What if you could sell your soul on Ebay, and buy someone else’s? How do you feel about that? Well, the movie ‘Cold Souls’ digs deep into this question. It is about an actor named Paul Giamatti (acting as himself), who is fed up with his life. He feels physical pain from his job frustration, he is losing his acting ability, and everything seems to be out of place in his life. That is, until he discovers a radical new idea called “Soul Storage”. It gives Giamatti a chance to have a better life. To live without a soul.

Let’s dig deeper into this concept: Living without a soul. What would it be like? The way that it’s portrayed in ‘Cold Souls’, reminds me of the side effects of anti-depressants (or so I’ve heard). You don’t feel bad, but you don’t feel good. You just feel…nothing. And what kind of life is that? Honestly, I would rather suffer than have no soul. Soulful suffering > soulless tranquility.

But of course, if I was playing the role, there would be no film. Alas, the show must continue. Giamatti proceeds to surrender his soul, and he is instantly freed from all of his painful emotional burdens. But eventually, he discovers that soulless living is not what it’s cracked up to be. By the time he is ready to get his soul back, it is already gone!

This metaphor speaks to a lot of us; myself included. By the time we are ready to have something back, it is taken from us. I would most definitely like my life back, before my Crohn’s Disease. But that’s probably not gonna happen. What we need to realize, is that all of our problems are there for a reason. We can’t just extract a piece of ourselves, and expect to be happy-dandy. There was never a time in any of our lives, when we were free of problems. Having a soul is hard work. There are an incredible amount of emotions we feel every day, that are indescribable in any language. If we didn’t have a soul, then everything would be drab, lifeless, and boring. Life would lose all meaning.

When Paul Giamatti can’t find his soul, he decides to take a trip to Russia, where he knows it is located. Giamatti tries to bargain with the owner of the Russian ’soul storage’ operation, but he doesn’t budge. Giamatti steals back his soul.

I have to hand it to the filmmakers. This film is unique! Never, have I heard the concept of an open market for souls. This film is complete fiction (I hope!), but it conveys a very powerful message. You can never escape your problems, and there is no quick fix. No one truly knows the power of the soul, or any post-life implications that it has. What we do know, is that life is short. 70-80 years, and you’re not even guaranteed THAT! Make the most of what you have. Find a real way to deal with your problems. Read a book, or a blog. There will always be a ton of questions about your life. You just have to be persistent and willing to find a solution.

Every day, new technological advances are being made. Every day, we are getting lazier and lazier. As technology advances, we also get stressed more easily, and we become more impatient. Surrogates is a Science Fiction movie that deals with the laziness problem in an extreme case. But is this story really Science Fiction? Or do the Surrogate bodies represent our dependence on technology today?

What if you could stay at home, lay back in a chair, and put yourself in a different body? What would you do if you had that kind of freedom without being able to be harmed? At first, it sounds like an incredible idea. A new technological revolution. But when things get that extreme, you realize how negative technology really is. Sure, I do love technology. I’m writing this post from my Mac, I have lots of gadgets in my house. I like websites like Gizmodo and EnGadget. However, I do enjoy writing in a journal. And I read books every day. With my time spent in the hospital, I learned patience, and I learned to embrace silence. Unfortunately, as a society, we aren’t patient, and we don’t appreciate silence. Is there any way around this?

The only way around the problem would be to force every human being to log 1 hour every day, of ‘unplugged time’. Time when no technology is used and we are free to regain our sense of humanity. To wake up from this virtual world. Of course this may be a very impractical idea. But hey, I can dream, right?
Surrogates is a foreboding story, about letting technology run our lives. What we must remember at all times, is that we are human beings. We are powerful beyond our wildest beliefs. We are almost completely unlimited. Do you want to let technology continue to run your life? Or do you want to unplug for some time every day, and reconnect with who you really are?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like, to communicate with someone who didn’t speak the same language as you? Isn’t it hard enough trying to communicate with someone in your own language? What can we learn from other cultures, to enhance our own life?

