Movie Club against depression

[Lilya]

OK, here goes. Movies, my favourite, my job. I am truly addicted and it´s a great addiction.

My 3 favourite movies at the moment:

1. The Shawshank Redemption" -Frank Darabont. This is one of the best recent American movies I know of. It has been with me ever since it was premiered and I find everything there, hope against all odds, how to go through adversity with dignity and a strong friendship. I can never get enough of it. And the quote from it: "Get busy living, or get busy dying." It´s so true.

2. "Habla con Ella" ("Talk to her") - Pedro AlmodovÃ*r. A masterpiece. A bit troubling because of the intensity of the subject and taboos, but it´s about hope.

3. "Dogville" -Lars Von Trier. I hated the first 45 minutes but then I couldn´t stop watching. I think it´s about Limbo, purgatory. It´s about the human condition. Notice the ending. The people of Dogville get one chance to do good. I loved the use of the old Danish golden age of film making, the women saints like Catherine d´Alessandre (Nicole Kidman). It´s really a rare film.

And for light entertainment: I love to watch some matcho spy thrillers with my father. Here is a good one "Spy Games" with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt.

I look forward to hear from you. :shades:

Use adversity

[2stop]

I recently saw Tears of the Sun, I loved the lady doc in it..how she refused to leave her people, and was so dedicated to helping them, she valued all life and I liked that. I cried in parts of it. Sometimes I like to watch movies that make me cry, it helps me to feel again, I guess. Do any of ya all choose movies that make you cry? It's like a weird release, maybe I'm just wacky, but it's who I am.:p

[margo]

Hi Lilya - there's a thread in the Inspirations forum titled SoberRecovery Movie Club which is now up to page 3. I don't know if you've viewed it yet, but there's some great recommendations there. I too share your love of movies!

[Juls]

I already mentioned one of my favorited "Defending Your Life," on another post. But I also really like "La Femme Nikita." I like both versions, French and American.

I can watch movies over and over. One of my most watched movies is the God Father Trilolgy. Whenever I'm sick and half to stay in bed, that what I put on. I've seen it so many times, I know all the dialogue, and can close my eyes and rest while just listening to it.

Juls

[Juls]

2Stop,

I also like movies that make me cry. It's good to get in touch with feelings.

Juls

[Lilya]

Same here! I was watching "the House of Mirth" with Gillian Anderson, based on Edith Wharton´s novel. What a spiral to hell, but she was on drugs. I love those period costume dramas at the moment, like Merchant and Ivory Productions such as "The Golden Bowl", "Jefferson in Paris", than Jane Campion´s "Portrait of a Lady" from Henry James. I also like "Wings of the Dove".
Designed for getting in touch with your feelings and totally anti-depressant. I have a strange theorie on depression and movies I will share wit you later. In the meantime, enjoy the films!
Have you seen some of these?

Use adversity

:shades:

Schindler's List
The Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
Rear Window
Dances With Wolves
The Deer Hunter
Field of Dreams
The African Queen
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Kramer vs. Kramer
Terms of Endearment
The Birds
Rain Man
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The Color Purple
Boyz N the Hood
The Silence of the Lambs
THE WIZARD OF OZ
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT
JFK
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?
STALAG 17
THE DIRTY DOZEN
THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
A CHRISTMAS STORY
PLANET OF THE APES
TERMINATOR 1&2
Seven
King Kong
The Fugitive
The Elephant Man
An Affair to Remember
Somewhere in Time
To Kill a Mockingbird
West Side Story
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Rocky
Cool Hand Luke
Lethal Weapon
Runaway Train
Spartacus
The Robe
Papillon
Old Yeller
The Shining
The Seventh Seal
Arthur
Harvey
Alien
The King and I
Lillies of the Field
Back to the Future
Beauty and the Beast
Bonnie and Clyde
The Breakfast Club
A Christmas Story
Red Dawn
Dead Man Walking
Deliverance
The Diary of Anne Frank
The Fisher King
Frankenstein (1931)
Life Is Beautiful
Little Big Man
Les Misérables
Ordinary People
Poltergeist
Pygmalion
Romeo and Juliet
Crazy People
Life Boat
Fail Safe
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
The Shootist
Starman
Star Gate
The Last Starfighter
The Ten Commandments
The Prince of Egypt
The Usual Suspects
Titanic
War Games
The Yearling
Young Frankenstein
The Burbs
Zulu
Cracker Factory
Star Trek
The Matrix
The Sixth Sense
E.T.
The Time Machine
The Silent Running
Preditor
Forbidden Planet
The Thorn Birds
The Martian Chronicles
War of the Worlds
Enemy Mine
Logan's Run
Total Recall
Carousel
Papillon
The Princess Bride
Saturday the 14th 1&2
Godzilla (Original)
A Fish Called Wanda
Man of La Mancha
Searching for Bobbie Fisher
On Golden Pond
A Farewell to Arms
Fahrenheit 451

