The Pitch: Set against the sexy and glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing, Rush portrays the exhilarating true story of two of the greatest rivals the world has ever witnessed—handsome English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). On and off the track, the two drivers as push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. Why It’s Essential Viewing: It’s not likely that you’ll hear Ron Howard’s racing drama Rush mentioned in the conversation of the greatest sports dramas of all time. But thanks to the performances of Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl as Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, the movie features one of the most intense, playful, and rousing rivalries that the big screen has ever seen. The movie not only makes great use of Hemsworth’s natural movie star looks and charisma, but it utilizes Brühl’s impressive skills as a chameleon of a character actor, making for the best of enemies on the track.