Best Movies About The 70s

From Tom McCarthy, starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber
Rated R

Spotlight, directed by Tom McCarthy, follows the Boston Globe’s investigative team, “Spotlight,” as they uncover a systemic cover-up of child sex abuse in the Catholic Church. The team investigate a series of allegations made against prominent members of the Catholic clergy in the Boston area, and uncover a decades-long network of silence, manipulation, and cover-ups. As they pursue the story, the team discover a web of complicit individuals and organizations, leading to a massive scandal that shook the foundations of the Church and exposed its darkest secrets. The film follows the team as they uncover the truth about the scandal and its victims, and ultimately bring justice to those wronged by the Church’s actions.

From Ron Howard, starring Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara
Rated R

Rush is a 2013 biographical sports drama directed by Ron Howard, based on the true story of Formula One race car drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film follows the two drivers as they battle it out for the 1976 F1 World Championship. Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Lauda (Daniel Brühl) have very different personalities and methods of racing; Hunt is a talented, carefree playboy, while Lauda is a meticulous, meticulous and calculated driver who stops at nothing to win. As the season progresses and the rivalry between the two drivers intensifies, the stakes become higher and higher, and the stakes become a matter of life and death.

From Cameron Crowe, starring Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand
Rated R

Almost Famous is a 2000 comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe, telling the coming-of-age story of a high-school boy, William Miller, who gets a job writing for Rolling Stone magazine as a rock journalist. As William goes on tour with the band Stillwater, he finds himself navigating the tumultuous world of rock and roll, trying to keep his journalistic integrity while also forming meaningful relationships with the musicians he is covering. Along the way, he learns important lessons about friendship, identity, and growing up.

From Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzmán
Rated R

Boogie Nights is a 1997 American drama film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and written by Anderson. Set in Los Angeles during the late 1970s and early 1980s, the film details the rise and fall of a young, ambitious pornographic film actor. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and chronicles the transformation of Eddie Adams (Wahlberg) into the adult film star Dirk Diggler. As he climbs the ranks of the industry, Adams faces many obstacles, including drug addiction and the constant pressure to keep up with the demands of the industry. Boogie Nights also explores the effects of the porn industry on the personal lives of its actors, and the changing social attitudes towards pornography in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

From Bryan Singer, starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy
Rated PG-13

Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 biographical film about Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British rock band Queen. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film follows Freddie's life from his joining of Queen in 1970 until their performance at Live Aid in 1985. Along the way, the film explores Freddie's complicated relationships with the band, his solo career, and his personal life, including his struggles with his sexuality and his eventual diagnosis with an HIV-positive status. The film culminates in a recreation of the band's iconic performance at Live Aid, which is now considered one of the greatest performances in rock history. Bohemian Rhapsody received critical acclaim and was a box office success, earning more than $900 million worldwide.

From Richard Linklater, starring Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey, Rory Cochrane
Rated R

Dazed and Confused is a coming-of-age comedy film directed by Richard Linklater and set in Texas in 1976. The film follows a group of teenagers on the last day of school in the summer of 1976, as they navigate the roads of adolescent life and celebrate with partying, pranks, and general mayhem. The film follows a range of characters, including the popular and jockish Randall "Pink" Floyd, the stoner Wooderson, the freshman freshman Mitch Kramer, and various other characters who find themselves in various situations throughout the night. The film explores issues such as cliques, peer pressure, freedom, and the differences between generations. Ultimately, the film examines the difficulty of transitioning from childhood to adulthood, and the joys and pitfalls that come with that transition.

From Tom DiCillo, starring Johnny Depp, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek
Rated R

When You're Strange is a 2009 documentary film directed by Tom DiCillo and narrated by Johnny Depp. It chronicles the rise and fall of the American rock band The Doors from 1965 through 1971. The documentary uses rare footage and recordings of band members Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore, along with interviews and commentary from music critics, family members, and contemporaries. The film provides insight into the creative process of the band, their unique sound, and the struggles they faced due to Jim Morrison's hedonistic lifestyle and his subsequent legal issues. The film also explores Morrison's mysterious death in Paris in 1971 and how his legend has grown over the years. The documentary was praised by critics and won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video and a National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary.

From Xan Cassavetes, starring Robert Altman, Vera Carlisle Anderson, C.L. Batten, Jacqueline Bisset
Rated R

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession is a 2004 documentary film directed by Xan Cassavetes. The film profiles the life and career of Jerry Harvey, the man behind the groundbreaking Los Angeles cable TV station Z Channel. Through interviews with Harvey's family, friends, colleagues, and admirers, the film provides an intimate look at Harvey's life and his dedication to providing quality programming for Z Channel viewers. The film also looks at how Harvey's provocative and often controversial programming choices paved the way for innovative television in the 1980s. In addition to a fascinating portrait of Harvey, the documentary also serves as a history of Hollywood cinema, highlighting the films that had a major impact on the development of American culture.

