Movies that inspire us

Just started binge-watching the MESSIAH series on Netflix, and can't wait for another large block of time to finish it up.   It's a fictional story in a modern-day setting of a charismatic young man from the middle east who claims to be doing God's work.  He healed a dying boy.  He walked on the water with thousands of witnesses,  He somehow cultivated worldwide attention and millions of followers.  The story centers around whether this guy is the real thing or not.  As a viewer, I want to believe in him, but a CIA agent is convinced the guy is a clever con man who studied the art of illusion from a master.  If you happen to know the ending, don't tell me.  This topic is particularly appealing to me because I have an ongoing fascination with charismatic religious leaders like Jim Jones and David Korish who get people to do harmful things, all in the name of God.  Sort of like trump, who's captured the heart and soul of evangelicals and who are incapable of seeing the harm he (and they) are doing.  

Along the same theme, I recommend the new documentary about BIKRAM, the yoga guru from India who started an intense kind of yoga done in 95-100 degree heat that became very popular in the US.  Also on Netflix, the documentary profiles how a truly inspiring guy (who only wears a speedo and his gold rolex) can get his devotees to pay $10,000 each for a week of instruction to become certified Bikram trainers.  We see a huge auditorium filled with 400 or 500 of his teacher/students following Bikram's challenging yoga direction. We see Bikram riding around in his Roles Royce and living very well.  And ultimately, we see the testimonies of five or six women who claim Bikram sexually abused them....The assault was always the same.  "Come to my room and massage my feet.  Now massage my leg.  Now massage my thigh.  Now massage my dick.  Now I'm giong to have you."  The women were confused because they had so much love in their hearts for Bikram, and they were in a kind of denial that anything unwholesome could possibly be happening.  

I just binged Ramy on Netflix. It's a series about an Egyptian-American Muslim family, specifically about the son, who is trying to bridge the divide between his faith and his modern lifestyle. I loved the universality of the themes, it was very heartwarming.

Also, I have a link to share from two of my dance teachers. They are a husband-wife team who have their own dance company. They got a grant to create a dance for film, it's about the husband's struggles learning that he has diabetic neuropathy, I love the spiritual strength in it: 

KISSFIST by somebodies dance theater

Today I FINALLY saw It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood with my family.  We all enjoyed it very much.  Lots of messages and Tom Hanks did a nice job portraying Mr. Rodgers.  

The doctor-healer Lewis Mehl-Madrona likes to get to know new patients by talking to them about whether they’ve seen any good movies lately. This approach allows him to see what sorts of tropes and archetypes the patient is drawn to-what sorts of characters and stories inspire them. He can then use this knowledge to help the patient craft a personal mythology that will put illness within a context of healing.

For me, the film that activates my drive for transformation and health is Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film Spirited Away. It’s a hero’s journey that also explores themes of mutual healing among equally dislocated souls.

Does anyone else have a film they identify with because the heroism of its characters  inspires strength and healing in yourself?

Lars and the Real Girl: 

"Extremely shy Lars (Ryan Gosling) finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother (Paul Schneider) and sister-in-law (Emily Mortimer) worry about him, so when he announces that he has a girlfriend he met on the Internet, they are overjoyed. But Lars' new lady is a life-size plastic woman. On the advice of a doctor (Patricia Clarkson), his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion."

Saw this movie a few weeks ago and it's just so heartwarming the way his family and the whole town band together to help Lars in his time of need.  It just really epitomizes "Love Thy Neighbor."  I was tearing up the whole time...

@coyote

For me I have to say that there are several inspirational movies that made an impact in my life. I have always to some extent felt insignificant while growing up. (years of bullying dampened my confidence when young). I did grow out of much of that, but It's a Wonderful Life and Babe (yes the pig movie!) really spoke to me. The theme that every single one of us is important and can be impactful, whether we realize it or not was a central theme I enjoyed.

Side story: My god daughter was born right around the time Babe was popular. I had already watched the movie twice when she was two years old. At two she said (in her adorable child voice--she couldn't say her "R's" very well) "I want to watch the pig movie". So as a year or two went by, I literally watched that movie about 45 times LOL. She always wanted to watch that movie.  She said something to me at 2.5 years old I'll never forget. She said "Aunt Trish, I love you so much, and I've always loved you."  I said "what do you mean 'always'?" (She was barely 2.5 yrs old which is why I asked her that). She pointed up to the sky and said "Always, Even Before". Whoa!!  Then she said to me "Don't tell my mommy how much I love you", I asked her why? and she said "Because I don't want her to think I don't love her as much too. She is my mommy".  Whoa and whoa again!

She's now 25 yrs old, is a social worker and when she was 19 she volunteered in an orphanage in Nicaragua. I feel God gave her to me in my life because I didn't have a child, so she is the daughter I would have had if I did.  I also felt and saw one of my first Angels right after she was born.  So special to me. ❤️ ? ❤️ 

@coyote

Thanks for asking about great movies. My husband and I saw "Little Women" recently and thought it was amazing. As he pointed out, "I loved the way it showed people being kind to one another." Which is why I love him, and he's right. 

It's simple, but yeah, being kind (and paying attention to those whose life is focused on that) can be revolutionary.

Also all the other themes of empowerment and self-liberation and living a creative (and kind) life had something to do with my admiration for this movie.

I'm sorry I didn't have time to start at the top of this thread, and as usual started somewhere in the middle. I look forward to reading all the other great posts and movies that have moved people when I have a minute!

