All films based on real events, people or processes are going to have inaccuracies (sometimes severe ones), but some are more loyal to reality than others. Here are some films that are both entertaining and educational to help with furthering your academic career.

Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970): a refreshingly accurate portrayal of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the events leading up to it.

The King’s Speech (2010): learning about the complexities of the English royal family and patriarchy is just a by-product of this great film. It’s also a quick way to remember names and lineages.

Forrest Gump (1994): a cohesive culmination of the major events and cultural evolutions of the 1950s through the 1980s.

Goodfellas (1990): the film, based on the nonfiction book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, manages to brilliantly portray actual events involving the New York crime family, the Luccheses.

J. Edgar (2011): Clint Eastwood directs this fantastic look at the major themes and life of J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Milk (2008): This film, while victim to the occasional historical inaccuracy, gives an important look at the overall attitude toward the LGBTQ community in 1970s America.