10 Films to Motivate You to Study and Improve Yourself

by Esther Crowder

Good results in studies are the result of constant effort and dedication. The bad thing is that despite all the work you put into your duties, it may happen that the results are not what you expected. In those moments, you may have feelings of despair or frustration, which, although natural, may make you think that maybe you will not achieve your dreams. But it is not so! You have to understand that life is made up of victories and defeats. Something that also teaches us that is the cinema. Through its stories, many films have shown us that constant struggle can lead to triumph. For the same reason, and so that you can rejoice in your academic goals, we will leave you with this list of 10 films that will help you get ahead and surpass yourself.

1. A Beautiful Mind

Based on real events, this film tells the story of the mathematical genius and eccentric John Forbes Nash Jr. (Russell Crowe), who made a fantastic discovery at the beginning of his career and became famous all over the world. Unfortunately, his rise into the intellectual stratosphere underwent a radical change when he discovered that he had schizophrenia, faced with a challenge that would destroy any other. Nash struggled to recover in the company of his devoted wife, Alicia. After several decades of hardship, he overcame his tragedy and received the Nobel Prize in 1994.

2. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story

Also known as A Homeless Person at Harvard (2003), the film tells the story of Elizabeth Murray, an American writer, psychologist, and lecturer born in a humble home. From drug-addicted and HIV-positive parents, the story tells of how Liz turns 15 and her mother dies and becomes homeless. At the age of seventeen and after living in several orphanages, she decided to resume her studies and entered Harvard University, where she graduated thanks to her effort and dedication. 

3. Steve Jobs

There are several biographies about the genius behind Apple. However, two films are worth mentioning because they focus more on the person than on their achievements; we refer to Jobs (2013) starring Ashton Kutcher and Steve Jobs (2015), directed by Dany Boyle (Trainspotting) and starring Michael Fassbender. Both films stand out for what they describe Steve Jobs as a man who never allowed himself to be defeated by anything or anyone. These films also show that Steve Jobs has lost much of his humanity to achieve his goals.

4. The Theory of Everything

The film tells the life of Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne), the critical theorist and scientist who changed the history of science and modern technology forever. The script focuses on the relationship he had with Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), his first wife, whom he married after being diagnosed with lateral sclerosis, a disease for which he was given no more than two years to live. Beyond giving up, Hawking continued his studies and became one of the most brilliant minds in humankind's history of humanity.

5. The Social Network

The year 2003 was a year that changed the world. The Social Network (2010) tells the story of a young Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), Harvard student and programming genius, who would begin to develop a revolutionary idea that is now known as Facebook. With effort, he started programming in his university faculty and became the most famous global social network globally, transforming it into a billionaire and a reference for this generation. In my essay samples based on this film, I describe how creating one software product can change the lives of millions of people.

6. Dead Poets Society

Starring Robin Williams, the film was set in 1959, and its story takes place mostly in one of the most prestigious academies in the U.S. The place has prestige, but many of its students suffer from not choosing their future. Fortunately, that year, a new professor is welcomed who belonged to the same establishment where he was part of the “Dead Poets Society" in his time as a student.

In his classes, the teacher will teach the students about the existence of this society that promotes the study and social criticism, generating interest and curiosity. Thus, he leads them to dream and believe in themselves again. In particular, the student Nell Perry, characterized by the actor Robert Sean Leonard, since he is the one who suffers more throughout the film due to the pressure of his father who forces him to follow a career that he does not want. Excellent film.

7. Good Will Hunting

The story starring Matt Damon tells the story of Will, a rebellious and charismatic young man who possesses an uncommon intellectual capacity. Like his friends, he holds low-paying jobs and spends his free time in a bar where he sometimes gets into trouble with the law. After a fight, Will is forced to go to jail. Everything goes wrong until Sean McGuire, a teacher, and therapist, is amazed at his abilities, and emotional problems appear in his life. A strange and conflictive student-teacher relationship begins between them. The film is from 1997 and also starred Robin Williams.

8. The Pursuit of Happyness

Based on a true story, it tells the adventures of Chris Gardner, a father who struggles to survive after losing all his life's savings in a lousy business and being abandoned by his wife. Chris, now a single father, decides to continue looking for a better paying job using all possible business tactics. Among all this misfortune, one day, he gets an internship in a prestigious brokerage firm. He agrees to work without payment, hoping that he will get a job in this company if he passes some of the company's goals and complex final exams. Without any financial cushion, Chris and his son end up living on the streets, in shelters, subway stations, bathrooms, or wherever they find refuge. Despite this, the protagonist (Will Smith) is getting around the problems, using the little free time to study and prepare for the final test. Another great film about self-improvement. 

9. Monster University

Since he was a child and before entering university, the monster Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal's voice) dreamed of becoming a scary man and so he decides to enroll in Monster University (M.U.). Dangerous Minds: Due to their competitive spirit, both are expelled from the university, and from there, things get worse. Only teamwork will get both of them back into Monster University and prove that they are talented creatures. The film shows that in addition to being a good student, one must appreciate good classmates who support us at all times.

10. Dangerous Minds

Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, the film tells how Louanne Johnson (former U.S. Marine) accepts a job as a full-time teacher at a school in Los Angeles, California, where she must teach a group of young people with severe social problems who have grown up in a hostile and violent environment. At the beginning of her teaching duties, the indiscipline of her students makes her uneasy. Still, she detects that there are specific skills and superior intelligence in her group of students, so instead of quitting, she decides to face the challenge of learning to capture their attention and get them interested in learning. On the one hand, the film teaches us to appreciate family support and economic resources that make this burden much less burdensome when it comes to studying. On the other hand, it shows that we are all people, both students, and teachers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Esther Crowder is a chief content writer, enthusiastic blogger and editor. He used to write for various online blogs to sharpen his writing skills. He practices writing articles in fields such as education, marketing, and management.