These Inspiring Movies From Last Year Will Help You Jumpstart 2019

Just because it's a new calendar year doesn't mean you're going to wake up every morning feeling bright-eyed and refreshed.

That sense of renewal has to start somewhere. So if you're having a tough time kicking off the new year, why not do it with an inspiring film? Here are some of our favorite movies of 2018 that'll help you get your 2019 off to the perfect start.

Black Panther

It's hard not to come away from Black Panther feeling like you've just witnessed something new and magical. Not only is it a superhero story with some truly riveting sequences, but it's about rising to your destiny and accepting difficult change. It also happens to feature one of Marvel's most tragic villains to date. And did we mention that its ladies kick some serious butt? The movie leaves the viewer with some profound ideas—and wanting to be more like the sassy brainiac princess Shuri.

(Black Panther via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

 

Bumblebee

We thought we were done daydreaming about running around with Transformers before Bumblebee flew its way into our hearts. Even though it's a movie about a giant robot, it's really about how friendship can get you through anything in life, and it's filled with a special sense of wonder that we haven't experienced in a long time. Even if you haven't particularly liked the other Transformers movies—or maybe especially if you haven't—this one just might make you fall in love with the series. It's the perfect movie to see with all of your besties in the new year.

 

(Bumblebee via Paramount Pictures)

 

Crazy Rich Asians 

Rom-coms deserve a little love, too, and few things fill us with more joy and hope than an epic love story. Crazy Rich Asians shows us that pure love can prevail despite whatever outside forces try to get in the way—and it's hilarious all the way through. So even if your S.O.'s parents aren't your biggest fans, this film just might give you the faith to know you can win them over with your charm and smarts. What's more inspiring than that?

(Crazy Rich Asians via Warner Bros. Pictures)

 

Incredibles 2

We all grew up with The Incredibles, so seeing its powerful sequel finally hit the big screen after more than a decade was an occasion in itself. Even better, it was everything we dreamed it would be.  As much as it's about superheroes and fighting for what's right, it's also about the importance of family and sticking together when things get tough. Just because we don't have our own powers doesn't mean it doesn't want us to go out and defend justice, too.

( Incredibles 2 via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

 

Instant Family

Instant Family is a sweet, sincere drama that touches on the topic of adoption and foster families with heart as well as humor, making it one of last year's must-see movies. It'll make you laugh and cry in all the right places, and it just makes us feel good—which is sometimes all you need to start the year off on the right foot.

(Instant Family via Paramount Pictures)

 

Mary Poppins Returns

The original Mary Poppins set the bar extremely high for its sequel, but somehow, Mary Poppins Returns manages to capture the spirit of the character without feeling redundant. It's full of musical numbers that'll still have you singing along way after you've left the theater, and it will remind you why she's practically perfect in every way. If you adore Mary Poppins and her unique brand of magic, there's no reason you won't love this movie, too.

(Mary Poppins Returns via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Even though it's sliding under a lot of people's radars, our favorite movie of 2018 just might have been Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. With its amazing characters (Miles Morales just might edge out Peter Parker as our favorite Spider-Man) and a multiverse story that's complex but never convoluted, it tells a comic book tale we'd never seen so deftly handled on the big screen. Its message is that even if you don't get bitten by a radioactive spider—or pig—you always have the potential to be their own brand of hero, and that's something we can absolutely get behind. And not only did the story inspire us, but the presentation of the animation made us feel like there are countless untapped ways to use the medium, and it's making us so excited for what the world of animation might be able to offer next.

(Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse via Sony Pictures Releasing)

 

If you're eager to see some new releases in 2019, click HERE for all of the Disney films coming out this year, ranked by our level of excitement.