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Real stories have the power to move, motivate, and inspire like nothing else can. Join us as we count down our picks for the most powerful films that dramatized real people and extraordinary events, leaving audiences feeling hopeful, emotional, and deeply moved. Our list features films like "Schindler's List," "Hidden Figures," "Hacksaw Ridge," and so many more remarkable true stories!
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00:00By any means, it's based on this wild, true story about the FBI teaming up with the New York
00:06Miles to solve a murder in 1960s Mississippi. Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting
00:12down our picks for the most notable films that dramatized real people and real events
00:17in ways that left audiences feeling moved, motivated, or just a little more hopeful than
00:22before. Keep our eye on the Herald. They run this and they get it wrong, the church will bury it.
00:26We gotta do this now. Number 30. Lone Survivor. Peter Berg's visceral war film puts you right in
00:34the middle of one of the most harrowing special operations missions in U.S. military history.
00:38Our job is to stop Shaw. Why do these men have the right to dictate how we do our job?
00:46Rules of engagement says we cannot touch them. I understand. And I don't care. Based on first-class
00:53Marcus Luttrell's memoir, Lone Survivor follows Operation Red Wings, a 2005 Navy SEAL mission
00:58to capture Taliban commander Ahmad Shah in Afghanistan. When the four-man team is compromised,
01:03they're forced into a desperate fight for survival against overwhelming odds.
01:07Mikey, left is good. I say again, left is good.
01:24Roger that. Push right.
01:26Mark Wahlberg portrays Luttrell with grit and vulnerability, never losing sight of the human
01:30cost of war. Although the film has sparked debate over certain battlefield details,
01:35Luttrell's remarkable survival and eventual rescue with the help from Afghan villager
01:40Mohamed Gulab remain extraordinary examples of resilience and the power of compassion in
01:45the darkest circumstances.
01:47Russia. Russia.
01:59Number 29. Something the Lord Made.
02:02You said you were a carpenter?
02:04Yes.
02:06Did you go to high school?
02:07Yes, I did. Got my diploma. Planning on going to Tennessee State next year to study medicine,
02:16be a doctor.
02:17Unusual ambition for a carpenter.
02:19Before open-heart surgery was even considered possible, two men changed medicine forever,
02:24and their story is one of the most overlooked in American history. This HBO biographical drama
02:29tells the remarkable true story of Vivian Thomas, a black cardiac trailblazer who, despite having
02:35no formal medical education, developed the surgical techniques that would save thousands
02:39of blue baby patients suffering from cyanotic heart disease.
02:43After the divide, cut it right under the clavicle, swing it down, long, slow, gentle arm.
02:56Hold it if we pull it down four inches.
02:59If your hands don't get too excited.
03:01Most Def portrays Thomas alongside Alan Rickman as Dr. Alfred Blalock, the celebrated surgeon who
03:07performed the operations Thomas designed. Directed by Joseph Sargent, the film is based on Katie
03:12McCabe's National Magazine award-winning Washingtonian article, and it doesn't shy away from the racial
03:17injustice Thomas endured while quietly revolutionizing modern medicine.
03:21We changed the world.
03:29The world.
03:34I'm invisible to the world.
03:36I don't mind that.
03:38I understand that.
03:41I thought it was different in here.
03:44Number 28.
03:46By Any Means
03:47Sometimes the truth is so stranger than fiction that Hollywood barely has to embellish it.
03:52Agent Strider, why did you join the Bureau?
03:55I believe in justice, and I believe that Negroes have to be a part in getting it.
04:00This film tackles one of the most morally complicated chapters of the civil rights era.
04:04In 1966, the FBI decided to enlist Gregory Scarpa Sr., a ruthless Columbo crime family hitman
04:11nicknamed the Grim Reaper, to extract information about the 1964 murders of civil rights workers
04:17James Cheney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Mississippi.
04:20Gregory Scarpa lived and existed in this world of the mafia in New York,
04:24and all of a sudden, he's down in the south, taking on these crazy assignments for the FBI.
