Top 5 Motivational Films

Published in Concrete on the 17/01/2012

Motivational implies energy, it implies drive and it implies intuition. This list is complied of five films that aren’t ‘upbeat’, but give ‘incentive’ to its audience.

5) Pay it Forward (dir; Mimi Leder, 2000)

After The Sixth Sense, Haley Joel Osment would only manage a couple of other Hollywood films before dissolving into complete obscurity. He appeared in this flawed but positive movie about a high school student who invents a movement that encourages one person to change the lives of three people at a time. The idea begins to sweep America and a mission is on to find the person who introduced it. It’s a corny yet charming piece. In short the film’s about changing the world, what’s more motivational than that?

4) All About My Mother (dir; Pedro Almodóvar, 1999)

Pedro Almodóvar’s 13^th film is unashamedly a film about women. In the director’s unique flair he celebrates and dissects all the components that make up the female form. The film follows Manuela whose son dies in a car accident. She then travels to Barcelona to find the father of her son and is caught up in the lives of the women that he loved and ruined. The film’s motivational moments come when the women in the film, all damaged yet strong, come together to help one another. Almodóvar’s film comes with a variety of subtexts but the power of women coming together in the face of adversity is a strong, positive, thematic message.

3) Rocky (dir; John G. Avildsen, 1976) 

A fine motivational film doesn’t come much better than a sports flick and Rocky is the mother of all sports flicks. All of the Rocky films are the epitome of motivational Americana: work hard and reap the benefits. Refreshingly the first film is actually the least patriotic compared to the rest of the series giving it the most universal appeal as small time boxer, Rocky Balboa takes on the champion, Apollo Creed. The film includes an infamous and heart pumping training montage as well as brutal and pugilistic boxing match that feels raw even in 2012.

2) Milk (dir; Gus Van Sant, 2008)

Milk is the true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected into major office in California. Around the start of the film, just before his 40^th birthday, Harvey is a closet homosexual living in a New York in a sterile job. In just under eight years from he transformed sexual politics in America all senses and became an icon of his generation. ‘Without hope, life is not worth living’ says Harvey, a truly motivational statement.

1) Touching the Void (dir; Kevin Macdonald, 2000)     

It’d be a slight travesty if the top of the list wasn’t a documentary. After all, what’s more motivational than real life? The film follows two climbers that attempt to mount one of the toughest mountains in the Peruvian Andes. It’s told by the three men who were on the disastrous expedition in a series of talking heads which is juxtaposed with dramatised footage of what happened during the climb.  It’s not just a film but an experience. After 90 minutes of quite literally looking down the abyss into certain death, one can only feel motivated to appreciate life in all its forms and glories.

From terror to tourism: life after civil war

Colonel Muammar Gadaffi’s death on the 20th October 2011 signified the end of a tyrant, the end of a totalitarian regime and the end of a brutal civil war that has been raging in Libya for nine months. So what now for the Libyan people?

A vote on a referendum which will lead to democratic elections in 2013 is expected, but until then ongoing debates between members of the National Transitional Council of Libya will address certain ways in which the country can grow elsewhere. Libya has high oil reserves and if they can return these resources to their full potential post-war, their economy will receive a huge boost.

But it should also look at other countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas for guidance on how to rehabilitate its structural and social image after such turmoil.

One of these methods is boosting tourism and it has been a successful tool for many years in transforming the opinions, stereotypes and finances of many places.

South East Asia (which is an example of an area that has been through war, genocide and other horrific atrocities) really started to embrace tourism in the late 1990s and early 2000s: Thailand despite having an oppressive government for many a decade had been a hot spot for the intrepid backpacker. However Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos became more liberal to foreigners visiting their country and profited in the cash flow that inevitably followed.

Cambodia has been the sub-continent’s rising attraction in the past decade and its main attraction are the temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, commonly referred to as an ‘eighth wonder of the world’. From 1975 – 1978 the terrorist cell and political group The Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia. Part of their social doctrine was to to rid the country of Buddhism and therefore destroyed some of the temples, but many still exist and worth the trip.

A famous painting representing Peru's 'Internal Conflict'

Peru has only just recently come out of its ‘Internal Conflict’ which was from 1980-2000 but remains one of South America’s most popular destinations. Despite there being troubles in and around the city of Puno as recently as June this year, the country for a decade or so has been relatively stable. Peru combines famous sites such as Machu Picchu also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas high up in the Andes, but also quaint and ancient cities along side beaches enveloped in the Pacific Ocean.

