Highlights

• Movies have the power to shape minds and inspire change, but it's less common for the highest grossing films to spark positive change in society.
• Gone with the Wind, The Godfather, and Star Wars impacted both the box office and society by challenging norms and influencing cultural perceptions.
• Avatar and Barbie demonstrate that movies can create positive change by promoting empathy, embracing diversity, and challenging stereotypes.

Movies are a medium that shapes human minds; what people watch influences their view of the world, and when they're inspired by film, then change follows. It is important that the human mind is exposed to positivity ... and unfortunately, it’s less common for the highest grossing movies of the year to provide the potential to spark positive change in society.

Hollywood movies are always a massive influence by merit of being screened worldwide, but not all Hollywood movies are positive or about change. Movies with a strong message about doing good and bettering humanity languish in art houses, while commercial movies about revenge and explosions are hitting theaters constantly.

While many moviegoers would like more inspiring films to watch, there are still some movies that dominated at the box office, and also created a positive buzz in society.

5 Gone With The Wind (1939) - $402 Million

In 1939, achieving the sum of $402 million was an unimaginable feat. In fact, Gone with the Wind holds a Guinness World Record as the highest grossing inflation adjusted movie in history. Today, this movie's worth would be $3.44 billion.

It remained the highest grossing movie for almost 34 years, until The Exorcist earned $428 million at the box office in 1973. Lady Vivien Leigh and the King of Hollywood Clark Gable starred in Gone With The Wind – which not only created a larger impact on the box office, but in society also.

In 1939, a male-dominated era, its portrayal of the strong female character Scarlett O'Hara (who doesn't bow under societal pressure, and possesses both good and bad traits like every person) served as groundbreaking inspiration. In that time, Scarlett was considered a rebellious character, but now is a symbol of self-dependence – positive change caused by this film.

After the success of this movie, many feminist movies followed – it's not that feminist movies were not made before Gone with the Wind, but Gone With The Wind had the greatest impact on the feminist movement of its era. Over time, fans of the film began to acknowledge Scarlett's character, marking the beginning of change, and many other feminist movies followed, altering the perception of women's roles – which were previously relegated to mere helpers for male leads.

Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone With The Wind, was a feminist, and every character in the novel is important, but Scarlett stands out among them. People still talk about this legendary feminist character.

4 The Godfather (1972) - $268.5 Million

An unknown writer, Mario Puzo, created a stereotypical mob movie script; Francis Ford Coppola read the script and was convinced it was a trashy "pulp" movie. The studio acquired the movie rights for just $80,000, and everyone was certain thatThe Godfather was doomed to fail.

But this cinematic masterpiece was released and caused upheaval in the film arena, amassing $268.5 million dollars and changing Hollywood forever. Al Pacino's finest movie made an impact on many Hollywood directors – and later, thousands of Godfather themed movies have been released to audiences.

The Godfather seems like traditional Italian mobster fare, containing revenge, killing, and struggles for power ... so how can this movie be credited with creating positive change? A book called The Godfather Effect, written by Tom Santopietro, discusses how this movie changed the thinking of Americans, how it changed Hollywood, and measures the impact it had on individuals.

The beauty of the movie is that every character is carefully fleshed out with complex motivations and desires. Marlon Brando's masterpiece asks the most important question: what are people willing to do for those whom they love?

An answer to that question can be either good (or not), but society nevertheless pondered it differently in the wake of the film. Its strict code of honor also fascinated the audience.

Moreover, people started to notice Italian-American culture, and the psychological impact of The Godfather was huge. Despite it being initially dismissed as "just a mob movie," the masses saw it differently, and that's what drives change.

The Godfather Of Hollywood: 10 Highest-Grossing Al Pacino Movies

3 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) - $775.51 Million

The impact of Star Wars is humongous – films like Star Wars and E.T (after decades) inspired viewers to improve society. In 1977, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was released (with high quality after effects). It became the highest grossing movie of the next five years, with a box office take of $775.51 million. Later, E.T. broke the record in 1982, after it earned $792 million.

In Star Wars, young minds were introduced to futuristic technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced computers, advanced camera technologies, 3D computer animation, and bionic limbs – which existed almost exclusively in human mind when these films first came out. But children of the day watched it, and set their sights on a technological future.

Star Wars affected our world positively (much like the television show Star Trek); it showed concepts that had yet to be invented, and now those concepts are reality. In 1977, The Child wanted to become a member of The Force ... and some of those child fans eventually became the real force for technological advancement.

The 10 Highest-Grossing Star Wars Films, Ranked

2 Avatar (2009) - $2.9 Billion

Avatar is the highest grossing movie of all time ... and deservedly so. This movie grabbed audiences instantly through the enchanting world created by James Cameron, and its characters and their deeds are a consistent example of deep empathy and concern for others.

Avatar's world may seem different, but its similarities with Earth are right under the surface; James Cameron’s masterpiece is not just about entertainment, but it is about changing people's perspective of life. Avatar is about embracing life and nature, and respecting various cultures ... and this movie is a gentle reminder that goodness always overcomes evil.

Jake, an ordinary person, thrives and becomes the hero of a tribe. The tree of souls is also significant, as it reminds people to remember how blessed they are surrounded with trees.

In Pandora, the world of Avatar, all are interconnected – much like on Earth, where our actions have consequences for one another. The world of Avatar will softly remind you to think about planet Earth, and how can anyone can work to improve life upon it.

1 Barbie (2023) - $1.43 Billion

Change is brimming slowly, but in 2023, Barbie opened the gate. Margot Robbie’s sensational movie acknowledged the dynamic nature of womanhood and how women can be anything they desire.

This movie successfully became the highest grossing movie of 2023, and depicted a straightforward message that the world was ready to change. Oppenheimer was released with Barbie, and there was an ambient expectation that "girls would go to see Barbie, and boys would go to see Oppenheimer."

Defying that pre-release stereotype, Barbie was incredibly popular with all audiences – further demonstrating that unabashedly feminine films retained broad appeal. "Barbie" is a household name and is generally considered a brand designed solely for girls ... but the big-eyed, beautiful Barbie has transformed over time.

In the summer of 2023, Barbie appeared on the screen, ready to take on modern day challenges. Even movie goers influenced by old traditions could see that if the decades old character of Barbie could evolve and change, anyone could.