Biopics often make popular movies by highlighting extraordinary stories of people who experienced and shaped history. Biopics offer new perspectives on historical figures and events. These movies have the opportunity to recreate these events for modern audiences and to get viewers to contextualize people and places that seem remote. Biopics can help viewers see how many historical figures were complicated people.

Some movies, like , highlight people who witnessed some of the worst moments in history and had to find a way to survive them. Others, like , showcase ordinary individuals who were thrust into extraordinary circumstances and changed the course of history. .

chronicles the final months of President Abraham Lincoln's () life. The movie is based on the 2005 biography "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by . Lincoln specifically focuses on the President's efforts to codify the end of slavery. The movie follows the challenges Lincoln faced in passing the Thirteenth Amendment, and how he had to put up a massive fight to make this a reality.

. This movie highlights the fact that Lincoln was far more than a mythical figure. Lincoln highlights how pragmatic the President was, and what a skilled politician he had to be to amend the U.S. Constitution. The movie is a tribute to an inspirational man who was flawed, but never lost his determination to do the right thing.

follows the tragic life of the last emperor of China, Puyi (). The movie is told in flashbacks as Puyi remembers his life while a political prisoner of the then newly-formed People's Republic of China. The Last Emperor chronicles Puyi's chaotic childhood, his deposition as Emperor, and his wartime experience as a Japanese-installed puppet leader. The movie paints a picture of a man who was both a victim of history and someone who victimized others.

without ever excusing his actions. The movie is a sweeping look at a man who influenced history and who is still considered a polarizing figure. The Last Emperor highlights the fact that Puyi was both a victim himself and one who went on to victimize others. This is an authentic portrait of his complicated legacy.

is based on 's play, "Mozart and Salieri". The movie follows Italian composer Antonio Salieri () and his rivalry with Mozart (). Amadeus chronicles Salieri's personal vendetta against Mozart, and his quest to ruin his career. The movie is ultimately a meditation on how Salieri perceived his own career, and how much he struggled with the fact that he saw another composer as an existential threat.

. Salieri's personal conflict with Mozart is timeless, and anyone who has ever obsessed over another person's success will find much to relate to in this character. While this is a biopic of one of the most well-known musical artists of all time, there is a timelessness to the story that makes it widely accessible.

chronicles the rise and fall of well-known mafia operative Henry Hill (). The movie is based on the nonfiction book "Wiseguy" by . Goodfellas follows the associates Hill made throughout his time being involved in the mafia from 1955 to 1980. The movie follows Hill's rise and fall as he goes from a trusted mafia associate to a shell of his former self as he becomes increasingly paranoid.

. The movie paints Hill as a deeply flawed character and never makes apologies for his involvement in the world of organized crime. Instead, it highlights how a life involved in organized crime always leads to some kind of destruction.

Coal Miner's Daughter follows the life and career of Loretta Lynn () and how she went from abject poverty to country music superstar. The movie chronicles the fact that Lynn was a child bride before being discovered and launching her career. Coal Miner's Daughter also highlights the toll that fame took on Lynn as she balanced her career and family while being in an often abusive relationship. The movie showcases what Lynn had to overcome as an artist.

who had to endure much in her life on her way to stardom. The movie emphasizes the fact that Lynn often struggled with little to no support and was still able to become one of the most notable country artists of all time. Coal Miner's Daughter is an honest look at someone who ultimately succeeded in the industry with no pre-established connections.

stars as the titular former middleweight boxing champion . The movie is based on LaMotta's 1970 memoir, "Raging Bull: My Story". Like the source material, the movie follows LaMotta's career and his often turbulent personal life that ultimately impacted his boxing. Specifically, Raging Bull spotlights the fact that LaMotta was a jealous man and was often obsessive about his relationship with his wife, Vickie ().

. The movie is an alarming look at how LaMotta's repeated head trauma impacted his mental state throughout his life. Raging Bull provides insight into a man who was so often made into a caricature. The movie humanizes LaMotta, and emphasizes how much he struggled throughout his life.

chronicles the life of Black civil rights activist Malcolm X (). The movie chronicles his influential career before his assassination in 1965. Malcolm X follows the titular character as he went from someone who struggled in his youth before finding his purpose as an activist for his community. The movie is a reflection on Malcolm X's legacy and how his work continues to inspire generations of those looking to make a better world.

. The movie chronicles Malcolm X's evolution as a leader, and how he harnessed his own experiences living under racism to fight for his community. Malcolm X showcases what a complex man he was and how his commitment to equality was at the core of everything he did.

12 Years a Slave is based on 's () account of being kidnapped and sold into slavery. The movie highlights Northup's experience as an enslaved man in Louisiana and how he never stopped fighting to return to his family in the North. 12 Years a Slave offers a unique and horrifying perspective on American slavery through the eyes of a free Black man who was violently ripped away from everything he knew.

. The movie is an unflinching look at how slavery as a system was built on inhumanity. 12 Years a Slave is a seething indictment of everyone who participated in this system and allowed slavery to continue for so long in the United States. The movie is important because it highlights the fact that no one could take away the humanity of those who were enslaved.

Oppenheimer chronicles the life and career of (), considered the father of the atomic bomb. The movie specifically follows Oppenheimer's experience during World War II and his leadership of the Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the atomic bomb that was eventually dropped on Japan. Oppenheimer also highlights the challenges the titular character faced after the war as he reckoned with the consequences of his actions.

. The movie highlights how Oppenheimer struggled with the morality of developing such a destructive weapon and what this meant for the entire world. Oppenheimer paints a picture of a man who had to face the consequences of his actions and how he ultimately made the world less safe.

follows the life of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a German industrialist who initially profited from Jewish slave labor during the Holocaust before making an effort to save as many Jews as he could. The movie follows Schindler's journey to use his wealth and influence to save those imprisoned at the Płaszów concentration camp. Schindler's List highlights the horrors of the Holocaust and the all-too-rare courage of those who helped save lives.

What makes Schindler's List the most important biopic of the last 50 years is that it uses its protagonist to comment on human nature. The movie highlights how Schindler went from someone who was apathetic when seeing the suffering around him to someone who chose to try his best to interrupt it. Schindler's List emphasizes the fact that those who are considered real-life "heroes" were just ordinary people who did the best they could with what they had available to them.

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