True Stories
True Stories are those based (sometimes loosely!) on fact. They cover topics as diverse as drug addiction, poverty, political unrest, the corruption of power, alcoholism, class divisions, sexual inequality, mental illness and other human struggles. Meet some of history's most intriguing characters, find out what it's really like to climb a mountain or paint a masterpiece. Truly, the True Story is one of cinema's most engaging and enthralling genres.
Bio-pics feature in this section and are also gathered together separately under the 'Biography' sublink left.
Pictured: Inside the Las Vegas mob, Scorsese's unromantic 'Goodfellas'
Seven Years In Tibet ( Blu-ray ) (1997)
7/10
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Starring: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, B D Wong, Mako
This grand historical adventure in Tibet is the story of Austrian mountain climber and Nazi party member, Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt), who after fleei... Read more
Sex Traffic (2004)
7.9/10
Director: David Yates
Starring: Wendy Crewson, John Simm, Anamaria Marinca, Maria Popistasu, Chris Potter, Len C...
A British/Canadian co-production, this mini-series uncovers stories of human trafficking from around the world as researcher Daniel Appleton (John Sim... Read more
Shadow Makers (1989)
Director: Roland Joffe
Starring: Paul Newman, Dwight Schultz, Bonnie Bedelia, John Cusack, Laura Dern, John C McG...
Aka 'Fat Man and Little Boy'. An arresting film about the development of the atomic bomb, focusing on General Groves (Paul Newman) and the brilliant J... Read more
Shadowlands (1993)
7.4/10
Director: Richard Attenborough
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger, Joseph Mazzello
An intelligent, observant, handsome adaptation of William Nicholson's award-winning play, inspired by the late-blooming romance between the fifty some... Read more
Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion (2003)
6.7/10
Director: Bruce Pittman
Starring: Vincent Walsh, Shauna Macdonald, Tamara Hope, Zachary Bennett, Ted Dykstra, Clar...
In 1917, a French freighter loaded with explosives collided with a Belgian reef ship in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. Nearly 2000 lives were claimed i... Read more
Shattered Glass (2003)
7.2/10
Director: Billy Ray
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Melanie Lynskey,...
Gripping true story centres on Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), a young journalist for The New Republic magazine who quickly wins over colleagues w... Read more
Shergar (2000)
5.4/10
Director: Denis C Lewiston
Starring: Ian Holm, Mickey Rourke, David Warner
A boy-and-his-horse story based on the true unsolved 1983 horsenapping of the titular Derby winner. The story begins with the animal being abducted a... Read more
Shine (1996)
7.7/10
Director: Scott Hicks
Starring: Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Geoffrey Rush, Lynn Redgrave, John Gielgud
Geoffrey Rush's upset win for the Best Actor Oscar was the jewel in the crown for this wonderful, moving little film portraying the torrid true story... Read more
Shine ( Blu-ray ) (1996)
7.7/10
Director: Scott Hicks
Starring: Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Geoffrey Rush, Lynn Redgrave, John Gielgud
Geoffrey Rush's upset win for the Best Actor Oscar was the jewel in the crown for this wonderful, moving little film portraying the torrid true story... Read more
Show of Hands (2008)
6.5/10
Director: Anthony McCarten
Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt, Kyle Dyhrberg, Chelsie Preston Cray...
Melanie Lynskey came back to NZ to make this light-hearted romantic drama about a competition (famously held in Lower Hutt back in the '80s) where fol... Read more