10 Films That Brilliantly Nailed Topical Issues

10. Love, Actually

There have been some excellent films depicting the events of 9/11, most notably the brilliant United 93. That Paul Greengrass feature took us inside various locations on the day of the attacks, including headquarters for the FAA and military, as well as inside the doomed aircraft, giving the audience an 'insider's perspective' of how events unfolded and decisions were made.

While United 93 may be one of the best films to address the events of the tragic day, one film that brilliantly considered the aftermath of the event came from the last genre you'd expect. Richard Curtis' 2003 film Love, Actually may seem like just another entry in the rom-com genre at first glance, but its brilliance was in helping everyone to move forward from that tragic day.

The film is actually a truly beautiful look at humanity, examining that rather than everyone being full of hate, we are actually full of love. Hugh Grant, who plays an otherwise caricature version of a British PM, delivers one of cinema's greatest speeches in a heartwarming pre credit sequence. Streams of footage of Heathrow customers welcoming loved ones back is matched by Grant's stoic delivery that love, actually, is all around us.

To tell people that there is hope and love in the world is a great message that is well delivered here. But reclaiming the very place the terrorists turned into a weapon, an airport, and emphasising that this is somewhere where love blossoms, is truly remarkable.