Movies have the capacity to evoke emotions in us. They can scare us, make us laugh or cry. They can also inspire us to do things and live better lives. There are many genres of movies. Examples of these are horror, comedy, romance, action, thriller and inspirational movies. Some of the most memorable ones come from the inspirational genre. Watching a character survive through difficulty and emerge victorious is attractive to everyone. Inspirational movies show love, strength, perseverance and acceptance. These are qualities that we can apply in our own lives to overcome challenges. Some movies in this genre were so inspiring that they stood out above the rest. They remain points of reference in popular culture and motivational conversations around the world. Read on to discover the 20 most inspirational and motivational movies ever made.
1. The Shawshank Redemption
This movie is well known for timeless quotes such as, "you can get busy living, or get busy dying". The movie is about a young banker known as Andy Dufresne who is convicted to life in prison after murdering his wife and her lover. Andy knows that he is innocent but he can't prove it. While in prison, he thinks his life is over but with the help of a prisoner named Red, he finds a new life in prison. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman show that you can create something great out of an unfortunate situation. The Shawshank Redemption is definitely one of the most inspiring movies ever made.
2. Rocky
Everyone who has watched this movie or reviewed it agrees that it is a perfect American classic. Rocky captures the strength of the human spirit. The character in the movie is an up and coming boxer who beats all odds to become a champion. He never gives up and never backs down. In the movie, Rocky creates relationships with the people around him and they become his source of strength. Sylvester Stallone starred as Rocky in the movie and inspired fans across the world. We suggest that you watch the first one ever made, here's the trailer if you never have seen it.
3. A Beautiful Mind
Paranoid schizophrenia is a condition where the patient believes that there is a person or a group of people who are out to hurt them or members of their family. This condition makes the patient always afraid and suspicious. As a result, they are unable to form trusting relationships with other people around them and they become reclusive and depressed. A Beautiful Mind is a movie about a gifted mathematician who suffers from this condition. Based on a true story, it shows the life of a Nobel Prize winning mathematician known as John Nash. Russel Crowe plays the mathematician and gives a very inspiring performance. He indicates the challenges that schizophrenics go through to navigate life and sheds light on the condition.
4. Life of Pi
This is an inspiring story of survival. Pi is a young boy who becomes shipwrecked in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. He loses his whole family in the accident and the only link to his past that is left is the tiger that would eat him if given the chance. Pi figures out ways to survive as he faces an unstable future. He learns how to make friends with the tiger and learns that life is a process of letting go and happiness is found in finding the time to say goodbye.
5. Gladiator
Gladiator is one of those movies that changes the way you view certain things. We suggest that you watch the trailer, feel inspired by it and go right away and watch it. It is seriously a master piece that is worth your time.
6. The Blind Side
This is a movie about bringing out the hero inside you. It tells the story of Michael Oher's life. He is an offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. The Blind Side documents the challenges that he overcame to get to the National Football League (NFL) and the adoptive parents who helped him get there. This movie teaches us the moral of letting your work and your effort speak for you. It also shows the strength of compassion. It is one of the most inspiring sports movies of all time.
7. Billy Elliot
This is a movie about a boy called Billy who really wants to dance ballet. However, his father thinks that ballet is for girls and if Billy did it, he would be a sissy. Billy's parents are working class miners. They are rough and believe a boy should adopt the tough roles of the men in their community. The movie documents the stereotyping that Billy has to go through as he pursues his dream of dancing ballet. He fights through it all as he pursues his ambition. It is a very vivid movie and Jamie Bell brings Billy Elliot to life.
8. Remember the Titans
Denzel Washington gave a striking performance in this inspirational sports movie. He is the coach of an integrated high school football team in Alexandria, Virginia. Set in 1971 when there was serious racial tension in America, he teaches his players to respect each other as individuals and overcome the racial difference. The movie teaches us how to overcome popular opinion and love each other despite our differences. It is rated as one of the most inspiring sports movies ever.
9. Rudy
This is an inspirational story about a boy called Rudy. He is short and skinny but he has dreams of playing in the Notre Dame university football team. His journey is long and tough. Rudy is not smart enough for the university. Therefore, he goes to his local community college so as to get the grades required for Notre Dame. Rudy doesn't give up and eventually plays for the Notre Dame team while in his senior year at the community college. The movie indicates that you will eventually get where you want to go if you stick to your plan and be determined.
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
This fantasy movie proves that the biggest responsibilities in the world can fall on the smallest shoulders. A pair of hobbits are given the responsibility of destroying the One Ring and save the land from a powerful evil. The little hobbits brave dark swamps, sheer cliffs and various evil monsters so as to achieve their mission. The movie shows how a bond between friends can be stronger than that of family. It shows how friends can lay down their lives for each other to accomplish the common good. It is a very powerful, inspiration movie.
