Greatest Biopics
AMC Movie List

Greatest Biopics

How to sum up a life in roughly two hours? Which of these films do it best?

rank title points votes your vote
1 Schindler's List
Can a Hollywood movie about the Holocaust remain respectful toward its unfathomable subject while fitting mainstream conventions? 109 239
2 Patton
"Americans love a winner, and will not tolerate a loser." 76 232
3 Raging Bull
a tour de force performance by Robert De Niro as title pugilist Jake LaMotta. 68 244
4 Lawrence of Arabia
David Lean's account of the epic and mysterious life of T.E. Lawrence had to be as large as the legend of the man himself. 65 217
5 Amadeus
As seen through the eyes of jealous competitor Antonio Salieri, Mozart becomes a virtual musical mouthpiece of God. 34 202
6 The Elephant Man
David Lynch's dark, dreamy portrait of Joseph Merrick, aka The Elephant Man. 31 183
7 Ed Wood
Tim Burton's Ed Wood is a surprising masterwork of the genre, finding humor and pathos behind the irrepressible energy of Wood (Johnny Depp). 28 186
8 Chaplin
Richard Attenborough's Chaplin is a great example of a biopic propelled by an uncanny lead performance, in this case Robert Downey Jr. 16 168
9 Malcolm X
Spike Lee's film revived X's importance for a new generation. -13 177
10 Before Night Falls
Javier Bardem was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in this biopic of Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas. -54 138