10 Best Modern Movies Set in the ’70s, Ranked FSalinks

The Vietnam War, Watergate, The Battle of the Sexes; just a few of the major events that highlighted the civil and social unrest of what was labeled the ‘Me Decade.’ Despite it all, blockbusters like Star Wars and The Godfather, and many other great movies of the 1970s, are proof the turmoil did little to dampen the creative spirit. Even after the turn of the century, filmmakers continue to be drawn to the decade of disco and the plethora of enthralling events and colorful characters that serve as fodder for today’s audiences.

Those who lived through the ’70s may feel pangs of nostalgia, and those who didn’t might cringe, particularly at the downright hideous fashion sense, but there’s no denying this was an inspiring era. Here are some modern movies that managed to best capture the unique, far-out vibe of the time.

10 ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’ (2004)

Directed by Adam McKay

In mid-’70s San Diego, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is a popular anchor at a local TV news station, working alongside his very manly buddies. But, in the name of diversity, their boys club is abruptly gatecrashed by female reporter, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate). At first, Ron succeeds in charming Veronica, but after an unfortunate incident involving a burrito causes him to be late to the studio, she seizes the chance to take his place on-air and kick-starts a bitter rivalry.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is a hilarious parody of the misogyny of the ’70s with Applegate giving as good as she gets among a room full of male egos. Some of the the best Anchorman quotes are arrogant and sexist to the extreme, but that’s what makes them so funny. Audiences know such chauvinism would never be tolerated these days, and the over-the-top antics of Ferrell and his male cohorts are obviously meant to be taken with a grain of salt.

9 ‘Dreamgirls’ (2006)

Directed by Bill Condon

In the late ’60s, when Motown was at it’s peak, three singing friends from Detroit, Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Deena (Beyoncé Knowles), and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose) enter a local talent contest and are discovered by Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx). Curtis proves to be a ruthless and controlling manager who changes the group’s style and composition, including ousting lead singer Effie in favor of the softer, more attractive Deena. Despite the bitter conflict this causes, by the ’70s The Dreams had become a sensational success, but the women started to realize that family and friends are more important than fame and fortune.

Like the Broadway musical on which it’s based, Dreamgirls draws a huge amount of influence from the world-famous group The Supremes and while the vocals and female lead performances are fantastic, Jamie Foxx steals the show in one of his best movie roles. His character Curtis is a superbly played representation of male dominance in industry and in the home during that time, and the drama wouldn’t be nearly as compelling without this villainous antagonist.

8 ‘Remember the Titans’ (2000)

Directed by Boaz Yakin

Segregation in schools remained an accepted practice long after the civil rights movement, but in 1971, two Virginia high schools were forced to integrate by federal mandate. The long-serving coach of the school’s football team, Bill Yoast (Will Patton), was replaced by Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) as a way of placating the Black community. To try and ease rising racial tension, Boone offers Yoast an assistant coaching position, but the two men and their players struggle to find common ground. The Titans are hindered by racism and bigotry on and off the field, but as the season progresses, they gradually pull together, dragging the community with them.

Although it centers around a football team, Remember The Titans is more about defeating prejudice than it is about the game. Patton and Washington are exceptional in their characterization of the two sides of the racial divide and the football players also give the audience the perspective of the younger generation at that time. While the theme of racism can cause discomfort, it’s important to note that this is based on a true story and, as well as having historical significance, is one of Denzel Washington’s most rewatchable movies.

7 ‘American Hustle’ (2013)

Directed by David O. Russell

Inspired by the FBI Abscam Operation of the late ’70s, American Hustle is the story of con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), who’s running a financial scam with his British partner Sydney (Amy Adams). When the pair are caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), he forces them into the dangerous world of mobsters and corrupt politicians he’s looking to entrap.

The true story behind American Hustle is just as fascinating as the fictional version presented in the movie, which manages to capture the ’70s crime vibe with gusto. Adams and Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Irving’s estranged wife, definitely got the better end of the deal as far as wardrobe choices go, sporting sexy glamorous outfits next to a bunch of guys who look like they raided grandpa’s closet.

