There are certain stories that are just worth telling – be it harrowing, inspiring, or motivating, a select few deserve to transcend into masterpieces that will ultimately leave the audience with an unforgettable experience. These stories, most of the time, are compelling and moving precisely because they are based on real-life events.

That said, these effective pieces usually find their way in some of the greatest movie scripts of all time. Real life stories and events are oftentimes celebrated if made with pristine artistry. This isn’t just applicable to dramatic, gripping storylines, but to all movie genres, including horror and suspense.

It is worth noting, however, that some stories were taken from events or people that transpired or lived centuries ago, but lived as legends on the big screen. Not only is the script written of high quality and the people behind the camera incredible actors, but the tales are so timeless that they deserve to be told even if they occurred many generations ago. Here is a compilation of some of the best films that were based on real-life stories:

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale

If dogs have a special place in your heart, then this tear-jerking movie deserves to be watched. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale tells the real-life story of a Japanese professor who adopted a dog named Hachiko, a very loyal pet that fetches his master after a commute in the Shibuya Station. One day, the master, named Hidesaburo Ueno, played by Richard Gere, didn’t return home.

Poor Hachiko spent hours waiting for him at the station, clueless that the professor had died of a cerebral hemorrhage in school. Despite the master’s death, the dog refused to leave the station, patiently waiting for Ueno to return to him for nine years. But Ueno never came back and Hachiko’s body gave up and he eventually passed away.

The Exorcist

This 1973 film is a horror classic based on a book with the same title written by William Pleter Blatty. The story revolves around a 14-year-old boy named Roland Doe who was believed to be possessed by the devil and priests who performed an exorcism on him recorded the events.

“The Exorcist” was a success, to say the least, earning a couple of Academy Awards and numerous Golden Globe Awards. Until now, the film remains a mainstay in sleepovers, perhaps what makes its effect long-lasting is the fact that it is based on a true story, which ultimately makes it scarier.

The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street, a 2013 dramedy film helmed by Martin Scorsese, amassed more than $390 million on the box office. However, more than the impressive portrayal of veteran actor Leonardo DiCaprio alongside Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie is the beautiful script penned by Terence Winter, which is based on a book with the same title.

The story revolves around Jordan Belfort, a wise stockbroker who built his own firm, Stratton Oakmont. However, his fraudulent ways caught up with him, which caused the downfall of the fruit of all his hard work.

I, Tonya

This Margot Robbie-starrer highlights the life story of Tonya Harding, a much-celebrated figure skater in the ‘90s. Years after working her way up the ladder, her world came crashing down when her ex-husband attacked Nancy Kerrigan, her fellow Olympic competitor. Although she was good at her craft, she was scarred by the incident and was forever associated with the poorly executed, ill-conceived ploy.

Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich, a 2000 film that starred Julia Roberts as the titular character, tells the story of a mother of three and a lawyer who has little experience in her field. However, she became instrumental in pushing for a case against a mammoth company, Pacific Gas and Electric Company in California, which was responsible for water contamination in the community that resulted in many diseases and deaths.

Jungle

This 2017 movie talks about the ordeal of Yossi Ghinsberg who got lost in the Bolivian jungle for three weeks. Daniel Radcliffe, famous for his “Harry Potter” films starred as the Israeli, who did everything he could to survive, including fighting off a jaguar with just a deodorant and a lighter.