There's nothing quite like sitting down with your family or friends, or even all by yourself, curling up on your couch with a bowl full of popcorn and some Maltesers and really enjoying a feel good movie that warms your heart. 

No full-on swearing or awkward sex scenes, just wholesome inspiration and maybe even a dose of hope.

Well, I wanted to share my personal favourite reviews of a handful (or two) of these kinds of movies. 

So I did - in a podcast!

You can have a listen to the April May Gems Show - Episode 35 - titled "Feel Good Movies to Inspire Us" here.

I start off with a few of good war films (is that even a thing - yes, yes it is) as well as some biographical true stories, some romance flicks, a movie for the intellectual type and one that has been a little conversationally controversial!

I’ve even thrown in a hip and groovy film about the 70s as well as a fun Christmas musical starring the legendary rap artist Lecrae and Joel Smallbone from 4K&C that hit the big screens just last year. 

You might want to grab that pen and paper during this episode or open up your notes app as some of these beauties will be worth jotting down. 

War movies can be incredible.

(I promise!)

The war movies I review, truly are favourites of mine and they include:-

One remarkable true story about a guy who joins the army but even though he is a soldier, he refuses to handle weapons or engage in war.

He's a combat medic and instead of killing people, he saves them. A lot of them!

It stars the “Amazing Spiderman” actor, Andrew Garfield and it’s directed by the equally amazing, Mel Gibson. 

It’s a great inspirational movie about standing up for what you believe in, even if youre the only one.

I also include a war movie directed by Angelina Jolie about a somewhat famous person, who is also a survivor of a plane crash as well as 47 days in a raft at sea, getting caught by the Japanese and becoming a prisoner of war.

He then endures continual sadistic abuse, from a prison camp guard who is bent on breaking him. But doesn’t! 

If ever you’ve found it hard to forgive your enemies, it really is a great inspiring movie to watch.

(by the way, I also include the sequel which deals with this man's struggles of his traumatic memories and the love that helps him deal with it all.)

I finish off the war theme with a more kid-friendly, beautiful Stephen Spielberg directed movie that at the heart of the story (which is based on a children’s book) is about the touching bond between a young guy called Albert and his beloved and very brave horse called Joey. 

It’s a story of their persevering, loyal friendship, despite all odds. 

I also throw in another horse flick for kids of all ages that's uplifting, compassionate and spirited. 

A beautiful animated, feel good film of the friendship between a brave, wild stallion and a young Lakota Indian boy named Little Creek.

It features a soundtrack album by Bryan Adams and stars Matt Damon. 

Movies starring overcomers make us want to overcome too, right? Right!

Overcoming, despite all odds is my next theme of "Feel Good Movies to Inspire Us." 

I share one that's based on the true story of a 14 year old adopted boy, who slips through an icy lake, remains under water for more than 15 minutes before getting rescued - thanks to an interesting voice from above (?) No pulse, no breath, and obviously no hope of recovery, he has a praying Mumma! 

It’s an awesome true story of a medical miracle and as such, it makes for a great movie to watch and be inspired by. 

Another couple of true stories about overcoming follow.

One is about a young 13yo surfer girl who experiences the horror of a tiger shark biting off her entire arm, right up to her shoulder. The story is not just about overcoming challenges and disappointments but its about endurance and determination and motivation and also about finding your passion again. Starring Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid, a great feel good flick for all ages.

The other is about a young girl who gets really sick and suddenly needs immediate surgery or she’ll die. 

Diagnosed with a chronic illness - a disorder with a big name, associated with her nervous system seems to give way for a weird miracle to take place as she falls almost 10 metres down - into the inside of a tree, receiving no serious injury, no broken bones, no paralysis but get this – she’s completely cured of her illness. The young girl shares how she left her body during the fall and had an experience with God, who told her that her illness would be cured upon her return to earth. Jennifer Garner and Queen Latifah star in this film.

If you doubt God is real or don’t believe in miracles. This true story movie is guaranteed to stir your faith, for sure.

I also throw in another true story 'Miracle Movie' about a 3 year old boy who underwent emergency surgery and in this movie, he too describes how he left his body, while in his hospital bed and had an incredible encounter. 

Next on my 'overcomer movies' list is a heartwarming and uplifting movie I recommend for teens.

In a nutshell, there’s a small town with its main factory closing down and so, families are leaving, and the local high school basketball coach is re-assigned to teach cross country where no one shows up, except for one troubled teen.

Basically, it’s about a least likely coach, helping a least likely runner, attempt the impossible. It’s also about her meth addict dad that abandoned her as a baby, and how it took him to go blind in order to see. It's about a grandmother that lies to her and a coach who tells her to ‘believe in herself’ when her life has shouted at her - that she shouldn’t.

It’s super inspiring and I can attest it's great to watch with your teenagers.

Romance Films - they're not just chick flicks, I can attest they make for a great date-a-mate night (especially appealing to the guy who can admit that he "has a bit of dust in his eye" while watching The Notebook - true story of mine!)

I know, I know, how can I not chuck in some romance flicks?

Pssst, if you like Nicholas Sparks, you will know the joy of watching love story movies like The Notebook, The Longest Ride, The Lucky One, Message in a Bottle (Oh, Kevin Costner, be still my beating heart. I could go on...)

