Tip#978: 47 Movies That Helped People Cope During Their Depression – Buzzfeed.com

It always inspires me to know other people around the world feel as passionate as I do about the uplifting power of movies. Not only does it make me feel part of a vast movie-loving community it also provides me with new film recommendations that I can enjoy and then share in my motivational keynotes and seminars and on this blog!

Ultimately, this is further proof that people have massive resilience resources for mental health and wellness of movies they can access to help them cope and manage depression. This is what I teach in my presentation How To Re-Energize Yourself because a favourite film can be very much like a personalized battery to re-energize you to move forward no matter what problems block your path.

On Buzzfeed.com, staff writer Jamie Jones asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell them the movie that helped them during their depression. Some of their comments were very heartfelt and can also be a source of inspiration for others dealing with depression whether it is situational or clinical. Here are 12 of my favourites from 47 Movies That Helped People Cope During Their Depression...

2. Amélie
“Amélie really helps me through anything. ANYTHING. If you’re upset it helps perk you up, if you feel like a weirdo it makes it not feel like a bad thing…” 

3. Silver Linings Playbook
“Watching them work through their problems and accept their faults made me feel like I could make it through okay too. And all the adorable dance scenes got me up out of bed and wanting to be moving and active again.” 

5. Lilo and Stitch
“There is literally nothing sad about that movie, it is just love.” 

6. Synecdoche, New York
“I think it spoke to my soul about depression and existential crises with such visceral truth that I felt connected to something; I felt like I was not alone with the terrible enormity of my feelings...” 

8. Legally Blonde
“Legally Blonde got me through a few rough patches during high school and college. Elle spent the whole movie not fitting in at Harvard, but then ended up with the best deal out of everyone, and that gave me a lot of hope for dealing with my own loneliness…” 

11. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
“For whatever reason, the movie I watched a hundred times during the worst of my depression was the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. There’s something so calming about Gene Wilder in that movie.” 

12. Cool Runnings
“It’s my happy place – I’m seven again and nothing is wrong with the world.” 

16. The Lego Movie
“I’ve been struggling with depression for about five years now. I’ve always felt like I was nobody and I am always going to be a nobody. The message in The Lego Movie gave me hope. I am special. Everybody is special. You can achieve great things. Just hearing that brought me to tears.” 

26. The Birdcage
“When I’m depressed, I always end up watching The Birdcage because I know it will make me laugh every time without fail. Plus, the late great Robin Williams stars in it, and any Robin Williams film is magic to my mood.” 

27. Almost Famous
“Whenever I’m feeling especially down I take out Almost Famous and I watch that “Tiny Dancer” scene and cry sad and happy tears at the same time, and then everything is a little better.” 

31. When Harry Met Sally…
“There’s just something about that movie that whisks me away and helps me feel stronger for some reason. I can’t explain it.” 

41. Inside Out
“Seeing that it was okay to be sad and that it was necessary to truly feel alive helped me know that I didn’t have to force myself to be happy all the time. It allowed me to begin to accept myself as I am again.” 

See full article for all 47 movies:
47 Movies That Helped People Cope During Their Depression

If you are dealing with situational or clinical depression or just feeling stuck in your life or career be inspired by these comments on the uplifting power of films. Let these comments show you that you are not alone in your problems and that movies have the magical ability to re-energize your thoughts and spirit to keep moving forward. Movies can make you feel less alone in the world.

And if you know someone who is dealing with depression and would feel better from this post then please share it. You could make a huge difference in their life today!

See Emmanuel/Motivatorman's personal list:
Top 10 Inspiring Movies for Managing Depression

Related Tips:
Tip#828: Motivatorman’s Top 10 Feel Good Movies 
Tip#834: Top 10 Movies for Inspiring Resilience in the Workplace 
Tip#200: How To Build Indestructible Optimism - Top 9 Movie Tips

ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here 

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
The Movies-For-Motivation Speaker
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Tip#977: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 4 - Me Before You

It takes time to train yourself to develop indestructible optimism so you can successfully face unexpected problems at work or in life. My own training put me to the test recently when I found a black & white stray cat that passed away in the garden of the home I am house sitting for the summer.

I’d never had to deal with a dead animal before and it was shocking at first. Then my optimistic mindset activated and reminded me that this would be a learning experience and everything would be fine. I immediately remembered I had a friend who was an expert on cats so I contacted her. She recommended I call 311 Animal Services which I did after I notified the homeowners. The service told me I needed to bag the cat and then leave in front near the curb for pick up within 48 hours.

Though having to touch this poor dead cat was emotional I focused on accomplishing the task, said a little prayer and bagged it as carefully as I could. I then put a label on the plastic bag for Toronto Animal Services as I was advised. Only thing was, I was worried that raccoons would get into the bag since it was now getting dark. And 48 hours was a long time.

