6
Bohemian Rhapsody -- Everything About The Live Aid Climax Is False
Some elements of the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody are obviously fictional. For example, the band probably never befriended a time-travelling Mike Myers. Still, you'd think that at least the triumphant climax would adhere to the facts, but nope. Either to give the story an artificial sense of resolution or because the scandal-ridden director flat out took off, the depiction of Queen's performance at Live Aid is mostly bogus.
The movie positions the concert as an emotional catharsis. The band reunites after having a break-up, and before taking the stage, Freddie Mercury tells them that he's been diagnosed HIV-positive. Then they play their goddamn hearts out.
20th Century FoxThat last sentence absolutely checks the fuck out, but the rest? Well ...
There are a few problems here. For starters, the band didn't break up. Mercury left to record a solo album, which no one had a problem with because everyone was "burned out." And while the movie makes it seem like Queen reunited for Live Aid and hadn't even been speaking to each other, they had just released an album, "The Works" (which the movie totally omits). In fact, their last stop on their world tour promoting that record was a mere eight weeks before Live Aid.
As for Freddie's diagnosis, that likely happened between 1986 and 1987, meaning he wouldn't have known during Live Aid in 1985. Queen didn't put on a kickass show because they were reeling from the news of their lead singer's illness -- they put on a kickass show because they were fucking Queen.
5
Most Of BlacKkKlansman Didn't Happen
One of Spike Lee's best recent movies (featuring one of Topher Grace's best non-symbiotic villain roles), BlacKkKlansman tells the story of Ron Stallworth, a black cop who called up the Klu Klux Klan, and rather than simply asking to speak with "Ben Dover," launched an undercover operation. Despite the movie's acclaim, it has also come under criticism for its handling of real events, most notably from Sorry To Bother You director Boots Riley. And yeah, he has a point.
For starters, Stallworth's allegiance to the police force (aka the man) is tempered by his budding relationship with a student activist, Patrice. In reality, she didn't exist, and Stallworth was already dating his first wife. Also, Stallworth's partner Detective Kylo Ren wasn't Jewish, despite the fact that his fictional counterpart's Judaism is a key part of the film.
Focus FeaturesEven his badass afro is sadly a work of fiction.