Sometimes we watch movies to escape from our lives and distract us from what is going wrong with the world, and sometimes we watch movies to inspire us to be greater than we currently are. Whether you watch movies as a form of escapism or inspiration, almost all cinema fans love a good, inspirational speech scene (I know I do). Typically when I am feeling down or unsure of the world and my decisions, I write about it (or I write about anything to distract me). However, there are times when writing about something- anything- doesn't help; those are the times when I go to YouTube and search for my favorite inspirational movie speech scenes. I hope they bring you all as much encouragement and ingenuity as they have brought me in my times of darkness and uncertainty.

1. The Great Dictator (1940)

At the end of this propagandist film inspired to mimic Hitler's regime, Chaplin made a speech to address the horrifying state that society had transformed to under the rule of the dictator, Adenoid Hynkel.

"I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone - if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. "

2. The Blind Side (2009)

In order to graduate and be eligible to play football in college, Michael Oher was required to received an A on his final essay in his English class. Oher decided to write his essay about Alfred Lord Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade".

"Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake, but you're not supposed to question adults, or your coach or your teacher, because they make the rules. Maybe they know best, but maybe they don't. It all depends on who you are, where you come from. Didn't at least one of the six hundred guys think about giving up, and joining with the other side? I mean, valley of death that's pretty salty stuff. That's why courage it's tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you're doing something. I mean any fool can have courage. But honor, that's the real reason for you either do something or you don't. It's who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that's pretty good. I think that's what the writer was saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too."

3. Love Actually (2003)

While this speech is more of a monologue than a speech, it happens to be one of my favorites (and from one of my favorite movies), so I had to include it. In the introduction to the film, Hugh Grant discusses the sheer brilliance of the arrivals gate at London's Heathrow Airport.

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around."

4. Friday Night Lights (2004)

This movie did more than just inspire fictional football players at halftime and me in times of darkness, it also happened to inspire my all time favorite TV show. In the movie, the head coach makes a speech during halftime about perfection.

"Well I want you to understand something. To me, being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It’s not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship to yourself and your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down, because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything that you could. There wasn’t one more thing that you could have done."

5. Remember the Titans (2000)

While at football camp, Coach Boone makes his football team get up at the ungodly hour of 3 in the morning to go for a run in the woods that ends at Gettysburg's battlegrounds. Boone gave a speech about respect and racism that has become one of the most famous motivational half-time speeches of all time.

"Anybody know what this place is? This is Gettysburg. This is where they fought the Battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fightin' the same fight that we're still fightin' amongst ourselves today. This green field right here was painted red, bubbling with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. Listen to their souls men. 'I Killed my brother with malice in my heart.' 'Hatred destroyed my family.' You listen and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now, then we, too, will be destroyed. Just like they were. I don't care if you like each other or not, but you will respect each other, and maybe, I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men."

6. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

At the end of the movie, Red, played by Morgan Freeman, finds a note from his old friend Andy about the possibility of meeting up again in Mexico and living their version of a happily ever after. After Red reads the letter, he packs his bags with the hopes of rejoining his long lost friend and living the rest of his life to the fullest.

"Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'. That's god-damn right. For the second time in my life, I am guilty of committing a crime. Parole violation. Of course, I doubt they'll toss up any roadblocks for that. Not for an old crook like me... I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope."

7. Miracle (2004)

In 1980, the American men's ice hockey team beat the favored Soviet Union team to win gold medals and have their names forever written in sports history. This movie retells this dramatic and unexpected journey and includes an incredibly inspirational pregame speech.

"Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players—every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it!"

8. Rocky Balboa (2006)

Throughout the series, Rocky Balboa faces various adversaries that each teach him a life lesson, however, the adversary in this 2006 film also happens to teach a lesson to Balboa's son. Balboa's opponent is a younger version of himself, leaving Balboa with a serious disadvantage-his age. However, Balboa does not let this disadvantage stop him from trying and therefore his son's disadvantage should not hold him back either.

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!"

9. Hoosiers (1986)

Since I am a proud Butler University Bulldog and a frequent visitor of Hinkle Fieldhouse where I go to cheer on Butler's Men's Basketball Team, I figured I had to include the inspirational speech from the movie that was filmed on my campus. Coach Dale gives his team a pregame pep talk to motivate his team to win, but also to realize that no matter the score, they'll be winners if they put their hearts and souls into this game.

"There's a tradition in tournament play to not talk about the next step until you've climbed the one in front of you. I'm sure going to the State finals is beyond your wildest dreams, so let's just keep it right there. Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals that we've gone over time and time again. And most important, don't get caught up thinking about winning or loosing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners!"