So I did some online research on safe repellents and discovered that mint and Epsom salts were excellent. Thankfully this home and garden had an abundance of both. So I crushed some of the mint leaves inside the 3 sets of plastic bags and spread mint leaves and Epsom salts on top and around the bag. It ended up looking like a little shrine.

Thankfully Animal Services came at 1:40am and I went out to meet the woman who commented on how nice the bag smelled of mint. And no raccoons in sight! In the end I was glad to help give this cat a more loving goodbye. He looked so sad and alone when I first saw him so I was happy I could honor a cat I never knew.

My indestructible optimism got me through this problem and I learned so much about calling 311 Toronto, safe repellents for raccoons and mostly about my own courage, compassion and care for a deceased animal close to home.

A flower for the cat I never knew from the garden it chose for it's final moments.

Me Before You (2016)

The romantic drama film, Me Before You, is about cheerful and quirky Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) who takes on a job as a caregiver for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a wealthy young banker left paralyzed from an accident. There are many life lessons in this engaging drama sprinkled with funny moments. See: movie trailer

Louisa is brimming with positive emotional energy and demonstrates an optimistic mindset when faced with the pessimistic, negativity coming from Will. You can see her radiant personality and positive attitude shine though in all the vibrant, kooky clothes she wears and the joyful expressions on her face. Her passion for life is overflowing in every scene. She is like a battery charged with sunshine for Will to re-energize from!

In return, Louisa finds many silver linings within the conflicts she experiences working and living with Will. She learns more about finding courage to make a better life for herself. Louisa ends up being a wonderful cinematic role model for indestructible optimism!

Inspiring Themes:
• Passion
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Indestructible Optimism
• Resourcefulness
• Supportive Relationships
• Surrender
• Dealing with death

It’s important to note that this film has received a backlash from the disability community on a number of points that could affect your feelings about the film. And yet this is another example to test your own indestructible optimism and focus on the silver lining from this or any other film you are interested in seeing. And just like Louisa you will discover hidden gems of personal learnings within the negatives of a film.

Problems in life or at work can overwhelm you if you let it. That’s why learning to activate indestructible optimism can help you manage any challenge that blocks your path. These challenges are your training! Let cinematic role models show you what optimism looks like and mirror your own strengths and potential. There is always a silver lining to find. Focus on believing in this today!

Related Tips:
Tip#200: How To Build Indestructible Optimism - Top 9 Movie Tips 
Tip#593: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 1 - Argo
Tip#904: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 2 – Depression - The 33
Tip#974: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 3 - Ghostbusters 2016 
Tip#977: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 4 - Me Before You 
Tip#998: Top 20 Movies on How To Activate Indestructible Optimism! 



ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
The Movies-For-Motivation Speaker
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Tip#976: Great Teamwork Movies, Part 12 – Star Trek Beyond

Kirk: "We got no ship, no crew, how're we going to get out of this one?"
Spock: "We will find hope in the impossible."

The original 1966 Star Trek series was the first TV show to ignite my imagination and inspire my vision for an exciting future! It also showed me what teamwork looked like. I had already moved to Canada from the Philippines as young child and was watching reruns of a show that showed me diversity in a workplace representing Blacks, Asians, Russians, women as equals and alien species. And most importantly I got to see them work together solving problems in each episode!

In the first two reboot Star Trek films of 2009 and 2013 I always felt they were missing the core spirit of the original series (and the four other TV series that followed). I’m very happy to say that on the show’s 50th anniversary, the latest film, Star Trek Beyond, delivers more of the wonder, fun and team spirit I know and loved!

This is in thanks to the vision of director Justin Lin and co-writers Doug Jung and Simon Pegg (who also plays Scotty). They are all fans of the original show so their love and passion is felt throughout the film. They also continue the vision of original show creator Gene Roddenberry for diversity and inclusion with the reveal of a gay character. Crewmember Sulu, played by John Cho, is shown briefly with his daughter and partner (a cameo played by Jung).

Along with some touching emotional moments and exciting special effects I was inspired to see the team spirit and teamwork among these iconic characters. They demonstrated, once again, how effective cooperation was over conflict with one another.



Star Trek Beyond (2016)

The science fiction action film, Star Trek Beyond, is the third chapter of the alternative timeline movies where the crew of the starship Enterprise must recovery from a surprise attack of an alien commander named Krall (Idris Elba). The returning cast members bring a great sense of adventure and camaraderie thanks to Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg, Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin). See: movie trailer

The loss of their ship is devastating and yet each person demonstrates perseverance, resilience and indestructible optimism. These factors then lead them to creative thinking and resourcefulness as they address each problem one at a time on the alien world they are stranded on.

