CODA (2021): A coming-of-age film of a different kind
IMDb rating : 8.0/10
Genre : Comedy, Drama, Music
Starring : Emilia Jones/Troy Coser/Marie Matlin
Director : Sian Hurd
Movie rating : PG-13
Length : 1 hour 51 minutes
Teenage Ruby (Emilia Jones) works as a translator for her deaf parents, who she also helps run their fishing company. However, her true love is music, and she begins to feel torn between following her dreams and supporting her family.
CODA won three Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor.
02/11Skater Girls (2021): An unconventional teen sports movie
IMDb rating : 6.7/10
Genre : Drama, Family, Sports
Starring : Waheeda Rehman/Amy Margera/Jonathan Redwin
Director : Manjali Majjani
Movie rating : PG
Running time : 1 hour 47 minutes
Skateboarding is not for girls. At least, that's what they were told. Still, a group of teenage girls in rural India are about to prove their traditional community wrong. This endearing coming-of-age story crosses gender and cultural lines, making it appealing to everyone, even if you're not a fan of the sport.
03/11Inside Out (2015): A comforting reminder that it’s okay to feel anything
IMDb rating : 8.1/10
Genre : Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Starring : Amy Poehler/Bill Hader/Lewis Black
Director : Pete Doctor, Ronnie Del Carmen
Movie rating : PG
Duration : 1 hour 35 minutes
"Inside Out" is a solid inspirational film that offers a break from reality while gently dealing with the true nature of the ups and downs of life transitions.
While the story centers on young Riley and her move to San Francisco, it's a priceless reminder for all of us, of any age, that embracing our emotions is a wonderful thing.
04/11Remembering the Titans (2000): An inspiring and timeless story of unity
IMDb rating : 7.8/10
Genre : Biography, Drama, Sports
Starring : Denzel Washington, Will Pattonwood Harris
Director : Boaz Yakin
Movie rating : PG
Running time : 1 hour 53 minutes
This inspiring sports story is based on the real-life experience of an African-American coach leading the first integrated football team at a Virginia high school. While players, coaching staff and town members initially expressed resistance and intolerance, hope and unity prevailed.
The film delivers a lasting message of racial acceptance that doesn't require you to love football to root for the team or be moved by their connection.
05 11 in totalHidden Figures (2016): Inspirational women who shaped history
IMDb rating : 7.8/10
Genre : Biography, Drama, History
Starring : Taraji P. Henson / Octavia Spencer / Janelle Monáe
Director : Theodore Melfi
Movie rating : PG
Running time : 2 hours and 7 minutes
Hidden Figures opens the curtain on the true story of NASA's outstanding African-American female mathematician. Although unknown to the public, they made John Glenn the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth. This film is a celebration of their glory and their rightful place in the history books.
06/1140 Year Old Edition (2020): Find your voice at any age
IMDb rating : 7.2/10
Genre : Comedy, Drama
Starring : Radha Blanc/Peter King/Oswin Benjamin
Director : Radha Blanc
Movie rating : R
Duration : 2 hours and 3 minutes
The semi-autobiographical film is based on the real-life career struggles of playwright Radha Blank, telling the story of her protagonist as she attempts to reinvent herself as a hip-hop artist. Musically, she felt relieved that she had sacrificed too much of her authentic voice to gain recognition in the New York theater world.
If you need a reminder that there isn't always a set path to success or failure before a certain age, this is a cathartic and humorous tribute to staying true to yourself.
07/11Good Will Hunting (1997): The best movie about healing and moving on
IMDb rating : 8.3/10
Genre : Drama, Romance
Starring : Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck
Director : Gus Van Sant
Movie rating : R
Running time : 2 hours and 56 minutes
Will Hunting (Matt Damon) works as a janitor at a university and impresses his math professor with his talent for numbers. On the advice of his mentor, Will agrees to meet with psychologist Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), who helps unlock Will's true potential.
An emotional masterpiece, Good Will Hunting won Affleck and Damon the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, while Robin Williams won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that year.
08/11Mangrove (2020): An inspiring true story of activism
IMDb rating : 8.0/10
Type : Drama
Starring : Sean Parks/Letitia White/Malachi Kirby
Director : Steve McQueen
Movie rating : TV-MA
Running time : 2 hours and 7 minutes
"Mangrove" is one of five movies in Amazon Prime Video's Small Ax series.
The film follows the real-life heroism and activism of Frank Crichlow, owner of the Mangrove Restaurant, a gathering place for London's West Indian community. In 1970, Critchlow and others organized a peaceful protest against police abuse and were later tried in court for inciting riots.
Their trial marked the first time London's police system acknowledged racially motivated conduct. The film is a stirring tribute to those who stood up against injustice.
09/11Crip Camp (2020): Celebrating the Power of Community and Advocacy
IMDb rating : 7.7/10
Type : Documentary
Starring : Judith Heumann/Jim Lebrecht/Denise Schell Jacobson
Director : Nicole Newnham, Jim Lebrecht
Movie rating : R
Running time : 1 hour 46 minutes
The film chronicles the true stories of campers and counselors who met at Camp Jened, an inclusive camp that empowers young people with disabilities to become advocates in their communities.
They were visible and independent in the camp and worked hard to achieve the same qualities in their daily lives by fighting for representation and long-awaited civil rights for people with disabilities.
10 out of 11The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019): An adventure story about friendship and chosen family
IMDb rating : 7.6/10
Genre : Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Starring : Zach Gorsagan/Shia LeBeouf/Dakota Johnson
Director : Tyler Nelson, Michael Schwartz
Movie rating : PG-13
Running time : 1 hour 37 minutes
This heartwarming adventure tells the story of Zach, a young man with Down syndrome who dreams of becoming a wrestler. After escaping from the nursing home where the state assigned him to live, he soon finds an unlikely new friend and seeks a fresh start.
It's a heartwarming, if not sweet, story about unconditional acceptance and building friendships and family in a seemingly impossible but beautiful place.
11 out of 11Scarred (2020): A riveting take on the fight for family
IMDb rating : 6.2/10
Genre : Drama, Sports
Starring : Halle Berry/Adan Cantor/Sheila Atim
Director : Halle Berry
Movie rating : R
Running time : 2 hours and 9 minutes
Retired cage fighter Jackie Justice (Halle Berry) is ready to return to the Octagon, but when her estranged son Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.) comes back into her life , she changed her mind. Halle Berry makes a strong impression in her directorial debut, and her performance is spot-on as always.
