For me the movie “Here” with Tom Hanks. It just brought back so many great memories from my life. It also made me appreciate my generation as a Woman as opposed to prior generations.
I also felt the movie The shack on netflix was excellent. It is religious but very impactful since the Father was stuck in life
Everyone
has mentioned films that I think are wonderful,
and introduced me to other films I would like to watch.
Three that have moved me deeply
are
‘Out of Africa’,
‘The Piano’,
and ‘Departures’.
They are about people making the best of their lives,
even in strange or adverse environments.
They are about love and self respect,
and sometimes about the respect of others,
and these movies fill me with gratitude
for the dedication and artistry
of the film makers and actors themselves.
In recent years,
I think most movies
are not made with me in mind,
as they do not usually appeal . . .
maybe I’m getting old
or maybe I’m just not responsive
to the dumbing down of America that is a common goal,
with no real thought to quality or substance.
Or maybe
I’m just being judgmental.
Dear Sparrow, thank you for mentioning Out of Africa & The Piano. I was deeply moved by them both & loved them for being works of art.
I find what is coming out of “Hollywood” these days atrocious. I agree there is a concerted effort to dumb down America.
Not just in tinsel town, this agenda is everywhere.
Blessings. Love & Peace. ❤️🕊️
I too,
dear PKR,
appreciate them as works of art.
For me,
something is a work of art
if it touches me deep inside
and stays within my psyche . . . ♥
I’m happy that I am not the only one
who thinks ‘they’ are trying to dumb us down. 🙂
Elizabeth´s post reminded me in a movie called “The Mustang” which i saw a few days ago. It was about a man being in prison for something which was not mentioned. He was strong, full of hidden anger and completely reserved. There was a program for some of the prisoners who would behave well to look after wild horses who are meant to be tamed and then be auctioned in public.
There was a wild mustang in agony, locked up in a wooden stable, kicking constantly against the walls. Only when this reserved man approached without speaking a single word, the animal suddenly stopped kicking. In the course of a dramatic relationship between the man and the horse , the two protagonists found back to inner trust into someone again, to respect and to a kind of inner freedom. A deeply touching cinematic documentation about a government program in several states of the US resulting in a much higher rate of successful reconnection and integration of former prisoners back into society. I am deeply grateful for the ones concerned that this beautiful program exists which offers hope and trust to people with almost no perspective. Thank you dearly for all concerned. 🙇♀️🙏✨❤️🙏
I’m sure,
dear Ose,
that this film would have spoken to me,
as it is the very kind of experience I want when I see one like this.
There is hope for us all
if we look for it. ♥
I’m not sure about a more grateful perspective, but I am definitely grateful for the perspective movies have given me. Far too many to name and I can’t remember the names of most of them anyway. Lots of documentaries. Is a documentary a movie?
A good movie, like a good book, takes me to another reality and to see through someone else’s eyes.
I can’t think of any that have given me a more grateful perspective, but I’m grateful when movies make me laugh, cry, and think, and there are so many that fit those criteria. I did watch a documentary about my favorite band, 311, on 3/11 the other day, and it made me grateful to be a fan of this band that exudes positive energy, sings about unity and love, and performs live yearly bringing fans together. It’s been fun growing up with them, so to speak, and watching all of our transformations over the years. The constant is music, which I appreciate more than any move out there 🙂
I’ve been listening to them since 1993 while I was still in college. They are an energetic mix of rock, reggae, and a little hip hop, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them live over all of those years, most recently last summer. And my husband and I saw them together on our 1st “date-not-date” in 2019, so they really have a special place in my heart!
I don’t have movies to offer here in terms of the quality of film leading to gratitude….. but the word “perspective” jumped out at me in the question, and for that, I am thinking about —
Annie Hall, for the scene where Woody Allen puts up a split screen and has each of them talking to their therapists simultaneously and saying the exact same thing from very different perspectives!!!
and a fluffy little movie called “Sliding Doors” that this time, tells one person’s story, but totally different outcomes based on if the main character gets thru a pair of sliding doors in time or not at the beginning of the film, and the trajectories of the future change from there. I guess my brain likes seeing the concrete visuals of two different perspectives of one thing being two totally different experiences. It’s a lesson I have had to learn – and continue to need to remember – that my perspective is only that, not some absolute reality that should be shared by everyone else. That’s a hard one for me to appreciate. My family was pretty committed to raising us to see right or wrong, good or bad – defining things in the black or white, and leaving out so much grey!!!! It was very helpful at times…. but could also be exhausting and self defeating, or at least not always helpful!!!
