Ann & I just went to see the movie “Arrival”, which is about a linguist who bridges the communication barrier with aliens who show up in their “spacecraft.” As we were watching the movie, I found myself being caught up in the emotions of the main character as she came to terms with her experience both in communicating with the aliens as well as her overall life experience. I quite enjoyed the movie. One of the things that makes a movie “good” for me is when I find myself being caught up in the emotions of the movie. It’s not as important for me for the emotions to be up or down, it’s more important that the emotions and the understanding that comes from the emotional experience are significant. This is why I can enjoy movies such as “Dances With Wolves” where Ann does not enjoy movies that show violence or strong “negative” emotions. She especially doesn’t like movies where the main character has a strong sense of entrapment, but I think that’s past-life memories that are evoked by those types of movies. I suppose I’ve already conquered the entrapment issues so that doesn’t bother me.
I discussed on page 17 of my first book Rules Of The Spirit the analogy of a movie for life, that I borrowed (stole, really) from Richard Bach, author of Johnathan Living Seagull and Illusions: Adventures Of A Reluctant Messiah among other mind-bending works. I’ve also referred to this analogy in my seminars and lectures. The idea is that an individual life is much like going to see a movie. I have a pretty good idea what the movie is all about. During the movie, I put aside my “reality” and take on the “reality” of the movie. When the movie’s over, I gather my empty containers and throw them in the trash bin on the way out. I may learn something, I may create new ideas – as I did this article – from having watched the movie. But the movie isn’t “real,” it’s just an experience. My perception of whether the movie is good or bad is just that – my perception, much the same that I can enjoy movies that Ann does not.
It occurred to me that the movies we like or dislike may be a parallel or even a key to the things we want or expect to experience in this life. I suppose for me the movies that evoke the strong emotions along with the epiphanies – realizations and insights – that can result, represent the things I value in this life – gaining understanding, and understanding that experiencing – I mean really experiencing – life are what makes life worthwhile.
So I ask you: what movies do you like or dislike? What is it about them that you enjoy… or not? Please add your comment!