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Reviews
Hereafter (2010)
My opinion as a near-death experiencer and researcher
Here are 3 stories that we hope will come together at the end (which demonstrates good writing.)
Our heroine is a French Woman that has an near-death experience(NDE) in a tsunami. She comes back to her old life and tries to tell a few people, who don't want to hear it. She loses her old life. She does some research and writes a book about NDEs called Hereafter: The conspiracy against the truth (or something like that.)
Matt Damon is a "Psychic" (actually he was a medium but they didn't use that term in this movie.) He feels he is a freak, cursed with this ability that everyone tries to tell him is a gift.
The third story is a little boy who loses his identical twin brother.
I don't want to say anymore except that the first two stories were not only real to me as an NDEr, but they accurately could have been one character. Our Heroine's story doesn't go into the psychic after effects of the NDEr and how we can feel "freakish." Matt Damon does that for us. And of course, the story needs two separate characters and makes us hope that these two will somehow meet. And her losing her old life and his discomfort with being in touch with the "other side of the veil" are common themes for those of us who have experienced the other side.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hereafter and probably will buy the DVD for my NDE Library.
The only thing I didn't like in the movie is the way they blurred her NDE visually. Mine was sharp and clear with amazing colors and I've heard that from most if not all of the interviews my colleagues and I did. Barbara Harris Whitfield, author and researcher
The Soloist (2009)
The Truth about Schizophrenia
I sometimes work clinically with schizophrenics. This film shows us the truth about working with severely mentally ill people. David, the man who runs the shelter for the homeless honestly spoke the truth with his stance that is opposite of what the Pharmaceutical Industry, most of psychiatry and the legal system try to make us believe. David was my hero in this movie.
All though the movie goes quickly over Jamie Fox's childhood trauma and losses -- it's still there, i.e. no father and the truck on fire represent some of the traumas that created his illness. Homeless people with mental illness did not come from healthy childhoods. Almost all came from repeated childhood trauma.(see New Zealand Psychologist John Read PhD and colleagues, the ACE Study from the CDC, and Charles Whitfield's book The Truth about Mental Illness, 2004).
Hollywood did not cover over the painful truths in this story. Jamie Fox's character's mother and his sister were good people and that comes through but they couldn't prevent his wounding. At the end of the film, we are told "90,000 Homeless people in Los Angeles." We walked out of the theater overwhelmed with that figure and uplifted by this true story.
If you're really interested in the truth about schizophrenia there is an excellent DVD documentary called Take These Broken Wings: Recover from Schizophrenia without Medication by Daniel Mackler
Mamma Mia! (2008)
As far as movies go -- the most fun I've had in years!
What a spectacular movie. I'm seeing it again tomorrow and I can't wait for the DVD to come out. I've seen the play and have that CD but as soon as the movie was over I went and bought this new sound track.
Meryl Streep never stops amazing us. She can play any role. Her voice isn't bad either. I love the way she is letting her age show. No plastic for her as far as we could tell. And, her beauty radiates and is ageless. She gives me hope that somehow we can return to graceful naturalness.
Speaking of voices, Pierce Brosnan doesn't have one and I am so glad they didn't voice over him. I liked his "au natural'" and when his shirt was riped off -- his voice didn't matter anymore. It's rare that we walk out of a movie talking to everyone and laughing too. But the audience enjoyed this one so much that we all couldn't stop talking about it. We need more positive happy movies like this!!
In the Land of Women (2007)
Is Hollywood growing up?
Finally, Hollywood is getting closer to emotional maturity and creativity. In the Land of Women was a delightful surprise. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys delving into the underlying thread of emotion connecting our relationships. As we meander through the sometimes messy connections between characters -- I don't remember any Hollywood sterilization of the situations. We continue, sometimes blind, just like the characters in the story -- and we get an excellent play-out of what ordinary "good" people do to strive to survive and better themselves.
We need more movies like this one -- a "chick-flick" that is more. It makes us think and it makes us feel!
Unconditional Love (2002)
A Surprise Sleeper
We loved this movie because it was so entertaining and off beat-- Not your usual Hollywood drivel.
My husband had a Blockbuster coupon and passed on a string of new releases of violent Hollywood stuff. He was about to walk out when he saw this and decided to take a chance. There was only one copy -- and with some glitches in the DVD that we finally had to flip to wide screen version and then back to the full screen version to make it stop stalling. But it was worth it. Cathy Bates is so good and she was so perfect for the role. And she can sing too!
If only Hollywood would learn from Independent film makers! Maybe we would go back to the real movies. But for now, we're sticking with off beat and really entertaining films like this one! Other examples we've enjoyed include: A Box Full of Moonlight, Pieces of April, Delivering Milo, The Celestine Prophesy. Most of the ones by Christopher Guest such as: Best in Show, For your Consideration, A Mighty Wind, and Waiting for Guffman
Delivering Milo (2001)
Synchronicities abound! by Barbara Harris Whitfield
I had a near-death experience (NDE) 30 some years ago. I went on to become a researcher and interviewed more near-death experiencers than I can count. I have four published books on the NDE and natural spirituality -- I wish I had thought up this story myself.
This plot is excellent.
For anyone who has or believes in sychronicities and serendipity -- this movie goes right to the heart. The child actor is wonderful. He doesn't over act but walks around in this heartfelt plot like any child his age would. Albert Finney always gives a good performance and is particularly good here as a scoundrel. There are a panel of angels that add so much comedy in their very straight way. And, Bridget Fonda plays a believable role as the mother to be who is so traumatized by her father's abandonment when she was a child. It all comes together in the end not just cleverly -- but spiritually.
The Hours (2002)
The Hours holds its own because of the incredible acting
I knew the plot was supposed to be confusing as it switched back and forth between three time lines and three different women. I patiently waited for it to come together and it did -- but the plot itself did not really hold me enough to continue this two hour movie. What kept me watching was the incredible acting done by everyone on the screen. Our three main women -- Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nichole Kidman were beyond scoring a ten. They were fantastic -- so believable. Kidman, wearing a false nose, was so dowdy it was hard to find her. She totally became Virginia Wolfe. Julianne Moore was incredible in her silent suffering. And Meryl is always incredible. The supporting actors held there own too. What an amazing group of talented actors.