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'
Speer and Hitler: The Devil's Architect (2005)
Director: Heinrich Breloer
Starring: Sebastian Koch, Tobias Moretti, Dagmar Manzel, Eva Hassmann
This excellent German docu-drama series explores in detail the relationship between Hitler and his chief architect, Albert Speer. Combining re-enactme... Read more
Spinning Boris (2002)
6.7/10
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Anthony LaPaglia, Liev Schreiber
The incredible true story of three American political consultants (Jeff Goldblum, Anthony La Paglia, Liev Schreiber), who assisted in the 1996 re-elec... Read more
Spotlight (2015)
8.1/10
Director: Tom McCarthy
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber, Rachel McAdams, Joh...
Led by Walter Robby Robinson the team of investigative journalists at The Boston Globe known as Spotlight pride themselves on their relentless ded... Read more
Spotlight ( Blu-ray ) (2015)
8.1/10
Director: Tom McCarthy
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber, Rachel McAdams, Joh...
Led by Walter Robby Robinson the team of investigative journalists at The Boston Globe known as Spotlight pride themselves on their relentless ded... Read more
Stage Beauty (2004)
7.2/10
Director: Richard Eyre
Starring: Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Everett, Ben Chaplin, Richard...
Adapted from Jeffrey Hatcher's play and based loosely on the life of Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup), a 17th century theatre star noted particularly for h... Read more
Stand and Deliver (1987)
7.3/10
Director: Ramon Menendez
Starring: Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips
Edward James Olmos gives an outstanding performance as a strict public school math teacher who commits himself to his East L.A. students as they prepa... Read more
Stander (2003)
7.2/10
Director: Bronwen Hughes
Starring: Dexter Fletcher, Thomas Jane, David O'Hara, Deborah Kara Unger
An incredible true story of one of the most audacious criminals of our time. Andre Stander (Thomas Jane), was an ambitious second-generation policema... Read more
Star 80 (1983)
6.7/10
Director: Bob Fosse
Starring: Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts, Cliff Robertson
The story of Playmate of the Year, Dorothy Stratten (Mariel Hemingway) and her tragic murder is brought to the screen in a mesmerizing, no holds barre... Read more
Star! (1968)
6.6/10
Director: Robert Wise
Starring: Julie Andrews, Richard Crenna, Michael Craig, Daniel Massey
Oscar winner Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins) stars as the irrepressible Gertrude Lawrence, who rises from English chorus girl to world-renowned diva. her... Read more
Steve Jobs (2015)
7.2/10
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Jeff Daniels, Kate Winslet, Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, Michael Stuhlbarg, K...
Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three... Read more