Top 10 Inspirational Movies Of All Time
Throughout my life I have watched many inspirational films ranging in all categories from sports to lifestyle to survival. These are 10 movies that stick out in my mind that are some of the most inspirational movies in my lifetime.
Be inspired and ENJOY the journey!
Touching The Void
Touching the Void is a 1988 book by Joe Simpson, recounting his and Simon Yates’ successful but disastrous and nearly fatal climb of the 6,344-metre (20,813 foot) Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. The book won the 1989 Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature and the 1989 NCR Book Award. In 2003, fifteen years after it was first published, the book was turned into a documentary film of the same name, directed by Kevin MacDonald. The film won the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film at the 2003 BAFTA Awards and was featured at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Simpson slipped down an ice cliff and landed awkwardly, crushing his tibia into his knee joint, thus breaking his right leg. The pair, whose trip had already taken longer than they intended due to bad weather on the ascent, had run out of fuel for their stove and could not melt ice or snow for drinking water. With bad weather closing in and daylight fading, they needed to descend quickly to the glacier, about 3,000 feet below.
This film is absolutely incredible and inspiring in every way. It digs down deep within the human soul and tells a fantastic true story about the fight and will to survive against all odds.
The Flying Scotsman
The true story of Graeme Obree, the Champion cyclist who built his bicycle from old bits of washing machines who won his championship only to have his title stripped from him and his mental health problems which he has suffered since.
When I was rowing in college at UC Berkeley I had a teammate who was a former pro cyclist from Canada, Jake Wetzel. Most of us were inspired by his cycling training and all bought our first road bikes in order to get best cross-training for rowing. This film touched me in many ways about the hard word this cyclist put in to his training and his ‘never give up’ attitude. It will truly inspire you to work hard in life in everything that you do.
Rudy
Rudy Ruettiger harbored a dream to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, despite being undersized at merely 5’6″ and 165 pounds. Head coach Ara Parseghian encouraged walk-on players from the student body. For example, Notre Dame’s 1969 starting center, Mike Oriard, was a walk-on who was eventually nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship and an NFL contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
If you have not seen ‘Rudy’ then you must see this first beyond any other movie. This movie has it all and is the quintessential definition of never give up never give in attitude. It really is one of the most inspiring movies of all time!
Miracle
The “Miracle on Ice” is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men’s ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22. The United States national team, made up of amateur and collegiate players and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet Union national team, which had won the gold medal in six of the seven previous Olympic games.
Growing up with a father who played ice hockey in Canada and the east coast I naturally had a hand in hockey growing up and had dreams of playing in college for a scholarship. Unfortunately, Los Angeles did not have enough ice rinks in order for me to play ice hockey at a competitive level past high school. However, that didn’t stop me from attending numerous ice hockey camps over the summertime. CanAm ice hockey camps was one of the most infamous and prestigious of all hockey camps as I got to play and practice on the famous rinks of Lake Placid where Team USA hockey won the gold over the USSR in 1980. Every single day we were told by our hockey instructors and coaches to respect and think about the ‘Miracle’ that happened on the ice we were playing on. Watching the movie brings all those memories and stories back to life.
The King’s Speech
The King’s Speech is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays King George VI who, to cope with a stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. The men become friends as they work together, and after his brother abdicates the throne, the new King relies on Logue to help him make his first wartime radio broadcast on Britain’s declaration of war on Germany in 1939.
Without Limits
Without Limits is a 1998 biographical sports film. It is written and directed by Robert Towne and follows the relationship between record-breaking distance runner Steve Prefontaine and his coach Bill Bowerman, who later co-founded Nike, Inc. Billy Crudup plays Prefontaine and Donald Sutherland plays Bowerman.
At UC Berkeley I lived with most of the track and field guys as I thought it was a good balance between living with athletes and getting some distance from my own rowing teammates. When this movie came out the guys in the house were inspired like never before and Prefontaine was considered to be their running god! A deep appreciation goes out to track and field and runners alike when watching ‘PRE’ run for gold.
Lincoln
Lincoln is a 2012 American epic historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as United States President Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln. The screenplay by Tony Kushner was based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin‘s biography Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, and covers the final four months of Lincoln’s life, focusing on the President’s efforts in January 1865 to have the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the United States House of Representatives.
Abraham Lincoln…. Enough said! We all know his story of the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserving all human rights. Not only setting an example in the U.S. but also around the World.
We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall is a 2006 American historical drama biopic film. It depicts the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, along with five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters, and a crew of five.
This movie will be sure to make you cry and cause your emotions to take you for a rollercoaster ride. It starts off very sad but in the end develops into a sensational movie about overcoming all odd and standing up against all adversity, including the death of an entire sports team. It will be sure to inspire you every step of the way.
Stand And Deliver
Stand and Deliver is a 1988 American drama film based on the true story of high school math teacher Jaime Escalante. Edward James Olmos portrayed Escalante in the film and received a nomination for Best Actor at the 61st Academy Awards. The film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2011.
My mother, Maureen Nunn, was a Spanish teacher for over 20 years and 3 of my sisters all have their teachers credentials so naturally this movie hits home for me being involved with a family of teachers. This film introduces so many creative learning techniques and encourages students and individual’s to learn in many different ways. It makes you want to go out and search for more knowledge and praises good education for a long term successful future.
Unbroken
Unbroken is a 2014 American biographical war drama film, produced and directed by Angelina Jolie, and based on the 2010 non-fiction book by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. The film revolves around the life of USA Olympian and athlete Louis “Louie” Zamperini, portrayed by Jack O’Connell. Zamperini, who survived in a raft for 47 days after his bomber was downed in World War II, and was sent to a series of prisoner of war camps.
My family and I have a special connection with Louis Zamperini after meeting him personally at a motivational speakers series event in 2006 in Anahiem. My father, John Nunn, is an Olympic Men’s rowing coach and 1968 Olympic Bronze medalist. Since 1984 I have been going to Southern California Olympic events around the country and meeting many differnet Olympians and athletes. Meeting Louis was an amazing experience and I have never seen my father more excited to meet someone up close. My mother, Maureen Nunn, was a USC graduate also became good friends with Louis Zamperini and even had him visit our home on several occasions. Read both of his books, ‘Devil At My Heels’ and ‘Unbroken’ if you have not already and go see the movie just out this year ‘Unbroken.’
Here is an interview my mom, Maureen Nunn, did with Louis Zamperini a few years back talking about his life and will to survive…
Tags: abraham lincoln, best movies, devil at my heels, inspiring movies, Jack Nunn, John Nunn, lincoln, louis zamperini, maureen nunn, miracle on ice, most inspiring movies, motivational movies, nike, Roworx, rudy notre dame, rudy ruettiger, stand and deliver, steve prefontaine, the flying scotsman, the king's speech, top 10 inspired movies, touching the void, Unbroken, we are marshall, without limits
