12 Years a Slave
2013 · TMDB 7.9/10 · 12,102 votes
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Curated by SceneIt · United States
Inspiring Movies
This SceneIt list helps you quickly choose acclaimed dramas and true-story favorites with an uplifting arc. Results are selected for the United States and balance audience response with practical watchability.
Updated 2026-08-03 · Ratings from TMDB
How we chose these titles
We rank eligible titles using TMDB audience ratings, vote confidence, relevance to the theme, and current popularity. Ratings can change as new votes are added.
The Six Triple Eight
2024 · TMDB 7.6/10 · 701 votes
During World War II, the US Army's only all-Black, all-women battalion takes on an impossible mission: sorting through a three-year backlog of 17 million pieces of mail that hadn't been delivered to American soldiers and finish within six months. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Woman King
2022 · TMDB 7.6/10 · 2,399 votes
The story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen, and General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Last of the Mohicans
1992 · TMDB 7.4/10 · 3,483 votes
In war-torn colonial America, in the midst of a bloody battle between British, the French and Native American allies, the aristocratic daughter of a British Colonel and her party are captured by a group of Huron warriors. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Downfall
2004 · TMDB 7.9/10 · 4,386 votes
In April of 1945, Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Russian Army closing in from the east and the Allied Expeditionary Force attacking from the west. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Straight Outta Compton
2015 · TMDB 7.8/10 · 4,241 votes
In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
First Man
2018 · TMDB 7.0/10 · 5,731 votes
A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Spartacus
1960 · TMDB 7.5/10 · 2,417 votes
The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Spotlight
2015 · TMDB 7.8/10 · 8,876 votes
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Sully
2016 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 7,791 votes
On 15 January 2009, the world witnessed the 'Miracle on the Hudson' when Captain 'Sully' Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 souls aboard. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Raging Bull
1980 · TMDB 7.9/10 · 4,822 votes
The life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The King
2019 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 3,607 votes
England, 15th century. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Come and See
1985 · TMDB 8.2/10 · 1,890 votes
The invasion of a village in Belarus by German forces sends young Florya into the forest to join the weary Resistance fighters, against his family's wishes. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Cleopatra
1963 · TMDB 7.0/10 · 863 votes
Determined to hold on to the throne, Cleopatra seduces the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Elvis
2022 · TMDB 7.5/10 · 3,950 votes
The life story of Elvis Presley as seen through the complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Ran
1985 · TMDB 8.0/10 · 1,861 votes
Shakespeare's King Lear is reimagined as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan where an aging warlord divides his kingdom between his three sons. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Midway
2019 · TMDB 7.1/10 · 2,760 votes
The story of the Battle of Midway, and the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome massive odds. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Founder
2016 · TMDB 7.1/10 · 5,452 votes
The true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Society of the Snow
2023 · TMDB 8.0/10 · 3,550 votes
On October 13, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, chartered to take a rugby team to Chile, crashes into a glacier in the heart of the Andes. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
2021 · TMDB 7.7/10 · 554 votes
In 1879, Kenshin and his allies face their strongest enemy yet: his former brother-in-law Enishi Yukishiro and his minions, who've vowed their revenge. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.