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Looking for an uplifting movie night at home? We’ve got you covered! One of the best things about film is how deeply the art form can move an audience; great movies with powerful stories about courage and perseverance can genuinely influence our lives and motivate us. Here is a list of inspirational movies you can watch on Netflix. We hope these highly recommended feel-good films will lift your spirits and fuel optimistic, positive thinking.
1. Lion (2016)
Based on a true story, five-year-old Saroo is separated from his older brother and finds himself trapped in a decommissioned passenger train that takes him to Calcutta more than 1,500 kilometres away. Now orphaned and unable to remember the name of his hometown, Saroo is adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham). Years later, Saroo, now a college student (Dev Patel) in Melbourne, is determined to find the family he left behind.
2. The King’s Speech (2010)
The Kings Speech stars Colin Firth as England’s Prince Albert, who must overcome a speech impediment as he ascends the throne as King George VI. Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter co-star. The King’s Speech grossed over $414 million worldwide against a $15 million budget— and it cleaned house at the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. It was nominated for twelve Oscars in total. The King’s Speech is a tribute to the value of hard work and determination, and the power of believing in yourself.
3. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Based on Chris Gardner‘s eponymous memoir about his nearly one-year struggle with homelessness while raising his very young son, The Pursuit of Happiness turned out to be one of Will Smith‘s best performances acting alongside son Jaden Smith. Gabriele Mucino‘s film is a crowd-pleaser in all the right ways, earning Smith his second Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
4. Only the Brave (2017)
Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin) leads the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew of wild land firefighters based in Prescott, Arizona. Along with crew members Brendan (Miles Teller) and Christopher (Taylor Kitsch), the Hotshots respond to high-priority wildfires across the U.S. The team’s skill and determination are put to the test in 2013 when they’re sent to combat to the Yarnell Hill Fire, Arizona’s deadliest wildfire. Based on a true story.
5. Taare Zaameen Par (2007)
Ishaan, a student who has dyslexia, cannot seem to get anything right at his boarding school. Soon, a new unconventional art teacher, Ram Shankar Nikumbh, helps him discover his hidden potential. The movie was released in 2007 and produced and directed by Aamir Khan, who also starred as the substitute teacher.
6. Snowpiercer (Movie 2013; Sequel 2020)
Snowpiercer the movie released in 2013 - In the year 2031, a global effort to combat climate change inadvertently triggers another Ice Age. The world’s last survivors now live on the Snowpiercer, a massive train that circumnavigates the Earth once a year and is segregated into three sections and class systems. Curtis (Chris Evans) and a group of lower-class citizens from the back of the train are determined to take control of the Snowpiercer by overthrowing the wealthy residents at the front.
Snowpiercer, the sequel released in 2020 - Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity, who inhabit a gigantic, perpetually moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival play out in this riveting television adaptation.
7. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
The movie is set in Malawi, 13-year-old William Kamkwamba spends his spare time fixing radios for neighbours and reading engineering books at his school library. Inspired by his readings, William builds a wind turbine to save his village from famine. Based on Kamkwamba’s memoir, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is one of the most inspiring movies on Netflix, and an impressive directorial debut by actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.