There are some movies that have great potential to motivate and inspire. After watching them, you want to broaden your scope of knowledge and your spiritual world and discover new and extraordinary things.

Bright Side presents a list of 20 films that will inspire you to do great things and prove that nothing is beyond your abilities.

The Pursuit of Happiness

’’Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something! You got a dream… You gotta protect it.’’

Photo credit «The Pursuit of Happiness»

This is a story about Chris Gardner, a future millionaire who decides to become a stockbroker. He immediately sets out to find an investment firm that would give him a chance. It turns out that before he can receive a salary, he needs to go through six months of training. The problem is that he has no money to his name, yet a lots of debt and a 5-year-old son. The situation deteriorates when the family is driven out of its apartment, and Chris and his son are forced to live out in the streets and sleep in subway stations. Lots of millionaires start this way and fought hard to make a big fortune!

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

’’Stop dreaming. Start living.’’

Photo Credit «The Secret Life of Walter Mitty»

So often we dream about changing our life and take a 180-degree turn for one step forward. This is a story about a little man who pulled himself together and decided to change his life for the better. Ben Stiller is like a hero of a real fairy tale — a tale in which miracles are possible and can be found right under your nose.

Awakenings

’’Open your eyes and discover, to your astonishment, that ’you’ are alive.’’

Photo credit «Awakenings»

A very modest and caring doctor decides to find the cause of the illness and strange behavior of some patients. All of them survived the 1917-1928 epidemics and have been in lethargy for several decades. He discovers certain stimuli will reach beyond the patients’ respective states and even brings one of the patients back to life. This film urges you to value every moment of your life and cherish good times with those you love.

Have Dreams, Will Travel

’’Most people do need a plan. Life is crazy enough without one.’’

Кадр из фильма «Есть мечты — будут и путешествия

Two teenagers, Ben and Cassie, decide to run away from home to Baltimore, where the relatives of Cassie used to live. Cassie always has a plan and Ben always has her next to him. The film tells us how important it is to set a goal and pursue it regardless of how impossible the odds of success seem to be.

The Social Network

’’You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.’’

Photo Credit «The Social Network»

The main character is Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the social network, Facebook. From the very first moment, it’s clear that Mark has some communication problems in his life. In order to make friends, he creates his own social network. He deliriously communicates with a virtual company, «capturing» more and more countries and continents. He probably wouldn’t have noticed the loss of his only true friend if the latter hadn’t started a trial against him. However, they say that the Zuckerberg from Aaron Sorkin’s script has little to do with the real person.

3 idiots

’’Pursue excellence, and success will follow.’’

Кадр из фильма «Три идиота»

It is an Indian film but it has little in common with ordinary Indian films about tangled family ties and singing and dancing. Two friends, Farhan and Raju, enter the Imperial College of Engineering. One pursues an engineering degree to please his father, and the other chooses this profession with hopes of improving his financial situation. Both of them have their own quirks and fears. Their third roommate, Rancho, is a little different. He is interested in robotics and invents things in his spare time. This movie will teach you not to be afraid to speak up, to be yourself and to pursue your dreams.

Warrior

’’Fight for your family. Fight for your country.’’

Кадр из фильма «Воин»

This is an amazing sports drama that surpasses all expectations. The film isn’t about tough fighters who can crash all those who stand in their way. The issues raised in the film are very urgent — relations between fathers and sons, places of an individual in society and moral values. It’s about giving second chances, not holding onto mistakes of the past, and about forgiveness and mutual understanding.

Moneyball

’’And what have you got?’’

Photo Credit «Moneyball»

Even if you are not a baseball fan or don’t care much about it, you still should watch this movie. It’s not only about a man who created a successful and competitive team, but also about his relationships with his family and team, and about his personal victories and defeats.

The Aviator

’’Imagine a life without limits.’’

Photo Credit «The Aviator»

There is nothing impossible for Howard Hughes — the billionaire, legendary aviator and director. The legacy of his father, who was an inventor and successful entrepreneur, is passed on to him, but Howard is not satisfied with the role of being only a rich heir. Each of his projects is grander than the last. If he is to shoot a film, then it must be the most ambitious and technically well-equipped movie in the world; if he has a plane, then it must be the fastest and the biggest. The flight scenes are the most exciting moments of the film.

Hawking

’’The story of the search for the beginning of time.’’

