based on a true story – Stream On Demand

David Oyelowo is Martin Luther King in Ava DuVernay's 'Selma.'

Academy Award winner ‘Selma’ on Peacock

!Featured, Academy Award, African-American filmmakers, American Independent Cinema, based on a true story, Blu-ray, Directed by Women, DVD, Election Special, Essential Viewing, historical, Peacock, socially aware cinema, Streaming Movies, SVOD 01/17/2022 Sean Axmaker 1 Comment

Ava Duvernay directs this acclaimed drama about the 1965 civil rights march through Alabama led by Dr. Martin Luther King.

‘Public Enemies’ – John Dillinger vs. the FBI on Peacock

!Featured, Action, based on a true story, Blu-ray, drama, DVD, gangsters, historical, Streaming Movies, SVOD 01/17/2022 Sean Axmaker

Johnny Depp is John Dillinger in Michael Mann’s take on the gangster glory days of the depression.

Denzel Washington is ‘Malcolm X’ on HBO Max

!Featured, Academy Award nominee, African-American filmmakers, Based on a nonfiction book, based on a true story, Blu-ray, drama, DVD, HBO Max, historical, National Film Registry, socially aware cinema, Streaming Movies, SVOD 01/06/2022 Sean Axmaker

Spike Lee’s epic biographical drama of the controversial civil rights leader earned Washington his first Oscar nomination for best actor.

Jason Statham in 'The Bank Job,' directed by Roger Donaldson

Jason Statham leads ‘The Bank Job’ on Hulu

!Featured, Action, based on a true story, Blu-ray, caper, Crime Cinema, DVD, Have You Seen...?, Hulu, Streaming Movies, SVOD 12/27/2021 Sean Axmaker

Roger Donaldson directs this terrific piece of heist filmmaking made with a rough-and-tumble attitude and old-school professionalism.

Al Pacino stars in 'Serpico',' directed by Sidney Lumet

Al Pacino is ‘Serpico’ on Showtime Anytime

!Featured, Academy Award nominee, Action, based on a true story, Blu-ray, drama, DVD, Essential Viewing, Showtime Anytime, Streaming Movies, SVOD 12/27/2021 Sean Axmaker

Sidney Lumet directs this based-on-a-true-story crime drama on location in New York and helped set the style of American crime dramas in the seventies.

Gary Cooper is ‘The Pride of the Yankees’ on Amazon Prime Video

!Featured, Academy Award, Amazon Prime Video, based on a true story, biographical, Classic, drama, DVD, Free, historical, Hollywood Classic, Kanopy, sports, SVOD 12/01/2021 Sean Axmaker

Cooper, that great Oak of an American actor, plays baseball legend Lou Gehrig in one of the most finely crafted films to emerge from Hollywood.

‘Moneyball’ – the business of baseball on Netflix

!Featured, Academy Award nominee, AMC+, Based on a nonfiction book, based on a true story, Blu-ray, drama, DVD, Netflix, sports, Streaming Movies, SVOD 11/25/2021 Sean Axmaker

Brad Pitt makes it look effortless in this a drama about the business of baseball in the era of multi-million dollar payrolls, which It earned six Academy Award nominations.

Dana Andrews and Arthur Kennedy in Elia Kazan's realist noir

‘Boomerang’ – small town noir on Criterion Channel

!Featured, Academy Award nominee, based on a true story, Blu-ray, Criterion Channel, drama, DVD, film noir, Hollywood Classic, Kino Lorber, SVOD 11/22/2021 Sean Axmaker

Elia Kazan directs this semi-documentary film noir based on the true story of a small town murder and the rush to find the killer.

Matthew McConaughey won an Academy Award for playing Ron Woodroof in the film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée

Oscar-winning ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ on Peacock

!Featured, Academy Award, based on a true story, biographical, Blu-ray, drama, DVD, Peacock, socially aware cinema, Streaming Movies, SVOD 11/21/2021 Sean Axmaker

Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto won Academy Awards for this drama about an unlikely hero in the early days of the AIDS crisis.

What to stream: ‘King Richard’ on HBO Max, ‘tick, tick… BOOM!’ on Netflix, ‘Wheel of Time’ on Prime Video

!Featured, Acorn TV, Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, Apple TV+, based on a true story, biographical, Crunchyroll, drama, Hulu, Musical, Netflix, Paramount+, Streaming Movies, Sundance Now, What to Stream 11/19/2021 Sean Axmaker

Plus ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ on Paramount+, ‘Sex Lives of College Girls’ on HBO Max, ‘Hellbound’ and ‘Tiger King2’ on Netflix, and a new season of ‘The Great’ on Hulu.