Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Traveling Down New Paths

Whenever we're lost, it helps tremendously to have a guide to point the way out of our troubles. Such is the case with a middle-aged lost soul in the metaphysical drama, "The Wayshower," the subject of my latest VividLife review, 'The Wayshower' leads viewers down new paths. Check it out by clicking here.



Monday, August 29, 2011

The Decade’s Top 10

The past decade has seen the release of many excellent films with conscious creation-related themes. They’ve addressed the subject from virtually every angle, too, much the same way as the films do in my book Get the Picture: Conscious Creation Goes to the Movies. So, with that in mind, I decided to come up with a Top 10 list of films for the past decade that best depict different aspects of conscious creation at work.

Making the choices wasn’t easy; as I said, there have been many noteworthy releases over the past 10 years. So I looked to find the best examples from that time that most effectively illustrate the core principles that go into making conscious creation work.

I’ve presented brief synopses of my choices (in chronological order of release) below. But, for a more thorough discussion of these pictures and the subject in general, tune in for a radio interview with yours truly this Saturday, September 3, when I’ll be a guest on Tell Me Your Story, with host Richard Dugan. This is the second time I’ve appeared on Richard’s show, and I welcomed the opportunity for a repeat visit. He’s a wonderful host, so I hope you enjoy listening to the show as much as I do appearing on it.

The show airs at 6:00 pm (Eastern), 3:00 p.m. (Pacific), on KZSB Radio, AM 1290, Santa Barbara, CA. Locals can listen to the broadcast edition, while others can tune in live on the internet at www.richarddugan.com or at www.newspress.com/Top/index.jsp (click on the News-Press 1290 Listen Now tab).

Now, on to the movies!

1. “Whale Rider.” A young Maori girl lives out her beliefs (and, by extension, her value fulfillment, the ultimate achievement in conscious creation practice), rising to meet her destiny as a tribal leader, despite cultural obstacles that would hold her back. A gorgeous and moving offering from New Zealand. (2002; Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa, Mana Taumaunu; Niki Caro, director; Witi Ihimaera, book; Niki Caro, screenplay; 1 Oscar nomination; www.whaleriderthemovie.co.nz/)

2. “Signs.” A Pennsylvania farm family learns how to face fears and appreciate synchronicities—seeing the “signs”—in the midst of an alien invasion, elevating them to higher levels of self-awareness and how that impacts the reality they each experience. (2002; Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, Cherry Jones, Patricia Kalember; M. Night Shyamalan, director; M. Night Shyamalan, screenplay; www.imdb.com/title/tt0286106/)

3. “Under the Tuscan Sun.” A middle-aged woman who unconsciously practices conscious creation skills takes her abilities to the next level through a change-of-life odyssey in the beautiful Italian countryside, helping her create a new, rewarding life that brings her all she wants, including an awareness of how to make her dreams come true. (2003; Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan, Raoul Bova, Vincent Riotta, Pawel Szajda, Giulia Steigerwalt; Audrey Wells, director; Audrey Wells, screen story and screenplay; Frances Mayes, book; 1 Golden Globe nomination; www.imdb.com/title/tt0328589/)

4. “What the #$+! Do We (K)now!?” This unusual fusion of documentary filmmaking and fictional narrative offers an excellent explanation of how the conscious creation process works, along with illustrations of how to use it in everyday life, giving viewers theory and application in one visually stunning and cinematically engaging package. (2004; Marlee Matlin, Elaine Hendrix, John Ross Bowie, Robert Bailey Jr., Barry Newman, Armin Shimerman, Robert Blanche, Michelle Mariana (fictional sequences); Fred Alan Wolf, Amit Goswami, John Hagelin, David Albert, Stuart Hameroff, Jeffrey Satinover, Andrew Newberg, Daniel Monti, Joseph Dispenza, Candace Pert, J.Z. Knight, William Tiller, Miceal Ledwith (documentary sequences); William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Mark Vicente, directors; William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Matthew Hoffman, Mark Vicente, writers; www.whatthebleep.com/)

5. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Alternate states of mind, like the dream state, afford the opportunity to explore and create new realities, a capability two former lovers discover when they undergo a procedure to wipe away their memories of one another while asleep. It’s an experience that yields results far different from expectations, especially once conscious creation practices come into play. (2004; Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson, Jane Adams, David Cross, Deirdre O’Connell; Michel Gondry, director; Charlie Kaufman, screenplay; Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth, story; 1 Oscar win on 2 nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations; www.universalstudiosentertainment.com/eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind/)

