an impossible choice, the captured outlaw must hunt down and kill his older brother, the true leader of their gang, within nine days to save their younger brother from hanging.

Dad's Preview: This 1880's outback Western is brutally unromantic. There are no heroics, no men who save the day. It's just kill or be killed and good luck figuring out who is noble vs. devious. Everyone is a little of both. Still, the film draws you in. So much so that you have to see it through. I feel this is Guy Pearce's best performance on the big screen. His portrayal of Charlie Burns is so raw and uncomplicated. It reminded me of "the kid" from Cormac McCarthy's likewise brutally violent book Blood Meridian.

UK Film Council, Surefire Films, Autonomous,
Jackie O Prod., Pictures in Paradise, The Pacific Film
and TV Comm., The Film
Consortium; Sony Pictures Releasing

Top 20 Realist History Films #15 Top

The Pianist (2002), Director: Roman Polanski, rated R

Music was his passion. Survival was his masterpiece.

Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finley, Maureen Lipman, Emilia Fox, Ed Stoppard, Julia Rayner, Jessica Kate Meyer, Ronan Vibert, Ruth Platt, Andrew Tiernan, Michal Zebrowski, Richard Ridings

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"They're exterminating us. It won't take them long. We are 60 thousand left, out of half a million. Mostly young people." - Majorek

Why watch this? This is a superb telling of survival within Poland during WWII.

Plot Summary: Based on the autobiography of Władysław Szpilman, the film follows a renowned Polish-Jewish classical pianist struggling to survive as the Nazis occupy Warsaw and enforce brutal persecution. After being separated from his family during the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, he endures years of starvation and hiding, relying on the help of non-Jewish allies and the Polish resistance. Amidst the destruction of the city, he finds a unlikely glimmer of hope through the compassion of a music-loving German officer.

Dad's Preview: Władysław Szpilman's story, as captured in his 1946 autobiographical book of the same name, is incredible. His survival, during perhaps the most deadly time and place in the world for his Jewish race, seems to be a combination of luck, the help of many Poles who knew of his piano talents, and perhaps even a little divine intervention. This emotional film, of life and death in the Warsaw ghetto, benefits from an amazing screenplay, Adrian Brody's portrayal of the lead character (his eyes exude sadness) and steady direction from Roman Polanski, himself a Holocaust survivor. I will be honest, there are moments here that are hard to take. You will be emotionally overwhelmed at the madness and cruelty of the Nazis. That said it is certainly worth every second of your time, if for no other reason, to remember.

Canal+, Studio Babelsberg,
SudioCanal; BAC Films

Top 20 Realist History Films #14 Top

Apollo 13 (1995), Director: Ron Howard, rated PG

Houston, we have a problem.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, Chris Ellis, Joe Spano, Marc McClure, Xander Berkeley

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"We've never lost an American in space, we're sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option." - Gene Kranz

Why watch this? It's important history, and so well done. I love that combo.

Plot Summary: Astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert facing a severe crisis when their spacecraft is crippled by an explosion en route to the moon. This incident forces NASA's mission control to abort the scheduled moon landing and work tirelessly to bring the crew back home. Faced with dwindling resources and technical challenges, the astronauts and the ground crew must rely on their ingenuity and teamwork to overcome the perilous situation and ensure their survival.

Dad's Preview: This is an extraordinary telling of a true event that narrowly escaped a horrible catastrophe. As astronauts and ground technicians face the missions issues, it becomes a case study in ingenuity where necessity becomes the "mother of invention". The all-star cast shines, and Ed Harris, as Flight Director Gene Kranz, is memorable as the man in charge of the mission who will not allow failure to occur.

Imagine Entertainment; Universal Pictures

Top 20 Realist History Films #13 Top

The Big Short (2015), Director: Adam McKay, rated R for brief nudity, language

This is a true story

Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Strong, Finn Wittrock, John Magaro

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"If we're right, people lose homes. People lose jobs. People lose retirement savings, people lose pensions. You know what I hate about f***ing banking? It reduces people to numbers." - Ben Rickert

Why watch this? To learn about the financial crisis of 2008 and why it will happen again!