04:30Mark Wahlberg plays Scarpa, who used brutal illegal tactics against KKK members to uncover
04:35where the bodies were buried.
04:37You take a guy with such a strong moral spine, and you put him with a character like Greg
04:41Scarpa, who's willing to do whatever it takes.
04:44Go around.
04:44There's no witness.
04:45There's no crime.
04:47Let's get out of here.
04:48Yahya Abdul-Mateen II co-stars as fictional FBI agent Wayne Strider.
04:52Despite its dark material, the film ultimately shines a light on justice pursued through the
04:56most unlikely of alliances.
04:58Because of this incredible collaboration between Scarpa and Wayne Strider, hopefully the audience
05:03will look to the person to the left or the right and say, hmm, maybe we could collaborate
05:07in the real world.
05:08Number 27.
05:09Wild.
05:10Most people book a vacation after a personal crisis.
05:13Cheryl Strayed hiked over a thousand miles.
05:15I thought of you today.
05:19I felt a burst of energy, remembering why I thought I could hike this trail.
05:25I hope you won't be mad at me if I quit.
05:29Based on Strayed's best-selling memoir, Wild follows her solo trek along the Pacific Crest
05:33trail after the devastating loss of her mother, the collapse of her marriage, and years of
05:38self-destructive choices.
05:39Reese Witherspoon delivers one of her finest performances, capturing both Strayed's emotional
05:44vulnerability and growing confidence as she progresses on the hike, despite having no
05:48previous hiking experience.
05:50Let me reiterate to you, I'm not a hobo.
05:52And that's probably because women can't walk out of their lives.
05:55They've got kids to take care of, they've got parents to look after.
05:58You sound like a feminist.
06:00I am.
06:01That's excellent.
06:02That's fantastic.
06:03I love feminists.
06:04The breathtaking landscapes are unforgettable, but the real journey happens internally as every
06:09painful step helps her rebuild her life.
06:11Strayed's story proves that healing isn't about outrunning your past, but finding the
06:16strength to keep moving through it.
06:17This house is falling apart.
06:19You're all by yourself because you married some abusive, alcoholic a**hole.
06:24And then I come home and you're singing?
06:26What part of it do you not get?
06:28There's nothing I don't get, believe me.
06:33But then what?
06:34Need another dose of inspiration?
06:36Scan the QR code on your screen to jump into Ms. Mojo's 24-7 live stream for a non-stop
06:41feed of amazing countdowns.
06:43Hey, Cheryl!
06:45Come and get it.
06:46Okay, great!
06:47Number 26.
06:48The King's Speech.
06:49For Mrs. Majesty.
07:03Public speaking is intimidating enough without a stammer.
07:06Now imagine having to do it in front of an entire nation.
07:09Colin Firth won an Academy Award for portraying King George VI, who unexpectedly became Britain's
07:14monarch after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne.
07:17Please don't do that.
07:19I'm sorry?
07:21I believe sucking smoke into your lungs will kill you.
07:25My physicians say it relaxes the throat.
07:29They're idiots.
07:30They've all been knighted.
07:32What makes it official then?
07:33Facing the enormous pressure of leading the country into World War II, George worked closely
07:39with unconventional Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush.
07:43Their unlikely friendship became the foundation for one of history's most memorable royal partnerships.
07:48I am not an alternative to my brother.
07:50You can outshine David.
07:51Don't take liberties!
07:54That's bordering on treason.
07:56I'm just saying you could be king.
07:57You could do it.
07:58That is treason.
07:59I'm trying to get you to realize you needn't be governed by fear.
08:01I've had enough of this.
08:02The film is a moving reminder that true leadership isn't always about appearing fearless,
08:07but sometimes about confronting your greatest insecurities and attacking them head-on.
08:11In your head now, I have a right to be bloody well heard.
08:14Bloody well heard, bloody well heard, bloody well heard, bloody well heard, bloody well
08:16heard myself!
08:17Now waltz, move, get continuous movement.
08:21For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at...
08:26Number 25.