6. “Crash.” Interwoven stories of life in Los Angeles illustrate the interconnectedness of all things, showing how all the threads of this rich tapestry we call reality are seamlessly blended and how they ultimately all spring forth from those who create it—us. (2005; Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Michael Peña, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Larenz Tate, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe, Shaun Toub, Bahar Soomekh, Jennifer Esposito, Tony Danza, Loretta Devine, William Fichtner, Karina Arroyave, Bruce Kirby, Yomi Perry, Marina Sirtis, Greg Joung Paik, Alexis Rhee, Ime N. Etuk, Beverly Todd; Paul Haggis, director; Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco, screenplay; Paul Haggis, story; 3 Oscar wins (including best picture) on 6 nominations, 2 Golden Globe nominations; www.crashfilm.com/)

7. “Stranger Than Fiction.” What happens when a novelist meets one of her fictional characters in physical form? And what if creation and creator are at odds with one another about the creation’s fate? Whose reality is it anyway? A hilarious look at the nature of existence and what drives its materialization. (2006; Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, Dustin Hoffman; Marc Forster, director; Zack Helm, screenplay; 1 Golden Globe nomination; www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/strangerthanfiction/)

8. “Doubt.” Four characters, four views of reality, four different “truths.” But which one is “right”? According to conscious creation, if we each create our own reality, each is equally valid, a notion explored in this gripping drama about a priest under suspicion of indiscretions in a New York parish in the early 1960s. Riveting performances and a thoughtful script captivate viewers from start to finish. (2008; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Joseph Foster; John Patrick Shanley, director; John Patrick Shanley, screenplay; John Patrick Shanley, play; 5 Oscar nominations, 5 Golden Globe nominations; www.imdb.com/title/tt0918927/)

9. “Avatar.” This epic science fiction fantasy about an off-world native people struggling against those who would exploit their planet offers much more than beautiful images, amazing special effects and terrific action sequences. It also delivers great insights into a wealth of conscious creation concepts, including the true source of our creative capabilities and the inherent connectedness of all things. A flat-out winner on all fronts. (2009; Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso; James Cameron, director; James Cameron, screenplay; 3 Oscar wins on 9 nominations, 2 Golden Globe wins (including best dramatic picture) on 4 nominations; www.avatarmovie.com/) (See my complete review at http://vividlife.me/ultimate/2835/living-in-harmony/.)

10. “The King’s Speech.” Breaking the shackles of self-imposed limitation by learning how to change one’s beliefs—particularly those about oneself—provides the underlying focus of this historical drama about how King George VI of England overcame a debilitating stutter to lead his country during wartime. A real crowd pleaser with thoughtful messages about self-confidence, overcoming fears and being willing to live a rewarding, if unexpected, life. (2010; Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon, Claire Bloom, Jennifer Eble, Freya Wilson, Ramona Marquez, Eve Best, Timothy Spall, Anthony Andrews, Roger Parrott; Tom Hooper, director; David Seidler, screenplay; 4 Oscar wins (including best picture) on 12 nominations, 1 Golden Globe win on 7 nominations; www.kingsspeech.com/) (See my complete review at http://vividlife.me/ultimate/9884/finding-ones-voice/.)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Persistence Paradox

When is persistence an asset, and when is it a liability? What's the difference between noble perseverance and blind obsession? When are those differences obvious, and when are they not? And what do we do when we find ourselves in such murky situations? Such is the nature of The Persistence Paradox, the subject of my latest post on FengSHe (www.FengSHe.org). And while you're there, be sure to check out all of the site's other posts about Persistence, FengSHe's theme for August.


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Facing Ourselves in 'Another Earth'

How often do we get a chance to literally come face to face with our true selves? And what impact would that have on us? Those are some of the heady questions raised in the new sci-fi fantasy, "Another Earth." Check out my review of this intriguing new film, 'Another Earth' brings us face to face with ourselves, at VividLife (www.VividLife.me) by clicking here.


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Mysteries of 'Something Unknown'

Psychic research is filled with anecdotal evidence, but quantified results have been harder to come by -- until now, as depicted in the DVD documentary Something Unknown Is Doing We Don't Know What. Check out my VividLife review of it, Unlocking the Mysteries of 'Something Unknown', by clicking here.