This 1996 film is based on the life of the radical feminist writer, Valerie Solanas. Actress Lili Taylor portrays Solanas during the dark and troubling time in her life that led her to murdering Andy Warhol. The story goes that after Solanas felt rejected by Warhol, she then tried to get her book published by French publisher Maurice Girodias. After confusion over the rights, she felt compelled to kill Warhol after feeling that him and Giordas were conspiring against her.
After a mental health evaluation, Solanas was declared mentally unstable and transferred to the prison ward of Elmhurst Hospital. The film was first screened in 1996 at Cannes, opening up to mainly positive reviews, and holds a 75% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It holds the same score on fellow review site, Metacritic.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Julia Roberts stars in the 2000 film based on the life of Erin Brockovich, who worked to expose the wrongdoings of energy giant, Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Brockovich had found evidence that the corporation was responsible for people in the area getting sick and did everything she could from her position as a law clerk to show the public what they were up to.
Roberts won an Oscar for her performance in the title role, though the film received mixed reviews. Still, it wound up grossing more than $257 million at the box office..
JFK (1991)
This 1991 political thriller is directed by Oliver Stone, and dives into the events leading up to the assassination of the former president, John F. Kennedy. The film stars Kevin Costner as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, who headed up the investigation against Lee Harvey Oswald. Amidst the investigation, Jim Garrison faces a surprising amount of government resistance, causing him to shut it down but reopen it later.
JFK was adapted from the 1988 book, On the Trail of the Assassins, written by Jim Garrison. Although it was seen as somewhat controversial is received critical acclaim and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. It was the sixth highest-grossing film of the year in 1991.
Gia (1998)
Angelina Jolie stars as an aspiring supermodel, Gia Marie Carangi, in this 1998 made-for-TV HBO film. The movie follows as Carangi moves to the city from Philadelphia and immediately catches a big break. Unfortunately, the life she finds comes along with drug addiction, which leads her down a dark path that ends in her catching AIDS from shooting up Heroin. Much of the film reveals the real life of Gia who, at the height of her career during the 70s and 80s spiraled downwards from drug addiction. She tragically died from AIDS-related complications.
Angelina Jolie won a Golden Globe for her performance, as did supporting actress Faye Dunaway, who played the role of famed modeling agent, Wilhemina Cooper. The film also won the Emmy for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing in a Miniseries or Movie.
Great Balls of Fire! (1989)
Dennis Quaid plays the late Jerry Lee Lewis in this 1989 film about the music star’s rise to rock-and-roll fame – and his incestuous and highly controversial marriage to his cousin, played by Winona Ryder, – who was just 13 years old at the time of the nuptials (which took place in Mississippi.) Aside from his highly publicized and controversial marriage, Lewis was once dubbed the face of rock'n'roll and one of the most influential pianists of the 20th century.
Lewis actually rerecorded several of his songs from the 1950s for the film soundtrack including the title track, Great Balls of Fire. Ryder won an award for a best young artist starring a motion picture at the Young Artist Awards in 1990. It flopped at the box office, grossing just over $13 million worldwide.