Movies/Scenes
Representing Decision/Choice
- Changing
Lanes (2002)
- Both characters make conscious decisions for both good and evil. For Gipson, the decision of "doing the right thing" is more than just not taking a drink.
- Erin Brockovich (2000)
- "Erin Brockovich" is essentially a film about empowerment. A mother of three children is unemployed and has no source of income. She decides that she has to find a job at all costs. In her work at a small law firm, she discovers that she has very little respect from the other employees. She comes to believe that the women of the firm are jealous of her physical attributes when she is asked to change to more appropriate work clothing. She dreams of one day having a job where she is respected for what she brings to her position. She dreams of being viewed as a person of integrity. As the story unfolds, Erin develops a friendship with her boss that only strengthens with time because of her hard work and determination to do a good job. He strongly affirms Erin with several votes of confidence. As Erin works on her case, she receives acceptance from her co-workers gradually and also from those whom she wants to sign the petition. She also is required to show some great courage when she receives some threats to her family. Her case in a small California town that is plagued by bad water requires endurance from her and from her children and boyfriend/neighbor. The film depicts a journey of self-discovery for Erin. She finds that there are many obstacles that she must overcome, including dealing with the tension of not being with her children as much as she would like when she is working on her project for the town. The tension between working and not working is a strong one for Erin, who does not have the benefits of child support for her three children. As she gains the trust of the town, a sense of community between these people develops. They begin to understand that all of their medical problems are interconnected and that by joining together as one community they have a greater chance of achieving their goals. At the end of the film, Erin shows great joy at her accomplishments as a person in the working world (not to give away the ending). (submitted by Valerie Lyson Humphreys, Independence MO)
- The Family Man
(2000)
- Recently at our church we used a scene from 'The Family Man' with Nicholas Cage and Tea Leoni for a message about how to Manage Your Money. We used the clip when Nicholas Cage's character shows his wife an apartment in New York and tells her he got a new job and they will be richer than all their neighbors now. She is worried about the kids and he says, we can send them to private school now, we will have everything we ever wanted. The whole movie is good about finding out what is important in life. (Jenny Lust, New Vision Community Church, Marion, Ohio)
- American Beauty (1999)
- "I am using the illustration of American Beauty this week as I preach from Joshua 24 ("choose then whom you will serve...) A stunning picture of folks who have chosen to trust in work, success, family, parenting, marriage as ultimate truths, and not a single one of these concerns worked." (submitted by Pr. Lynn Silva-Breen)
- The Matrix
(1999)
- Neo must choose between the red pill and the blue pill - the ability to see the world as it really is, and the illusion of the world as he knows it.
- The Storm of the Century
(1999)
- Andre Linoge (Legion) demands a decision from the people on the Island. Which decision is the right one?
- The Truman Show
(1998)
- Truman's decision to leave his "perfect" but controlled world for the real world.
- The Game (1997)
- At the climax of The Game, Nicholas decides not to kill himself, but rather to give himself for others, and he is a new person.
- The Nutty
Professor (1996)
- We used a clip from 'The Nutty Professor' with Eddie Murphy, when Professor Klump decides to get into shape for a message about How to Make Decisons. The scene starts when he says, 'Yes, I can' and goes into the song, 'I'm so excited' They show him going to the gym and gradually making process. The clip ends when the song is over. (Jenny Lust, New Vision Community Church, Marion, Ohio)
- The Shawshank Redemption
(1994)
- Red's conscious decision "for life" at the place where Brooks had killed himself.
- When Red gets out of jail and he is on parole he walks by the store and he sees a gun and a compass. two ways one way is death (the gun) another way, the right direction (the compass) Red said the only thing that kept me from going the way Brooks went was Andy's promise that he kept. (Patrick W. Memphis TN)
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- Toward the end of the movie, Jones meets the ancient Knight Templar who guards the "Holy Grail", but there are many choices, gold cups, platinum, silver, terra cotta and wood. The knight says "you must choose, but choose wisely, for as the real grail brings eternal life, the false grail brings death". The bad guy comes in and chooses a glittering golden cup. "Truly the cup of a king", he says and drinks from it. Shortly later, with several horrific transformations, he deteriorates and turns to dust. The knight looks at them and simply says "He choose poorly". Jones selects a wooden cup "The cup of a Gallilean carpenter" he says, and with much fear, having seen the results before, drinks from it. "You choose wisely" says the knight. We've used this video with a disclaimer about the grail superstition as a bringer of eternal life, but in combination with the passage in Joel suggesting "choose justice, love mercy . . . ". It's been most effective with youth groups who are familiar with the movie. (Steve Braxton, Interim Dir. Cong. Life, First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC)
- Sophie's
Choice
(1982)
- Sophie's tragic choice between her children. Her decisions concerning life and death.
- The Poseidon Adventure
(1972)
- The younger priest is taking them through the Engine Room after climbing up through the Christmas Tree. Some decide not to go.
- Mrs Rosen: There's something different up there than there is down here? Priest: Yes. There's life. And life always matters very much. Mrs Rosen: All right. So I'll climb.