Plot Summary: Several disparate groups of investors recognize the precariousness of the housing market in the mid-2000s, and decide to bet against it. Their unconventional strategy involves navigating the complexities of the financial system and confronting those who are either unaware of or profiting from the impending collapse. As they research the flaws and corruption within the mortgage-backed securities market, their initial skepticism gives way to alarm, as they realize the widespread impact the crisis will have.

Dad's Preview: I absolutely love this must-see film about the 2008 economic crash. The goal of this well-done film is to educate the audience on what and why it happened. The cast is chock full a big-name stars. The plot is engrossing, and McKay's direction is stellar. There are even a few cameo appearances, such as Margo Robbie and Anthony Bourdain, to explain certain financial buzzwords - these interjections are an educative hoot!

Regency Enterprises, Plan B Ent.;
Paramount Pictures

Top 20 Realist History Films #12 Top

John Adams (2008), Director: Tom Hopper, Rated TV-14

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.

Dad's Preview: Based on the book by David McCullough, this in depth character study centers on the pivotal years for one of America's most influential early political figures. As with any historical biopic, historians (rightfully so) picked it apart. I simply suggest that all mediums portray history in somewhat fictional terms - it helps the story move along better. You will have to look long and hard to find a better accounting of early American life. This does not play like a lavish BBC period piece. There is a rawness, an honesty, at work here and it feels like an organic account of the original colonies and their struggles. I loved Paul Giamatti as Adams, again, because he feels like a real person. Laura Linney also captivates as his wise spouse and informal council. I have to applaud the great Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin. His performance is so good, you'll overlook that he is 5-inches taller than the real Prophet of Tolerance. This stellar effort garnered a slew of TV awards.

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

Top 20 Realist History Films #11 Top

The Pacific (2010), Directors: Tim Van Patten, Jeremy Podeswa, Graham Yost, Carl Franklin, Tony To, rated TV-MA for grisly war violence, language, brief nudity

Hell was an ocean away.

Starring: James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Jon Seda, Jon Berethal, Rami Malek, Ashton Holmes, Josh Helman, Martin McCann, Kkeith Nobbs, Toby Leondard Moore, Jacob Pitts, William Sadler

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Well, the Marine Corp. taught me how to kill Japs. And I got really good at it." - Cpl. Eugene Sledge, when asked by a job interviewer what skills he had learned in the Marines

Why watch this? Axs".

Plot Summary: This 10-part miniseries follows the intense, interconnected experiences of three U.S. Marines across the brutal Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. Based on true stories, the narrative tracks their journeys from the initial battles on Guadalcanal through key, violent campaigns on islands like Peleliu and Okinawa. It highlights the intense physical and psychological toll of combat and survival, exploring the profound impact of war on these men's lives.

Dad's Preview: The excellent miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), focused on the heroics of the men who fought for Easy Company in the ETO (European Theater of Operations). This historical drama is as different from BoB as the two actual war fronts - Different terrain, different weather, different enemy. I had two uncles, both U.S. Marines, who went to the Pacific. One didn't come home alive. The other fought at Peleliu and Okinawa (covered here in 4 harrowing episodes). Uncle Paul never talked about the war. The only knock I can find on this miniseries is the inclusion of episode 3, called "Melbourne" - it feels out of place. The rest commendably paints a hyper-realistic look at how horrible it was to wage war in the rainy tropics, against an entrenched enemy, whose divine mandate was to kill Americans and die for their God Emperor Hirohito. It's truly painful to witness soldiers transform from innocent boys into hardened killers... but that was required to survive. It is a miracle that any of the young men, who stayed alive in those conditions, could come back and reassimilate into normal society. But many did and we called them our Greatest Generation. All who were touched by the war in the Pacific unquestionably earned the title of "hero".

Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman,
HBO Entertainment, DreamWorks Television,
Playtone; HBO

Top 20 Realist History Films #10 Top

Will Penny (1968), Director: Tom Gries, rated Approved

The brute in every man was also in him... And the love and the violence!

Starring: Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Slim Pickens, Lee Majors, Anthony Zerbe

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Leave him be. Out here, by hisself, no goods, winter coming on. He's gonna be a long while dying. And all that time, he's gonna know who done it to him. Yes, sir, a mighty long time, and then he'll be dead." - Preacher Quint

Why watch this? ... what happens when a loner suddenly starts to care for others?