Sri Lanka’s civil war began in July 1983. It involved a militant group named the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fighting for an independent state in the north and east of the island. Officially Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in 2009, but a small amount of violence remains. Despite this the country has remained a favourite for many a backpacker over countless generations and due to the end of the conflict, tourism has slowly begun to increase. Its people are infamous for their generosity and kindness and the laid back attitude of the island is charming.

A growth in tourism can also have a dark side to it. People are always willing to take advantage of an influx of tourists whether it’s as little as touting or as extreme as prostitution. At some of the more famous landmarks or beaches particularly in Asian countries, begging becomes an industry in itself with children being sent to tourist hotspots instead of school. However when you take into context how visitors help local business and how cultural relations are improved on every level, the pros out way the cons by some margin.

It’s always a contentious debate whether tourists have the right to see everywhere on earth. Some areas perhaps should always remain undiscovered. But a country that has received so much negative press such as Libya should look to turn that around by showing tourists its new image. A peaceful and prosperous nation will always be an attraction worth seeing for the open minded traveller.

Artist leads BAFTAs with 12 Nominations

The Artist, the first commercial, silent film for many years has received 12 nominations including best film, best actor and best director ahead of this year’s BAFTAs.

The film, directed by French film maker Michel Hazanavicius has already won a host of awards including best comedy/drama at the Golden Globes last Sunday.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is in close second with 11 nominations including one for best actor for Gary Oldman, who plays the traditional yet cunning secret agent George Smiley brought in to find a double agent in the British Secret Service.

The film was overlooked at the Golden Globes but the British Academy have hailed Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of John Le Carré’s labyrinthine book which also beloved as a TV series made by the BBC in the 1980s.

A surprise nomination is Nicholas Winding Refn’s Drive. A film that wowed the critics earlier this autumn but was another film looked over at the Globes. The stylish, existential, crime noir has been nominated for best film, best director for Refn, best supporting actress Carey Mulligan and best editing.

Previous year’s best film winners:

• 2011: The King’s Speech
• 2010: The Hurt Locker
• 2009: Slumdog Millionaire

One of the most interesting tussles of the night is always Outstanding British Film, which this year will be contested between My Week with Marilyn, Senna, Shame, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Shame stars Michael Fassbender as a man who suffers from sex addiction and is directed by Steve McQueen. Fassbender and McQueen both worked with each other on 2008’s Hunger and their follow up has been met with almost equal acclaim.

Lynne Ramsey’s We Need to Talk About Kevin rounds off a fine year for British film; Ramsey herself has been nominated for best director while Tilda Swinton was nominated for best actress. Swinton’s character is a mother of teenage boy who implements a heinous crime at his high school. The film was championed by Radio 5 critic Mark Kermode.

Lynne Ramsey back on wonderful form – Mark Kermode

BAFTA has always been famous for acknowledging not only its own talent but the best films from across Europe and America. The Guardian’s Xan Brooks praised BAFTA for choosing a fine of collective of films and getting the balance right between awards season fodder and independent cinema.

Laurence Logan, film critic, give his opinion on the BAFTAs and this years top films:

Laurence Logan’s film review

This year’s ceremony will take place on the 12^th February and will be hosted by Stephen Fry.

Awards list in full

Norwich’s Howson bid accepted

Norwich City have made their first splurge in the transfer market this January by having an offer accepted for Leeds midfield Jonny Howson.

The offer is thought to be around £500,000: a sum that some Leeds fans find irrespective of the quality of the player.

Howson has made 22 appearances for Leeds this season, but has been sidelined since December with a knee injury.

The 23-year-old is inclined to take the offer as an opportunity to play in the Premier League rather than the Championship for the rest of the season is too good to turn down.

This will come as a surprise to many Leeds supporters as Howson is the club captain however his contract runs out in the summer, so offers for the midfielder were always likely.

Paul Lambert, the Norwich manager, has a proven track record of bringing in players from lower league clubs with successful results. During the summer Anthony Pilkington, Elliott Bennett and Steve Morison amongst others were brought in from Championship and League One clubs and have 13 goals between them.

If Howson moves he will link up with Bradley Johnson, who was his compatriot at Leeds only last season. Johnson joined on a free transfer from the Yorkshire club and has been in good form for City this term.

A statement from the Leeds United noted how disappointed they were that the matter had become public. This shows that a new contract with Howson was perhaps on the cards and the club might have been able to persuade the former England Under 21 international to stay for the rest of the season.

However Norwich are looking for Premier League survival and they hope to replicate their good first half of the season with a consistent second. And if Howson joins the club, Lambert and his team will be in good shape for the rest of the year.

Video

Jonny Howson’s goals