Ruth Lee's Web Log - Movie Review

Don?t miss ?Tibet in Song?

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:51:00 -0400

Today, Ngawang Choephel asked me to be his friend on Facebook and I am thrilled to be able to link with him this way. Why? Who is Ngawang Choephel? Read on…

Tibet in Song journeys daringly into the past 50 years of cultural repression inside Tibet. It is not just a film about music. Director and former Tibetan political prisoner, Ngawang Choephel, weaves stories of beauty, pain, brutality, and resilience, introducing Tibetan music to the world in a way never before seen on film. The film first shows the beauty of traditional Tibetan folk music, and showcases an array of folk songs from Tibet including working songs, songs about family, and the beauty of the land. [More]

?Ladies in Lavender?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:01:00 -0400

Here is another movie I missed along the path…and was put in touch with it via a discussion on the wall of a Facebook friend. Everyone there said “Ladies in Lavender” with Judi Dench and the incomparable Maggie Smith was great. So I jotted it down and borrowed it from my local library. What a treat!

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?Little Buddha?

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:52:00 -0400

While traveling in Nepal I was told over and over again that scenes were shot here and there, most in Kathmandu, for the movie “Little Buddha”. I don’t know how it slipped by me, but much does at times when I am in full retreat from everything and meditating quite deeply, so I assume this was one of those times…but I made up for it the other day, and my, oh my, am I happy I did! [More]

?Amongst White Clouds?

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:30:00 -0400

Wonderful DVD subtitled: “Buddhist Hermit Masters of China’s Zhongnan Mountains”…got it from my local library, but probably available on Amazon.com… It was published by FM Festival Media and was screened at the International Buddhist Film Festival. Last year I posted a book review here on the story of a man who traveled all over China in search of Zen priests and monasteries and this is a grand accompaniment to that book (listed in Blog Archieves on right side of page).

Master Guang Kuan says: “All of this is the practice…It’s not just sitting quietly somewhere.” [More]

?The Last Emperor?

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:29:00 -0400

In an effort to balance my feelings about the divisive policies of the Chinese government towards Tibet and its people at home and abroad, I have been taking extra pains to understand the people of the country in hopes of figuring out the government… : ) Anyway, I have always enjoyed Chinese cinema and last week viewed once again “The Last Emperor.” Based on my experiences in Tibet and Bhutan, as well as Nepal, I saw it with an entirely different viewpoint and liked it a lot better.

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Joseph Campbell?s ?Sukhavati?

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:20:00 -0400

If you know Joseph Campbell’s work, you would expect the subtitle to be: “A Mythic Journey,” but if you do not know his work, you may want to start with something a little easier since he covers many religious belief systems and identifies what is a myth and all manner of wonderful thoughts in this video, and I would not want you to be turned off because it is ‘too much at once.’ I own several of his works on DVD and they are not cheap, so you may want to borrow them from your local library as I did this one.

Now, having written the worst introduction ever to one of his masterpieces… let me share with you what the Joseph Campbell Foundation prepared for release…You may want to become Friends of his Foundation on Facebook, too… [More]

The Movie - "The Last Airbender"

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:49:00 -0400

Many thanks to everyone who reviews movies and books for us to consider and choose to see or read--or not!

I went to see The Last Airbender and I liked it because it is another movie telling us there are energies and forces in the world that we need to respect. It also asks us to determine why we are here and what it is that we are supposed to do while on this plane. The little boy, the main character, was told he had been reincarnated many times over to help the various tribes. [More]

Movie Review: ?Unmistaken Child?

Fri, 07 May 2010 15:02:00 -0400

The following is a review by an Amazon reader and spotted by Kathy who sent it in for us to consider. “Unmistaken Child” Directed by: Nati Baratz

The local reviewer had made "Unmistaken Child" sound like an exercise in comparative religion and anthropology, a bit daunting and probably opaque to the non-initiated. I had read some Tibetan Buddhism decades ago, and of course read or watch the news about the continuing saga of the Dalai Lama and his following, so I decided to go anyway and was very pleasantly surprised. Instead of a hard slog, the film immediately grabbed me and I soon felt like I was scrambling through the Himalayan rocks with the disciple Tenzin Zopa. It didn't hurt that Tenzin was a charming and shyly charismatic young man with excellent English. While this film will take you very far away from New York or Oshkosh, it is a good trekking guide and if you are the sort who has any interest in seeing it to start with you should find it a joy to watch. [More]

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:24:00 -0400

The other day i made the big jump and bought Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth on DVD from Amazon. Unable to finish up the course on same subject with Jungian Analyst Nancy Dougherty because she moved to Austin, TX, i debated about investing so much in this set...but decided to use my birthday funds as my friends intended and am now awaiting the arrival of this great find....

