The article ranks historical epics for combining large-scale recreations of the past with character-driven stories about ambition, war and political change.

– Barry Lyndon is praised for Stanley Kubrick’s painstaking 18th-century visuals and its cynical view of class and social ambition.
– Saving Private Ryan is highlighted for pairing a visceral depiction of the Second World War with the personal cost borne by soldiers.
– The Last Emperor is commended for portraying China’s final emperor, Puyi, against the political upheaval that stripped him of power.