Physics movies (mainstream movies with physics in them)

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

A movie called "The Big Bang" will be coming out soon, and although it's more of a detective/action movie, it seems to be somewhat set on a particle physics backdrop. (Incidentally, the tall evil-looking "Russian" is practically from my home town, and it's interesting to see a guy I use to cross at school and the local gym show up along side Antonio Banderas and Snoop Dog).

Anyway, not counting the science-fiction and fantasy genre (space, time-travel etc.), what other movies have physics or a physicist as a prominent part of it? I'm thinking dramas involving a physicist, movies set around a well-known lab. I thought a list could be fun, because I can't think of that many, and I'm less into sci-fi thant I use to be. (The more mainstream the better.)

 

[JaredJames]

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. One of the main characters works at CERN (and it starts there).

 

[Jack21222]

Infinity, staring Matthew Broderick as Richard Feynman.

 

[jhae2.718]

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. One of the main characters works at CERN (and it starts there).

So, I'm assuming that scientific accuracy is not a requirement, then?

 

[JaredJames]

So, I'm assuming that scientific accuracy is not a requirement, then?

Well, I drew a line between sci-fi and 'real physics places' and this is what I came up with.

 

[czelaya]

Fat man and little boy. The story of the physicist, scientist, personal, and military involved with making the first nuclear weapons.

 

[Condor77]

“A Serious Man”, it is a dark comedy. The main character is a professor of physics.

The following movie has no physicist/physics, just put in it in here in case you may be interested:

“Fermat’s Room”, it is a Spanish thriller. Essential, a group of prominent mathematicians are trapped in a room and they have to solve problems in order to avoid being crushed to death.

 

[Mépris]

Pi.

It's about a mathematician though, not a physicist and I don't think it would fit into mainstream but nevertheless, it's an excellent film and I couldn't overlook it.

Edit:

Whatever Works. "Protagonist" was a physics professor at Columbia and according to his own self, is a "Nobel prize winning brain". Does noooot involve any physics at all though.

 

[brainpushups]

"Copenhagen" with Daniel Craig. About a meeting between Heisenberg and Bohr in 1941. Probably not mainstream, but it was a good movie.

 

[Math Jeans]

"Copenhagen" with Daniel Craig. About a meeting between Heisenberg and Bohr in 1941. Probably not mainstream, but it was a good movie.

I remember watching that movie in a history of science class, and all I could think the entire time was "what's James Bond doing in this movie?"

 

[macnin]

I watched The core . the movie in which to drill down the core is the only way to save Earth from catastrophe

 

[micromass]

I watched The core . the movie in which to drill down the core is the only way to save Earth from catastrophe

I doubt that movie has any physics in it...

 

[Kevin_Axion]

I doubt that movie has any physics in it...

A little geophysics and some talk on fluid dynamics.

 

[GregJ]

"Proof" is a film about mathematics. Interesting film.

*edit: oh and "A Beautiful Mind"... also about mathematics :D *

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Primer
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390384/

 

[Pythagorean]

Chain Reaction, if I recall correctly. Probably not the most rigorous physics though

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

I like this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein_and_Eddington

Not Hollywood, but it did go through some smaller theaters.

 

[vincentm]

I doubt that movie has any physics in it...

http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/core.html

 

[QuarkCharmer]

Blasphemy. "The Core" has no grounds in science. Everyone knows that flat objects have no core.