08:28American Sniper
08:28Clint Eastwood's war drama tells the true story of Chris Kyle, a Texas native who became
08:33one of the deadliest marksmen in U.S. military history, credited with 160 confirmed kills
08:39across four tours in Iraq.
08:40There's a kid who barely had any hair on his balls.
08:44Mother gives him a grenade, sends him out there to kill Marines.
08:55Dude, that's evil like I've never seen before.
08:57Bradley Cooper transforms himself completely in the role, capturing both Kyle's lethal
09:02precision on the battlefield and his painful struggle to reconcile that world with his
09:06life at home.
09:06Chris, just talk about it.
09:08You're not protecting me by not talking about it.
09:10No, I don't want you getting that in your head, do you understand?
09:12No, my imagination is so much worse than anything you can tell me.
09:14No, no, it's not.
09:14They're savages.
09:15Chris.
09:15Babe, they're f***ing savages.
09:17It's not about them.
09:20It's about us.
09:21Based on Kyle's 2012 autobiography, the film doesn't sugarcoat the psychological toll of
09:26combat.
09:27Kyle's story is ultimately one of duty, identity, and the invisible wounds soldiers carry home,
09:32and it was made all the more poignant by his tragic death at the hands of another veteran
09:36in February 2013.
09:38I'm so proud of you, and you're such a great father, and I am so happy that I've got my
09:43husband back.
09:46And I also know how hard you fought to get here.
09:50You're a tough one.
09:52Number 24.
09:53Hotel Rwanda.
09:54In 1994, while the world looked away, approximately 800,000 Tutsi people were slaughtered in Rwanda
10:01in just 100 days.
10:03Inside that horror, one man made a decision that saved over 1,000 lives.
10:07I cannot leave my family.
10:09I must take them with me.
10:11It is not safe here.
10:12There are Tutsi spies everywhere.
10:14I cannot take all these people.
10:16No, no, sir, sir.
10:17Yeah, you do not have to.
10:18We have a car.
10:20And a van.
10:21Captain Kalis, come on.
10:23Roger.
10:23Don Cheadle gives a towering performance as Paul Receso Pagina, the Hutu manager of the
10:28Hotel de Mil Collines in Kigali, who sheltered Tutsi refugees within the hotel's walls as genocide
10:34raged outside.
10:36Get me the names of all the cockroaches in there, now.
10:40That will take time.
10:42You don't have time.
10:44If I don't have the names, so that I can pick up the traitors, then I'll kill everyone
10:50in there.
10:52Starting with you.
10:54Terry George directed this devastating yet deeply inspiring film, which forces viewers
10:59to confront international inaction while celebrating one individual's moral courage.
11:04Receso Pagina's actions, which included leveraging his connections, negotiating with military
11:09officials, and refusing to abandon the vulnerable, stand as one of the most profound acts of human
11:13compassion ever put on film.
11:29Number 23, Cool Runnings.
11:44Who says winter sports belong only to snowy countries?
11:48Cool Runnings takes inspiration from the Jamaican bobsleigh team's unforgettable debut at the 1988
11:53Winter Olympics in Calgary.
11:55After missing his chance to qualify for track and field, fictional sprinter Darius Bannock convinces
12:00disgraced coach Irving Blitzer to help assemble an unlikely four-man bobsled team.
12:04Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our team.
12:16You won't believe what I had to go through to get us a sled in such good shape.
12:20The movie takes plenty of creative liberties, leaning more toward comedy, but it captures
12:25the real team's determination to compete against nations with decades of experience.
12:29Their perseverance won admiration around the world, a true testament to the fact that showing
12:34up against all odds is sometimes the most inspiring act of all.
12:39Thanks, Irv.
12:43All right.
12:45Hey, guys.
12:46How proud of you guys?
12:48You all right?
12:49Get a picture, please.
12:50Number 22, Spotlight.
12:52This one hits differently because it's not just inspiring, but it's absolutely necessary.
12:57Spotlight chronicles the Boston Globe's investigative team as they uncover decades of sexual abuse
13:02by Catholic priests and expose the systemic cover-up that enabled it.