The answer is: a whole lot. Spanglish is an educational experience, as much as it is an emotional experience. We learn about how people can connect, even if they don’t speak the same language. And most important of all, we learn about how a mother’s love for her daughter, can transcend anything in this world. Spanglish teaches these life lessons with a comedic style that helps you feel connected to the characters. It’s a sad, yet heart-warming tale, about human and cultural connection.

What happens when a kind-hearted chef, his neurotic, awkward-mannered wife, her strange and kind-hearted mother, and their 2 great-spirited children, live in the same house as a strict Mexican mother, and her daughter? Cultures clash, and sparks fly. When people are directly exposed to a culture outside their own, everyone gains perspective on their situation. By being exposed to the culture of the Moreno’s, John Clasky (Sandler) learns what it is like to have his compassionate nature recognized. It is through language translation, that the greatest impact is made. Imagine speaking to someone; and having to wait 3 seconds for a reaction. You’ll be hanging in there, and things will seem extremely different. Problems get solved differently, and troubles seem to resolve quicker. This is most likely due to the tremendous effort of having a cross-cultural, cross-language, comprehensive argument. It’s just too much effort, all for a negative result. Take a moment to reflect on any culture outside of your own. Imagine how difficult it would be, to live in harmony with someone who speaks a completely different language. Imagine how much you could learn!

Flor Moreno, is a loving mother. She loves her daughter Christina so much, that she is willing to lose ANYTHING, in order to give Christina a better life. Flor is one of the best, if not the best, examples of parenting and ‘tough love’, that I have ever seen in a movie. Flor does everything for Christina, just to give her a better life in the future. Even if it means sacrificing present happiness. Flor is in love with John, yet she leaves him, after realizing that it wouldn’t be best for him, or her daughter, to continue the relationship with John. It’s a very sad ending, but it’s true to life. It’s about the sacrifice of a romantic relationship, for the love of your daughter. Granted, there aren’t many mothers out there who would act like Flor in this situation. Sometimes you can’t get everything you want, even though it’s out there for you. Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice, based on your original intentions. It’s tough, it’s sad, but it’s life.

Spanglish is a story about love, connection, and sacrifice. It is about love between families, connection between cultures, and sacrificing the present moment for a better future. It really is inspiring how much one woman would do for her daughter. If Spanglish is not an incredible example of connection between cultures and tough love, then I don’t know what is!

Interview:

Thanks to David Spaltro for the great interview. Listen to the writer of ‘…Around’, talk about his life story, the film, and a few keys to living a great life. Also, look for the reference to Viktor Frankl’s book: Man’s Search for Meaning. To learn more about David, and his film, visit his WEBSITE.

“You don’t climb the mountain to reach the top, you climb for the love of climbing and that makes reaching it all the more rewarding and bittersweet the journey. I feel blessed to have been able to take this one and look forward to the next, whatever they may be, with all that I’ve learned and now know. ”

The above quote, is from David Spaltro. Producer of the independent film “…Around”. What makes the film so special, is that it’s based on his life, and the various challenges that he went through. Of course, there are some added cinematic elements, but they never distract from the main message of the film: Do what you love, and throw yourself at your passion. Things may not work out at first. Actually, things may not work out the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth time. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. There is always something that matters more than success. And that is the enjoyment of the journey.

Life will keep kicking you down, and if you think that you are bulletproof, then think again. No one is bulletproof. However, there are many people who are bullet resistant. To be bullet resistant, is to have the ability to deal with whatever problems life throws at you. Difficult childhood, financial troubles, physical disease, loss of a loved one, and depression, are just a small selection of problems. Doyle Simms, the main character of the movie, goes through a great amount of problems. Each one kicks him hard, and keeps him down for a long time. He goes through many phases in his life, and he reacts to his problems by bottling himself up. Eventually, things get out of hand.

