Ciao Outposters, it’s time for a new Top 10 to keep us amused whilst the writers and actors are sparing us from their incessant corruption of beloved franchises on strike.
I’ve just spent the weekend at a music festival at my local park that was chock full of tribute bands that ranged from The Beatles, Queen, and Madonna, to Linkin Park, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Rage Against The Machine. It got the group of pals I was with talking about recent musical biopics such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocket Man, and the upcoming One Love about Bob Marley. So I thought of my Top 10 list of biopics (that are not just about musicians).
There were so many to choose from that slimming this down to a top 10 was probably the hardest list yet! As usual, there are some surprising entries and notable absentees. I know one entry will get your arse hairs in a twist, but if we all liked the same thing, life would be boring right?! Here goes:
10. Legend
First up is Legend starring two Tom Hardys! Look, I’m an Englishman and we are born with a genetic fascination with the Kray Twins. Yes, they were gangsters and scumbags but they loved their mum, and folklore has elevated them to modern-day Robin Hoods.
Hardy is excellent as both Ronnie and Reggie and for my American brethren, if you haven’t seen this and want a slice of 60’s South East London and gangster talk pre-Guy Ritchie, then put Legend on your watchlist… you absolute wankers!
9. Elvis
Yep. Elvis. I know this doesn’t receive much love but I thought this was excellent. I’m not a fan of “musicals”, if you would call this that. I was certainly no fan of Elvis going into this film. To be honest, the wife wanted to see it so I went under duress and the knowledge that I’d be on a promise if I took her.
In my ignorance, I always thought of Elvis as a glorified pub singer but after seeing this, I realize thanks to Baz Luhrmann, that Elvis was one of the best entertainers to have ever lived. I’m now a full-on Elvis fan and I regularly treat my ears to this soundtrack too.
And the big question was, did I get that promise? Let’s just say that after the little lady watched Austin Butler gyrating his loins up on stage, it pretty much sealed the deal. Thank you Baz and Austin.
8. Tombstone
What can I say about this classic? The cast is utterly sublime and Kurt Russel’s playing Wyatt Earp is for me one of his best-ever roles. Tombstone is tense, dirty, and gritty and gives you a realistic look at the unflinching reality of what life was like back in the Wild West. Rounded off with Val Kilmer’s scene-stealing performance as Doc Holliday, this is a modern-day western that more than holds up today.
7. Papillon (1973)
I first stumbled across this movie when I was a wee young whipper-snapper and it’s stayed with me ever since. A true classic, with remarkable performances from McQueen and Hoffman telling the horrendous story of Henri “Papillon” Charrière’s incarceration on Devil’s Island for a murder he was later pardoned for.
As you would have seen with my admiration for Cool Hand Luke, I love a movie about a man who refuses to bend his knee regardless of the consequences. Papillon received the ill-fated remake treatment in 2017 but was never able to capture the magic of the 1973 masterpiece.
6. Bohemian Rhapsody
As I said at the beginning, this list exists because of the music festival I’ve been to all weekend. Originally, Bohemian Rhapsody was just outside my Top 10 but the final act last night was a Queen tribute act, and AIDS-almighty, they had the entire place rocking!
I know we weren’t really watching Freddie Mercury up on stage last night but the dude was mesmerising and the closest thing you’ll get to seeing the real deal… unless of course you were wise enough to see Queen back in the day, or you have a time machine.
After an hour-long set of some absolute belters, it made me remember not only how excellent Bohemian Rhapsody is, but to leave off the biopic about one of, if not THE, world’s leading frontmen, would be a crime.
5. Ali
Muhammed Ali. One of my heroes. His exploits in the ring as The Greatest boxer ever (even though you could argue that accolade belongs to Sugar Ray Robinson), his quick wit and personality, and his staunch beliefs and morals make Ali a man to be celebrated and admired for eternity.
All this is captured by Michael Mann’s expert direction and Will Smith’s career-defining role, which I believe he deserved an Oscar for. Ali is one of the best sporting biopics ever made.
4. Hacksaw Ridge
King Mel does it again. I remember watching this just because Gibson directed it and I loved Passion Of The Christ and Apocalypto. Both movies are hard to watch but you can’t take your eyes off them.
The first half of Hacksaw Ridge was a slow burn and I was beginning to wonder where the movie was going, and then BAM! It all kicks off in Gibson’s typical brutal and realistic style and holy fuck was I on the edge of my seat! Andrew Garfield is a tremendous actor and he nails the shit out of this role as Desmond T. Doss.
The fact that this is a true story of one man sticking to his guns (pun not intended) is just crazy. And there we have it again, Desmond T. Doss, is a man who refused to bend the knee – perhaps I need to see a psychiatrist to ask WTF my fascination is with these people?! Moving on.
3. Young Guns
I was 14 when Young Guns came to town and it made such an impact on me at that age that I became absolutely obsessed with Billy The Kid after this movie. I remember getting my hand on a pirate VHS copy and watching it every day for about two weeks! The quality of the pirate was already shitty so you can imagine the state of the tape after another dozen or so viewings.
Young Guns was one of the first films I bought (legitimately) on VHS, then again on DVD, then again on Blu-Ray. Emilio Estevez claims he’s making a third installment and yes, I will be spending my hard-earned on that. Reap the whirlwind you heathens!
2. Goodfellas
I’ve been over my admiration for Goodfellas with the Top 10 Movies That Should Never Be Remade, which you can read here. So you’ll excuse me if I don’t hold up your time and cover old ground. Let’s just get to that number 1…
1. The Wolf Of Wall Street
Oh hell yes! This movie has it all. Wicked cool cast, a killer soundtrack, midgets, drugs, crazy shenanigans that could have only ever happened in the 1980s, and of course, Margot Robbie’s beaver.
The Wolf Of Wall Street was nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director for Scorsese, Best Adapted Screenplay for Winter, Best Actor for DiCaprio, and Best Supporting Actor for Hill but failed to win in any category. Fuck you Hollywood, you know nothing!
This movie is…
So there you have it Outposters. Some you’ll agree with, some will be WTF Eggy, where is Gandhi, Schindler’s List, or Raging Bull? Please let me know what you would have left off and what you would have added.
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