Only the Brave (2017)

Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.

Good firefighter tragedy with a solid cast is more focused on the protagonists' personal lives, but also offers some exciting firefighting scenes.

Rabbit Hole (2010)

Life for a happy couple is turned upside down after their young son dies in an accident.

Simple, but not too remarkable tale about loss and grief; the good cast makes it worth the watch.

Maltin***: "Honest, moving portrait of how a couple deals with grief...Superior acting makes this well worth seeing, despite the somber subject matter."

Whiplash (2014)

A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.

An extremely well-made and intense drama with a grand performance by J.K. Simmons; unfortunately, it seems to consider jazz (and music, for that matter) to be some kind of competitive high performance sport, and the ambitious student is nearly as disagreeable as his sadistic mentor.