Movies About Helping Others

From Frank Capra, starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell
Rated PG

It's a Wonderful Life is a classic American film directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore. The film tells the story of George Bailey, a man who has sacrificed his own dreams in order to help others. Despite his good deeds, George finds himself in a difficult financial situation and contemplates suicide. On Christmas Eve, George's guardian angel, Clarence, appears and shows him what life would have been like if he had never been born. Through this experience, George learns the importance of his life, the lives of others, and the true meaning of Christmas. The film is a timeless classic that has been praised for its positive message and emotional impact.

From Rajkumar Hirani, starring Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Mona Singh, Sharman Joshi
Rated PG-13

3 Idiots is a 2009 Indian coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Rajkumar Hirani and written by Abhijat Joshi. It stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor and Boman Irani. The film follows the friendship of three engineering students at an Indian engineering college and is a satire on the social pressures under an Indian education system. The story is told through the experiences of Farhan Qureshi (R. Madhavan) and Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi) as they search for their long-lost friend, Rancho (Aamir Khan). Along the way, they meet Chatur Ramalingam (Boman Irani), a highly competitive student and their college's biggest obstacle. Through the journey, the trio experience various obstacles, from the education system, to their relationships with family and friends. The film highlights the importance of true friendship and dreams, as well as the importance of pursuing one's own dreams and not those of others. The film received widespread critical acclaim and was a major commercial success at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in

From Josh Boone, starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern
Rated PG-13

The Fault in Our Stars is a 2014 romantic drama film directed by Josh Boone, based on the novel of the same name by John Green. It stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort as Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters, two teenagers who meet and form a bond in a cancer support group. Hazel is a sixteen-year-old cancer patient who has been in remission for years and is struggling to live a normal life. Augustus is an eighteen-year-old former basketball star who has also had cancer and has a prosthetic leg as a result. The two develop an instant bond and soon fall in love, despite the challenges that their illness pose. As their relationship grows, they travel to Amsterdam to fulfill Hazel's wish to visit her favorite author. Along the way, the couple comes to terms with their mortality and learn to appreciate the beauty and fragility of life. The Fault in Our Stars is a tear-jerking story of love and loss, with a powerful message about living life to its fullest.

From Richard LaGravenese, starring Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn
Rated PG-13

Freedom Writers is a 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey and Mario. The story is based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary by teacher Erin Gruwell who wrote the story based on Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach, California. The movie follows a new rookie teacher, Erin Gruwell (Swank), who takes up a teaching position at an inner-city high school. She begins to gain the trust of her students and to challenge them to think beyond their neighborhood boundaries. With the help of her students, Gruwell uses literature, music and even the sharing of personal stories to break through the students' emotional barriers. The students begin to understand each other, confront their prejudices and open up to a new way of learning. Together, they form a family that enables them to survive in a hostile environment. In the end, these at-risk teens are able to find their voice and discover their true potential.

From Aki Kaurismäki, starring Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen, Annikki Tähti, Juhani Niemelä
Rated PG-13

The Man Without a Past is a 2002 Finnish comedy-drama film directed by Aki Kaurismäki and starring Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen, and Juhani Niemelä. The film tells the story of an unnamed man (Peltola) who arrives in Helsinki and is attacked and left for dead. He is taken in by a Salvation Army worker (Outinen) who helps him gain back his identity. As he works to rebuild his life, he begins to form relationships with the locals, including an elderly woman (Siiri Anglo) whom he falls in love with. Meanwhile, he battles the local gangsters for control of the community. The Man Without a Past is a heartwarming story filled with humor and emotion that explores the nature of identity and the power of community.

From Brian Percival, starring Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Ben Schnetzer
Rated PG-13

The Book Thief is a 2013 drama film directed by Brian Percival, based on the novel of the same name by Markus Zusak. Set in Nazi Germany during World War II, the film follows the story of a young girl named Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse). After her brother dies and her mother is taken away by Nazi officers, Liesel is taken in by the Hubermanns, a kind-hearted foster family living in the small town of Molching. Despite the brutal Nazi regime, Liesel finds joy in the books she steals from her neighbors, which she shares with her friends. With the help of her foster-father Hans (Geoffrey Rush), Liesel learns to read and finds solace in her new life. However, when the harsh realities of war start encroaching on the Hubermann household, Liesel must draw on the strength of her newfound family to carry on and survive.

From Doug Atchison, starring Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Keke Palmer, Curtis Armstrong
Rated PG

From Dean Parisot, starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub
Rated PG

From Directors: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, starring Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb
Rated PG-13

From Bora Kim, starring Park Ji-hu, Sae-byeok Kim, In-gi Jeong, Seung-Yun Lee
Rated Not Rated

From Craig Gillespie, starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, R.D. Reid
Rated PG-13

From Rob Marshall, starring Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh, Suzuka Ohgo
Rated PG-13

From François Dupeyron, starring Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger, Gilbert Melki, Isabelle Renauld
Rated R

From Martin Brest, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Claire Forlani, Jake Weber
Rated PG-13

From Max Färberböck, starring Maria Schrader, Juliane Köhler, Johanna Wokalek, Heike Makatsch
Rated Not Rated

From Adam Brooks, starring Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz, Abigail Breslin, An Nguyen
Rated PG-13

From Peyton Reed, starring Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins
Rated PG-13

From David Mamet, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Rebecca Pidgeon, Michael Higgins
Rated R

From Ken Kwapis, starring Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively
Rated PG

From Margarethe von Trotta, starring Barbara Sukowa, Heino Ferch, Hannah Herzsprung, Lena Stolze
Rated Unrated

From Brad Bird, starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy
Rated PG