5. Selma
Telling the story of one of the greatest heroes of all time is quite the challenge but the brilliant and brave Ave DuVernay took it on and absolutely smashed it with last year's Selma. There are so many specific moments that DuVernay could have focused on for her biopic but she chose the overwhelming story of King's campaign to secure equal voting rights by staging a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. DuVernay mixed this unbelievably hopeful story with some stellar editing and cinematography to create a stunningly brave and hard-hitting biopic. Not shying away from telling the harsh reality of the situation King and his followers were subjected to; the violence in Selma is shocking but done with such respect and realism that it just hones in on the core messages of the film. Brit actor David Oyelowo is absolutely electrifying as Martin Luther King. The talented actor is able to not only showcase the power King had as a figure head but also the sensitivity, doubt and passion he had as a family man. The scenes where King was preaching were outstanding, filling the audience with a sense of hopefulness that carries them through the film's difficult subject matter.