6 ‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Directed by David Fincher

“This is the Zodiac speaking” was the haunting opening of coded letters sent by an unidentified serial killer to the press in San Francisco between 1969 and 1974. This fictionalized version of true events centers around The San Francisco Chronicle crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) and political cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal). While sharing a love-hate relationship with the detectives assigned to the case, Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Bill Armstrong (Anthony Edwards), the men work together to uncover information about the Zodiac, with Graysmith taking it to the point of obsession.

As well as being an extremely captivating crime thriller, Zodiac does well to replicate the fear and paranoia these crimes triggered throughout the city at the time. Although the code the Zodiac used was cracked, no one was able to uncover the killer’s identity, and it’s quite unsettling to know the case remains unsolved. As far as movies about real-life serial killers go, this is one of the best, but be prepared to be creeped out by the randomness of the victims and the motive behind these cold-blooded murders.

5 ‘Milk’ (2008)

Directed by Gus Van

Milk is a political biopic that follows the career of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) from his 40th birthday to his tragic demise. After living a fairly closeted existence in New York, Milk moved to San Francisco in the early ’70s and gained notoriety in the gay community. With his partner Scott Smith (James Franco) as campaign manager, Milk became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. While facing constant adversity from the city’s conservative district, led by Dan White (Josh Brolin), Milk spent his time in office, fighting against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

During the ’70s, gay people were heavily discriminated against, and making the kind of stand Milk did was incredibly courageous. This may not be one of the best movies about American politics, but it is incredibly significant from a historical standpoint. Milk’s political stance and eventual assassination shone a light on the prejudice suffered by gay people and led to significant legislative changes to protect their rights. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

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4 ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ (2014)

Directed by Bryan Singer

X-Men: Days of Future Past begins in the future, where an invincible army of robots known as Sentinels are exterminating mutants and the humans who seek their help. The only hope for humanity is for Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) consciousness to be transported back to 1973. Once there, his mission is to track down the younger Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) and the younger Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and convince them to help prevent the assassination of Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), which led to the creation of the Sentinels.

The time travel element of X-Men: Days of Future Past creates all manner of plot holes, but this just adds to the fun. Fans of the X-Men franchise will happily point out and debate the obvious inconsistencies until the cows come home, while everyone else can sit back and enjoy the entertaining mix of 70s kitsch and futuristic sci-fi.

3 ‘Rush’ (2013)

Directed by Ron Howard

Throughout the ’70s, Formula 1 racing fans were captivated by the rivalry between hot-headed British driver James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and his methodical Austrian competitor Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). Rush follows the lives of these two very different drivers on and off the track, leading up to the 1976 championship when Lauda was horrifically injured in a fiery crash and Hunt went on to win his one and only title.

As one of Chris Hemsworth’s best movies, Rush is a really enjoyable watch whether you’re a motor racing fan or not. The film really takes viewers back to a different era when bravado was just as admired as professionalism and personal safety was an afterthought. The action is underlined by a great soundtrack guaranteed to trigger the nostalgia for ’70s children everywhere.

2 ‘Almost Famous’ (2000)

Directed by Cameron Crowe

A young wannabe rock journalist, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), lands a job writing for Rolling Stone Magazine in the early 1970s. His assignment is to go on the road with the up-and-coming band Stillwater and write an article about the experience. Along the journey, William is drawn into the personal lives of the band, including groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), who he develops a crush on. As tensions rise among the band members, William struggles to maintain his journalistic objectivity, but luckily, his mentor, Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is there to keep him on the straight and narrow.

Almost Famous was inspired by a true story, which makes this road trip down memory lane even more compelling. The ’70s were an amazing era for music, witnessing the rise of some of the most legendary rock bands of all time. Seeing this all play out through the eyes of an aspiring adolescent is almost magical.

1 ‘Argo’ (2012)

Directed by Ben Affleck

In November 1979, a group of Iranian militants took control of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 56 Americans hostage. Six managed to escape and sought sanctuary at the home of Ken Taylor (Victor Garber), the Canadian Ambassador, until the CIA and State Department managed to come up with a plan to get them out. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) was a specialist leading the operation who came up with the idea for the recovery team to pose as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a science fiction movie called Argo.

As well as being a great movie that earned three Oscars, including one for Best Picture, this is a fascinating snapshot of world history. As with most biopics, the version of events presented in Argo is a lot less accurate than audiences might think, but that does little to dampen the mood of this intense thriller.

NEXT: The Best Modern TV Shows About the 1970s, Ranked