The Oscar nominations were delayed this year because of the California fires and our hearts go out to everyone who suffered losses. There will be ample opportunity to celebrate the art form, but now is the time to fight, work, and then heal. In that spirit, I review two films that display those wonderful human attributes—one is a remarkable story about spirit, and the other is about fighting and healing. Both are available for streaming.

Unstoppable (Amazon Prime Video)

This is a crowd-pleasing, uplifting movie—based on a remarkable true story—that will appeal to many different audiences. It tells the story of American wrestler Anthony Robles, who despite being born with only one leg, became a national champion in 2011 for Arizona State University. Played wonderfully by Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us) and co-starring Jennifer Lopez, Michael Peña, Don Cheadle, and Bobby Cannavale, it is a solid all-around production helmed by first-time director William Goldenberg. Goldenberg is a veteran Hollywood editor—with Argo and Zero Dark Thirty among his many credits—who proves a capable director and eschews the urge to be too flashy and wisely lets the story do the work. That story is fascinating.

Unstoppable

Robles was discounted at every step of his career, but he was still offered a full ride from Drexel University after high school. He decided to stay home in Arizona (more on that in the film) and walk on at Arizona State. He made the team against all odds and became a star who finally won the elusive championship. We see his physical struggle, but we also get his personal story and the background to understand his psychological and emotional motivations. Robles was/is an inspiring human and here is where the audience appeal comes in. I recommend it for anyone.

Daughters (Netflix)

This deeply affecting documentary, from directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, tells the story of a daddy-daughter dance for prison inmates and their daughters. The film follows four specific families, but the overall program is highlighted as well. That program—active for over 12 years—allows the families to meet for one night (in the prison gym) after an extensive 10-week program for the men in prison. There are various rules to be followed, but the film doesn’t harp on the minutiae, and rather, it sticks close to the emotional aspects—before, during, and after the dance. This is a wise choice, and the result is an emotional, intense, alternately depressing and exciting, sometimes elegiac film that brings us into a small world that affects so many. It is quite moving.

As we meet the men in prison, the film cuts to their daughters outside those walls, an effective editing strategy that continues until the dance itself. There is great tension up until that point, and the dance comes at about halfway through the film. After that sequence, there is still 30 minutes of post-dance story that follows everyone for three years afterward. There is some hope and a great deal of heartbreak in this last sequence, but it is here where we understand the crux of the program: how the dance inspires the men to be better. Some are.

We also see the daughters post-dance, and the range of emotions is fascinating but also difficult to watch. Overall, the film is effective and thoughtful, brutally realistic at points, and wonderfully poetic at times. Film can bring us all kinds of stories, and this one is perfectly suited for the screen.

Vincent Piturro, PhD., is a Professor of Film and Media Studies at MSU Denver. Contact him directly at vpiturro@msudenver.com or follow him on Twitter. For more reviews, search The Indie Prof at FrontPorchNE.com.