Top 5 Feel Good/Inspiring Films

There’s nothing better than watching a very wholesome, satisfying film and feeling elated and inspired, often applying the context of the film within your life, showing its effect on you as a watcher.

'Chef' (2014)

Chef, directed by and starring Jon Favreau, is very much on my list as a feel good/inspiring film. Jon portrays a rebellious head chef who quits his restaurant job to pursue his dreams of opening a food truck with his young son, and travelling America. As the audience, we see Carl becoming more inspired and determined to pursue his dreams. After watching this films, it’s one of those films that really gives you a ‘boost’ in some ways and determination (me, anyway!) to do whatever I want in life! It’s an extremely wholesome film, also written by main star Jon Favreau, with Scarlett Johansson and Sofia Vergara.

'Begin Again' (2013)

Begin Again, starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, is a film focused on self-worth and Keira’s character Gretta pursuing her dreams of being a singer/songwriter in New York City. Focused on New York as the place to succeed and make it big, we watch Gretta’s struggle in the real world to pursue her dreams, meeting many music managers and doing things she didn’t necessarily believe in, eventually becoming her best self. Inspiring in many ways, the film explores dreams and beginnings, and features many original songs sung by Keira Knightley herself as a motion picture soundtrack, and features Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.

'Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children' (2016)

Directed by Tim Burton, this moody toned film is an amazing fanstasy film, where peculiar children with abnormal abilities live in a lone world with Miss Peregrine; the mistress of the enchanted orphanage. Jake, portrayed by Asa Butterfield; discovers a world pictured by his grandfather in written memoirs, and explores the hidden island. Although an unusual choice for an ‘inspiring’ film, we explore the characters’ extraordinary abilities and the backstories of the young children. Jake discovers many secrets, good and bad, and the children have to evacuate the house, fighting ‘Barron’ played by Samuel L. Jackson. It’s a heart warming film and explore the unintentional relationships formed between Jake and his extraordinary friends.

'Paddington' (2014)

Paddington, although an unconventional choice, is a really feel good film to watch. Yes, it’s more of a film to watch in the company of younger people, yet nobody is ever too old for the story of Paddington. We see Paddington lose his aunt and uncle in the rainforest of his home country. Then, he decides to try and travel to London, somewhere his aunt has always loved. We observe Paddington try and fit in, in the busy, rushing atmosphere of London. It’s heartwarming in many ways as we watch his struggles and mild victimisation as a bear in a human world, especially in the capital city. He eventually finds a family who takes him in and invites them into their home and he slowly finds himself. It’s so heartwarming and ‘feel-good’ because something like Paddington is and always will be a classic, and is so true to its original story and so refreshing compared to a lot of new action-packed films.

'Wonder Woman' (2017)

A remake of the original, the new hit Marvel film takes a period turn on Wonder Woman. Diana, princess of the Amazons, is raised on a sheltered secret island trained to be an invincible warrior. When a war pilot crashes on their shore, bringing many armed men to an island full of naive yet martial skilled women, Diana experiences the constant war going on in the world outside of her sheltered island. The suffering of innocent people effects Diana, as she does not know this, and she goes on a journey to end all evil in the world, displaying a great feminist piece of filmwork. The pilot who crashes on the shore is Chris Pine, an undercover spy intending to implicate a war criminal and banish evil. Diana joins him on his adventure, and discovers her own powerful abilities, heading to 20th Century London to stop the war influenced by God Ares. The film is an excellent depiction of the unknown capabilities of a female in a vastly male war zone set in 1918, and Diana and Steve (the pilot) fall in love, being the first man she has ever seen due to her sheltered life. Her true destiny is explored and she manages to save the world. Although a rose coloured depiction of war and how easy it is to ‘stop,’ it’s a refreshing film starring a woman who ends all evil.