With the beginning of “awards season” upon us and the Golden Globes this Sunday, we wanted to take a look back at some of the movies and documentaries that inspired and moved us in 2014. Many of the movies on this list are nominated for Golden Globes, but some are just personal favorites of ONE staffers.
Take a look at the movies below and add these to your “must watch” list – we know you have plenty of time during these cold months to catch-up…
Photo Credit: IMDb
1. Selma
Selma is a chronicle of the tumultuous three-month period in 1965 during the civil rights movement during which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a campaign to secure equal voting rights by marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. And this movie has an awesome action for high schoolers. Interested in using your words to change history like Dr. King? The National Liberty Museum invites you to participate in a speech and essay contest. But hurry – the deadline for the contest is Jan. 30!
Photo Credit: Huffington Post
2. The Theory of Everything
The Theory of Everything follows the life of world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease. The movie tells his story primarily through his extraordinary relationship with his first wife, Jane. Together, they defy the odds of medicine just as he embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, studying time.
Photo Credit: RogerEbert.com
3. Wild
Wild chronicles the journey of Cheryl Strayed as she endeavors to transform her life by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Based on a best-selling novel, this movie will remind you that change is always possible if you put your mind to it (or hike 1,100 miles).
Photo Credit: Vimeo
4. The Overnighters
This award-winning documentary tells the story of the small town of Williston, North Dakota, where tens of thousands of unemployed hopefuls arrive with dreams of honest work and a big paycheck under the lure of the oil boom. Addressing themes of redemption and compassion, this film will undoubtedly inspire you.
Photo Credit: Indie Wire
5. The Imitation Game
Yes, another movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch. This movie takes place in 1939, as the newly created British intelligence agency MI6 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing to crack Nazi codes. Turing and his team finally succeed and become heroes, but in 1952, the quiet genius encounters disgrace when authorities reveal he is gay and send him to prison.
Photo Credit: IMP Awards
6. The Boxtrolls
An uplifting movie for the whole family! This stop-motion animated film tells the story of The Boxtrolls, a community of quirky, mischievous creatures. When the town’s villain, Archibald Snatcher, comes up with a plot to get rid of the Boxtrolls, they devise a daring plan to save the community.
Photo Credit: Cinvox
7. Every Last Child
This dramatic documentary follows the story of the resurgence of polio in Pakistan. The country is suffering from devastating outbreaks of the disease, prompting urgent and strategic efforts from the World Health Organization to fight this public health crisis.
Photo Credit: Indie Wire
8. Virunga
This documentary is about the fight to save an expansive national park in Congo. It combines activism, history, investigative journalism and beautiful scenery to tell an incredibly compelling story. (Pro: you can stream it on Netflix!)