Carol Ann, I really enjoyed the perspective of dual outcomes and the value of that these movies highlighted for you. Openness to something beyond what we might expect or think. 🩷
You remind me,
dear Carol Ann,
of conversations I’ve had with my brother and sister,
who are no longer living . . .
we all
had completely different perspectives on our childhood,
growing up in the same house
together . . .
I have never forgotten this revelation.
And not only different perspectives, but different realities as well.
It’s a shocking thing to realize. I’m the youngest of five and I’m sure each one of us experienced our family very differently. This still amazes me.
My husband and I saw Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson yesterday.
I’m not much of a movie go-er so I’ll just choose this one which is fresh in my mind.
(Not a spoiler. What I reveal is revealed in the first 15 min of the movie. )
This movie is a critique of our current president and his values.
The movie is entitled Micky 17 because
Mickey is an “Expendable,”
he is used in all kinds of experiments,
and each time he dies he is just reprinted in a 3d printer and his memories are downloaded into the new copy.
Micky, has died and been reprinted 17 times, hence the title.
His life and the quality of his life were of no value to those in control.
This reminds me of the gift of my own life.
I am grateful for my life, my breath, and for fresh air.
I am grateful for my cats and hot tea, and my home.
I am grateful for trees, and other plants.
I am grateful for my yard, and my ability
to grow food, flowers, trees, or whatever I would like to grow in my yard.
May we all feel grateful for the gift of our lives today.
It’s been many years since I watched it, but “Pay It Forward” comes to mind.
Any nature documentary reminds me we live in an amazing world that I can look at more closely and appreciate.
Watching any movie in which people are oppressed I’m often grateful that I don’t suffer that same way, but it’s not the kind of gratitude I want to celebrate because in a way it’s at the expense of someone else.
“Buck”– This is a documentary about a man who developed and instructed people in nonviolent methods of training horses. He experienced violence at the hands of his father as a child, and did not want horses to have to experience being hit or yelled at. I find this movie incredibly inspirational, and it shows an example of someone transforming their own pain in a way that is able to help others.
I’ll have to think on that question. Have a tight schedule today and nothing jumps immediately to mind. I was deeply moved by the film about Oscar Romero.
I recently watched a documentary called “Yacht Rock.” It’s about how certain 70s-80s bands, like Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac, signify a style of easy listening that once again became relevant, in a culty way, a few years ago. What makes me grateful about this whole phenomenon is that a) things decades old can be re-interpreted in a new light, b) what seems banal or silly can re-invigorate conversations about art, c) culture is really creative and unpredictable. And I appreciate the humor in all of it. The documentary was surprising in a good way.
I’ll have to watch this documentary, Drea.
Are you saying that these bands had an easy listening style when they were popular in the 70’s and 80’s, or that they were being replayed recently as easy listening but with a cult following? The latter, right?
Either way, being a child of the 70’s and still loving the music, I’d like to see what the creators of this documentary have to say.
♥️
Mary, the documentary is saying that they’re being replayed now, with a cult following. I’m not sure how the bands were interpreted in the 70s and 80s. It’s an interesting take for sure, I’d be curious what you think after you watch it!
Ngoc and I watched “Journey to the West” together last year in English to help her with her English and for me to get a deeper understanding. It’s a Chinese movie that is also very popular in Vietnam. It’s about a Buddhist Munk in Tan Priest who goes and gets scriptures from the buddha with his 3 disciples. The disciples are the: monkey, pig, and buffalo.
My favorite part about the movie is that those people are resilient and live simple lifestyles. Basic needs is enough.
Brother David’s movie/ video on this website called: A Grateful Day is a beautiful way for me to remember the perfect present is a gift. It makes me come back to what we think to be the ordinary is the extraordinary and it helps me to cultivate humbleness. The sunshine through my window right now is a blessing from the universe. Thank you for the sun it always jist gives asking nothing in return .
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For me the movie “Here” with Tom Hanks. It just brought back so many great memories from my life. It also made me appreciate my generation as a Woman as opposed to prior generations.
I also felt the movie The shack on netflix was excellent. It is religious but very impactful since the Father was stuck in life
Everyone
has mentioned films that I think are wonderful,
and introduced me to other films I would like to watch.
Three that have moved me deeply
are
‘Out of Africa’,
‘The Piano’,
and ‘Departures’.
They are about people making the best of their lives,
even in strange or adverse environments.
They are about love and self respect,
and sometimes about the respect of others,
and these movies fill me with gratitude
for the dedication and artistry
of the film makers and actors themselves.
