Favorite Inspirational Movies & Series
by rleegray-569-58158 | created - 06 Aug 2017 | updated - 2 weeks ago | PublicMy favorite films and television series that inspire or encourage to make a difference and give a greater sense of possibility and hope for the future. For me these are the best movies & series to replenish your emotional energy and uplift your mood; they can give us hope and encouragement when we need it the most and give us a fresh perspective.
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1. Eddie the Eagle (2015)
PG-13 | 106 min | Adventure, Biography, Comedy
The story of Eddie Edwards, the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Director: Dexter Fletcher | Stars: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Tom Costello, Jo Hartley
Votes: 100,282 | Gross: $15.79M
2. 7th Heaven (1996–2007)
TV-G | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Eric Camden, a minister, and his wife Annie deal with the drama of having seven children, ranging from toddlers to adults with families of their own.
Stars: Stephen Collins, Catherine Hicks, Jessica Biel, Beverley Mitchell
Votes: 27,004
3. The Greatest Showman (2017)
PG | 105 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
Celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Director: Michael Gracey | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya
Votes: 311,702 | Gross: $174.34M
4. I Can Only Imagine (2018)
PG | 110 min | Biography, Drama, Family
The inspiring and unknown true story behind MercyMe's beloved, chart topping song that brings ultimate hope to so many is a gripping reminder of the power of true forgiveness.
Directors: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin | Stars: John Michael Finley, Madeline Carroll, Dennis Quaid, Trace Adkins
Votes: 18,250 | Gross: $83.48M
5. Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012– )
TV-PG | 53 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Before the popularity of AncestryDNA, journalist and cultural critic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. divulges the family trees of various celebrities, many times with stunning revelations.
Stars: Henry Louis Gates Jr., CeCe Moore, Anita Hill, Ty Burrell
Votes: 1,641
6. Jerry Maguire (1996)
R | 139 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.
Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston
Votes: 287,152 | Gross: $153.95M
7. Cool Runnings (1993)
PG | 98 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
When a Jamaican sprinter is disqualified from the Olympic Games, he enlists the help of a dishonored coach to start the first Jamaican Bobsled Team.
Director: Jon Turteltaub | Stars: John Candy, Leon, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis
Votes: 113,806 | Gross: $68.86M
8. Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983)
TV-PG | 60 min | Drama, Family, Romance
The life and adventures of the Ingalls family in the nineteenth century American Midwest.
Stars: Melissa Gilbert, Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Rachel Lindsay Greenbush
Votes: 26,913
9. Glory Road (2006)
PG | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
In 1966, Texas Western coach Don Haskins led the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to the NCAA national championship.
Director: James Gartner | Stars: Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Austin Nichols, Jon Voight
Votes: 48,840 | Gross: $42.64M
10. Schindler's List (1993)
R | 195 min | Biography, Drama, History
In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Caroline Goodall
Votes: 1,451,598 | Gross: $96.90M
11. War Horse (2011)
PG-13 | 146 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young farm boy enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. His hopeful journey takes him out of England and onto the front lines as the war rages on.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch
Votes: 165,670 | Gross: $79.88M
12. Rocky (1976)
PG | 120 min | Drama, Sport
A small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
Director: John G. Avildsen | Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers
Votes: 628,729 | Gross: $117.24M
13. Gridiron Gang (2006)
PG-13 | 125 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Teenagers at a juvenile detention center, under the leadership of their counselor, gain self-esteem by playing football together.
Director: Phil Joanou | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, L. Scott Caldwell, Leon Rippy
Votes: 80,672 | Gross: $38.43M
14. Meet John Doe (1941)
Passed | 122 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A penniless drifter is recruited by an ambitious columnist to impersonate a non-existent person who said he'd be committing suicide as a protest, and a social movement begins.
Director: Frank Capra | Stars: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan
Votes: 14,908
15. Miracle (2004)
PG | 135 min | Biography, Drama, History
The true story of Herb Brooks, the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Soviet squad.
Director: Gavin O'Connor | Stars: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Nathan West, Noah Emmerich
Votes: 58,929 | Gross: $64.38M
16. Soul Surfer (2011)
PG | 112 min | Biography, Drama, Family
Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, loses her left arm in a shark attack. Unwilling to pay attention to the gravity of her situation, Bethany decides to get back into the ocean and surf again.
Director: Sean McNamara | Stars: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood
Votes: 52,921 | Gross: $43.85M
17. City Slickers (1991)
PG-13 | 113 min | Comedy, Western
On the verge of turning 40, an unhappy Manhattan yuppie is roped into joining his two friends on a cattle drive in the southwest.
Director: Ron Underwood | Stars: Billy Crystal, Jack Palance, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby
Votes: 63,101 | Gross: $124.03M
18. Places in the Heart (1984)
PG | 111 min | Drama
In central Texas in the 1930s, a widow with two small children tries to save her small 40-acre farm with the help of a blind boarder and an itinerant black handyman.
Director: Robert Benton | Stars: Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan
Votes: 13,601 | Gross: $34.90M
19. Megan Leavey (2017)
PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq.
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite | Stars: Kate Mara, Ramón Rodríguez, Tom Felton, Bradley Whitford
Votes: 27,204 | Gross: $13.41M
20. The Last Full Measure (2019)
R | 116 min | Drama, War
Thirty-four years after his death, Airman William H. "Pits" Pitsenbarger is awarded the nation's highest military honor for his actions on the battlefield.
