Steve Jobs (2015) de Danny Boyle
This biopic, adapted from the biography published by Walter Isaacson, features the creator of the Apple brand at three key moments in his life as a 20th century technological genius. Without concession and also discussing his private life, Steve Jobs shows, firstly, the launch of the Macintosh in 1984, then in 1988 its NeXT (which was a failure) and finally in 1998, the famous iMac. Played by Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs is shown as a genius who is difficult to be around, with a sometimes complex, sometimes dark personality. The film also shows his assistant Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet), one of the few who knows how to tame the character, but also his relationship with his work partner Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen), with whom he founded Apple while maintaining a tumultuous relationship. .
Frida (2002) by Julie Taymor
Frida illustrates the life of the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek). The film begins with Frida Kahlo as a young woman in Mexico City, where she suffers a traumatic bus accident in 1925 that leaves her seriously injured. This accident marked the beginning of his lifelong battle with pain and disability. During her recovery, Frida took up painting, using her art to express her pain and emotions. Her talent is quickly revealed and she seeks advice from the famous muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) whom she quickly marries. Diego encourages Frida’s artistic activities, but their marriage is fraught with infidelity and conflict. The film delves into Frida’s personal struggles, including her numerous health problems, miscarriages, and surgeries that largely influenced her art.
The Imitation Game (2014) de Morten Tyldum
In 1939, British mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is recruited by Commander Alastair Denniston (Charles Dance) to join a top secret team tasked with deciphering the Enigma code used by the Nazis to encrypt military communications. Turing proposed the construction of an electromechanical machine to decode Enigma messages, which he named Christopher in homage to a boy he loved in his youth. Despite skepticism and budgetary concerns, Turing received the support of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and took over as head of the team. It was in 1941 that Turing’s team, with the help of Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), succeeded in deciphering Nazi messages, creating a real turning point in the Second World War. The Imitation Game won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2015.
The King’s Speech (2010) by Tom Hooper
The story begins in 1925, with Prince Albert, Duke of York (Colin Firth), who is due to give a speech at the closing of the British Imperial Exhibition. Albert, nicknamed Bertie by those close to him, suffers from a severe stutter, which makes his performance difficult. Desperate to find a solution to her husband’s speech problem, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), decides to call on Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist with surprising methods. At first reluctant, Bertie lets himself go and quickly improves. His progress would prove very useful when, having become king, he had to address his nation, now at war, in 1939. The representation of Albert’s stuttering was praised by the British Stammering Association (an association helping people who stutter) and the film received four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director for Tom Hooper, Best Actor for Colin Firth and Best Screenplay.
Dark Hours (2018) by Joe Wright
Winston Churchill biopics are plentiful, but The Dark Hours was particularly appreciated by critics and the public upon its release. Gary Oldman also won the Oscar for best actor for his interpretation of the British prime minister who marked the 20th century. In 1940, at the start of World War II, the fate of Western Europe depended on Winston Churchill at the start of World War II. The new British Prime Minister must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler or continue fighting against the Third Reich. In one month, Churchill cemented his legacy through his courageous decisions and leadership that helped change the course of world history.
An Exceptional Man (2001) by Ron Howard
John Nash (Russell Crowe) is an ambitious mathematics student, determined to make his mark in history and obsessed with finding an original and revolutionary idea. After his studies at MIT, he is hired by Pentagon, and approaches William Parcher (Ed Harris) for a secret mission against the Soviets. John Nash becomes increasingly paranoid and is eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia. After a fierce battle against illness alongside his wife Alicia Larde (Jennifer Connelly), he manages to return to a normal life. Considering that winning the Nobel Prize in Mathematics (in 1994) is normal, of course. The film was critically acclaimed and won four Oscars: best film, best director for Ron Howard, best actress in a supporting role for Jennifer Connelly, and best adapted screenplay.
-A Wonderful History of Time (2014) by James Marsh
In the early 1960s at Cambridge University, the brilliant young Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) is pursuing a doctorate in physics. While studying, he met Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones) who would become his first wife. Stephen’s exceptional intelligence is evident from the start of his work on his thesis on black holes and the origins of the universe. However, he begins to experience muscle weakness and becomes increasingly clumsy. After a fall, Stephen receives a terrible diagnosis: he has Charcot’s disease and only has a life expectancy of two years. But Stephen Hawkings, who retains all his mental acuity, does not care and remains determined in his work despite his declining health. He loses the use of speech, but he has a device made allowing him to communicate. This film shows the scientist’s perseverance and determination despite adversity and the pessimism of the medical world.
The Social Network (2010) de David Fincher
Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is a Harvard student who has just been dumped when he creates Facebook, initially as a social network aimed at students on campus. Throughout the film, we learn about his contentious partnerships, notably with Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), as well as the resulting legal battles with twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer) and Eduardo Saverin, who believe that Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea. The Social Network shows the lonely ambition of Mark Zuckerberg on his way to the heights of Silicon Valley at all costs. The film received critical acclaim and won three Academy Awards.
La Môme (2007) by Olivier Dahan
In this biopic, we discover the life of Édith Piaf (Marion Cotillard), who grew up in poverty and experienced a difficult childhood marked by abandonment and illness. Discovered while singing in the streets of Paris, she quickly became an international star thanks to her unique voice and her iconic songs. The film explores his tumultuous love affairs, notably with boxer Marcel Cerdan (Jean-Pierre Martins), and his struggles against morphine addiction after a car accident. Despite her successes, Piaf was tormented by personal tragedies and health problems that eventually consumed her. Marion Cotillard, thanks to a masterful performance, received the Oscar for best actress.
Malcolm X (1992) de Spike Lee
Malcolm Little (Denzel Washington) grew up in the 1920s in Nebraska, at a time when racism and segregation governed the lives of black people in the United States. After the violent death of his father, his mother is institutionalized and Malcolm turns to a life of crime. After being arrested and imprisoned, he discovered Islam and converted, changing his last name to X to signify the loss of his African heritage. After his release, Malcolm Islam, American black nationalist, supremacist, and religious organization. He advocates for black empowerment and separation from white society. His fiery rhetoric and public speeches made him a national figure, but also attracted the attention of the FBI and tensions within the Nation of Islam. However, his speech changed after his pilgrimage to Mecca, after which he evolved and renounced segregation. Enough to form new alliances, but also create new enemies…
