Learning About History: Movies

History is an important thing, and is pretty interesting at times (in my opinion at least). However, reading from a book about history can get really boring, and I mean it can get so boring that you might even fall asleep. That is especially the case with really dry, boring, and hard to understand history books and textbooks. This poses an important question: How to learn more about history without getting so bored? Learning about history can be very enjoyable and very entertaining-if done in an entertaining way that is. That means not just reading out of a textbook, or at least that is what it means for me. One way to learn about history is through movies. Whether it be a documentary, a short film, a television movie, or a feature film, many movies can teach a lot and be packed full with historical knowledge.

A large handful of movies it seems now a days are based on either a true story, are based on real people and real events, or are related to something that actually happened. This sometimes leads to a common misconception: that a movie is always one hundred percent correct over the topic it covers. This is sometimes the case, and if you are looking for a movie like that then your best bet is to look at a documentary. However, documentaries are sometimes dull and slow moving and not as entertaining as other movies and films. Some people are entertained by documentaries, but that is not me. I don't want to just learn; I want to learn, relax, and enjoy. That leads me to my favorite of the choices: a feature film. Whether the feature film is based on a true story, based on real people or real events, or just related to something that actually happened, I prefer those over documentaries and television movies or a short film. That is because they are made to entertain.

Feature films that deal with historical events are very entertaining. They usually have an interesting plot, characters that you usually learn to love or hate, and you learn something about history as well. If you're ever bored and want to be productive and entertain yourself at the same time, then I recommend a feature film dealing with a historic event in some way shape or form. Some examples of such feature films are: Pearl Harbor, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, Braveheart, Revolution, Annabelle, A Haunting in Connecticut, American Sniper, Schindler's List, Captain Phillips, Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, Black Mass, Pompeii, Apollo 13, Remember the Titans, We Are Marshall, Hotel Rwanda, and Gladiator. All of these feature films have something to do with a historical event; either are based on a true story, based on real people, real events, or are related to something that actually happened. However, some of these movies are more historically accurate than others. Also, this list is just a list of some movies that I have heard of or seen myself that are entertaining movies to watch and have to do with a history in some way shape or form. I highly recommend watching one or more of these movies, as they will entertain you and you will learn something from them as well.