13:06I'm not supposed to tell you this, but I'm digging around for spotlight.
13:11Spotlight's on this?
13:12Yeah, we're looking into it, but you gotta help me.
13:15You gotta let me talk to some of these victims, please.
13:17Led by editor Walter Robinson, who was portrayed by Michael Keaton, the journalists spent months
13:22meticulously reviewing documents, interviewing survivors, and corroborating evidence before
13:27publishing their groundbreaking investigation in 2002.
13:30Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, the film avoids sensationalism in favor of
13:35showing how patient, ethical reporting can hold powerful institutions accountable.
13:39It's an inspiring testament to journalism's ability to pursue truth, amplify unheard voices,
13:44and create lasting societal change.
13:47Okay, it could have been you, it could have been me, it could have been any of us.
13:52We gotta nail these scumbags, we gotta show people that nobody can get away with this,
13:57not a priest, or a cardinal, or a freaking pope!
14:01Number 21.
14:02Temple Grandin.
14:03Claire Danes delivers one of the most remarkable performances in television history in this
14:07HBO biographical film about Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who became one of the most
14:12influential figures in animal science.
14:14I only eat jello and yogurt!
14:16I only, I only eat jello and yogurt!
14:28Directed by Mick Jackson, the film is based on Grandin's own memoirs, Emergence, and Thinking
14:33in Pictures, charting her journey from a child dismissed by doctors to a groundbreaking scientist
14:38whose humane livestock handling designs are now used in nearly half of all U.S. cattle facilities.
14:44But as you can see, the horses are the exact same size!
14:58The film doesn't frame autism as an obstacle to be overcome, but instead presents Grandin's
15:04unique way of thinking as the very source of her genius.
15:06Her innovations improved animal welfare worldwide, while her advocacy helped reshape public understanding
15:12of autism and neurodiversity.
15:14They're spooked, and spooked cattle don't act straight.
15:18They get bruised, scraped, drowned, and that all costs money.
15:23It takes a good half hour to come a herd, and that costs money too.
15:27It's not a good way to run a stockyard.
15:29Number 20.
15:31Invictus.
15:31This is the time to build our nation, using every single brick available to us.
15:38Ever motivating, sports flicks usually know how to uplift audiences, and Invictus is no
15:43exception.
15:44The 2009 film depicts the late South African president Nelson Mandela, who worked to unite
15:48the country following apartheid.
15:50How do we inspire ourselves to greatness, where nothing less will do?
15:55How do we inspire everyone around us?
16:00I sometimes think it is by using the work of others.
16:04Inspired by the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Mandela rallies the national rugby team in an effort
16:10to win the championship, and more importantly, heal the divide within the land.
16:14Based on the John Carlin book, Playing the Enemy, Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation,
16:19this is a moving tale on both page and screen.
16:22I want to thank you for what you have done for our country.
16:25No, Mr. President, thank you for what you have done for our country.
16:29Number 19.
16:31The Pursuit of Happiness.
16:32Based on the true story of American businessman Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happiness will
16:36break, but also warm your heart.
16:38Was it as easy as it looked?
16:41No, sir.
16:41No, sir, it wasn't.
16:43Set against the backdrop of 1980's San Francisco, the film follows Gardner, a single father
16:48facing houselessness while raising his young child Christopher.
16:51All the while, he's trying to become a stockbroker and build a bright future for his family.
16:56Some of you guys are here because you know somebody.
16:58Some of you guys are here because you think you're somebody.
17:01There's one guy in here who's going to be somebody.
17:03That person's going to be the guy who can turn this into this.
17:08800,000 in commission dollars.
17:11Will Smith and his real-life son Jaden play the dad-son duo, which gives their portrayal
17:16familial authenticity.
17:17Although at times a tough watch, this biographical drama is an uplifting story about fatherhood
17:23and the American dream.
17:24Hey.
17:28Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something.
17:34Not even me.
17:36Number 18.
17:37Glory.
17:38That's right, honey.
17:39Ain't no dream.
17:41We're a runaway slave, but we come back fighting men.
