10 Most Brilliant Scientific Biopics That You Must Watch
From Einstein to Hawking: Science on the Silver Screen
Well, movies have the ability to shape our understanding of the world and to expand our intellect in a number of ways. For starters, they can expose us to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of thinking that we might not encounter in our daily lives. Whether it’s through the portrayal of scientific personalities or fictional narratives that explore complex themes, movies can challenge us to think critically and engage with the world in a more nuanced way. When we watch scientific films or biopics about scientific personalities, we have the opportunity to expand our understanding of the world in a number of ways. First and foremost, these films can provide us with a deeper appreciation for the scientific process and the important contributions that scientists have made to our understanding of the natural world.
By telling the stories of real-life scientists and their struggles, triumphs, and discoveries, these films can help to humanize the scientific enterprise and make it more relatable to people who might otherwise feel intimidated or disconnected from the world of science. With the objective of demystifying science and making it more accessible to the general public, here’re ten most brilliant biopics that you must add to your watch list.
The Imitation Game (2014)
I became a fan of Alan Turing after watching this movie. It’s about a mathematician who played a key role in cracking the German Enigma code during World War II. Despite his invaluable contributions to the war effort, Turing was later persecuted and chemically castrated for his homosexuality. The movie explores themes of discrimination, innovation, and the power of individual brilliance to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The Theory of Everything (2014)
Think of one of the most inspiring and miraculous personalities in the history of humankind. This movie with remind you just that. It’s a biopic of renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, chronicling his life and career from his days as a PhD student to his later years as a celebrated public figure. The film explores themes of love, loss, perseverance, and the power of the human mind to overcome physical limitations and achieve greatness.
Hidden Figures (2016)
A phenomenal story of three African-American women — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson — who worked as mathematicians for NASA during the Space Race. Despite facing discrimination and segregation, the women made significant contributions to the space program and helped to pave the way for future generations of women and people of color in science and technology.
The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)
This movie is based on the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician who made significant contributions to number theory and other areas of mathematics despite lacking a formal education. The film explores his genius, perseverance, and cultural barriers that he had to face to achieve scientific and mathematical progress.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
The movie is a biopic of mathematician John Nash, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in game theory. The film explores Nash’s struggles with schizophrenia and the impact it had on his personal and professional life, as well as his eventual recovery and continued contributions to mathematics and economics.
The Current War (2017)
‘The Current War’ is a story of the rivalry between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse over the distribution of electricity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The film explores the sense of competition, collaboration, and the role of technology in shaping society.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017)
Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman whose cancer cells were used without her knowledge or consent to develop important medical advances. This film explores themes of medical ethics, exploitation, and the ongoing legacy of scientific research on vulnerable populations.
Temple Grandin (2010)
This movie tells us the story of animal behaviorist and autism advocate Temple Grandin, who used her unique perspective as a person with autism to revolutionize the livestock industry. The film explains a lot of aspects from neurodiversity to animal welfare, and the power of unconventional thinking to drive innovation.
The Dish (2000)
This movie isn’t exactly a biopic but it indeed is based on a scientific theme and rather an important one. It is based on the true story of the Parkes Observatory in Australia, which played a key role in relaying the live television broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing to the world. The film explores themes of teamwork, scientific progress, and the impact of historic events on everyday people.
Tesla (2020)
I had to keep it on the list. A biopic of inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla, this movie explains a lot chronicling his life and career from his early days as an immigrant in the United States to his later years as a pioneering figure in the development of modern technologies. It teaches us the values of perseverance, innovation, and the conflict between business interests and scientific progress.
While these are the few movies that I had watched and absolutely fell in love with, there are many other movies that are highly recommended for you to watch like Einstein and Eddington, Marie Curie, the Challenger Shuttle Disaster, Genius- tv series, etc. If you have some movie(s) in mind that deserve or deserves to be on the list then do let me and everyone else know in the responses.
Thank you so much for reading. If you liked this story don’t forget to press that clap icon as many times as you want. If you like my works and want to support me then you can become a medium member by using this link or Buy me a coffee ☕️. Keep following for more such stories.
