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Complete the Set: Hotel Rwanda, Schindler’s List and…

A reader writes with a request for film recommendations against some pretty specific criteria. I’m crap at recommending films when put on the spot, so I thought I’d open things up to you, my dear readers:

We watched Hotel Rwanda last night for the first time. It’s the first movie I’ve really enjoyed since The Pianist (though it’s probably one of only movies I’ve seen since The Pianist). I would put these two films in a category along with (though I haven’t seen) Schindler’s List. Stories that dramatize historic events, with main characters displaying extraordinary survival/humanity in a milieu lacking in humanity.

Given that I’ve been raising children over the last few years, I’m worried I’ve missed similar films. Would you add any others?

At the moment, I’m pretty much coming up empty. I pointed him to Participant Productions, as they produced created Murderball, Syriana, North Country and Good Night, Good Luck.. None of those quite fit the criteria he outlines, however.

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Darren Barefoot is an author, speaker and digital strategist. He’s the co-founder of Capulet Communications, and co-author of “Friends With Benefits: A Social Media Marketing Handbook”.

15 comments

  2. Well I think you’re on the right track with “North Country” and “Erin Brockovich” springs to mind as well. There are of course all the War Movies which would be appropriate “Platoon” Thin Red Line” Blackhawk Down” etc but one that stood out in my list was “Before Night Falls” the story of Cuban poet/activist Reinaldo Arenas. the movie also features Johnny Depp. Highly recommended.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynaldo_Arenas

  3. “Before Night Falls” is an excellent film, and I’d definitely recommend it. Mind you, it doesn’t reflect the selfless sacrifice that a couple of the aforementioned films do. Still, a great film starring, in my opinion, the best actor in the world, Javier Bardem. Okay, maybe he’s tied with Chiwetel Ejiofor.

    I’ve never seen “The Killing Fields”, though I’m familiar with its subject matter. “Empire of the Sun” qualifies, though again not with the whole self-sacrifice element.

  11. I second The Constant Gardener, and would like to add Sophie School: The Final Days.

    We recently saw Osama, which was depressing as hell, and might not quite fit the bill if you’re looking for some kind of redemption or moral triumph by the movie’s end.

    Two other excellent movies I highly recommend, but don’t meet the criteria: Dirty Pretty Things (non-historical), and Grave of the Fireflies (main characters fail at survival)

  13. I’d add:
    The Sea Inside
    North Country
    Water
    Carandiru
    the world’s Fastest Indian
    City of God (best movie in the last 3 years, FACT)

    (…isn’t it obnoxious when people say “FACT” like that? 😉 )

  14. Hey! Another Ejiofor fan. Just saw Kinky Boots the other night. And he, again, rocked.

    As for answering the question, all of the ones I’d mention are above. So, how about The Matrix? Pretty much defines what he says. And who’s to say it’s not accurate?

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