Life is filled with ups and downs so it’s important that we look to others for support and inspiration. Sometimes we don’t have the time or will to reach out to friends or family for motivation. In these times we can look to inspirational movies to not only entertain us, but uplift us as well.
Here is a list of twenty inspirational movies that I have personally enjoyed immensely and have received positivity from. I have included a famous quote from each motivational movie for you to draw inspiration. I hope this can be resource to you in a time of need.
Rocky
“I am not the richest, smartest or most talented person in the world, but I succeed because I keep going, and going, and going!”
Rocky might be the quintessential inspirational movie. The movie is about an underdog boxer beating the odds through hard work, discipline, and toughness. Rocky’s greatest attribute is a will to never give up.
The most important message of the film is to be persistent and to keep working towards your goals despite what others may think.
Shawshank Redemption
“If you’ve come this far maybe you’re willing to come a little further.”
Andy Dufresne is an innocent man with two life sentences for the murder of his beloved wife.
While in prison for 19 years Andy forms friendships and slowly acclimates to the brutality and suffering of prison life.
Throughout his sentence Andy remains hopeful that he will prove himself innocent. Through determination and perseverance Andy crawls his way to freedom.
A Beautiful Mind
“Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart.”
Based on a true story, John Forbes Nash Jr. is a mathematical genius who struggles with severe mental illness. Throughout his life and journey of self discovery he seems to teeter between brilliance and insanity.
After decades of suffering with mental illness, Nash is able to have a miraculous recovery. This is only possible through his dedication and the help of his supportive and loving wife.
Nash later goes on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on game theory in mathematics.
Good Will Hunting
“You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”
Will Hunting is a janitor working at MIT who secretly has a genius level IQ. His talent is later discovered when Will solves a graduate level math problem afterhours when no one else is around.
Despite his intelligence Will struggles with his demons as he was an abused child coming up in a rough South Boston neighborhood. Will is later able to live out his potential through the help and friendship of a psychiatrist and a soul mate who opens his heart.
The Pursuit of Happiness
“Walk that walk and go forward all the time. Don’t just talk that talk, walk it and go forward. Also, the walk didn’t have to be long strides; baby steps counted too. Go forward.”
Single father Chris Gardner and his young son are evicted from their apartment and are forced to live from shelter to shelter. Despite their unfortunate economic situation Chris is determined to make a better life for his son. Chris takes an unpaid internship in a prestigious brokerage firm with hopes of eventually being hired.
This inspirational movie highlights the importance of having ‘grit’, being courageous enough to persevere hardships and following your dreams at all costs.
Life Of Pi
“You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”
Life of Pi is a remarkable and thrilling story of a young boy who survives a disaster at sea and is forced to fend for himself. He then goes on to survive 227 days on a lifeboat in the middle of the wild Pacific Ocean.
During his amazing adventure Pi will befriend animals, learn how to fish to survive, and face off with a Bengal tiger. Life of Pi is a brilliant story of faith, religion, nature, self-perception and survival.
Million Dollar Baby
“It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you.”
When a untrained and inexperienced 31 year old waitress named Maggie steps into a boxing gym asking to be trained, no one takes her serious. Through determination and an her unrelenting work ethic she is able to catch the eye of an old, and cantankerous boxing trainer.
Their trainer-boxer relationship grows to a father-daughter relationship over time as Maggie begins to excel in her craft. What follows after is an inspiring story about realizing your dreams.
Wild
“I’m a free spirit who never had the balls to be free.”
After the passing of her mother and the ending of her marriage, Cheryl spirals down a path of drugs and other reckless and self-destructive behavior.
She eventually decides to try and put her life back together by going on a journey of self-discovery. She grabs a giant backpack and attempts to undertake an 1,100 mile hike through the Pacific Crest Trail alone.
With no experience and a determination to forge on, she develops the tools she needs to forgive herself and get her life back on track.
The Lion King
“Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.”
In this animated tale, Simba a young lion, has his throne usurpedTo usurp is to illegally take someone else's position of power. An illegitimate claim to power without a legal right to claim it. More from him by his wicked and jealous uncle Scar. Simba and his father Mufasa are set up by Scar and are lured into a stampede of Wildebeests.
Mufasa is killed in the stampede but Simba is able to survive and return to his homeland years later to reclaim his rightful throne.
Lion King is the ultimate tale of power, betrayal, family, friendship and growing to be ones best version of themselves through adversity.
Joy
“We got here from hard work, patience, and humility. Don’t think the world owes you anything because the world owes you nothing.”
Joy is a true story of a brilliant woman with a complicated personal life. She comes from a broken home that has impacted her own family life. Joy is divorced and her ex-husband lives in her basement.
