Movies can help shape peoples life through storytelling, cinematography and emotions conveyed by actors, directors and producers to the audience. Throughout my lifetime I’ve always had a very strong love for movies and I allow myself to take lessons from them to apply to my everyday life. Today I will be hoping through my top five favourite movies of all time and sharing the lessons I have learned from them.
Ford vs Ferrari is a incredible movie based on a true story that tells of how Ford enters a car into the 24 hours at Le Mans to try and beat the reigning champions Ferrari. The best chance Ford has is to work with Carol Shelby and his driver Ken Miles. However, Ken Miles is a non conventional personality type, sometimes hard to get along with, and not the type of man Ford is looking for. However, even knowing this, Ken never once changed who he was throughout the whole entire film. He stuck up for himself countless times mostly because he believed in himself and knew he could get the job done. At the end of the movie Ken controversially slows down to let his teammates catch up so they can all cross the line together. However he was tricked and the other teammates won the race. Even after this Ken stuck to who he was though, and still had the confidence that he was the best racing driver in the world. This movie taught me to believe in myself. Even though sometimes people in life will put you down or tell you that you’re wrong you have to have the confidence that you can accomplish anything you want to in life.
Fractured is a movie about a dad who tragically lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident due to drunk driving. He has since remarried and has another daughter. One day on their way home from a family dinner the family stops at a gas station where the daughter gets badly hurt. They rush to the hospital and everything seems to be okay. When the dad wakes up from a nap his wife and child are nowhere to be found though and the hospital says they have no record of them. The dad believes that the hospital has kidnapped his family. The dad goes on a rampage throughout the entire hospital in an attempt to uncover illegal activities. This movie is filled with twists and turns that wont be spoiled in this article but it showed me that family is the most important thing in the world and there is no length to what someone will do for their family.
Shutter island is a movie about a detective who was sent to an island to find a missing patient from a mental hospital. Along the way we learn more and more about mental health issues as most of the patients are on the island after suffering a life altering event or trauma. As the detective grows closer and close to finding the missing patient, he begins to realize the real reason hes on the island. This is another movie with plenty of plot twists that will not be spoiled, but the message is clear in this movie. Treat others equally. You never know what someone has gone through or why they are the weary they are. Having prejudice is not okay and you should form an opinion for every person you meet individually, don’t generalize because one day, you could be in the same situation.
Creed is a continuation of the very famous Rocky series where Apollo Creeds son, Adonis is trying to become a famous boxer and enlists the famous Rocky Balboa to do so. Along the way he faces some major challenges because of his name though as people find out that he is a illegitimate son of his dad, and a product of an affair. Adonis has to prove he is worthy of the Creed name when he faces the #1 pound for pound boxer in the entire world. He goes out to the ring with only one mission, to prove hes not a mistake, and knocks down the pound for pound #1. He loses the fight but at the end of the match the fans chant his name, Creed. This movie taught me that you decide your own destiny. It doesn’t matter where you start in life, its up to you to make your own fate.
The final movie on this list is without a doubt the best one. Cars follows the story of Lightning McQueen a young racing driver who is arrogant, cocky, and doesn’t care about anyone but himself. The final race of the season ends in a three way tie that needs to be decided in L.A. However, on the way there lightning McQueen gets lost and ruins a small town while driving through it. This small town is called radiator springs and while there he is taught how to be humble, and makes lots of friends that like him for who he is, not because hes a famous race car. At the end of the movie one of his competitors crashes out and even though hes about to win lightning stops and pushes his competitor across the line. This movie taught me that it is not all about winning. Being humble, having friends, and helping others is much more important in life, and all three of those themes can be seen throughout the course of this movie.
Movies have the power to influence and change perspective on peoples life. That’s what these 5 movies have done for me.