Well, I introduce you, to what I like to call the female version of Nicholas Sparks and one of her books (now a movie) is all about the absolute unwavering love of a man, for his continual run-away wife who is actually a prostitute and has been, for a really long time and, look, she just keeps on going back to this old way of life, because she feels so unworthy of her husband’s unconditional and enduring love. 

I recommend this beautiful love story flick if you need to know what it is, to be truly adored, with an unwavering, unconditional love.

Gosh, we can often feel so unworthy of such a love, that we shy away. Even run away. Sometimes, over and over again but there is a some One, who will just continue to love us still, no matter what – or how many times we reject him.

This movie is worthy to be put on the 'must watch' list. A beautiful gold rush, western romance love story that will speak to your heart, if you let it.

Two more chic flicks / date night movies that are worthy of review when it comes to Feel Good Movies to Inspire Us are a couple of biographical true stories about singer songwriters. 

One being about the amazing Jeremy Camp, his deep love and devastating loss of his young wife to cancer and his journey of hope and success and also faith, to still believe in Gods faithfulness, despite such a heart-wrenching tragedy. (You’ll need the tissues for this one.)

The second is also a ‘hope after tragedy’ success story strring Dennis Quaid, about the singer songwriter Bart Millard who grew up in a very abusive home. 

His mum walked out while Bart was at a camp and he was left with his physically and emotionally abusive dad but when his dad becomes terminally sick, he finds redemption and faith, which leads him to a very real, sorrowful repentance, for his past actions and a rediscovery of love for his son.

This inspires Bart, as an adult and lead singer for the band, Mercy Me to write a hit song. (It has 19 million hits on its youtube video!)

It’s a really great movie that gave me such hope to believe, that none of us are ‘soooo far from God’ that He can’t find us, hear us, touch us or change us.

“Gods ear is not so dull that it cannot hear and his arm is not so short that it cannot save.” (Isaiah 59:1) 

Controversy and Questions inspiring us to ask, seek and find...

Finally, I share what is quite possibly my favourite movie of this decade (which gained some crazy controversy in epic proportions) plus an intellectual favourite just for fun.

The first stars Sam Worthington, our favourite blue man from Avatar, who plays a dad, whose youngest daughter is abducted and murdered and in the midst of his grief he receives a mysterious invitation to 'meet with God!' Well, God rocks up as a rather large “I’m just here bakin' in the kitchen" negro woman, Jesus joins the party too, y'know, walking on water and being a carpenter and stuff and the Holy Spirit is a mysterious, Asian gardening lady (?)

Anyway, this ‘very angry at God’ grieving dad asks some serious questions like,

“If youre so loving God, why is my daughter dead?”

If you’ve suffered hard things like grief, or wrestled with hard questions and would love to meet with God and yell them all out, well this a great movie for you. I've watched this movie at least 10 times – it never gets old. 

Perhaps you are the questioning type but youre not really into questioning God, as such and wouldn’t particularly want to chat to the water-walker (Jesus) because maybe you’re not even really sure that they even exist or ever, even did exist. Well, you might really like the next movie review.

It's all about an atheist news reporter who in the 70’s, married with a couple of kids is out at dinner one night and his daughter almost dies from choking. 

Long story short, his wife decides to go to church where the lady who saved their daughters life goes and well, he gets full-on stroppy about it. 

Worried that she’s joined some weird cult he starts a journey, hell bent on proving to his wife that Jesus is a load of - well, you know.

This well meaning husband/dad ends up using his journalistic gift to question all sorts of interesting people and it leads him to an amazing place of insight, not just in his brain but his heart. This movie is full of very interesting historical and medical facts for your brain as well as feel good stuff for your heart.

I highly recommend it.

Another ‘true-story based film’ from the 70s that I review, is one that hit the big screen just last year, about the unfolding of the biggest counter culture movement ever in Americas history. Its an epic film, hip and groovy, cool and inspiring and I give this a high recommendation too.

Last but not least I review the most recent big screen true story that I believe will totally move you, uplift you, inspire you and give you hope .

It's all about the life of the family known as the Smallbones. A mum, a dad, washed up and hopeless, jobless and friendless, strangers in a strange place, with a pile of kids and pregnant, face the impossible and absolutely incredible things happen in and for this family. 

The famous singer Rebecca St James emerges from this family, as does her very famous brothers’ the duo band FOR KING AND COUNTRY. This film is an absolute gem and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. The real Joel Smallbone from 4K&C actually plays his own dad in this movie.

Christmas ... and that's a rap!

Speaking of Joel, He also plays mean old King Herod in a movie especially for Christmas.

It stars Lecrae too, my all time favourite rap artist, as the Angel Gabrielle. 

Look, it’s a musical ok but a laugh and a half, bound to bring you joy. I saw it on the big screen last year too and honestly, it will make for a jolly good Christmas movie.

What are you waiting for?

I hope you love listening to the reviews of all of these movies on the April May Gems Show's Podcast, titled "Feel Good Movies to Inspire Us."

It's Episode 35. To listen click here

I'd love for you to let me know if you watch any of them by contacting me on the contact form.
Until then, grab a pen and paper and go and get your popcorn popping!

God bless you as you do...

April May