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Inspiration comes in many forms; feats of accomplishment, music, a stirring speech, a piece of artwork, or a good deed done by someone you know are some of the activities that are inspiring for most of us. These influences may affect people differently and to varying degrees.
It is massively subjective to tell how motivational something is. An individual might get completely moved after watching something while another might feel nothing; this is one thing that is unique with the world of films.
Keeping that in mind, here are ten film scenes that I consider most motivational.
Spartacus- I’m Spartacus!
This famous scene from Spartacus could well be one of the most inspirational displays of unity when confronted with a stronger enemy. Before the titular character was going to be crucified, each slave starts to stand up one by one and exclaim, “I’m Spartacus!”. This scene that has been parodied countless times speaks volumes about standing together against adversity. The finishing touch to the scene was given by the tear that rolls down the face of Kirk Douglas, so powerful, so simple, so moving. This scene is one of the best and classic motivational scenes I have ever seen.
I am not going to bury my son… [John Q]
Denzel Washington is the man in this scene. His son needs a heart transplant, and it’s their bad luck that the health insurance they used to have expired some days ago, making the surgical procedure unaffordable for them. John Q, played by Denzel, was determined not to let his son go without a fight.
Rocky Balboa- Rocky’s Speech
No list of motivational scenes is complete without some Rocky thrown in for good. The message in this scene is clear; whatever life throws to you, it’s under your control to dust yourself off and move on. You are responsible for the direction your life takes.
Coach Carter- Our Deepest Fear
Countless sports films attempt to force some mushy motivational messages on us, but few execute it effectively as Coach Carter. Cruz’s moving speech is the highlight of this motivational film. The message in this speech is straightforward. Living life with a positive attitude and setting examples for others motivates others to do the same.
The Shawshank Redemption- Andy Escapes
Though the movie delivers an age-old message, everyone can easily relate to it in everyday life, especially with all the economic difficulties that countless people in the world face.
Andy Dufresne crawls through the sewage plant, and the moment he comes out as a free man, the rain washes away the foulness he had just crawled through. This is unquestionably a fantastic metaphor for the struggles that hardship brings and the unrestrained joy of seeing your hard work pay off.
Zulu- Men of Harlech
The soldiers singing ‘Men of Harlech’ when they are just about to face the Zulu warriors inspires a feeling of patriotism in me. Although its inspiration is not as global as most of the movies in this list, the song and the film together form a genuinely motivational moment. Its effect on those who have some relevance with the song is highly potent.
Schindler’s List- He Who Saves One Life Saves the entire world
To me, this is probably the strongest motivational scenes in the history of film making. It has such a strong motivational message that I had to include it in my best three. The life and work of Oscar Schindler is in itself an inspiration for all, and this scene can be a true proof of that.
The Pursuit of Happyness- Last Day
This scene is so motivational that I think it is one of the best performances done by Will Smith in his entire career. This scene has the edge over Shawshank as it’s much more raw and real. Will Smith, through his understated performance, has put all of his heart in this scene. The fact that the movie is based on real incidents adds to the message the scene is delivering. Pursuit perfectly reflects the hardship that many are bound to face in this modern society.
It’s A Wonderful Life- Final Scene
Voted as no.1 by the American Film Institute in the category of most inspirational films of all time, ‘It’s a wonderful life’ will undoubtedly find its place in virtually everybody’s top 10’s.
The message the scene wants to deliver is simple. It says that every soul has a value and that we can impact the lives of so many others. The film shows us that earning money is not the only important thing. It’s who we are from the inside that defines us.
For many people, films are one of the primary sources they draw inspiration from. There is certainly nothing like being fully immersed in something, giving yourself up entirely for two hours, and then leaving with a feeling of inspiration, a fresh found sensation of hope and determination to change the world.
Featured image credit: Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash
