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.

Forgiveness is one of the most powerful actions you can take to improve your emotional well-being. And forgiveness is, indeed, an action. Books have been written about the topic; and people’s lives are being changed everyday, by the simple utterance of these 3 words: “I forgive you”. The truth is, you can also learn this powerful emotion, by simply absorbing the messages found in many of the movies that you watch.

There are many films that deal with the topic of forgiveness. These movies provide an inspirational example of how far you can go in life, by simply choosing to let go of your grudges.

 

1. Avatar

In Avatar, the people of Pandora are being forced out of their land, by the government. The government sends a liaison to Pandora, named Jake Sully, to gain the trust of the people. At the end of the movie, events collide, and we are treated to a thrill ride of an ending.

The final act of Avatar, is where an act of forgiveness takes place. Upon hearing of Jake’s true intentions, the people of Pandora are outraged. Especially his lover, Neytiri. Her people tie up Jake, leaving him to die. But after time has passed, something changes in Neytiri. Whether the forgiveness is caused by her realization of past love, or seeing the suffering face of her lover when confronted with a near-death situation, her attitude quickly changes. She forgives Jake for pain and anguish she has caused, in order to save his life.

If you’re reading this, then you probably can’t relate directly to this story. However, you can relate to the overall message. There may be someone in your life, who has deeply upset you in the past. They may have done something terribly stupid, and/or heartless. There is a decent chance that they feel just as bad as you do about the past. Forgiveness can free both of your heads, so you can fill them with more pleasant things.

The past is the past. It has already passed, and it’s time to let go. Move on to a better life.

 

2. The Bucket List

In “The Bucket List, Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) becomes great friends with Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman). Throughout their journey, Carter tries to reunited Edward with his daughter. Edward forcefully refuses. He is so angry at Carter, that he breaks their friendship.

Eventually, only many years later, Edward symbolically forgives Carter by reuniting with his daughter. It’s quite sad, but you don’t have to be a victim to this kind of resentment. Forgive while the one who has wronged you is alive. You’ll save yourself a lot of long term negative emotional energy. Remember one thing: Holding a grudge hurts you, more than it hurts the person you hold the grudge against. Much more.

Just let go. Life is just a game.

 

3. The Pursuit of Happyness

Chris Gardner had to overcome many obstacles in his life. Without forgiveness, he would not have been able to overcome any of them. “The Pursuit of Happyness” is an example of unconscious forgiveness. It is the act of forgiving others without using any energy.

Along the journey to become a stock broker, Garner faces various obstacles. They included: His wife leaving him, and severe poverty. What if Chris decided to hold a grudge against his wife? She left him at the time when he was most in need. Because his wife left him, he had to live on his own, without her support.

Isn’t it nice to subconsciously forgive? You have one less thing to worry about, and it happens almost instantly. You don’t waste your emotional energy, and you can focus on what is most important in your life. Remember: You are the number one priority. Your emotions are greatly weighed down by holding a grudge. When facing a difficult situation, like that of Chris Gardner, your head must be free of distractions. Failure to forgive is one of the biggest distractions you can have in your life.

Another occurrence of forgiveness in The Pursuit of Happyness, is when Chris’s son forgave him for being stuck in a horrible financial situation. As a young child, Christopher had to deal with the poverty of his father. This is terribly traumatic for a young child to go through. Chris’s son could have easily held a grudge. Instead, he chose to grow closer with his father.

It’s funny how life works: When you don’t forgive, a tragedy usually develops. When you do forgive, life can become a comedy.

 

4. Resurrecting the Champ

Resurrecting the Champ is a very underrated film. It is about a homeless, former boxer name Tommy Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson); and a hopeful New York journalist named Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett). In the film, Tommy Kincaid pretends to be a different person. He masks his own identity, and lies to a reporter. Would you take kindly to a man who lies to you? A man who lies about his own identity, and completely tarnishes your personal reputation?