Director: Todd Robinson | Stars: Sebastian Stan, Alison Sudol, Asher Miles Fallica, LisaGay Hamilton
Votes: 14,088
21. 1000 to 1: The Cory Weissman Story (2014 Video)
Not Rated | 99 min | Biography, Drama
Cory Weissman is a college basketball player who suffers a devastating stroke. He perseveres to find new meaning in his life both on, and more importantly, off the court.
Director: Michael Levine | Stars: David Henrie, Luke Kleintank, Beau Bridges, Jean Louisa Kelly
Votes: 1,162
22. Seabiscuit (2003)
PG-13 | 140 min | Drama, History, Sport
True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.
Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Cooper
Votes: 76,805 | Gross: $120.28M
23. The Chosen (2017– )
TV-PG | 54 min | Drama, History
The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the series shares an authentic look at Jesus' revolutionary life and teachings.
Stars: Elizabeth Tabish, Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Isaac, Nick Shakoour
Votes: 46,953
24. Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
PG | 143 min | Drama, Music
A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.
Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, Olympia Dukakis
Votes: 41,720 | Gross: $82.57M
25. Glory (1989)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, History
Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.
Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman
Votes: 144,514 | Gross: $26.83M
26. The American Bible Challenge (2012–2014)
TV-G | 60 min | Family, Game-Show
The one-hour show tests contestants on their Bible knowledge. Utilizing current as well as historical references, questions will be drawn from the rich, dense narrative found in the world's... See full summary »
Stars: Reborn, Scott Mendes, Jeff Foxworthy
Votes: 135
27. My All-American (2015)
PG | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
Freddie Steinmark, an underdog on the gridiron, faces the toughest challenge of his life after leading his team to a championship season.
Director: Angelo Pizzo | Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Finn Wittrock, Robin Tunney, Sarah Bolger
Votes: 7,842 | Gross: $2.25M
28. Who Do You Think You Are? (2010– )
60 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Celebrities are given the opportunity to research their family trees with surprising and often unexpected results.
Stars: Mocean Melvin, Ken Rogers, Courteney Cox, Julie Bowen
Votes: 1,480
29. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
R | 142 min | Drama
Over the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.
Director: Frank Darabont | Stars: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler
Votes: 2,890,446 | Gross: $28.34M
30. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Approved | 96 min | Crime, Drama
The jury in a New York City murder trial is frustrated by a single member whose skeptical caution forces them to more carefully consider the evidence before jumping to a hasty verdict.
Director: Sidney Lumet | Stars: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler
Votes: 865,738 | Gross: $4.36M
31. Still Alice (2014)
PG-13 | 101 min | Drama
A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.
Directors: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland | Stars: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth
Votes: 143,530 | Gross: $18.75M
32. Up (2009)
PG | 96 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
78-year-old Carl Fredricksen travels to Paradise Falls in his house equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.
Directors: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson | Stars: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger, Christopher Plummer
Votes: 1,125,607 | Gross: $293.00M
33. Highway to Heaven (1984–1989)
TV-PG | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy
A probationary angel, sent back to Earth, teams with an ex-cop to help people.
Stars: Michael Landon, Victor French, James Troesh, Margie Impert
Votes: 6,526
34. Yentl (1983)
PG | 133 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
A Jewish girl disguises herself as a boy to enter religious training.
Director: Barbra Streisand | Stars: Barbra Streisand, Amy Irving, Mandy Patinkin, Nehemiah Persoff
Votes: 15,878 | Gross: $40.22M
35. The Notebook (2004)
PG-13 | 123 min | Drama, Romance
An elderly man reads to a woman with dementia the story of two young lovers whose romance is threatened by the difference in their respective social classes.
Director: Nick Cassavetes | Stars: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling
Votes: 620,562 | Gross: $81.00M
36. Family Home Overhaul (2020– )
60 min | Reality-TV
Family Home Overhaul is a Canadian home renovation reality series, featuring various HGTV designers working with deserving families who have been nominated by their communities to have the designer renovate their homes.
Stars: Cheryl Hickey, Scott McGillivray, Kortney Wilson, Dave Wilson
Votes: 15
37. Ghosts of Mississippi (1996)
PG-13 | 130 min | Drama, History
A Mississippi district attorney and the widow of Medgar Evers struggle to finally bring a white racist to justice for the 1963 murder of the civil rights leader.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Alec Baldwin, James Woods, Whoopi Goldberg, Virginia Madsen
Votes: 12,154 | Gross: $13.05M
38. E.T. (1982)
PG | 115 min | Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
A troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote, Dee Wallace
Votes: 437,730 | Gross: $435.11M
39. White Christmas (1954)
Not Rated | 120 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen
Votes: 51,142 | Gross: $30.00M
40. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Passed | 129 min | Comedy, Drama
A naive youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. His idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington, but he tries to forge ahead despite attacks on his character.
Director: Frank Capra | Stars: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold
Votes: 121,424 | Gross: $9.60M
41. ...and Your Name Is Jonah (1979 TV Movie)
PG | 100 min | Drama
A couple whose son had been institutionalized after being diagnosed as intellectually disabled are shocked to discover that the diagnosis was wrong: their son is deaf.
Director: Richard Michaels | Stars: Sally Struthers, James Woods, Randee Heller, Titos Vandis
Votes: 459
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