17:46Following an entirely black regiment known as the 54th Massachusetts Infantry,
17:521989's glory depicts the victories, horrors, and tragedies of the American Civil War.
17:56The outfit was led by a white commanding officer known as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw.
18:01I have some letters here.
18:04Personal things.
18:05Certainly, honey.
18:06Also, if I should fall.
18:14Remember what you see here.
18:15While many events in the film actually happened, it's important to note that like with several
18:20projects of the sort and on this list, liberties were also taken.
18:24In addition, most of the characters do not strictly depict real people, including Denzel
18:29Washington's Oscar-winning Private Silas Tripp.
18:31With a harrowing narrative, glory continues to rouse audiences decades after its release.
18:36It ain't much a matter of what happens tomorrow, but we men, ain't we?
18:41Yes, sir.
18:42We men.
18:43We men.
18:44We men.
18:45We men.
18:49Yes.
18:50Number 17.
18:52The Imitation Game.
18:53Would you like to play?
18:55Play?
18:56It's a game.
18:58A test of sorts.
19:00For determining whether something is a machine or a human being.
19:05Dubbed the father of modern computer science, Alan Turing changed the world.
19:10The creator of the Turing machine, he paved the way for a future that he sadly did not
19:14really live to see.
19:15In 2014, his legacy was immortalized in The Imitation Game.
19:20You need me a lot more than I need you.
19:23I like solving problems, Commander.
19:27And Enigma is the most difficult problem in the world.
19:30Based on Andrew Hodge's biography of the man, the film follows Turing as he attempts to break
19:35the German Enigma codes during World War II.
19:37It also delves into his personal life, depicting the journey and discrimination he faced regarding
19:42his sexuality.
19:43Nominated for the coveted Academy Award for Best Picture, The Imitation Game is a deeply
19:48poignant look at one of the most important figures of the 20th century.
19:51Turns out that's the only German you need to know to break Enigma.
19:55Number 16, Eddie the Eagle.
20:00The most shattering physical and emotional experience of your life, and that's the noise
20:04you make?
20:05It's an Englander.
20:06One part comedy and one part drama, Eddie the Eagle is all parts inspiring.
20:11It tells the true story of Michael David Edwards, as he works to ski jump for Great Britain
20:15at the 1988 Olympics.
20:18Amazing.
20:19I think I'm ready for the 70 meters.
20:22It's not an easy feat, considering the last person who pulled it off did so in the 1920s,
20:27and the odds seem to always be stacked against him.
20:30Indeed, Eddie faces a slew of obstacles, challenges, and doubts.
20:35Nevertheless, his perseverance, determination, and drive are undeniable, not to mention beyond
20:40admirable.
20:41An incredibly charming and sweet underdog story, Eddie the Eagle soars above the rest.
20:46It was so flattering.
20:48I wasn't expecting that at all.
20:50Number 15, Hacksaw Ridge.
20:53One more.
20:55How do we get one more?
21:00One more.
21:02Although it is a visually gut-wrenching depiction of the horrors of war, 2016's Hacksaw Ridge
21:07is also a story of hope.
21:09The film is inspired by a real-life combat medic known as Desmond Doss.
21:13Maybe I'm prideful.
21:19But I don't know how I'm gonna live with myself if I don't stay true to what I believe.
21:23A lifelong Seventh-day Adventist, Doss did not carry any weapons during his service due to
21:28his religious beliefs.
21:29Despite this, he managed to not only survive the war, but also save the lives of countless
21:34others.
21:35In fact, during the Battle of Okinawa, he rescued approximately 75 of his fellow servicemen,
21:40and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
21:43And what you did on that ridge, there's nothing short of a miracle.
21:46And they won a piece of it.
21:51And they're not gonna go up there without you.
21:53Number 14, Apollo 13.
22:03Directed by Ron Howard, Apollo 13 has stood the test of time as a harrowing survival story.
22:09In 1970, American astronauts Jack Swigert, Fred Hayes, and Jim Lovell were on a mission
22:14to the moon when chaos struck.