@coyote

When I started thinking about your post this morning, I immediately thought of the last movie I saw which was "Little Women."  I worried that the film adaptation wouldn't live up to that cherished book of my childhood, but it did in so many marvelous ways.  What touched me was this simple story of a family and the vastly different people within that family who forged their own unique paths in life, following their own dreams.  They did all this while maintaining their bonds and love for one another.  It was a compelling movie and I particularly enjoyed the way it relates to today's world and the need for women to be recognized and empowered.  

Next I thought of an old favorite, "A River Runs Through It."  Again, it's a story of family, love and the bonds between siblings.  There are people in your life whom you love, but you can't fix.  It's a timeless tragedy to consider how a family member's addiction or mental illness may be out of your control to fix.  You love that person regardless, but the tragedy and grief are there.  All in all, it's a beautiful story set in the wilderness of Montana narrated by the older brother who witnesses and endures and the younger brother who struggles.  Unforgettable.   So you might consider this an odd choice for a favorite movie, but I thought it exemplified real life with all its complexities and challenges and the love that overrides it all.

@triciact

Whoa indeed. Your goddaughter sounds like a lightworker. I'm happy for you that you have her in your life.

I saw 1917 today.  

What a powerful movie.

This is not an uplifting movie by any means.  It is similar in some ways to Saving Private Ryan.  

We don't hear much about WW1 and this movie is an excellent reminder of what war was like 100 years ago.  

A lot has changed in 100 years.  A lot hasn't.

Change the country.  Change the types of weapons.  Change the mission.  It is still the same.  

We need to be so much better than this.  What is it we haven't learned by now and why haven't we learned it yet?

@lovendures

I understand they show dead horses. A turn off for me.

@elaineg

Yes they do.  They show a lot of things that depict the realities of war.  

@lovendures

There is something wrong with me. I don't care that people get killed in movies, because they have a chose, but I don't like to see animals hurt. That is why I have only seen King Kong once, same with The Yearling, Bambi, Turner and Houch, and a few others I can't remember right now. I saw a western on TCM a while back, and I know they killed a horse when they tripped it as it was going down hill. In the movie "The Charge Of the Light Brigade, they killed 25 horses. [Graphic content removed.]

@elaineg I'm the same way. Some of the films you mention, I've never seen them! I've only seen part of one Lassie movie because I turned on the set and Lassie's predicament made me such a wreck I had to watch until the end.

To all my light working friends,

I enjoy sci-fi movies and series. During the pandemic I liked to watch futuristic shows as a fun way to escape.

my list:

The Expanse- 300 plus years into the future, humans have colonized planets and asteroids.

Altered Carbon - 360 years future. Wealthy people are able to live long into the future by transferring their consciousness into new bodies. 

Star Trek Next Generation - fun to watch old TV series, also original Star Trek

Posted by: @tiger-n-owl

To all my light working friends,

I enjoy sci-fi movies and series. During the pandemic I liked to watch futuristic shows as a fun way to escape.

I also like SF, and SF/Fantasy. 

Original Star Trek was groundbreaking in its vision of a multicultural society relying on mutual cooperation to explore and do good .  As for Star Trek movies, IMO nothing beats "The Journey Home" (the "Save the Whales" movie. )

And my favorite of the newer Star Trek TV series was "Deep Space Nine".   Most people like that one the least, but I thought it had the most depth of character.  It was a little darker than the others, but gave one more to  think about.

Others:

Babylon 5---- A freakin' masterpiece and gorgeous to look at.  Star Trek crossed with Star Wars and Game of Thrones with a fair amount of mysticism built in (e.g., the Minbari people...). 

Blakes' Seven-- This is an old British series that my husband won't watch because it doesn't have "good production values".   I think it is a great one, though. Many of the characters fall in morally "gray" areas and must struggle with themselves on that account.  The character Avon is fascinating in this regard.

Red Dwarf: Another old British series.  This one is just plain stupid fun.  

I will stop there.  ? 

Posted by: @ana

Posted by: @tiger-n-owl

To all my light working friends,

I enjoy sci-fi movies and series. During the pandemic I liked to watch futuristic shows as a fun way to escape.

 

I will stop there.  ? 

On second thought here's another- 

 if you want your mind completely blown by the most bizarre holiday movie ever made, check out the Mexican production "Santa Claus"  made in 1959. It has many SF elements because Santa Claus lives in space.   This abomination was shown in theaters every Christmas for YEARS during the 60's .Parents would drop their kids off at the movies while they went shopping. I think it caused brain damage.

It's free on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVO4ZRpTiaw   .   There's also a Mystery Science Theater version on Amazon.  (If you want to risk brain damage, that is.)

@ana

If you can find the MST3K channel on one of your apps (I get it on Pluto) they were featuring Santa Claus vs. the Martians all week, with the full MST3K treatment.

In my house we binged The Mandalorian season 2 the last few nights. It was SO good!! So funny - the writing is awesome. I don't want to spoil anything but the character played by comedian Bill Barr has the funniest line EVER - he's trying to get Mando to leave a cafeteria at the imperial mining center and he says "C'mon, we gotta go file those TPS reports" I DIED.

We are also enjoying Discovery on CBS All Access, although Sinaqua Green Martin has developed the bad acting habit of stage whispering constantly. Enough that I find myself screaming "Sing out Louise!!" to the screen regularly. Then Michelle Yeoh comes on to kick some butt and that makes me so happy.

Last night we watched Radioactive - about Marie Curie - very well done even if not technically science fiction.

Last year we rewatched Battlestar Galactica, and my husband has Firefly on his playlist forever. He's rewatching Fringe right now as I type this LOL.

On Amazon they have Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams - each one is a stand alone mini film and very high production values.