In recent years,
I think most movies
are not made with me in mind,
as they do not usually appeal . . .
maybe I’m getting old
or maybe I’m just not responsive
to the dumbing down of America that is a common goal,
with no real thought to quality or substance.
Or maybe
I’m just being judgmental.
Dear Sparrow, thank you for mentioning Out of Africa & The Piano. I was deeply moved by them both & loved them for being works of art.
I find what is coming out of “Hollywood” these days atrocious. I agree there is a concerted effort to dumb down America.
Not just in tinsel town, this agenda is everywhere.
Blessings. Love & Peace. ❤️🕊️
I too,
dear PKR,
appreciate them as works of art.
For me,
something is a work of art
if it touches me deep inside
and stays within my psyche . . . ♥
I’m happy that I am not the only one
who thinks ‘they’ are trying to dumb us down. 🙂
All of the movies you mention, Sparrow, moved me deeply at the time.
They all have substance,
dear Mary,
don’t they? ♥
Or maybe just discerning with you consumer dollar, dear Sparrow.
Perhaps,
dear Joseph . . .
perhaps. 🙂
Elizabeth´s post reminded me in a movie called “The Mustang” which i saw a few days ago. It was about a man being in prison for something which was not mentioned. He was strong, full of hidden anger and completely reserved. There was a program for some of the prisoners who would behave well to look after wild horses who are meant to be tamed and then be auctioned in public.
There was a wild mustang in agony, locked up in a wooden stable, kicking constantly against the walls. Only when this reserved man approached without speaking a single word, the animal suddenly stopped kicking. In the course of a dramatic relationship between the man and the horse , the two protagonists found back to inner trust into someone again, to respect and to a kind of inner freedom. A deeply touching cinematic documentation about a government program in several states of the US resulting in a much higher rate of successful reconnection and integration of former prisoners back into society. I am deeply grateful for the ones concerned that this beautiful program exists which offers hope and trust to people with almost no perspective. Thank you dearly for all concerned. 🙇♀️🙏✨❤️🙏
Wow, that sounds like a great program and a great movie, Ose! I will have to check that out.
That’s a beautiful story, Ose, and sounds like such a wonderful program
I will have to look into this movie, that sounds really good
I’m sure,
dear Ose,
that this film would have spoken to me,
as it is the very kind of experience I want when I see one like this.
There is hope for us all
if we look for it. ♥
I’m not sure about a more grateful perspective, but I am definitely grateful for the perspective movies have given me. Far too many to name and I can’t remember the names of most of them anyway. Lots of documentaries. Is a documentary a movie?
A good movie, like a good book, takes me to another reality and to see through someone else’s eyes.
That is what is so beautiful and enriching about them,
isn’t it,
dear Charlie?
They really can broaden our horizons. ♥
I can’t think of any that have given me a more grateful perspective, but I’m grateful when movies make me laugh, cry, and think, and there are so many that fit those criteria. I did watch a documentary about my favorite band, 311, on 3/11 the other day, and it made me grateful to be a fan of this band that exudes positive energy, sings about unity and love, and performs live yearly bringing fans together. It’s been fun growing up with them, so to speak, and watching all of our transformations over the years. The constant is music, which I appreciate more than any move out there 🙂
I don’t know this band SunnyPatti. I will try to find this documentary.
I’ve been listening to them since 1993 while I was still in college. They are an energetic mix of rock, reggae, and a little hip hop, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them live over all of those years, most recently last summer. And my husband and I saw them together on our 1st “date-not-date” in 2019, so they really have a special place in my heart!
Reading the responses – there are a lot of movies I now need to track down and watch.
The first movie that came to mind was “I can Only Imagine” which I watched back in December based on the story behind the song.
“Wonder” is another one.
Going back to childhood “Pollyanna” was one of the first movies with a gratitude lesson I watched.
I don’t have movies to offer here in terms of the quality of film leading to gratitude….. but the word “perspective” jumped out at me in the question, and for that, I am thinking about —
Annie Hall, for the scene where Woody Allen puts up a split screen and has each of them talking to their therapists simultaneously and saying the exact same thing from very different perspectives!!!
and a fluffy little movie called “Sliding Doors” that this time, tells one person’s story, but totally different outcomes based on if the main character gets thru a pair of sliding doors in time or not at the beginning of the film, and the trajectories of the future change from there. I guess my brain likes seeing the concrete visuals of two different perspectives of one thing being two totally different experiences. It’s a lesson I have had to learn – and continue to need to remember – that my perspective is only that, not some absolute reality that should be shared by everyone else. That’s a hard one for me to appreciate. My family was pretty committed to raising us to see right or wrong, good or bad – defining things in the black or white, and leaving out so much grey!!!! It was very helpful at times…. but could also be exhausting and self defeating, or at least not always helpful!!!