The main crewmembers each demonstrate how their individual talents and skills are quickly applied to the problem solving discussions. This is especially evident in the third act where the action and challenges escalate to thrilling cinematic levels. The lessons in Star Trek Beyond of leadership, teamwork and diversity all exude the spirit of what has made Star Trek special and inspirational for 50 years!

Inspiring Themes:
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Indestructible Optimism
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Resourcefulness
• Problem Solving
• Creative Thinking

Original show creator Gene Roddenberry also envisioned our future as one where we lived in the spirit of cooperation and not conflict with one another. This belief is especially highlighted in this film between Krall and Kirk. Krall argues that unity is not humanity’s strength but a weakness and Kirk responses that it is the opposite. In the end it is the film’s message to reaffirm that surviving and overcoming seemingly hopeless situations are always achieved through unity, cooperation, camaraderie and a resilient, optimistic group vision!

I highly recommend finding inspiration in films you enjoy that demonstrate effective teamwork and problem solving. Let the characters you resonate with mirror your inner strengths to be part of a team capable of achieving goals and tasks no matter how difficult they appear. Movies can excite you to see a positive future for you and the people you work with. Start creating that future today!

Related Tips:
Tip#849: Great Teamwork Movies, Part 6 – Invictus
Tip#954: Great Teamwork Movies, Part 10 - Captain America: Civil War
Tip#963: Great Teamwork Movies, Part 11 - Money Monster
Tip#429: Cultivate A Team Spirit Mindset - Rescue Dawn



ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
The Movies-For-Motivation Speaker
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Tip#975: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 4 – Independence Day Resurgence

After the recent thrill of seeing the new Ghostbusters film (see tip#974) I was in the mood for another summer popcorn movie and knew I had to see Independence Day Resurgence on the big screen. Alas the difference between both was that Ghostbusters was much better as a cinematic experience even though both were tapping into nostalgic feelings of their first films.

Independence Day Resurgence was considered a box-office disappointment in North America but did better internationally though I always remain open in my opinion. And with most films I see there were several “golden nuggets” or silver linings I found from this movie. These are the moments I feel a positive emotional charge from whether it’s a specific situation or quote by a character. These meaningful moments are the same benefits you can receive from any film good or bad if you are open to it.

Note: I chose to show the Chinese version of the movie poster because it was much warmer than the North American one!



Independence Day Resurgence (2016)

The science fiction action film, Independence Day Resurgence, is the sequel to the 1996 film, Independence Day, and takes place 20 years later where Earth has developed hybrid alien technology in preparation for more alien attacks. Despite flaws in the film it is still entertaining and showcases some visually stunning sequences and the welcome presence from returning stars Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox and William Fichtner. See: movie trailer

Yes some of the action scenes were overblown like the enormous size of the alien mothership that’s 3,000 miles (4,830 km) in diameter. And yet it felt great seeing the return of Goldblum, Pullman, Hirsch and Spiner as well as the amazing special effects, spaceships and alien characters. And the moments (golden nuggets) that moved me were the most human messages of the film. It was about how disasters and crisis unite people of all differences and beliefs. And these are important messages especially with the race problems and protests currently happening today.

Former President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) has another powerful speech in this film…

“We always knew they were coming back. But look how far we’ve come. In the last 20 years this planet has been unified in a way that’s unprecedented in human history. That’s sacred. That’s worth fighting for. We convinced an entire generation that this is a battle we can win and they believed us. We can’t let them down. It wasn’t luck last time. It was our resolve.” 

Resolve is defined as firm determination to do something and to settle or find a solution to (a problem, dispute, or contentious matter). It is this term and the vision of global unity that I took away from this film. That is the silver lining I hope you take away too should you see the movie.

Each person can have a difference of opinion when it comes to the same film. They may feel so passionate about their opinion that it could lead to fighting over who is right or wrong. My wish and vision is that movies help unify people and focus on the shared values of a cinematic experience. Those are the ultimate benefits of the power of movies for our planet!

Check out this awesome mock news special highlighting the exciting alien hybrid technology and cultural diversity in the film: The War of 1996 | A United World News Special

Related Tips:
Tip#664: Benefits of Box Office Bombs, Part 1 – After Earth 
Tip#875: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 2 - Aloha  
Tip#949: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 3 – Gods of Egypt 
Tip#975: Benefits of Box-Office Bombs, Part 4 – Independence Day Resurgence



ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
The Movies-For-Motivation Speaker
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016

Tip#974: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 3 - Ghostbusters 2016

This is an epic life lesson from an epic evening I recently had about optimism, positive thinking and problem solving! As I learned over the years and now teaching in my speaker topic, How To Activate Indestructible Optimism, the results are so satisfying when you can automatically see the silver lining of any problem you must suddenly face in life and at work.

A group of five friends planned to see the opening night screening of Ghostbusters at 10pm at the Cineplex VIP Cinemas at Yonge and Dundas. We wanted to come and support the all female leads that had been receiving controversial media attention. The tickets were purchased two days in advance and we were all excited as we approached the entrance of the theatre. I was then surprised to find something on the ground and stopped to take a photo of it (more on this later).