Editorial Reviews From: Amazon.com
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth is essential viewing for anyone old enough to appreciate its vital teachings. One of the greatest interviews ever recorded, this 6-part, 6-hour encounter between teacher-mythologist Campbell and student-journalist Bill Moyers (recorded in the two years preceding Campbell's death in 1988) covers a galaxy of topics related to Campbell's central themes: Mythology is humanity's universal method of seeking the transcendental, and "follow your bliss" is the timeless formula for spiritual satisfaction. [More]

Is "Precious" too brutal?

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:51:00 -0400

Kathy spotted this movie review blog today and sent it in with the following words. I have not seen the movie, but have seen a couple of minutes of interviews with the young woman who plays the titled role. Have a few thoughts anyway, but first, read what Kathy had to say and check out the interview.

I saw this blog post on Yahoo! Shine and was intrigued by this movie review. Kathy

Is "Precious" too brutal to appreciate the Oscar-worthy acting? - Manage Your Life on Shine Click here to read blog interview: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/is-amp-quot-precious-amp-quot-too-brutal-to-appreciate-the-oscar-worthy-acting-547835/

Okay, now you know as much as me if you have never seen the movie and now are pretty sure you will not see it because it is more violent than your mind wants to handle at this time. [More]

Story of 'The Taj' a coming attraction

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:30:00 -0400

Kathy spotted this story about Sir Ben Kingsley starring in his own production of the famous Mogul leader who built the Taj Mahal as a tribute to his own wealth and in memory of one of his wives. The story will be so much ‘stuff’, but I am sure it will lead many to want to read and study Indian history a bit more they normally do.

Keep in mind that India is predominantly Hindu, and there is no religion on Earth as tolerant of all others as it can be, but the Taj was built by Muslims and from what I could sense when visiting, not as well loved as tourists believe it to be. However, no one can deny the beauty and grace of this most magnificent of edifices!!! Definitely deserves to be on the List of Places to See Before You Die.

Check out the story at: The Taj

Goat Staring ?Ain?t what it used to be?

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:18:00 -0400

Hi Ruth,
Disappointment often arrives on the back of an expectation. "The Men Who Stare At Goats" didn't meet any expectation that I had, except one. It was a farce.

As you may know from my interview with Col. John Alexander, the man supposedly portrayed by George Clooney, alerted us to the fact that while the book of the same name and the movie are based on some factual situations, that was pretty much the stop point for any further reality. [More]

TV Tweaks

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:17:00 -0400

Tweaks because i don't Tweet. Got two comments from friends of ours about TV programs that they think you and i will want to see. First was this note from Kathy:

Oh, by the way. There is a new show on ABC Thursdays called (Flash Forward). All about a global time rift where time stops for 2 1/2 minutes and everyone gets a glimpse into their personal future. Looks like it will be very good, but I haven't seen it yet, so I'm only going on what I have been told. I'll try to catch it tonight. [More]

'Angels and Demons' coming to your town now

Fri, 15 May 2009 11:11:00 -0400

The other night Charlie Rose hosted Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, and Ayelet Zurer in a conversation about Dan Brown’s novel, “Angels and Demons”. I read this book which preceded the more famous second novel in the series, “The DaVinci Code” first; and as a result, I preferred it to the more popular sequel. Oh, yes, you have to watch the show to the very end when they play yet another clip from the movie, one which included Charlie and Dan Brown as extras in the background. Charlie is definitely not cut out to be an actor, thus Ron cut his big scene out—which takes nerve when the scene also includes the author. :) A conversation

To view the interview: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10294

Movie Review: Whaledreamers

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:52:00 -0400

Ruth, I really recommend you see this...It put me in another mindstate. Beside the whales, natives trying to heal their cultures, plus whales and dolphins; there is a part with a different frequency when the Buddhists join with the Tara mantra. D

Whaledreamers

Calling All Who Care for the Planet

‘Whaledreamers’ is a Julian Lennon production, winner of 8 international awards at film festivals around the world.

The film is a personal odyssey for director, Kim Kindersley, who explains that the film was over 10 years in the making. With breathtaking cinematography, the story follows the Aboriginal tribe of the Mirning on a powerful journey, assisted by indigenous elders from around the world, to reconnect with their Sacred Earth and their spirit animals, the whales.

A truly thought provoking film with a deep message of peace and transformation; it is a rallying call for humanity to widen its circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and the Earth itself. In one of the many powerful moments Julian Lennon is presented by the Tribal Elders with a white feather. It is revealed that his father, John Lennon, said to him, shortly before he died: “If anything ever happens to me look for a white feather and you'll now I'm there, looking out for you.”

Note: Those of you who are fans of Angel of The Maya know of the deep and abiding connection we have to John Lennon. Why? We will know all things once we cross the divide.