Carol Ann, I really enjoyed the perspective of dual outcomes and the value of that these movies highlighted for you. Openness to something beyond what we might expect or think. 🩷
You remind me,
dear Carol Ann,
of conversations I’ve had with my brother and sister,
who are no longer living . . .
we all
had completely different perspectives on our childhood,
growing up in the same house
together . . .
I have never forgotten this revelation.
And not only different perspectives, but different realities as well.
It’s a shocking thing to realize. I’m the youngest of five and I’m sure each one of us experienced our family very differently. This still amazes me.
My husband and I saw Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson yesterday.
I’m not much of a movie go-er so I’ll just choose this one which is fresh in my mind.
(Not a spoiler. What I reveal is revealed in the first 15 min of the movie. )
This movie is a critique of our current president and his values.
The movie is entitled Micky 17 because
Mickey is an “Expendable,”
he is used in all kinds of experiments,
and each time he dies he is just reprinted in a 3d printer and his memories are downloaded into the new copy.
Micky, has died and been reprinted 17 times, hence the title.
His life and the quality of his life were of no value to those in control.
This reminds me of the gift of my own life.
I am grateful for my life, my breath, and for fresh air.
I am grateful for my cats and hot tea, and my home.
I am grateful for trees, and other plants.
I am grateful for my yard, and my ability
to grow food, flowers, trees, or whatever I would like to grow in my yard.
May we all feel grateful for the gift of our lives today.
It’s been many years since I watched it, but “Pay It Forward” comes to mind.
Any nature documentary reminds me we live in an amazing world that I can look at more closely and appreciate.
Watching any movie in which people are oppressed I’m often grateful that I don’t suffer that same way, but it’s not the kind of gratitude I want to celebrate because in a way it’s at the expense of someone else.
Yes, loved this one
“Buck”– This is a documentary about a man who developed and instructed people in nonviolent methods of training horses. He experienced violence at the hands of his father as a child, and did not want horses to have to experience being hit or yelled at. I find this movie incredibly inspirational, and it shows an example of someone transforming their own pain in a way that is able to help others.
I’ll have to think on that question. Have a tight schedule today and nothing jumps immediately to mind. I was deeply moved by the film about Oscar Romero.
I recently watched a documentary called “Yacht Rock.” It’s about how certain 70s-80s bands, like Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac, signify a style of easy listening that once again became relevant, in a culty way, a few years ago. What makes me grateful about this whole phenomenon is that a) things decades old can be re-interpreted in a new light, b) what seems banal or silly can re-invigorate conversations about art, c) culture is really creative and unpredictable. And I appreciate the humor in all of it. The documentary was surprising in a good way.
I’ll have to watch this documentary, Drea.
Are you saying that these bands had an easy listening style when they were popular in the 70’s and 80’s, or that they were being replayed recently as easy listening but with a cult following? The latter, right?
Either way, being a child of the 70’s and still loving the music, I’d like to see what the creators of this documentary have to say.
♥️
Mary, the documentary is saying that they’re being replayed now, with a cult following. I’m not sure how the bands were interpreted in the 70s and 80s. It’s an interesting take for sure, I’d be curious what you think after you watch it!
My favorites: Fiddler on the Roof
Chocolat
I will always remember, when I was young, my Nanny playing Fiddler on the Roof 8 track tape – love it. 🙂
Wonderful movies,
both,
dear Yram . . .♥
Ngoc and I watched “Journey to the West” together last year in English to help her with her English and for me to get a deeper understanding. It’s a Chinese movie that is also very popular in Vietnam. It’s about a Buddhist Munk in Tan Priest who goes and gets scriptures from the buddha with his 3 disciples. The disciples are the: monkey, pig, and buffalo.
My favorite part about the movie is that those people are resilient and live simple lifestyles. Basic needs is enough.
That sounds like a neat movie, Loc Tran! I think I will try to watch it.
Elizabeth, there’s the Eng. Dub. version on YouTube.
Brother David’s movie/ video on this website called: A Grateful Day is a beautiful way for me to remember the perfect present is a gift. It makes me come back to what we think to be the ordinary is the extraordinary and it helps me to cultivate humbleness. The sunshine through my window right now is a blessing from the universe. Thank you for the sun it always jist gives asking nothing in return .