22:27Only a few days into their lunar adventure, an oxygen tank on board their shuttle burst,
22:33leaving the team without electricity and with limited air supply.
22:36The film is based on a book titled Lost Moon, which was co-written by Level and chronicles
22:40his experience on the dangerous mission.
22:42Even with the knowledge that there is a happy ending, Apollo 13 is still a heart-pounding
22:47depiction of resilience.
22:49Gentlemen, it's been a privilege flying with you.
22:56Number 13, Lion.
22:57Have you heard of this new program, Google Earth?
23:00Ah.
23:00It's incredible.
23:01You can find any place from anywhere.
23:03Saru Briarley's life is the stuff that movies are made of.
23:06Adventure, determination, and most importantly, heart.
23:10It's fitting, then, that it was adapted into this Oscar-nominated picture, where Dev Patel
23:14portrays him.
23:15I'm not from Calcutta.
23:20I'm lost.
23:22Born in Madhya Pradesh, India, the future author was tragically separated from his family
23:27when he was only five years old.
23:28After surviving on the streets, he was eventually adopted by people in Australia.
23:32As an adult, he used Google Maps to connect pieces from his past.
23:36Uplifting and poignant, Lion is an engaging journey you won't soon forget.
23:41It's me, Saru.
23:43It's beautiful.
24:01Number 12, A Beautiful Mind.
24:03My quest has taken me through the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional, and back.
24:15In the world of mathematics, John Forbes Nash Jr. was a celebrated genius whose mind was both
24:21beautiful and complex.
24:22In 2001, his life was turned into a feature film, with Russell Crowe playing the Nobel Prize-winning
24:28mathematician.
24:29The movie highlights his many achievements, and also dives into his mental health journey.
24:34Imagine, if you had suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments, most important
24:41to you, were not gone, not dead, but worse, they've never been.
24:48In 1959, Nash was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and we see the challenges he faced both personally
24:54and professionally.
24:55Released during a period before mental health was more widely discussed, A Beautiful Mind
25:00serves as a reminder for audiences to keep the very important conversation alive.
25:04Maybe the part that knows the waking from the dream, maybe it isn't here.
25:16Maybe it's here.
25:17Number 11, Hidden Figures
25:20What do you ladies do for NASA?
25:21Calculate your trajectories, launch and landing.
25:24You can't get anywhere without the numbers.
25:25No, sir.
25:26One of the biggest moments in U.S. history was winning the space race in 1969.
25:31Although many helped make the mission a success, it would never have happened if it wasn't for
25:36NASA mathematicians Katherine Goebel Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson.
25:40NASA?
25:41That's something.
25:43I had no idea they hired.
25:45There are quite a few women working in the space program.
25:49Based on Margo Lee Shetterly's book, Hidden Figures chronicles their important work.
25:54More than that, it explores the horrific racism and discrimination they faced as black women
25:59in a predominantly white, male-dominated space.
26:02The film pushes Johnson, Vaughn, and Jackson to the forefront, telling a story that is so
26:06inspiring, it's simply out of this world.
26:09So, um, you think we can get to the moment?
26:15We're already there, sir.
26:18Number 10.
26:19Rudy.
26:20Rudy Rudiger didn't have the stellar grades, money, or athleticism expected of prospective
26:25Notre Dame football players.
26:27But he did have a big dream and the willpower to achieve it.
26:37Considering all the dreamer lacked, many thought his elaborate plan to earn good grades, make
26:42money, and train to be a worthy player was highly unrealistic.
26:46Despite doubts, multiple rejections, and many other challenges along the way, Rudy did everything
26:52he could to achieve his goal.
26:54His persistence paid off, as he was not only eventually accepted by the university, but also
26:59took to the football field.
27:06Rudy wound up winning a game in epic fashion, a powerful testament to the possibilities of
27:12triumphing against all odds.
27:21Number 9.
27:22The Theory of Everything.
27:24Recounting the life of Stephen Hawking, this film tells the story of the brilliant physicist.