Kernan was initially outraged. He couldn’t believe that he had been fooled. However, he began to feel sympathy for Tommy Kincaid. Even some pity. Kincaid was so insecure about who he was, that he pretended to be another person! It goes to show; if you are holding a grudge, then you probably don’t know the whole story. In human communication, there always seems to be some misunderstanding between parties. In Resurrecting the Champ, Kernan didn’t know Kinciad’s story, and held a grudge. Once he knew more about the homeless boxer, Kernan forgave him for what he had done, and they became good friends. This brings me to a strong point: Forgiveness can turn enemies into friends. It sounds goofy, but it’s true.

Enemies + Forgiveness = Liberation.

 

5. Pan’s Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth is not an example of forgiveness in cinema; but rather, what happens when you don’t forgive. Captain Vidal is one of the most ruthless movie villains I have seen to this day. He kills without remorse, and he lacks compassion. At the very end of the movie, the viewers are led to believe that he will make a change for the better. Instead, he commits a horrible act, and the movie ends on a very sad note.

What was Captain Vidal’s problem? One possible explanation, is a lack of forgiveness. Perhaps he had a horrible childhood; maybe his mom and dad were bad parents, and he was picked on in school? And what if he never forgave anyone for their wrongdoings; no matter how big or little? They could all have added up, to unleash his inner monster. War can do no good. Even the little wars that we go through in everyday life.

Holding on to grudges will make you irritable, senselessly angry, and immoral. It can turn a person who was once good, into a horrible, sadistic, psychopath. Forgiveness is the only solution to this type of situation. Use it to your advantage, even if your situation isn’t so bad.

Grudges pile up, like a junkyard. But this type of junkyard, lies in your head. Incinerate the garbage before it incinerates your life. Forgive.

 

Conclusion

I could go on and on, but I will stop here. With all of the movies that you have seen in your life, you have also seen many examples of the power of forgiveness. You have seen forgiveness at work, and you have seen all of it’s wonderful benefits. When all is said and done, the final decision is up to you. Will you choose to suffer in disarray, refusing to forgive? Or will you choose to free your mind of grudges, and focus on creating a positive experience? The choice is entirely up to you.

Julie and Julia is a unique type of film. In it, there are 2 separate life stories, connected to create an enjoyable experience. One story is about Julia Child, and her journey to become a great cook. The other, is about Julie Powell and her initiative to set a tough goal, and plow through her obstacles. Neither journey was easy, but Julie and Julia were able to accomplish their goals, through patience and persistence.

Julia Child was constantly being told that she would never become a good cook. But the ridicule that she got from her peers, never discouraged her. Deep down inside, she knew that she could be a better cook than everyone else. She set a goal to become an outstanding cook, and that is exactly what she did. The journey was a long one, which took many years, but she eventually became what she had envisioned. This brings me to one of the main points of the movie: Always have a vision, and always set goals. If you don’t know what path you are embarking on, how can you succeed? Taking action without a clear vision in mind, is like taking shots in the dark. It’s possible, but extremely unlikely. Julia Child had a great vision, combined with a fighting spirit. Nothing was going to stand in her way.

Julie Powell had a similar story, but a very different situation. She was fed up with her life, and wanted to make a change. Her job was raining down on her morale, and her side hobby of cooking wasn’t particularly helping. Until one day, she decided that she wasn’t going to take it anymore. She needed to pursue her passion of cooking, no matter how busy or demoralized she felt. She was going to write a cooking blog, about her journey with all 534 of Julia Child’s recipes. The fact that she set a deadline for her goal, demonstrates an important life lesson: You need to set deadlines for your goals. Your vision is the first step. Next, you need to set individual deadlines for yourself. Otherwise, you will find yourself lost in this complicated journey. It’s difficult to set goals, and even more difficult to break goals down into deadlines. But no one said it was going to be easy. All of the breakdowns that Julie suffered, were a realistic depiction of life. When you fall down, will you have the willpower to get back up?

