5 Movies That Make You Stronger l Feel- Good Movies l Film That Will Make You Happy

We all need to be reminded that we are stronger than we realize and film can become this gateway. "Cinematherapy is the process of using movies made for the big screen or television for therapeutic purposes," Gary Solomon, Ph.D., MPH, MSW, author of The Motion Picture Prescription and Reel Therapy revealed to WebMD. Movies are more powerful than we have thought. They remind us of who we want to be or aspire to be. We may see some of ourselves in a particular character because something they do hits a nerve with us and allows for introspection. What is better than watching films that encourage you to be strong and to prompt you to hang in there in life, love and work. Hardships come in different forms, they have no limits and will not be ignored and movies can come to our rescue! Here are 5 movies that will make you stronger and encourage you to kick some butt.

'Erin Brockovich'

Look no further than to the big-haired, wisenheimer and brains of "Erin Brockovich," played by Julia Roberts to empower you. The film is based on the true accounts of Brockovich, who goes against Pacific Gas and Electric for polluting the community drinking water, which led people to become sick with cancer. This is a David-and-Goliath story of a single mother with the determination to take down PG&E and the plant in Nevada. "Erin's determination helps win the resulting lawsuit, and the 100 afflicted families are awarded $333 million in the largest direct-action suit in history," according to published reports. If this mom could have the boldness to go against the grain and the power of PG&E, you can also fight for what you believe in!

'Silver Linings Playbook'

The Weinstein Company

"Silver Linings Playbook" is a love story and proves that there is someone for you lonely girls out there. Remember that you never know when you will find your special guy. Bradley Cooper’s character, Pat, is struggling to put his life back together after a mental breakdown. Jennifer Lawrence is Tiffany and she is a little flighty but helps Pat find solid ground by helping him win back his ex-wife. However, Pat falls for Tiffany, but also unexpectedly has a chance with his ex-wife, but declines. Tiffany learned that she needed to let go of her past and the grieving over her husband's death to find that love was right in front of her. Pat learned that having a mental illness doesn't have to stand in the way of happiness. We are strong enough to let go of the past, receive love and have the power to move forward like Tiffany and Pat did.

'Brooklyn'

Fox Searchlight Pictures

"Brooklyn" follows Eilis Lace (Saoirse Ronan) as she navigates her way through 1950s Brooklyn. She left Ireland for a better life in America like so many immigrants did, but it was not an easier life. Life in America was not comfortable and she could not find steady work other than working weekends at a bake shop. She lived in a Brooklyn boarding house, which was cramped and unsettling. Ellis later located a job at a department store. This paid her more but she was ostracized by her boss and the customers for her quiet demeanor. Sadly, she realized that America was never going to be smooth, but said: "You’ll catch yourself thinking about something or someone who has no connection with the past, someone who’s only yours, and you’ll realize that this is where your life is.” If you want personal growth, then there needs to be a sacrifice and you need to take risks.

'Trainwreck'

Universal Pictures

We love Amy Schumer in the film "Trainwreck," which is a romantic comedy, but it teaches us to be our authentic selves and that we need to go outside of our comfort zones. Schumer plays Amy, a typical modern woman who lives a happy life without a guy by her side. She showed us that you can still be complete without a man in your life because finding happiness is more than a relationship. As far as dating goes, don't allow pressure from well-meaning people to influence what you should do or don't do when you find someone to date. For our leading lady, she starts dating Aaron Conners, a sports doctor, and realizes that she can still be herself and have a meaningful relationship.

'Working Girl'

20th Century Fox

In "Working Girl," Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) gives her boss, Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver), a business idea to invest in radio to gain a foothold in communications. Katharine said that she would pass the information along to people and later told Tess that they were not interested. But of course, the company loved it and Katharine was credited with the merger. When Tess was housesitting for Katharine, she found notes from a meeting confirming that her boss passed the idea off as her own. Tess stood up to her boss and exposed her as the fraud that she was and moved into her new executive office. She also snagged Katharine's man, Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford), as well.

5 Popular Secular Movies With Christian Themes

Big blockbusters can be Christian films, too. Read next feature >