Inside Out (2015)

Joy, Anger, Disgust, Sadness and Fear are five personified emotions that control the life of a young girl named Riley Andersen, a strong, playful and active girl who lives in Minnesota with her loving family. As her parents take her to move to San Francisco, Andersen has to adjust to her new life, and the personified emotions who control her mind have difficulties in producing the same quality of memories that drive her character and rule Andersen’s interpersonal relationships with others.

This film is brilliant as it teaches viewers about how the human mind works and how emotions affect someone's decision to act on something, including in responding to other people. It encourages people to self-observe, and better yet, to gain control of their emotions.

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He’s Just Not That Into You (2009)

He's Just Not That Into You is based on a self-help book of the same title, encouraging women to take a new perception on their romantic relationships. The film itself tells stories about the interconnecting romance of nine people who have misinterpreted others’ behavior.

The self-help book on which this movie is based was a bestseller in 2004 and has become one of the ultimate bibles for women in trying to understand men better. The idea behind He’s Just Not That Into You came from a line in the dialogue from HBO's hit series Sex & the City, which tells the stories of single women in New York City.

Chef (2014)

Chef tells the story of a chef who looks for redemption after getting fired from his job in a high-end restaurant. Carl Casper, the Los Angeles-based chef, then opens a food truck and gets big help from his son in order to promote the food truck via Twitter.

Although Chef provides perfect, mouthwatering food imagery throughout the movie, cooking isn’t the essential part of the film. The plot of the story focuses on the spirit of someone who tries to win his life back after experiencing problems and failure. It also reminds viewers about the importance of building a strong bond with family in order to win their support when facing difficulties in life.

Forrest Gump (1994)

It’s hard to not fall in love with Forrest Gump’s witty characters and his kind personality. The film is set in 1986, telling the story of a man who experiences several historic moments of the 20th century. Gump loves ping-pong and running, and because he always does what he loves doing, he has succeeded in inspiring others. Gump’s spirit inspires viewers to always be honest and have faith in everything we do. It also teaches us to always have dedication and love.

(Read also: 5 most-watched Indonesian movies from the last decade)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

This film tells the story of a banker who is sentenced to life in prison after being falsely accused of murdering his wife and her lover. In jail he befriends an inmate, Red, who shares solace and friendship with him, and tries to make a redemption by doing positive things, such as helping guards do their tax returns and making renovations in the prison library.

His expertise is then used by the head of the prison who appoints him to do his money laundering. This film reminds viewers to always maintain and develop our personal qualities, even when trapped in a hopeless situation. Through helpful acts and honest effort, life will become meaningful, not only for ourselves but also for others. (asw)

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