One final theme in the movie, is the power of appreciation. Julie had a vision in her head, of what kind of person Julia was. She believed Julia to be a flawless character, in every sense of the word. When she found out that Julia didn’t appreciate her blog, Julie was temporarily crushed. Then, she discovered that idol worship was futile. We are all humans in this world, and we all have emotions. We all get ecstatic, and we all get upset. It’s part of life. To think that someone else doesn’t have these emotions, is setting yourself up for disappointment. It’s good to appreciate someone for their achievements; but to completely idolize them, is a fruitless pursuit.

Julie and Julia is a great film, with a great message. Always set goals, and always have a role model. When life stands in your way, it’s up to you to make a change. No one is going to do the hard work for you. But if you stand tall, and never take ‘no’ for an answer, you will find that good things will happen to you. Life rewards those with patience, persistence, and those who set goals.

I have always felt that ‘Bedazzled’ was a highly underrated movie. Besides the fact that it is hilarious, it is also heartfelt, and filled with meaning. It is about a lonely man named Elliot Richards (Fraser), who struggles to find his place in life. That is, until the devil (Hurley) comes along, and changes his life forever. The main moral in the story, is how our lives are shaped by our experiences. One person can’t understand another person’s situation 100%, because everyone lives a different life.  Elliot went through a dramatic, traumatizing experience, which changed his life for the better. Although the devil probably won’t pop up in your life, and try to grant you 7 wishes, you can still learn great things from Bedazzled.

Elliot is the geek at his office. What he has in knowledge, he lacks in assertiveness. People step on him, and no one takes him seriously. After a turn of events, he happens to meet the devil ‘herself’. She tells Elliot that she can grant him 7 wishes. Elliot decides to use the wishes to gain the love of the girl of his dreams. The journey is a joy to watch. Yet behind the humorous exterior of his journey, lies a lingering sadness. Elliot tries so hard to win over Alison, yet he is repeatedly shot down. By the end of the movie, he is completely down on himself, and ready to lose his soul.

It all changes, when he reaches his last wish. After Elliot feels that the devil has tricked him, she sends him to ‘jail’. There, he meets an angel (possibly God). After speaking to the angel, Elliot learns what truly matters: Love. Unselfishness. Compassion. And the common realization that you can’t live forever. In one of the final scenes of the movie, Elliot gives up on his own life, only wishing that Alison has a happy life. What ensues after this, is a miracle. By his true act of unselfishness, Elliot kept his soul.

After this life changing moment, Elliot jumps for joy. Not only does he get to live with a renewed sense of purpose, he also keeps his soul! How’s that for a victory to start your day? When you are feeling down, it’s good to know that you still have your soul. Elliot has been through hell. Literally. His bossy and mean-spirited coworkers can’t get him down anymore. After one of his workers starts mocking him, Elliot pins him to the wall. When life hands you rotten lemons, just throw them away, and find some new ones. You don’t have to be stuck with a bad peer group.

At the end, Elliot doesn’t get Alison. However, he helps a girl who looks just like Alison move into her home. The fact that this girl is played by the same actor, is the message to all men and women alike. Some relationships just aren’t meant to be. Throughout the movie, Elliot moves around, and manipulates his life in many ways, in a desperate attempt to get the girl. This represents the way that some people deal with their relationships. They move around their life to accommodate their partner. The movie demonstrates that if a relationship isn’t meant to be, then it isn’t meant to be. There is always someone else, who looks similar, acts similar, and talks similar. The key is to never lose your optimism.

When I first saw Bedazzled in theaters, it was an extremely powerful film. Earlier this year, when I saw it again, it didn’t lose any of its power. The impact of the movie, along with the impact of the final song: “Change Your Mind” by Sister Hazel, bring together this heartwarming story. It is one of the most underrated movies of the decade, and one of my personal favorites. Change is essential to live, and nothing can propel change, like a dramatic experience. Whether it changes you for the better or for the worse, is entirely up to you.