It isn’t until the end of the movie, when Doyle truly learns to ‘Embrace the Fall’. When everything falls apart in his life; his relationship with the love of his life doesn’t work out, his mom dies, and there doesn’t seem to be any hope left. This is when Doyle learns the true gift of his suffering: A clean slate. He has been given the gift of freedom, to do whatever he wants in his life. The only one limiting Doyle is himself. Borrowing a great quote from the movie, spoken by Doyle’s mother, I believe this sums up Doyle’s character quite well:

“Nobody expects much of you, do they? That’s your gift, you know.”

Everyone is different. Some people thrive under pressure, and some people fold. It’s just they way that we are. Doyle is the type of person who performs best when people don’t expect much of him. When he is given freedom to live, and freedom to find the right life for himself. One downside of low expectations from others, is a lack of guidance. When you don’t have an image to live up to, you probably won’t get as much help and respect from other people. Again, this can be a blessing or a curse, depending on who you are.

To me, …Around is a sadly optimistic film. It belongs in the category of poignant films, and for great reason. It’s best to be prepared before watching a film like this. After seeing the film, you do feel bad for Doyle. The movie ends very uncharacteristically from most films. To sum up the final message: Keep moving on. When one opportunity has failed you, move on to another. Life is going to kill you whether you like it or not.

Interview:

Thanks to Mark Hefti for the great interview. Listen to the writer of this inspiring film, talk about his journey as a filmmaker, and the true meaning behind ‘Tomorrow is Today. Check out the official film website HERE.

To Purchase Tomorrow is Today, click HERE. For a discount, enter the coupon code MIRACLES at checkout.

Life can be a beautiful journey, but it can also be a horrible trek. ‘Tomorrow is Today’, is about a man named Greg, who once lived on a beautiful journey, until he experienced a tragic loss. He immediately gave up on life, and attempted to drown himself in the ocean. That is until Julie, a 17 year old optimist, saves his life. What ensues for Greg, is a journey of despair and self-discovery, that eventually leads him down the right road. It was the road to self discovery.

After being saved by Julie Peterson, Greg feels angry and conflicted. He doesn’t want to live, yet he feels drawn to Julie for whatever reason. Something in the way that she acts towards Greg, pulls him into a different state of being. They share intelligent and philosophical conversations together. One of them, sets the theme for the entire movie. In their conversation, Julie and Greg talk about a heavily symbolic quote: “Tomorrow is Today”. Greg interprets the quote in the following way: There is nothing good about tomorrow, and nothing to look forward to. Greg’s interpretation of the quote is completely backwards. The real meaning of the quote, is that opportunity can come from anywhere, at any time. You can’t sit around and wait for a better day, just because you don’t enjoy your life right now. You can only make a better day. There will never be a point in your life, when tomorrow is tomorrow. Tomorrow is today.

After much struggle and confusion, Greg finally learns the true meaning of the quote. It is only through his interaction with Julia, that he learns the true value of living. The movie presents the theme of having beautiful friends, family, and support. Because without our greatest mentors, who are we? Everyone needs someone to raise them, to lift them up when they are down, and to help show them the way. It’s human nature, and it always will be.

The best way to overcome a tragedy, is to surround yourself with people who have experienced a tragedy, and know how overcome it. Julie had a secret tragedy that she kept away from Greg. What is that secret? Watch the movie, and find out how this wonderful and uplifting, yet sad story ends.

One final aspect of the movie, that I have yet to discuss, is the presence of miracles. Some people believe that miracles happen every day. Others don’t believe in miracles. And many people believe that miracles only happen once in a lifetime. What is the truth about miracles? I’m going to say something that you might have heard before: miracles are defined by the individual. A miracle is only truly a miracle, if you believe it to be. No one can make up your mind for you. That’s why it’s called your mind. It belongs to you.

I feel sad that movies like ‘Tomorrow is Today’ are not more widely recognized by film audiences. It is a very difficult movie to watch, yet it is full of meaning, and it lets viewers know that they are not alone in dealing with personal tragedies. We all need someone by our side. Watch ‘Tomorrow is Today’, and get on the right path to a fulfilling life.