Top 5: Inspirational Movies
This Top 5 focuses on Inspirational films - movies that stir the soul, spark emotions, and leave the viewer invigorated. The films considered were not just selected because they inspired me, but also because they focused on the themes of overcoming adversity and the power of the human spirit. Also, bonus points if they made me cry (although that is not that hard to do if the right story/music/emotional beats are triggered). Grab a tissue and get ready for some motivation with the Top 5 Inspirational Movies.
Gibelwho Productions Presents Inspirational Movies:
5. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
4. Hidden Figures
3. The Martian
2. Wall-E
Apollo 13
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939): During our current political age - which trumpets cynicism and corruption and cruelness as virtues - the innocence and charm of Jimmy Stewart standing up for the ideals of democracy may seem quaint and out of step. The film is very clear eyed about the fact that corruption has always existed in government, but is equally eager to show the power that regular citizens can wield if they stay true to the American spirit. Incredibly, that is as relevant today as it was in 1939. The main mechanism that Stewart’s character utilizes to protest and prove his innocence is the filibuster, which is now a controversial stratagem, but that is still being used as a cultural symbol of protesting government corruption, most recently by Cory Booker, who set the record for the single longest filibuster at 25 hours. Overall, while the film does lean into melodrama at the end, the American patriotism of Jimmy Stewart leaves the viewer inspired to make a difference in their country - and fight corruption at all levels of government.
Hidden Figures (2016): Based on the real history of three African American women mathematicians working at NASA in the 1960s, each facing various challenges in their jobs and all connected by the racism and sexism rampant in the government agency and society at large. These women were smart and competent and were constantly demeaned or had their intelligence called into question by the white men and women around them. These women’s determination and courage to bet on themselves are the inspirational thread throughout the movie’s plot; and, unfortunately, many of these themes are still relevant to our society today - advocating for oneself to be put in a leadership position when you’ve been executing at that level for some time but not getting paid your worth, learning new technology so not to be left behind in the workforce, fighting to get a seat at the table on key leadership meetings, being wary of colleagues taking credit for your hard work, and balancing refining your skillset on the job vs enrolling in classes outside working hours to advance qualifications. These are universal experience stories, but set with women of color in the historical past puts their persistence and accomplishments as truly inspirational.
The Martian (2015): This story is about overcoming the adversity of being stranded alone and injured on Mars with dwindling food, a habitat with a limited lifespan, and no communication with home. The protagonist - a brainy and charming Matt Damon - uses all his ingenuity and smarts to solve each problem at a time; “I’m going to have to science the shit out of this” are his stirring words, sure to inspire any would-be MacGyvers out there. This is a story where there is no clearly identified villain (besides the harsh atmosphere of Mars and the cold emptiness of space) and where the hero is fighting for his own survival to return home to his family - and the safety of breathable air. What could be a depressing and hopeless drag of a tale is instead a story infused with the determination of not giving up and seeking the humor in small, yet mighty, wins. Truly a testament to the power of the human spirit!
Wall-E (2008): A dystopian world, where humans have abandoned Earth as a trash heap, and the only “living” creature is a Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth-class (or Wall-E), hardly seems the setting to find an inspirational film. But one should never underestimate the fine folks at Pixar and their ability to wring emotion out of a seeming wasteland. Wall-E captures the viewer's heart with his wide eyed innocence, love of ordinary items, and fascination with the Barbara Streisand musical “Hello, Dolly!” The film really takes off when Wall-E meets EVE and their romance, paired with a desperate fight to convince the remaining (and flaccid) humans to return to Earth, restore the environment of our home planet and then humanity begins to rebuild. This animated film shows the power of the human spirit held inside a delightful little robot.
Apollo 13 (1995): So many of my picks have been space-related, perhaps because the audacity of choosing to venture to space is fertile ground to show determination to overcome adversity of the incredible challenge to make it to space, as well as the inspiration for humans to look into the heavens and imagine taking our place in the sky. But space is incredibly dangerous and one small mistake can threaten the lives of the humans who take the leap, no matter their heart or determination. That is why Apollo 13 is my most inspirational movie. Three souls believed in science and had faith in technology to rocket to the moon, but a small flaw from years before their flight took that dream from them, and instead all focus became on survival and getting home. Not only did those three astronauts have to find the courage themselves, but the entire NASA community had to come together to solve problems, including how to fit a square peg into a round hole. This is all the more inspiring because, unlike The Martian, which is a work of fiction, this is an inspirational success story that is true. Jim Lovell was a real man, who had to face the reality that death was at his door in space, but, along with his crew and with the whole world cheering them on, defied the odds to come home. What an inspirational story of courage and humanity.
Honorable Mentions:
The King’s Speech (2010): While this has the backdrop of royalty and kings in a period setting, this is truly a story of a struggling man who seeks unconventional help and the friendship that blossoms from quality time spent together between two men. The second son of the King (Bertie) developed a stammer as a youth and continues to struggle with the impediment as an adult. His wife encourages him to meet with a speech therapist who uses interesting techniques to work through the stammer. When Bertie is unexpectedly thrust onto the throne, he must learn how to lead the country during war, including giving speeches to the nation. This proves to be a daunting task for the king who struggles with every day speech, but who must now deliver the most important speech of his life. The story explores how our mind, body, and spirit are all connected together and how the encouragement and belief between two friends can bolster people to achieve personal accomplishments not thought possible. Even though this is a story of a king, it is really an intimate portrait of working through a struggle bolstered by the support of a friend, especially when one’s own self-belief is shaken.
The Color Purple (1985): The power of storytelling, and film especially, is to allow the audience to transport themselves and get glimpses into the lives of others, generating inspiration when viewing the world through another lens. Black women in America, especially located in a specific time and place like the early 20th century rural Georgia, had so many challenges stacked up in front of them - from the vestiges of slavery and unrelenting racism to patriarchal power systems that assert control over their will and their bodies to unforgiving poverty. And that is why telling a story of a black woman learning to own her power and claim her space is so inspiring. A male character in the film says as much to Celie, the film’s young black protagonist, using words as a weapon against her - “You’re black, you’re poor, you’re ugly, you’re a woman - you’re nothing at all.” But seeing Celie rise up, to resist his framing, to find her voice even though challenges, and to forge her place in an unkind world - that is inspirational.
Upcoming:
Project Hail Mary (2026): This was a hard category to predict what may be an inspirational movie just based on a logline and maybe a trailer, but I’m putting my faith in a film that seems to have many themes in common with the films on the main list. A movie set in space and based on a book written by an author that already made the list (Andy Weir wrote both Project Hail Mary and also The Martian), combined with the goal of saving Earth and humanity put in the hands of an ordinary man - well this has all the right ingredients for major inspiration. Add to the mix the Directors are Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who have a winning record of making movies with heart, humor, and deeper meaning - this is sure to inspire all of us who need some light in these dark times.