Plot Summary: Aging cowboy, Will Penny, accepts a job as a line rider on a vast ranch during a harsh winter. He discovers a stranded woman and her son have taken refuge in his assigned cabin. Though initially resistant, Will allows them to stay, leading to a blossoming romance and a newfound sense of family. However, a past confrontation with a vengeful outlaw family threatens their fragile happiness.

Dad's Preview: This was a very realistic Western for its time. Heston delivers a career-defining performance as reclusive ranch hand, Will Penny, who encounters a woman, Catherine, and her young son living his line shack miles into the wilderness. He's torn between duty to his employer, and the affection he develops for the woman and son. Then a group of cutthroats show up at the cabin. This small, intimate film intensifies when the gang takes Will hostage and threatens to rape Catherine.

Fred Engel, Walter Seltzer; Paramount Pics

Top 20 Realist History Films #9 Top

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.

Dad's Preview: Here we are graced with great performances from an all-star cast. I wept long and hard after this film. The audacity of anyone to justify the owning of fellow human beings makes me want to scream. The direction and acting are top-notch, and Chiwetel Ejiofor leads the list, as the Northern free man taken into bondage. Slavery is a gaping scar on our country's legacy. To EVER move on, American citizens need to face it, teach it in our schools, and accept responsibility.

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

Top 20 Realist History Films #8 Top

The Impossible (2012), Director: J. A. Bayona, rated R language, intense disaster footage

In 2004, a devastating tsunami hit southeast Asia. This is one family's true story of survival.

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergast, Samuel Joslin, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Lucas, look at this place. They're so busy in here. You get to go and do something. Go help people. You're good at it." - Maria Bennett, to her son Lucas after they reach the hospital

Why watch this? ... the tsunami, as it smashes into the resort, is harrowing footage.

Plot Summary: Maria, Henry, and their three sons take a Christmas vacation to Thailand. Unfortunately, that is interrupted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The family is separated in the chaos and devastation, forcing them to fight for survival and desperately search for each other amidst the aftermath.

Dad's Preview: During the actual event, I was glued to the news and watched all the footage - the tsunami killed tens of thousands of people. This film is intense to say the least. The scenes of the killer waves are incredibly shot, with well-done, realistic effects. In such a disaster film, it is hard to find anything cheery, but there are some very uplifting moments, as victims pull together to get people to safety and medical treatment. Look for a young Tom Holland in his major film debut.

Apaches Ent., Telecinco Cinema;
Warner Bros.

Top 20 Realist History Films #7 Top

Downfall (2004), Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel, rated R for strong violence, disturbing images, some nudity

April 1945, a nation awaits its... downfall

Starring: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes, Corinna Harfouch, Juliane Köhler, Heino Ferch, Christian Berkel, Matthias Habich, Thomas Kretschmann, Michael Mendl

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Who do you think you are to dare disobey an order I give? So this is what it has come to! The military has been lying to me. Everybody has been lying to me, even the SS! Our generals are just a bunch of contemptible, disloyal cowards" - Adolf Hitler

Why watch this? This is an excellent deep-dive into Adolph Hitler.

Plot Summary: This story depicts the final, frantic days of the Third Reich from inside Adolf Hitler's Berlin bunker in April 1945 as Soviet forces close in. Told partly through the eyes of his secretary, Traudl Junge, the film portrays a delusional Hitler commanding non-existent armies while his inner circle begins to unravel.

Dad's Preview: This intense, historically accurate cinematic essay highlights the intense personal conflicts, loyalty, and ultimate desperation of Nazi leadership facing its inevitable destruction. All this is over-lorded by the malignant narcissist Adolph Hitler. Although Germans were uneasy with the film's humanization of Der Führer, it does show the man's descent into utter madness, eventually becoming so delusional that he castigated the very loyalists who implemented his horrible order. Bruno Ganz's performance is incredible - it must have been exhausting to enter that mind. This history film is one you must see if you want to better understand the architect of the greatest war crimes of our time.

Bernd Eichinger; Constantin Film,
Momentum Pictures

Top 20 Realist History Films #6 Top

Black Hawk Down (2001), Director: Ridley Scott, rated R for war violence, language

Leave No Man Behind.

