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Most enlightening movies


hell2breakfast

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To Kill A Mockingbird (one of my all-time favorites)

On Golden Pond

This might sound a bit odd, but I was really moved by the kid's movie "Up"

I'll have to think on more...

Yes "Mockingbird" was A good illustration of artificial polarization (the "sin" of lust to all you Christians)..didn't see the movie, but read the book.:D

Not familiar with "up" tell me more

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It was the typical scene of me bawling in the movie theater while my kids all chuckled at me. :D

"Up" was in essence a love story which illustrated what is truly important in life. The old man's wife had died. All of her life, she had expressed a dream of going to a place called "Paradise Falls" where they would build a house and live happily ever after. But then real life happens...they lose a baby...a tree hits their house....the money always goes elsewhere. So no Paradise Falls. She dies and he feels he's disappointed her. So he goes on a quest himself to reach Paradise Falls. Throughout the movie, he occasionally looks at the cover of his wife's scrapbook, which she called, "Stuff I'm going to do". Every time the old man picks up the book, there is a sad and painful reminder that he didn't give his wife what she wanted in life. But he never brings himself to look inside or beyond some certain part of the book (I can't remember exactly which), assuming it will be filled with blank pages or dreams she was never able to live out. So one day he turns the page...and this is the part where I really lost it in the theater...and is surprised by what he sees on the pages. Turns out they aren't empty or filled with unfulfilled wishes and dreams as he'd feared... instead each page has pictures of their life together. As he turns the pages, there is the realization that his wife's life was ultimately fulfilling to her because she had been able to share it with him. In the end, life isn't about climbing to the highest peak of every mountain...it's about living day to day with your best friend by your side, through better or worse. Very powerful message. Good stuff, most definitely.

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It was the typical scene of me bawling in the movie theater while my kids all chuckled at me. :)

"Up" was in essence a love story which illustrated what is truly important in life. The old man's wife had died. All of her life, she had expressed a dream of going to a place called "Paradise Falls" where they would build a house and live happily ever after. But then real life happens...they lose a baby...a tree hits their house....the money always goes elsewhere. So no Paradise Falls. She dies and he feels he's disappointed her. So he goes on a quest himself to reach Paradise Falls. Throughout the movie, he occasionally looks at the cover of his wife's scrapbook, which she called, "Stuff I'm going to do". Every time the old man picks up the book, there is a sad and painful reminder that he didn't give his wife what she wanted in life. But he never brings himself to look inside or beyond some certain part of the book (I can't remember exactly which), assuming it will be filled with blank pages or dreams she was never able to live out. So one day he turns the page...and this is the part where I really lost it in the theater...and is surprised by what he sees on the pages. Turns out they aren't empty or filled with unfulfilled wishes and dreams as he'd feared... instead each page has pictures of their life together. As he turns the pages, there is the realization that his wife's life was ultimately fulfilling to her because she had been able to share it with him. In the end, life isn't about climbing to the highest peak of every mountain...it's about living day to day with your best friend by your side, through better or worse. Very powerful message. Good stuff, most definitely.

Its about time someone makes some movies with a positive message like this, instead of sex and violence.IMO... not that we don't need sex and violence, but too much is too much

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My all time favorite is Ghandi, and recently I watched Invictus (2009) which is about Nelson Mandella and his use of the South African Rugby team and world cup event as a catalyst to help unite South Africa. That man is a genius, I just love him!

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I live in Nebraska, not too far from the Iowa farm where Field of Dreams was made. It was a tourist attraction for many years after the movie became such a popular hit.

Anyway, I recently heard on the news that the owners want to retire and the farm & field are up for sale. So if you have the few million dollars they are asking, you could own a piece of movie history. :D

Catmom

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I take it none of you have seen any of my movies? You people need to get out more:cool:

I have seen bits and pieces of Citizen Kane, but not the whole movie.

This will certainly date me but I saw Ordinary People when it came out in 1980 and I was at college in Ithaca, NY. I was no stranger to depression and feeling alienated as did the main character, Conrad (played by Timothy Hutton, as I recall).