27:29It was adapted from a memoir written by his wife Jane, who details their romance, his ALS
27:35diagnosis, and his exemplary scientific achievements.
27:43As Stephen builds a groundbreaking theory about black holes and radiation emission, his condition
27:49worsens, leading to struggles for both him and his spouse.
28:01Overcoming grim obstacles, Stephen continued to carry out and stand by his work.
28:06And even though he and Jane divorced amid hardship, the two remained close friends.
28:11While the movie takes liberties in its presentation, it presents admirable lessons about perseverance
28:16and the importance of leaning on those rooting for you.
28:20Look what we made.
28:23Number 8.
28:24Remember the Titans.
28:26Based on the true story of a high school football team, the film is set in the 1970s,
28:31a time that saw attempts to integrate a racially divided society.
28:35Black head coach Herman Boone is tasked with leading a blended team of players.
28:39The merging of the formerly segregated students was initially met with racial tensions and
28:44stark competitiveness.
28:46Football is about controlling that anger, harnessing that aggression into a team effort.
28:53But with speeches on unity, team-building excursions, and time to learn about one another, the team
28:59came together.
29:00After a victory, tragedy later struck when an accident severely injured one of the captains,
29:05adding to the adversity the players routinely faced.
29:08How's he doing?
29:12Not too good.
29:14But the Titans went on to prove their comradeship on and off the football field, exemplifying
29:19the unified power of standing against stigmas and injustices.
29:30Number 7.
29:31Erin Brockovich.
29:33Detailing the story of a resolute legal clerk, the biographical drama portrays Erin
29:38Brockovich's fight against corporate irresponsibility and selfishness.
29:42As an environmental activist and consumer advocate, Brockovich took it upon herself to
29:46investigate suspicious activity of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
29:50Incriminating records have a way of disappearing when people smell trouble.
29:55I don't remember that.
29:56She found that the company was contaminating local water, so she began building a case fraught
30:01with challenges.
30:02Being a woman in a male-dominated field and lacking the law education of her peers, Brockovich
30:08struggled to gain the respect she deserved.
30:10I'm just a guy with a small private firm.
30:13Who happens to know they poisoned people and lied about it?
30:16But eventually, her determination resulted in her case-seeing success, with corporate consequences
30:22imposed.
30:23Brockovich's resilience is an inspiring example of advocating for what's right, regardless
30:28of barriers standing in the way.
30:29So before you come back here with another lame-ass offer, I want you to think real hard about
30:35what your spine is worth, Mr. Walker.
30:38Number 6.
30:3942
30:40As the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era, Jackie Robinson endured substantial
30:46adversity.
30:46After earning his spot on the Brooklyn Dodgers, the talented first baseman was the target of
30:51unwarranted criticism, racial slurs, relentless taunting, and tremendous pressure.
30:57Rising above it all, Jackie consistently took to the field and performed.
31:09Not to mention, he was the key player whose homer clinched the pennant for the Dodgers.
31:14Jackie also connected with his teammates along the way, especially Pee-wee Reese, who notably
31:20showed support during a hateful display against opponents.
31:23Maybe tomorrow we'll all wear 42.
31:25That way they won't tell us apart.
31:27While aggression and revenge would have been understandable reactions, Robinson seldom wavered
31:33when it came to taking the high road and standing proud and tall.
31:37And here comes the pitch.
31:42Oh, and that's a deep slide for the left.
31:45Number 5.
31:46Coach Carter
31:47Ken Carter had a long, trying road ahead of him when he became the coach of a high school
31:52basketball team.
31:53Starting today, you will play like winners, act like winners, and most importantly, you
31:59will be winners.
32:00Focusing on the players' lack of respect and unimpressive performances in the classroom,
32:05the new coach took a different approach to making his team better students, players, and
32:09people.
32:10Team members weren't initially fond of Carter's disciplinary tactics and high standards, but
32:15they eventually understood his purpose and grew to appreciate their leader.
32:18Do you want to be on this team?
32:20Because you're about six words from getting kicked off and kicked off the goddamn bus!