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Sam Shepard, William Fichtner

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Don't really matter what I think. Once that first bullet goes past your head, politics and all that shit just goes right out the window." – SFC "Hoot" Gibson

Why watch this? This is a historically accurate account of the 1993 Mogadishu Raid.

Plot Summary: In 1993, a group of elite U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force operators are sent into Mogadishu, Somalia, on a mission to capture key lieutenants of a powerful warlord. However, the operation quickly escalates into a brutal and prolonged firefight when two Black Hawk helicopters are shot down. The stranded American soldiers must fight their way through hostile territory in a desperate struggle to survive and rescue their comrades.

Dad's Preview: I remember seeing the news footage of a US helicopter pilot's body being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. This film replays the confusion of that day as two U.S. helicopters were shot down in the middle of an African civil war. We witness the bravery of the U.S. soldiers who went in to extract the crash victims. Courageous as that was, the brutal reality is that a terrible toll was taken on the Somali militia and citizens, as well.

Columbia Pics, Revolution Studios, J. Bruckheimer
Films; Sony Pictures Releasing

Top 20 Realist History Films #5 Top

Band of Brothers (2001), Directors: Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Mikael Salomon, David Nutter, Tom Hanks, David Leland, David Frankel, Tony To, rated TV-MA for language, war violence

Ordinary men. Extraordinary times.

Starring: Damien Lewis, Ron Livingston, Dale Dye, Scott Grimes, Neal McDonough, Donnie Wahlberg, David Schwimmer, Kirk Acevedo, Michael Cudlitz, Rick Gomez, Frank John Hughes, Matthew Settle, Rick Warren

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it." – Lt. Speers to a very nervous Pvt. Blithe

Why watch this? This encapsulates WWII in an enthralling, intense, realistic package.

Plot Summary: The story follows Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, from their training in the United States to the end of World War II in Europe. The series chronicles their experiences through significant battles like D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge, highlighting their courage, sacrifice, and the bonds of brotherhood forged in combat.

Dad's Preview: Ground-breaking HBO mini-series spanning 10 episodes (yes, I realize it's a mini-series not a movie). This is the unequalled exposé regarding the events of U.S. Army soldiers in World War II. Each episode is engaging, poignant and important to understanding the war in Europe. Its realism matches that of Saving Private Ryan (1998). In fact, both Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg directed episodes. This is not just another HBO mini-series, it is U.S. History 101 - an absolute must see for every American.

Playtone, Dreamworks Television;
HBO Entertainment

Top 20 Realist History Films #4 Top

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019), Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor, rated TV-13

Based on the Incredible True Story.

Starring: Maxwell Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Felix Lemburo, Aïssa Maïga, Lily Banda, Robert Agengo, Joseph Marcell, Noma Dumezweni, Lemogang Tsipa

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Democracy. Democracy is just like imported cassava. It rots quickly." - Trywell Kamkwamba

Why watch this? This splendid African story will move you to tears.

Plot Summary: Based on a true story, this film follows a resourceful teenage boy in Malawi who is forced to drop out of school when a devastating drought and famine strike his village. Refusing to let his community suffer, he teaches himself science and physics using books from a local library. Through incredible perseverance, he builds an innovative wind turbine from scrap materials to pump water.

Dad's Preview: Most Americans live in their little bubbles of comfort, without casting a thought to just how lucky their souls are to inhabit privileged, well-fed bodies. That's right-most of us hit the global lottery. Thanks to incredible films like this, we are able (and should be required) to see how others fare. In parts of Africa, the poor are one severe drought away from losing their village or their lives. Ignore all the geo-political crap - this story is about real people trying to survive in almost impossible surroundings. A young teenager has a novel idea, but his own father just can't believe in him. This journey is heart-breaking, then inspiring. Most of the film, I was thinking how much we could help these drought-stricken farmers with all our knowledge of windmills and water pumps. We should do whatever we can to help.