Photo Credit «Hawking»

It’s a drama documenting the life and work of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. Twenty-one-year-old Hawking is diagnosed with a motor neurone disease and has approximately two years to live.The young scientist decides to make great scientific discoveries and popularize scientific ideas within two years. Day by day, his body refuses to obey him, but his mind continues to work on the search for the beginning of time. Now, after so many years, it’s not clear who got cheated — doctors by Hawking or Hawking by doctors.

The Help

’’Big changes start with small steps.’’

Photo Credit «The Help»

This is a story about the struggle against disrespect and hatred towards black people and a story about life and the fate of many people who are insulted and humiliated, striving to change their lives for the better. Nevertheless, the film is so light and interesting that you won’t tear your eyes from the screen. It’s a film about people who refuse to keep silent and who are not afraid to speak out.

Man On The Moon

’’You’re insane, but you might also be brilliant.’’

Photo Credit «Man on the Moon»

This is a real story about a real man, American comedian Andy Kaufman, who liked to dream and create his own world. He was a man of mystery and comic-entertainer who could not understand why people were laughing at his jokes. «Man on the Moon» is a film about the human desire to dream, regardless of anyone’s opinion.

About Time

’’An inspirational love story.’’

Photo Credit «About Time»

How often have you dreamed about the possibility to travel in time and change what happened in your life? The hero of the film, Tim, gets such an opportunity. Nonetheless, it’s not just another pretty, merry-melodrama, but a fantasy film with an excellent cast and a serious message.

Far and Away

Photo Credit «Far and Away»

It’s a tale about a little man with big plans. An Irish farmer goes on a long journey to America, learning that there are a lots of fertile and unoccupied lands. It is his landlord’s daughter’s initiative to leave, as she wants to become an independent landowner instead of sitting at home, embroidering napkins or playing the piano. But they are robbed in the new land and are left without a penny once again. The heroes of the film go through a lot of difficulties and finally achieve their goals.

Pirates of Silicon Valley

’’Good artists copy, great artists steal.’’

Photo Credit «Pirates of Silicon Valley»

This is a funny film about collections of copyrighted materials in recent years. According to legend, Apple stole ideas from Californian developers, and Microsoft, in its turn, stole those ideas from Apple. Both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates state that good artists copy, great artists steal. However, the film proves that, without Jobs’ perfectionism and without Gates’ stubbornness, these valuable ideas could have been lost in the archives of Xerox. I wonder whether the makers of this film have ever had legal proceedings with video pirates?

Julie and Julia

’’Cooking Prescription for Happiness.’’

Photo Credit «Julie and Julia»

Julie is a writer and part-time operator in a call center. Before she turns 30, she decides to outline a purpose in her life and do something she enjoys. Finally, an idea pops up in her mind. She decides to cook every recipe in «Mastering the Art of French Cooking» by Julia Child in one year. At the same time, she writes a blog to document her progress. Her blog becomes popular and is published in the New York Times, after which her project begins to receive the attention of publishers. Be careful, watching this movie greatly increases your appetite.

Temple Grandin

’’I am different, not less.’’

Photo Credit «Temple Grandin»

This film is about the life of a person with serious mental illness. The filmmakers don’t exaggerate anything but show things as they are when a person with health problems is alienated from society. You wouldn’t dare call Temple’s life easy and cheerful. Nevertheless, she doesn’t give up.

The King’s Speech

’’I don’t know, but he seems to be saying it rather well.’’

Photo Credit «The King’s Speech»

Albert was born in a royal family, therefore, everything he does or says has to be perfect. His childhood and youth passed in an extremely nerve-wracking atmosphere, and too much education resulted in a stutter. As ill luck would have it, he is the only successor to the throne. A stuttering King? That’s impossible. He has to deliver speeches, doesn’t he? The film is about the King’s triumph over his stuttering problem.

Jerry Maguire

’’There will always be dilemmas, but thankfully, there is always tomorrow to find the solution for them.’’

Photo Credit «Jerry Maguire»

The story of Jerry Maguire is what you call an experiment in trainings of psychotherapy. It happens when the things you have heard or seen thousands of times before suddenly become very sharp and vivid in your mind. It becomes difficult to breathe and you can’t find strength to rise from the chair. Watch this movie! Go through this experiment with the heroes of the film and become smarter and stronger.