Guest post by Maria Kruk, an author for Top.me
Admittedly, a significant share of movie productions, both old and modern, is inspired by great sport achievements and those who devoted their lives and efforts to gain the cherished goals. These cannot but alert an attention of common people, less interested in winning legendary sport tournaments yet lacking self-motivation. The most vivid example is strength training for women and their engagement in fitness and sports in gyms, which is quite trendy these days. In this case, a couple of movies, featuring great female characters chasing long-standing objectives in sport and life trials and thus challenging males’ temper, might lend a hand.
Soul Surfer (2011) starring AnnaSophia Rob
This is the film based on real events, which no doubts adds some peculiarity and intrigue. The plotline features a life story of Bethany Hamilton, a teenage girl, greatly devoted to surfing. At the age of 13, she was survived a shark’s attack, resulted in left arm loss. Since then, her life turned into a real series of challenges: fear of water, coming up on a surf board, taking part in surfing tournaments and eventually competing with surfing pros. Besides sad yet inspiring sport drama, Soul Surfer viewers surely will get enheartened to reexamine the value of opportunities, given by nature and determined to be used to achieve ultimate goals.
Million Dollar Baby (2004) starring Hillary Swank
This movie alerted lots of appreciation and respect, especially after the Oscar Award received by Hilary Swank as The Best Actress (by the way, the second one in her pocket at the time). This is a story about a girl who goes from zero to boxing at the age 30, to change her annoying livelihood of lonely waitress. Thus, she begins to fight on the ring alongside the pros. Simple woman without any outstanding qualities consciously forces herself to go the hard way. Isn’t it something we lack sometimes in our lives? Harsh yet real-staged scenes from Million Dollar Baby motivate to disregard obvious excuses of age, low self-esteem, ill-skilled experience and others, which obstruct getting to the very dream of your own.
The Cutting Edge (1992) starring Moira Kelly
At first glance, it is likely to be a typical American romantic drama, though featuring two sportsmen – figure skater and hockey player. However, under the conventional romance plotlines, the viewer might find a passion to sport and limitless desire to get world recognition, embodied by the Olympic Games rounds. By joining forces, they are a strange couple, rush to the dream of their lives. Each is the hope and support to the other, sharing the same objectives, – doesn’t it sound like a great encouragement to wish for more?
G.I. Jane (1997) starring Demi Moore
No one can deny it is a real classic of motivation on screen. The plotline of this movie is a matter of common knowledge, and for those unfamiliar with it, G.I. Jane is strongly recommended! Demi Moore portrayed the first woman to join an elite unit of the Naval Forces of the US. She has to cope and to deal with enormous physical training, and accompanying moral stress is no aid in this. Nevertheless, the main point of this movie is to blur the line between men and women, but to define there are strong and weak people, notwithstanding gender or body strength.
A League of Their Own (1992) starring Geena Davis and Madonna
This is one more exemplary movie of how women can challenge men, even in so score-aimed sport as baseball. The script features an appearance and advancement of women’ baseball team in 1943, in times where most of men were on the World War II front lines. The alterations of views are vividly observed in the character of Jimmy Dugan (played by Tom Hanks): initially the coach is too skeptic about an idea of saving a team without male players, but the time and efforts showed that women “have something to say” as well.
All in all, this list of motivational and inspiring movies might be continued with more no less appealing, but isn’t it better to start actual watching?