BBC Films, Participant Media, British Film Institute,
Potboiler Prod.; Netflix

Top 20 Realist History Films #3 Top

Schindler's List (1993), Director: Steven Spielberg, rated R for violence, language, torture, mass murder

The list is life. The man was real. The story is true.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagallie, Embeth Davidtz, Mark Ivanir, Beatrice Macola

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #25 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Schindler's List

"They came with nothing. Nothing. And they flourished. For six centuries there has been a Jewish Krakow. Think about that. By this evening those six centuries are a rumor. They never happened. Today is history." – SS 2nd LT Amon Göth

Why watch this? ... to remember, and not let it happen again - EVER on this Earth.

Plot Summary: During World War II in German-occupied Poland, a German industrialist named Oskar Schindler arrives in Kraków seeking to make his fortune amidst the war's chaos. Initially driven by profit, he establishes a factory employing Jewish workers, seeing them as a source of cheap labor. As the Nazi regime intensifies its persecution of Jews, Schindler is confronted with the atrocities of the Holocaust and undergoes a profound moral transformation.

Dad's Preview: How do you tell a story so horrible it defies belief? As honestly as you can. Many films have referenced the Holocaust, using it as a backdrop. However, no film more directly confronts humanity's most devastating chapter than this dark, necessary effort. It recounts fascist Germany's creation of the Płaszów concentration camp during World War II. The Jews sent there endured total upheaval, horrible prison conditions and merciless torture by Nazi camp officials. It was horrific. Director Steven Spielberg, himself a Jew, had to commit this story to film, and his effort is a masterpiece on both inhuman depravity and the courageous human spirit.

Amblin Entertainment; Universal Pictures

Top 20 Realist History Films #2 Top

The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Director: John Ford, rated Approved

The Joads step right out of the pages of the novel that has shocked millions!

Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, Russell Simpson, John Qualen, Grant Mitchell, Ward Bond

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #28 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Grapes of Wrath

"If I was to pray, I'd pray for folks that's alive and don't know which way to turn." - Jim "Preacher" Casy

Why watch this? The Great Depression left a deep scar on an entire American generation.

Plot Summary: This deeply American story follows the Joad family, Oklahoma sharecroppers who lose their farm to foreclosure during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Led by newly paroled son Tom, they embark on a difficult journey to California, lured by the promise of work and a better life. However, upon arrival, they face immense hardship, poverty, exploitation, and social injustice alongside thousands of other migrant workers seeking the same elusive dream.

Dad's Preview: This is the great film, from the great novel about the Great Depression. After the collapse of the banking system in America, men lost jobs, farmers went broke and families were starving. The poorest of the poor, from places like Enid, Oklahoma or Mena, Arkansas, loaded up everything they had and headed West to find work in the fields of California. This is the painful odyssey of America's forgotten, as seen through the brilliant lens of legendary director John Ford.

Darryl F. Zanuck, Nunnally Johnson;
20th Century Fox

Top 20 Realist History Films #1 Top

Saving Private Ryan (1998), Director: Steven Spielberg, Rated R for language, bloody battles and carnage

the mission is a man.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Giovanni Ribisi, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, Barry Pepper, Dennis Farina

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #3 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Saving Private Ryan

"The boy's alive, and we are going to send somebody to find him, and we are going to get him the hell out of there." - Gen. George C. Marshall

Why watch this? This film honestly illustrates what many infantry soldiers went through during WWII.

Plot Summary: A squad of US soldiers during World War II, led by Captain John Miller, survive the D-Day invation. They get a new assignment to venture behind enemy lines in German-occupied France to locate Private James Ryan and bring him home safely. This extraordinary assignment is sparked by the tragic news that Ryan's three brothers have already been killed in action, and the government hopes to spare his family from further loss. As the soldiers confront the brutal realities of war, the film explores the moral dilemmas of risking many lives to save one man.

Dad's Preview: If you watch only one segment of film from all of Dad's lists, it has to the first thirty minutes of this movie. It is hard to watch, but it should be a requirement of everyone daring to call themselves "American". This amazing war epic focuses on a mission to find one man in France after the invasion of Normandy. But the story behind the story is that war can be confusing, bloody and costly in human lives. Here nothing is held back - Director Spielberg did his best to take us there. The ensemble cast is amazing, led by Hanks and Tom Sizemore's career-best performance.

Amblin Ent., Mutual Film Co.; DreamWorks
Pictures, Paramount Pictures