We got our printed tickets and proceeded to the VIP theatre where I was in a giddy state because this would be my first time in the renovated VIP section! We met up with two other friends who purchased individual tickets so they had to sit separate from us. All of a sudden, we saw that people were seated in our assigned seats and that’s when we realized our printed tickets were dated for the night before!

This is the moment when a collective mindset of indestructible optimism kicked in among us! It didn’t matter where the ticket error came from because our intention was to solve this problem. Within seconds we notified one of the theatre staff named Kelly-Anne and she said the 10pm VIP screening was sold out but she would see about getting us five seats for the 10:45pm IMAX screening. I immediately told our other two friends already seated to come with us.

 With Kelly-Anne of Cineplex VIP Theatres

So as we waited in the VIP lounge, we began looking at other movie options within this Cineplex despite the late timing. Within minutes Kelly-Anne returned with five new tickets for the IMAX screening and would also take care of the other two friends who could now sit with us! On top of this she apologized and provided us each with a Courtesy Ticket to any other regular screening of our choice!

We were all in a state of silly joy as we thanked Kelly-Anne for the outstanding customer service and for saving this belated birthday gift from my friend and colleague Tammy Cunningham! Tammy and I celebrated by singing the Ghostbusters theme as we got our hot buttered popcorn and drinks and settled in for what would be an unexpectedly epic cinematic experience!



Ghostbusters (2016)

The comedy-action film, Ghostbusters, is a reboot of the 1984 film about paranormal enthusiasts forming a team to deal with ghosts in New York City. This highly entertaining reboot captures much of the iconic imagery and joy of the original while creating new situations and lovable characters played by Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth. See: movie trailer

I was in awe at how enjoyable this reboot was! It was fun, funny and extremely smart with an amazing tone I’m not able to define at the moment. I just know that I’m not wild about 3D films and yet this is a must see in IMAX 3D with the stunning visual effects of ghosts and proton pack blasts literally popping off the screen! Plus McKinnon’s character Jillian Holtzmann and Hemsworth as the world’s worst receptionist are hilarious and scene-stealers! Teamwork was also a fantastic theme that stood out for me.

Inspiring Themes:
• Passion
• Perseverance
• Indestructible Optimism
• Resilience
• Leadership
• Team Spirit & Teamwork
• Supportive Relationships

This film has received an enormous amount of backlash since it’s first trailer for having all female leads and I did my best to not be influenced by the constant negative media updates. My optimism was kept activated thanks to a brutally honest, rave review by one of the original Ghostbusters, Bill Murray in an interview on The Jimmy Kimmel Show (see here at 2 minute mark). Though I still questioned his positive attitude because from all the trailers I couldn’t see how good this movie could be. And yet I was very open to the silver lining.

This is what activating indestructible optimism is all about at its core. It’s about believing and seeing a silver lining within a negative situation and trusting that everything will turn out positive. And that’s what happened on this epic evening out at the movies when faced with an unexpected challenge. We remained optimistic and ended up being provided with an even better cinematic experience thanks to the VIP service we were given at Cineplex!

After staying for the post-credit scene we left the cinema past 1 AM feeling energized and in a state of bliss. I then remembered what I found on the floor outside the entrance of the theatre. It was a shiny dime. And as I’ve written before on my movie blog, whenever I find a dime I know it is a heavenly sign that my father’s spirit is with me at that moment (read more). I laughed at how beautifully ironic this dime was since we had just seen a movie about ghosts and spirits! In the back of my mind I wondered if my dad had a hand in making sure this belated birthday gift would turn out grand. Either way it was an epic evening shared with friends!

Activating optimism can take time, training and practice and sometimes it is necessary to reboot your default beliefs and mindset. Be inspired by movies and real-life stories that demonstrate problems being solved thanks to positive attitudes and thinking. Be inspired to build your own indestructible optimism and soon you’ll have your own success stories that will thrill you and excite others who hear it!

Related Tips:
Tip#200: How To Build Indestructible Optimism - Top 9 Movie Tips 
Tip#593: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 1 - Argo
Tip#904: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 2 – Depression - The 33
Tip#974: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 3 - Ghostbusters 2016 
Tip#977: Remember Your Indestructible Optimism, Part 4 - Me Before You 
Tip#998: Top 20 Movies on How To Activate Indestructible Optimism! 



ON SALE NOW:
Top Inspiring Women in the Movies:
15 Films for Leadership at Work & in Life
The latest eBook by Emmanuel Lopez: Click Here

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: Fresh Air Show 14 minutes

Remember How Movies Can Help You: 
A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
The Movies-For-Motivation Speaker
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com

© Emmanuel Lopez 2016