Examples of recent movies, shows, and games with positive portrayals of disabilities
By Rabia Khan
Winter and the holiday season are all about experimenting with content; the weather forecast has somehow forced us to rely on Netflix and quit us from going outside because of unexpected blizzards and stormy winds. Movies are a great piece of our lives, that shape our perspectives and bring us near to our favourite actors. As we’ve grown in recent years, positive portrayals of disabilities in movies often struck our emotional strings in the most vulnerable ways. People with disabilities are often portrayed as feeble and weak in movies, shows, or games, but we learn how strong they are as movies and society progress further. There’s even a hero with disabilities in movies now!
Here are examples of recent multimedia content with positive portrayals of disabilities.
A Beautiful Mind is a terrific movie based on Josh Nash, a well-known mathematician. The film details his heart-wrenching journey with schizophrenia. He experienced the first signs of schizophrenia during the 1950s and despite the odds, Josh Nash made history in the mathematics world as well as game theory.
The Theory of Everything is based on the life of brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking. At age 21, the genius became a victim of a deadly Lou Gehrig disease. Hawking started documenting his life after he lost the use of his limbs. He is one of the most celebrated minds to date. The Theory of Everything is considered one of the best portrayals of real-life disability.
- Atypical
Atypical is a popular coming-of-age Netflix series released in the year 2017. The story is quite different from other Netflix shows. Atypical tells the tale of a young teenager with autism who manages to live the life of a typical teen. Unfortunately, After the show aired, it received a negative reception for its portrayal of autism and later, the character fell victim to extreme backlash.
- The Tovertafel games
Games are often considered good food for the brain. The Tovertafel games are co-designed for seniors who experience dementia and those who suffer from cognitive disabilities. The intention is to improve the life quality of elderly people. These games can benefit all age groups as they can decrease agitation.
- “Only Murders in the Building”
A recent release featuring mental health advocate Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building” has not only one but two characters with disabilities. The role of the deaf Theo played by actor James Caverly has become a popular character of 2022. James is deaf in real life too. The second character is actress Ali Stroker who uses a wheelchair.
- “Panic”
“Panic” is a high-strung show that airs on Amazon Prime. It’s fun and entertaining! Each summer, graduating seniors compete in challenging competitions that transform their lives. The story of the show unfolds when an accident during panic strikes unexpectedly, and Dayna Mason becomes paralyzed. Taking part in a challenge to avenge their sister, siblings come together to make history.
One of the most beautiful movies released in 2017, The Upside focuses on a wealthy businessman’s disabled life after a devastating paragliding incident. It sews multiple emotions at once on the screen. It’s hard to ignore teary-eyed scenes and not sob. The film features legendary actor Bryan Cranston, comedian Kevin Hart, and Hollywood star Nicole Kidman.
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