5 Movies that Changed My Life
One of the most intoxicating experiences in life is becoming fully engrossed in some form of a story. As a strong proponent of reading, I don’t want to take anything away from books, but I have to admit that there is nothing quite as absorbing as a really good movie – you know, one of those movies where I don’t even pull my phone out to check the time, it’s that good. Not only are they great sources of entertainment, but due to the storytelling nature of movies, people are sometimes impacted by a poignant message or idea.
I spent some time thinking about a handful of the movies whose message or story that heavily impacted my perspective. I’m not what one might call a film snob – most of what I like is what the majority of society enjoys as well. Any other qualifiers aside, I put together a list of 5 movies that have changed my life for the better, and will likely always stick with me:
Good Will Hunting (1997)
A movie both society and myself view as one of the most rewatchable of all time, Good Will Hunting is a rousing underdog story about an undiscovered genius from Boston – thankfully, you don’t have to be “wicked smaht” to be impacted by its many messages. The movie does well to showcase the importance of forgiveness, both for yourself and the people around you. It also preaches the message that money and professional success aren’t inherent to happiness, it can instead be found in establishing healthy, loving relationships and overcoming hardships.
Memorable quote: “People call those imperfections, but no, that’s the good stuff.” – Sean McGuire (Robin Williams)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
I recently discussed my own battle with anxiety and methods I use to overcome it here, one of the first tangible steps I’ve made to address the stigma around mental health and continue to shift my own perspective. Much of my interest in the mental health sphere is inspired by A Beautiful Mind – a true story about a scientist, John Nash, and his battle with schizophrenia. The movie does an agonizingly good job of realistically portraying how mental instability can completely take control over someone’s life. As harrowing as it can be at times, what seals A Beautiful Mind as an incredibly impactful movie is the fact that Nash is able to overcome many of the challenges regarding his condition largely in thanks to the care and determination of the people around him.
Memorable quote: “Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart.” – John Nash (Russell Crowe)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
“O’ Captain, my captain!”
If you are looking for artistic inspiration or want to be reminded of the importance of authenticity, search no longer. Even in 2019, Dead Poets Society is the gold standard of boarding school movies, and what makes it so powerful is the lasting relevance of the message. In this movie, a group of young boys is challenged to view poetry and literature with an open-minded perspective – and after a time, the boys get fully in touch with the artist that is inside each one of them. Tragedy often leaves behind a lesson to learn from, and this story is no different. One of the young men eventually commits suicide because of family oppression of his new ideology, and he decides that no life is better than the one his father demands of him. This movie is full of great themes and quotes that have impacted many viewers before me, but seeing that young man’s pain boil over to that heartbreaking end has always stuck with me.
Memorable quote: “You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are going to find it at all.” – John Keating (Robin Williams)
Schindler’s List (1993)
It’s legitimately jawdropping to see the real efforts of a hero like Oskar Schindler come to life on a movie screen. To see a man bravely stand up against literal evil and change the lives of so many people around him, I find it difficult to articulate how incredible of a story it is. The film’s music, imagery, and intense dialogue wonderfully establish the setting and make everything feel so real for the viewer. I will never be able to comprehend the full context of the Holocaust Era and the associated horrors that were committed, and movies like this that portray unimaginable scenarios inspire me to be hopeful that my future children will never experience any humanitarian crisis of that magnitude in any lifetime. Looking beyond the terror that is displayed on the screen, what is most compelling is the story of a man who an opportunity to make a lasting difference.
Memorable quote: “Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.” – Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
My favorite movie series of all time, no question. I’ve since read the books, but I first saw the movies as a young kid and was completely absorbed by everything Middle-Earth had to offer. Yes, at the time I was engrossed by elements of the fantasy genre: elves, dwarves, wizards, orcs, magical rings, good vs. evil, all that jazz. And if I’m being honest – that stuff is still badass today; however, the reason I consider these movies to have changed my life goes a little bit deeper.
There are so many lessons to be learned from these movies – they’re basically a philosophical gold mine. Outside of the basic framework of an exciting adventure that is overflowing with wit and whimsy, the Lord of the Rings movies feature many battles over morality. Through conflicts, viewers who are along through the journey learn the virtues of mercy, hope, courage, friendship, sacrifice, and many more. On top of being rich in positive messages, as a bonus, the movies are visually and audibly stunning – and if you’re intimidated by the fairly ridiculous run-time, take inspiration from Samwise Gamgee: “It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.”
Memorable quote: “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” – Galadriel (Cate Blanchett)
As I implied previously, none of these are very controversial choices, but I think it makes sense logically for movies that were widely successful and have been heralded as classics. Even so, it speaks to the universal relevance of the topics each movie addresses. It’s an interesting exercise to try and distinguish between movies you simply enjoy, and movies that actually left a positive impact on your life – take some time and think about what stories or messages have stuck with you from different movies and try to identify what virtues/ideas you value the most.