Browse Movies : Biography : D

Born in London as Mary O'Brien in 1939, Springfield became the finest white soul singer of her era, scoring such hits as "I Only Want to Be With You" and "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself." In 1969, Springfield released what is widely considered her masterpiece, "Dusty in Memphis," an album that yielded the classic "Son of a Preacher Man" but was a commercial failure. The singer battled substance abuse and a decline in artistic fortunes that ended only when she dueted with the Pet Shop Boys for 1990's "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" She died in 1999 at age 59 after a long battle with cancer.

Dreamin’ Wild, the true story of love and redemption, is about what happened to singer/songwriter Donnie Emerson and his family when the album he and his brother recorded as teens was rediscovered after thirty years of obscurity and was suddenly hailed by music critics as a lost masterpiece. While the album’s rediscovery brings hopes of second chances, it also brings long-buried emotions as Donnie, his wife Nancy, brother Joe, and father Don Sr. come to terms with the past and their newly found fame.

In 1993, West Memphis, Arkansas was rocked by the brutal murders of three 8-year old boys playing in the woods. The police quickly accused three teenage boys, claiming they killed the children as part of a satanic ritual. Professional investigator, Ron Lax, volunteered to represent the accused and was shocked to find that the case was based entirely on circumstantial evidence, prejudiced assumptions of the teenagers' love of goth culture and heavy metal music. He watched in horror as his clients were put on death row as he discovered something far more scary...the truth.

The film takes audiences into the private realm of one the world’s most iconic and inescapably public women -- the Princess of Wales, Diana (Naomi Watts) -- in the last two years of her meteoric life. On the occasion of the 16th anniversary of her sudden death, director Oliver Hirschbiegel explores Diana’s final rite of passage: a secret love affair with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, the human complications of which reveal the Princess’s climactic days in a compelling new light.

Anita Moorjani battles against cancer for four years. Overwhelmed by malignant cells, her body begins shutting down. As her organs fail, she enters into an extraordinary near-death experience where she realizes her inherent worth and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, her condition improves. Within three days, 70% of her cancer is gone. Shortly after, she is declared cancer free.

"De-lovely" is an original musical portrait of American composer Cole Porter, filled with his unforgettable songs. In the film, Porter is looking back on his life as if it was one of his spectacular stage shows, with the people and events of his life becoming the actors and action onstage. Through elaborate production numbers and legendary hits like "Anything Goes," "It's De-lovely," and "Night and Day," Porter's elegant, excessive past comes to light - including his deeply complicated relationship with his wife and muse, Linda Lee Porter. Directed by Academy Award-winner Irwin Winkler from a script by Jay Cocks and starring Oscar-winner Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, and Jonathan Pryce in addition to some of today's biggest rock and pop music stars, "De-lovely" is a sparkling celebration of Porter's music as well as a stirring exploration of the artist's journey and the undying power of love.

Jarred Weisfeld, a 22-year-old VH1-intern-turned-manager, has various misadventures with hip-hop artist Ol’ Dirty Bastard (real name: Russell Jones) leading up to the performer’s tragic death in 2004.

After Portland slacker John Callahan (Joaquin Phoenix) nearly loses his life in a car accident, the last thing he intends to do is give up drinking. But when he reluctantly enters treatment – with encouragement from his girlfriend (Rooney Mara) and a charismatic sponsor (Jonah Hill) – Callahan discovers a gift for drawing edgy, irreverent newspaper cartoons that develop a national following and grant him a new lease on life.

Set in early 1980s California, the story follows the meteoric rise of the golden boy of the automotive industry, John DeLorean (Lee Pace) and his iconic DeLorean Motor Company, through the eyes of his friendship with charming, ex-con pilot turned FBI informant, Jim Hoffman (Jason Sudeikis). DeLorean turned to unsavory activities to save his financially troubled DeLorean Motor Company, and it was Hoffman who was all too willing to lure the car designer/engineer into a cocaine trafficking ring set up by the FBI.

Adaptation of Jacki Lyden's mother-daughter memoir of growing up with a mother whom everyone labeled as crazy but actually suffered from what is now known to be manic-depression. Lyden's mother often would become convinced she was a woman with power, such as the Queen of Sheba or Marie Antoinette, then act out her delusions. Her mother's escapes from reality inspired Lyden to seek a career in radio journalism, where she could "escape" to exotic places like Baghdad to cover the Persian Gulf War, among other places. Lyden's feelings of helplessness growing up, her mother's refusal to seek treatment and her mother's relationships with the opposite sex -- which, in turn, affected Lyden's relationships -- are among the complex issues explored in the film.

A biopic about the identical twin sisters who wrote advice columns as Abigail Van Buren and Ann Landers.

Through an unlikely pairing and tumultuous 19-year relationship, improv maestro Del Close and Charna Halpern own, run and teach at the Chicago's Improv Olympic theater. Together as friends, saviors and soulmates, the duo helps each other overcome his addiction, financial ruin, and their own personal demons to ultimately establish improv as an art form. As such A-list talent are cutting their teeth at IO, it isn’t unheard for Halpern to put a roof over their head, feed them and coach them through bad patches. Together they re-write the rules of improvisation, urging their students to bring intelligence to their art and justice to their characters. Close dies in March 1999.

Set in Iran, this powerful and unbelievable true story follows the brave ambition of Afshin Ghaffarian. During the volatile climate of the 2009 presidential election, where many cultural freedoms were threatened, Afshin and some friends (including Elaheh played by Freida Pinto) risk their lives and form an underground dance company. Through banned online videos, they learn from timeless legends who cross all cultural divides, such as Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev. Afshin and Elaheh also learn much from each other, most importantly how to embrace their passion for dance and for one another.

The film will cover the period early in singer Dionne Warwick's career from 1962 through 1968.

The life story of an illegal immigrant, Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, who became the head of brain tumor surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

A young boy is incarcerated between 1939, the end of the Spanish Civil War, and 1961. He begins writing poetry in 1954. After this "42-year-old boy" is released from jail he is traumatized by open spaces & light, and becomes fascinated by women. He is taken to a cabaret and he spends a night with a prostitute.