13 Inspirational Movies That Every Student Should Watch

Traditional classroom teaching alone cannot motivate every student. Given that children love entertainment, inspirational movies are an effective and easy medium to motivate them.

If you are a teacher or a parent, you might understand this very well. It is essential for students to feel affection towards learning.

It is not difficult to screen a movie today due to technological advancements. Here are some good inspirational, educational Hollywood & Bollywood movies that can motivate students from schools and colleges alike. These teach students the value of hard work and proper education.

Here is our list of best inspirational movies of all time for students:

• The Social Network

This Amazing Hollywood movie shows Mark Zuckerberg’s journey from a Harvard student to a multi-millionaire is genuinely an exciting one for everyone; it could encourage you to become an incredible genius like a man himself. The Social Network says that any student will transform his dream into reality.

• The Pursuit of Happyness

The Search of Happiness is an American biographical drama film based on the life of entrepreneur Chris Gardner directed by Gabriele Muccino in 2006.

In this film, Will Smith plays the role of Gardner, who goes from being a homeless salesman to the owner of a brokerage through his sheer determination and willpower.

• The Internship

The Internship based on the Google Internship journey of Billy and Nick, two middle-aged salesmen, played by Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, who lost their jobs as a result of the modern revolution, and how they continue to get a chance to do Google internships and prove their worth.

• Everest

The story set in Everest and recounts the tragedy that happened in the mountains in 1996. Two expedition parties are struggling to survive in the face of both climbing and descending difficulties. The film depicts the extreme threat and the excitement of being able to see Everest ascending.

The film reveals how things can really go wrong, not in the way one wishes except what is normally seen in happy-ending movies.

• Lean on Me

Based on the true story, Lean on Me is a dramatized biographical film An unorthodox teacher returns to the idyllic high school from which he was fired as the principal, only to find it devoid of the success it used to be.

This movie is going to help you build up and get you through that study stack! There’s nothing like a true story to really lift your spirits up.

• The Paper Chase

Study often doesn’t come naturally — we always need to learn how to set the mode.

The Paper Chase focuses on the hard-working and scholarly James T. Hart, who has faced several obstacles in his first year at Harvard. The film is perfect for anyone struggling and finding it hard to keep the motivation alive.

• Forrest Gump

The film tells the amazing story of a man with a low IQ who has performed many remarkable feats. He receives the Medal of Honor for courage, becomes an expert Ping Pong player, inspires Elvis Presley’s iconic dance, and makes money by selling shrimps.

It’s a genuinely motivational story that any student can watch. The film reveals that it is unlikely if you’re determined enough. There’s a popular one in the movie — “Mama has always said that life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”

• Theory of Everything

This film presents the story of Stephen Hawking, the greatest cosmologist and physicist of our day. As a brilliant student in Astrophysics, he is amazed to discover that he is suffering from motor neuron disorder. Doctors expect that he will only have 2 more years to live.

Yet, amazingly, he questioned medical calculations and went on to live up to 76 years of age. Over this time, he became the famous man he is today for his excellent contributions to the field of Cosmology and Physics.

This film is an inspiration to all students, particularly those with special needs. There’s literally no boundary to what you can do with what you have.

• The Breakfast Club

This film is about how five students with diverse backgrounds end up in prison together and open up to each other. The Breakfast Club reveals that students can discover friendships in the most unlikely ways. Looked at as an evergreen teen cult movie, it’s a must-see for any student.

• Freedom Writers

“Freedom Writers” is an inspiring film focused on a young teacher who encourages her struggling class to study even after high school. She has to deal with at-risk students who are split among themselves, resist teachers, fight marriage, and lack of money.

Students who watch this film are bound to see their teachers in a different way.

• Stand and Deliver

This film is based on the true story of Jaime Escalante, a high school mathematics teacher.

It reveals how an idealistic math teacher inspires his “no-hope” students to research by following unconventional teaching methods. “Stand and Deliver” is truly an inspiring film for those who believe they’re hopeless in their studies.

• Half Nelson

This film centers on an inner-city middle school teacher who becomes friends with one of his students after finding out that he has a drug problem. Compared to other movies focused on good teachers, Half Nelson tells the story of average people confronting serious challenges but still retains optimism.

• The Great Debaters

It is based on an article about the Wiley College Debate Squad.

Thinking about teaching or educating others? This film is a dramatic retelling of the real story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor who encouraged his students to defy Harvard at the championship debate.

This is a heart-warming tale to boost students’ learning spirits, particularly if they were motivated at some stage by a wonderful teacher who saw their potential.

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