From Directors: Ted Demme, Richard LaGravenese, starring Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Robert Altman, John G. Avildsen
Rated R

A Decade Under the Influence is a 2003 documentary film directed by Ted Demme and Richard LaGravenese. The film focuses on the shift in American film that occurred in the 1970s and how this era of cinema has influenced modern filmmaking. The film features interviews with major filmmakers from the decade such as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Robert Altman, and George Lucas, amongst others. The film highlights the changes in the industry, exploring the rise of independent cinema, the influence of the French New Wave, and the impact of the Vietnam War on the types of stories being told. The documentary takes an in-depth look at the themes, narrative styles, and production techniques that arose during the decade and have since become an integral part of Hollywood filmmaking.

From Stars: Edgar Ramírez, Alexander Scheer, Fadi Abi Samra, Karam Ghossein, starring
Rated Not Rated

Carlos is a 2010 French-German-Spanish biographical drama film directed by Olivier Assayas and starring Edgar Ramírez as the titular character, Carlos the Jackal, a Venezuelan revolutionary and terrorist. The film is divided into five sections, each one dedicated to a different period in Carlos's life: in the early 1970s, Carlos is recruited by a Palestinian faction to carry out a mission in London; in the mid-1970s, he rises to international fame through several high-profile terrorist attacks; in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he forms a relationship with the German radical group, the Red Army Faction; in the mid-1980s, he is arrested by French authorities; and in the late 1990s, he is finally brought to trial. The film also stars Alexander Scheer as Joseph, Fadi Abi Samra as Wadi Haddad, and Karam Ghossein as a young Carlos.

From Directors: Sam Green, Bill Siegel, starring Lili Taylor, Pamela Z, Jim Lange, Evan White
Rated Unrated

The Weather Underground is a 2002 documentary film directed by Sam Green and Bill Siegel. It tells the story of the Weather Underground, an American radical left organization active between 1969 and 1975. The film follows the lives of several of the group's members, including founders Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, and Jeff Jones, as they sought to create a revolution in the United States. It also examines the legacy of the group and its impact on contemporary politics. Throughout the film, interviews with former members, government officials, and academics provide insight and analysis. The film covers the Weather Underground's formation, its actions, its dissolution, and its impact on the greater American left. It also features archival footage and photographs of the period. The Weather Underground offers a critical history and a powerful examination of the consequences of revolutionary action.

From Jean-François Richet, starring Vincent Cassel, Cécile de France, Gérard Depardieu, Gilles Lellouche
Rated R

Mesrine: Killer Instinct is a French biographical crime drama film written and directed by Jean-François Richet. It is the first installment of a two-part film based on the life of French gangster Jacques Mesrine. The film stars Vincent Cassel as Mesrine and tells the story of his rise as a criminal in the 1970s, culminating in a series of daring heists, then his subsequent arrest and trial. The film follows Mesrine from his humble beginnings as a soldier in the Algerian War of Independence, to his criminal career in Paris where he begins a violent bank-robbing spree. As his notoriety grows, so does his legend as a French Robin Hood, and his relationship with an equally notorious gangster, Jean-Paul Mercier. Mesrine's criminal career comes to an end when he is betrayed by his own gang and arrested by the police. The film has since become a cult classic in Europe, and was nominated for six César Awards, including Best Film and Best Actor.

From Spike Lee, starring John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace
Rated R

BlacKkKlansman is a 2018 American biographical crime film directed by Spike Lee. The film is based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, a black police officer from Colorado Springs, Colorado, who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in 1978. With the help of a white colleague, Flip Zimmerman, Stallworth successfully gains access to the Klan and becomes the head of the local chapter. The film follows the two officers as they attempt to stop the Klan from gaining power in Colorado Springs. Along the way, they must confront the racism and hatred that the Klan stands for, while also dealing with the internal tensions of being a black officer on a predominantly white police force. In the end, Stallworth and Zimmerman are successful in thwarting the Klan’s plans, but are left to grapple with the harsh reality of racism in America.

From Scott Sanders, starring Michael Jai White, Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson, Phyllis Applegate
Rated R

From Jean-François Richet, starring Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric, Samuel Le Bihan
Rated R

From Cao Hamburger, starring Michel Joelsas, Germano Haiut, Daniela Piepszyk, Paulo Autran
Rated PG

From Michael Winterbottom, starring Steve Coogan, Lennie James, John Thomson, Nigel Pivaro
Rated R

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Guillaume Baillargeon, Émilie Leclerc
Rated PG

From Shane Black, starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer
Rated R

From Roger Donaldson, starring Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays
Rated R

From David O. Russell, starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence
Rated R

From Jeffrey Radice, starring Enos Cabell, Dave Cash, Roberto Clemente Jr., Vera Clemente
Rated Not Rated

From Monte Hellman, starring James Taylor, Warren Oates, Laurie Bird, Dennis Wilson
Rated R

From Yann Demange, starring Jack O'Connell, Sam Reid, Sean Harris, Paul Popplewell
Rated R

From Cédric Jimenez, starring Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche, Céline Sallette, Mélanie Doutey
Rated R