83 Uplifting or Inspirational Movies to Bring Hope, Joy and Wisdom
Films that focus on triumph over adversity
Something a little different today that just might be needed. Last night, after stupidly watching a certain inauguration, we watched Hidden Figures, the true story of three African-American woman and mathematical geniuses, who play pivotal roles in America’s quest to place a man on the moon. Despite their astonishing natural talent they have to fight for both racial and gender equality in a white male world.
It occurred to me later on in bed in one of the many waking hours I seem to have these days, that we have watched a spate of inspirational, uplifting films recently, which focus on triumph through adversity and the human condition. Why we are subconsciously feeling the need to reaffirm our faith in humanity is up to you to decide, but I realised that perhaps we are not alone in our quest for hope, joy, inspiration, love and wisdom right now.
So, without further ado, here is my list of all the films I have watched over the years, well, the ones I can remember at least, that will move you, make you laugh and cry and hopefully restore a little of your own faith in us wretched humans. Even in the worst of times there is always hope. Some of these may surprise you.
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The List
Hidden Figures
Erin Brockovich
The color Purple (1985 and the musical of 2023)
Pride
The Imitation Game
The Help
Nine to Five
Made in Dagenham
The Six Triple Eight
Milk
Bend it like Beckham
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle-stop Cafe
Gandhi
Kinky Boots
Tea with Mussolini
Beautiful Thing
Prom
The Pursuit of Happiness
Hotel Rwanda
Amistad
Suffragette
A League of their Own
Little Women (1994)
A Time to Kill
Forest Gump
Cry Freedom
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Empire of the Sun
Dead Poet’s Society
Mississippi Burning
Mandela
Schindler’s List
The Shawshank Redemption
The Truman show
A Beautiful Mind
The Notebook
Gorillas in the Mist
Pay it Forward
Babe
Chariots of Fire
Legally Blonde
Mrs Harris goes to Paris
Lion
Yentl
Woman in Gold
12 Years a Slave
Anne Frank
The Long Walk Home
Good Will Hunting
The Green Mile
About Time
Philomena
Hairspray (2007)
Working Girl
Boy Erased
My Left Foot
Miss Potter
War Horse
A United Kingdom
Shirley Valentine
The Queen
Sully
The Theory of Everything
Florence Foster Jenkins
The Butler
Darkest Hour
The King’s Speech
Pretty Woman
The Iron Lady
Invictus
The Power of One
Cinderella Man
Cast Away
Once
Slumdog Millionaire
The Kite Runner
The Sound of Music
Shine
Powder
The Man Who Knew Infinity
Jane Eyre (2011)
Billy Elliot
Calendar Girls
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What a brilliant list, JP. You’ve missed off my favourite film ever, Local Hero. How a small community in Scotland gets one over the sophisticated and worldly American oil executive 😉
Excellent list JP you’ve got a lot on that I’ve seen and enjoyed. One I think should go on is A Man Called Otto which I absolutely loved it’s got Tom Hanks in as Otto. Otherwise it was fantastic xx