32:25Though the team's season ended with a quarterfinal loss, Coach Carter left his players with a
32:30valuable life lesson, that winning a basketball game is nothing compared to achieving community
32:35togetherness, growth outside of a sport, and the ever-elusive victory within.
32:40But you men played like champions.
32:44You never gave one.
32:48With a classroom full of at-risk students experiencing eviction, abuse, violence, and death, English
32:54teacher Erin Gruel saw an opportunity to help.
32:57In an attempt to educate and better her students, Erin dedicated her own time, money, and effort
33:03to providing her class with diaries through which they could express their struggles and
33:07feelings.
33:08You have to write every day.
33:10Keep a pen nearby whenever you feel the inspiration.
33:13The determined teacher's involved methods were criticized by fellow educators and her husband,
33:18but she stood firm in her belief that it was her duty to give her kids meaningful outlets.
33:23I finally realized what I'm supposed to be doing, and I love it.
33:26Inspired by their accounts, Erin compiled the diary entries into a book.
33:30Thanks to her hard work and commitment, many of the students became first-generation college
33:35attendees who were granted the tools to pursue brighter futures for themselves.
33:40We're going to be together junior and senior year.
33:47Number 3.
33:48Soul Surfer
33:49Based on an autobiography by Bethany Hamilton, the film portrays the story of a talented young
33:55surfer who suffered a life-altering blow.
33:58A shark attack left Bethany without an arm, making the continuation of her sport seemingly
34:03impossible.
34:04I'm going to be okay.
34:06I know.
34:06But with time and resilience, she underwent a journey of self-discovery and got back on
34:11her board.
34:12She leaned on her loved ones while training to compete again, and demonstrated how it is
34:17indeed possible to conquer life's hardest tests.
34:23Even though Bethany lost a competition after a remarkable showing, she explained she wouldn't
34:28change what happened to her because she is now able to touch more people than she ever
34:32could before.
34:39Number 2.
34:40On the Basis of Sex
34:42The fight for women's rights has raged on for over a century.
34:47Gender discrimination is nothing new, but it was especially prevalent in the 1950s, a time
34:53that saw Ruth Bader Ginsburg attend Harvard Law School.
34:56This biographical drama follows Ginsburg as she carves her path in a male-dominated field.
35:01Is that an answer, Mrs. Ginsburg, or a filibuster?
35:04She graduated atop her class, but struggled to find employment as a female lawyer.
35:10Despite ignorance and stigmas plaguing her uphill battle, she worked on a groundbreaking
35:14case and vehemently advocated for gender equality.
35:17There's nothing that women are inherently better at than men, nor vice versa.
35:21After proving her worth in the legal world and significantly contributing to actions around
35:25sex-based laws, Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court.
35:29Her legacy serves as a reminder that effecting change requires passion, mobilization, and
35:35getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
35:37We did it.
35:43Number 1.
35:44Schindler's List
35:45Telling the true tale of a German industrialist during the Holocaust, this historical drama is
35:51as emotional as it is inspiring.
35:53Having witnessed the persecution of Jews in Poland, factory owner Oskar Schindler hired
35:58members of the Jewish business community.
36:00God bless you, sir.
36:02All right.
36:03You're a good man.
36:04When conditions worsened and Nazi forces transported some of his workers to Auschwitz,
36:09Schindler used revenue to bribe the commandant in exchange for their release.
36:13You could make things easier for me.
36:18I'd be grateful.
36:20Though his business was originally driven by profit motive, the businessman ended up using
36:25his factory as a way to save countless lives.
36:27An example of altruism and fortitude, Schindler's actions will forever encompass the timeless lesson
36:34that there is always a choice to be good and do good, even during incredibly dark circumstances.
36:40I could have gotten more.
36:41Schindler, there are 1,100 people who are alive because of you.
36:45Look at them.
36:47If I made more money, I threw away so much money.
37:00You have no idea if I just...
37:05Which of these true stories left you completely speechless?
37:08Let us know in the comments.
37:12Let us know in the comments.
37:12Let us know in the comments.
37:12Amen.
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