Movies/Scenes
Representing Interconnectedness
- 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)
- Gladiator (2000)
- There is a quote that goes a little like this: "What you do today echoes through eternity." I think an entire year can be filled with lessons using this quote as a launching point. (submitted by Dave Robinson, MCYM/Club Beyond (a joint partnership between Young Life and Youth for Christ to reach US Military-dependent students) Bad Aibling, Germany)
- Being John Malkovich
(1999)
- Craig finds a portal that leads into John Malkovich's brain, where he is able to see/hear/feel what John Malkovich sees/hears/feels.
- Galaxy Quest
(1999)
- The television show is unwittingly picked up by the aliens and used to build their real world.
- Spitfire Grill (1996)
- Townspeople worried about the future of their grill become involved in a 'contest' to give the grill to someone interested in its reputation and benefit to the community. The idea comes from an outsider, with a 'bad' reputation. Some stand up for her. Some seek to 'sink' her. The 'contest' needs the participation of nearly everyone. The 'winning' selection serves a new purpose for the community. In their concern for healthy community they are healed of the former grill owner's 'secret by the offering of the 'outsider' and discover new purpose looking beyond their private interests. They give a new life to the 'winner' and find they have 'won' new common benefit and reputation--a new life. (submitted by Dennis Sylte)
- 12
Monkeys (1995)
- Relationship and Consequence for actions reaches both into past and into future.
- Natural Born Killers
(1994)
- Mickey's words at the "wedding" as they bleed together: "We'll be living in all the oceans now." The violent cycles begun through their genes and their environment also continues through them.
- Six Degrees of
Separation (1993)
- Everyone is a new door opening into a new door. There are six degrees of separation between us and everyone in the world. You just need to find the right 6 people. (DVD ch 6)
- The
Fisher King (1991)
- Jack's off-hand remarks inspire Edwin to commit the massacre at the restaurant. Jack later is redeemed through a relationship with Parry - the spouse of one of the massacre victims.
- The Giant of
Thunder Mountain (1991)
- Eli Weaver, "the giant," lives like a hermit on thunder mountain, due to the hostility, gossip, and rejection of the local townspeople, who, without evidence, accuse him of murdering his parents. A young girl, Amy Wilson, seeks to turn the tables by befriending the giant?learning that Eli was innocent of the tragic deaths of his parents. Eventually, she succeeds in winning his heart, and Eli agrees to visit the townspeople again, only to be rejected and cast out a second time. However, Amy and her brothers persist in keeping their friendship alive with the giant. Through a series of suspense-filled events, which are totally misunderstood by the townspeople, a lynch mob erroneously hunts down Eli. However, the truth is revealed in the nick of time, and Eli is instrumental in capturing the real criminals, associated with a travelling carnival. The townspeople, finally accepting the truth, regard Eli as a hero. Eli, in several respects, comes across as a Christ-figure in the movie: suffering many hardships from the rejection, scorn and derision of the townspeople, reminding me a little of William Butler Yeats? "rough beast" exterior, contrasted with the biblical tender, gentle Jesus who loves and welcomes children. Themes: How destructive hasty judgments and gossip can be to an individual?s reputation (Matthew 7:1ff., James 3:5ff.), think before you speak and act, external appearances are often very deceptive and have tragic consequences, God?s and Christ?s love for the outcasts of society (Matthew 11:19, Luke 15, etc.), risking one?s life and loving others (John 15:12ff.). Highly recommended for family viewing. (Reviewed by the Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson)
- Do the
Right Thing (1989)
- Señor Love Daddy: My people, my people, what can I say? I'll say what I can. I saw it, but I didn't believe in what I saw. Are we gonna live together? Together are we gonna live?
- Places in the Heart
(1984)
- Final Eucharist scene - reconciliation and interconnectedness between characters in the story.
- Local Hero (1983)
- A Houston oil executive is sent to a small oceanside Scottish village to purchase the entire village with the plan to destroy the village and the ecology of the beautiful beach and bay that the village is located on in order to install a gigantic oil tank storage facility. The Houston oil executive ends up with a deep appreciation of the simple pleasures and satisfactions of the human community in this village and contrasts this community with the emptiness of his life in Houston. The movie ends with a crusty old resident of the beach "converting" the oil company CEO (played brilliantly by Burt Lancaster) and the beach and village are saved. Great soundtrack by Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits.) (Curtis Huber)
- The
Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- While giving Jedi training to Luke Skywalker, Yoda says: "Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere. Yes, even between the land and the ship." (submitted by David K. Miller)
- The Defiant
Ones (1958)
- Two embittered convicts - one black and one white - learn to trust each other and work together as they attempt to escape while shackled together.
- Grapes of Wrath
(1940)
- Tom: Maybe it's like Casey says. A
fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just little piece of a big soul, the
one big soul that belongs to everybody, then -
Ma: Then what, Tom?
Tom: Then it don't matter. I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be everywhere, wherever you can look. Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready and where people are eatin' the stuff they raise and livin' in the houses they build. I'll be there, too.
- Tom: Maybe it's like Casey says. A
fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just little piece of a big soul, the
one big soul that belongs to everybody, then -