My strongest reaction to the movie was wishing I could have a psychiatrist like Judd Hirsch's character, Berger. I loved his smart-ass remarks but I was especially moved when he said to Conrad : "I am your friend." Even now, this heartfelt expression of human support brings tears to my eyes.

Thanks for the memories hell2breakfast, and you are right I do need to get out more. :P

Catmom

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I have seen bits and pieces of Citizen Kane, but not the whole movie.

This will certainly date me but I saw Ordinary People when it came out in 1980 and I was at college in Ithaca, NY. I was no stranger to depression and feeling alienated as did the main character, Conrad (played by Timothy Hutton, as I recall).

My strongest reaction to the movie was wishing I could have a psychiatrist like Judd Hirsch's character, Berger. I loved his smart-ass remarks but I was especially moved when he said to Conrad : "I am your friend." Even now, this heartfelt expression of human support brings tears to my eyes.

Thanks for the memories hell2breakfast, and you are right I do need to get out more. :P

Catmom

Well with "Citizen kane" The whole movie revolves around the question of the meaning/significance of his dying statement "Rosebud!" And to solve the mystery, you must see the first and the last, without which the middle is rather boring. To me at least, it is a classic study in dysfunctional life-view and how it can be formed

Ordinary people was an excellent illustration of repressed guilt (the son) and the mothers fear of feeling. to me, the best scene was when she was pulling her things out of the closet to leave and was conflicted whether to let down her defenses and go down and talk to her husband, or maintain her pride and leave

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Hey hell2breakfast

No :P

Up till about 5 yrs ago I was home raising 7 kids :eek: with no night out with hubby because of an autistic child and no sitter

So if you ask me about a kids movie maybe I might know more about it;)

With seven kids you don't have to learn about life from movies...be thankful

So..how many times have you saw E.T.?

I thought "War Games" was an excellent movie, with a good message

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I have seen bits and pieces of Citizen Kane, but not the whole movie.

This will certainly date me but I saw Ordinary People when it came out in 1980 and I was at college in Ithaca, NY. I was no stranger to depression and feeling alienated as did the main character, Conrad (played by Timothy Hutton, as I recall).

My strongest reaction to the movie was wishing I could have a psychiatrist like Judd Hirsch's character, Berger. I loved his smart-ass remarks but I was especially moved when he said to Conrad : "I am your friend." Even now, this heartfelt expression of human support brings tears to my eyes.

Thanks for the memories hell2breakfast, and you are right I do need to get out more. :(

Catmom

Looking back, I think I once had a good psychiatrist but I gave up on her and never got past the "transference" phase. Also, when I was in the hospital there was one that I am sure would have been a good one but again, I only had one interview and never went back...she was a lot like Hirsch's character..plain spoken....they are few and far between i think

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On the basis that "enlightening" does not equate with "uplifting" -

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Godfather (Parts I and II)

The Leopard (Il Gattopardo)

Ran

Young Mr Lincoln

Kingdom of Heaven (believe it or not)

Paths of Glory

Spartacus

Man of Marble

The Seventh Seal

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

Gran Torino

Schindler's List

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

I'm sure I could suggest many more ...

Best regards,

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helltobreakfast

what do you mean about having a good pdoc but gave up on her because of transference?

In the couse of the treatment, the patient typically starts to "transfer the negative feelings they have toward significant figures from their childhood (in this case my mom) to the therapist this is frequently a critical stage in the process and I couldn't handle it...I mean the whole love-hate thing. I spray-painted "quack" on her sign, asked her out etc. :(

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:

On the basis that "enlightening" does not equate with "uplifting" -

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Godfather (Parts I and II)

The Leopard (Il Gattopardo)

Ran

Young Mr Lincoln

Kingdom of Heaven (believe it or not)

Paths of Glory

Spartacus

Man of Marble

The Seventh Seal

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

Gran Torino

Schindler's List

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

I'm sure I could suggest many more ...

Best regards,

Wow: one certainly can't accuse you of living under a rock! most of these I have not seen...need to get out more:o

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