Despite her depressing and negative home life, Joy finds decides to pursue her creativity and ingenuity. She invents a product that will change her family’s life and creates a dynasty for generations to come.
Remember the Titans
“Sometimes life is hard for no reason at all.”
This film takes place in a small town in Virginia in the 70’s where racial tensions still run high. In this town named Aexandria high school football is a way of life.
After the town decides to integrate an all white high school with an all black high school, the tension really begins to spill over. Fuel is added to the flames when a black head coach is chosen over a white coach to run the football program. What happens after will bring an unlike community together.
School of Rock
“Don’t let the man bring you down.”
After being kicked out of his own rock band, slacker Dewey Finn needs a new gig so he can pay his rent and overdue bills. Taking a suggestion from his roommate he decides to apply for a substitute music teacher position at a pretentious private elementary school.
After finding out about a local band contest with a $10,000 prize, Dewey decides to enroll his students in the competition. If Dewey can win the competition, he can regain his glory and get a foot back into the music industry.
This is a fun and heartwarming story about inclusion, friendship, and finding one’s personal identity.
Seabiscuit
“We had to rebuild him, both mentally and physically, but you don’t have to rebuild the heart when it’s already there”
Seabiscuit is an empowering story about never giving up on your dreams no matter what obstacles stand before you. It illustrates how with hard work and perseverance, any goal can be accomplished.
What makes the tale more riveting is the fact that it takes place during the Great DepressionDepression is a mental health disorder that causes a loss of interest or a persistent feeling of sadness. This sadness can negatively affect our daily functioning and how we think, act and feel. More. The one time underdog Seabiscuit eventually finds success, but more importantly, helps to heal the trauma of all those associated with him.
Cinderella Man
“I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them.”
Taking place during the Great DepressionDepression is a mental health disorder that causes a loss of interest or a persistent feeling of sadness. This sadness can negatively affect our daily functioning and how we think, act and feel. More, James Braddock a day laborer, gets a one-time shot at a fight with a rising contender. After winning a surprising upset, the ex-boxer is motivated to regain a boxing career to the dismay of his wife.
‘Cinderella Man’ is a rags to riches story about a hardworking man motivated by the love of his family.
The Pianist
“The life of a human being, let alone his personal freedom, is a matter of no importance. But the love of freedom is native to every human being and every nation, and cannot be suppressed in the long
term.”
The Pianist is based on an autobiography of radio station pianist who survives during the Holocaust. The main character Szpilman is taken away from his family and imprisoned in aa concentration camp.
Szpilman has to endure all types of horrors and hide in various locations in order to evade the Nazi’s. THe Pianist is the ultimate story of both survival and salvation.
Rudy
“Sometimes, a Winner is a Dreamer Who Just Won’t Quit.”
Rudy is an unathletic young man with dreams of playing football for the famed Notre Dame college football team. The problem is that Rudy is too, small and too slow to play and doesn’t have the money for tuition or the grades for a scholarship.
After the passing of a close friend Rudy is motivated to overcome his dyslexia and follow his dreams. Through hard work and dedication Rudy gains admission to Notre Dame on his fourth attempt. And this is where his legend begins.
Braveheart
“Every man dies, not every man truly lives.”
Braveheart is a story of brave men fighting for freedom led by the courageous William Wallace. Wallace is a medieval Scottish patriot that is motivated to revolt against the English after the death of a loved one.
This is a David vs. Goliath story of amateur fighters against a world class army driven by their fight for freedom.
Soul
“Life Is Full Of Possibilities. You Just Need To Know Where To Look.”
Soul is a delightful animated movie about a middle-school band teacher named Joe who’s depressed about how his life has turned out.
Joe has an intense passion for jazz music that he keeps repressed inside of him. After Joe takes on the job as mentor in another realm, he experiences a new journey into finding out the real definition of having ‘soul’.
Gladiator
“Sometimes I Do What I Want To Do. The Rest Of The Time, I Do What I Have To.”
Gladiator is an inspiring story about revenge, honor, duty, and power. The main character Maximus is a powerful Roman general and a hero to the people.
A corrupt emperor jealous of Maximus, kills Maximus’s family and sends him into slavery. Maximus later gets a chance to fight as a gladiator for his freedom and avenge his family’s death.
Forrest Gump
“You have to do the best with what God gave you.”
Forrest Gump is a story that will truly inspire you to make the most of what God has given you.
Forest Gump is a slow-witted and kind-hearted boy from Alabama who was disabled. Although he had to deal with the unkindness of scoiety all of his life, his supportive mother raised him to believe that he wasn’t disadvanteged.
Gump’s awkward charm and unbridled optimism leads to him experiencing a rich and awe-inspiring life.