[Juls]

MG,

I have seen almost every single one of those films on that list. Loved them all. Lilya, my husband really enjoys period movies. I have seen Jefferson in Paris, and Portrait of a Lady. I also liked the one with Glen Close, can't think of name right now.

Juls

[Juls]

Also Tootsie, and Mrs. Doubtfire,

Juls

[Lilya]

What a list!

I have seen almost every film on that list as well. They´re wonderful!

I loved Tootsie and I kind of liked "Mrs. Doubtfire". I prefer Robin Williams in his new role as a pshycho:p . He´s awesom.

How about European films? Have you seen the latest Pedro AlmodovÃ*r? One of the films I love the most is "All about my mother" (2000) and of course his latest, "Habla con Ella". It´s a very different approach to love, life and taboo.

Very soon I´ll present my theory to cure depression with a complete list.

Use adversity

[2stop]

I love that movie Wings of the Dove, I haven't seen it in awhile, think I'll go buy it this weekend! Black Hawk Down is a favorite of mine, Snatch was interesting too. I've always enjoyed In Love and War, nobody else liked it much, but I enjoy it!

[2stop]

You know I just remembered another movie that I really like..It's To Wong-Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar..it's so fun to watch.....I need to find that one and add it to my collection.

[Lilya]

I would love to see those, Tammie. :shades:

I was watching "Ghost" after all these years. Haven´t seen it in ten or even fifteen years!

I keep thinking about my old documentaries on life and death, this movie really brings it back to me. Funny, but most people I interviewed described death in some ways like that.

Use adversity

[Juls]

2Stop,

I like To Wong Foo also.

One of my Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin favs is all of me.

Lilya, do you mean Ghost with Pat Swaz and Dem Moore?

Juls

[Lilya]

Yes, it´s "Ghost" with Demi Moore. I´m watching all these movies I saw 15 years ago, like "Fatale Attraction" with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas. It´s amazing to watch it all these years later.

I was starting my career as a writer at that time and started as a journalist. "Fatale attraction" got huge attention in Paris when it came out and I wrote aboutthe female stereotypes in the film. I remember how much symphathy I had for the character played by Glenn Close 15 years ago! I guess I was projecting my own craziness. I cringe when I think of what I wrote!:p

Use adversity

[Lilya]

OK, here comes my trumpcard. This is an interesting theory I heard about once and tried on myself when I was very depressed. I have never known it to fail. But this is not a good idea if you´re suicidally depressed. Then see a doctor.

It implies that if you exagerates your symptoms, they fade. Whenever you feel really depressed, go to a video club who specializes in very good European movies. Rent the following list, the more, the better:

Name of film maker: Ingmar Bergman:
(I´m sorry, I know the titles only in French and Swedish, but I´ll try to translate)

Films:
"Musique dans les tenèbres," (Music in the dark")
"La Prison" (The Prison)
"La Soif" (The Thurst)
"Scènes d´un mariage" (Scenes from a marriage)
"Persona" (A Person)
"Face Ã* face" (Face to face) (Don´t watch it alone)
"Le Silence" (The Silence)
"Cris et chuchotements" (Cries and whispers)
"A travers le miroir" (Through the mirror)

And last but not least: "La Pianiste" by Haneke with Isabelle Huppert and Benoît Magimel (2001 or 2002)

Watch it and at first you´ll become very depressed. if you persist, the symptoms starts to fade because these films are so beyound pain and psychological suffering you´ll start to smile.

This has been recommended from famous French psychiatrists who specializes in depression.

Try it!

Use adversity

[2stop]

Lilya, I am definitely going to try this, For two days I can't even sit and watch many movies in my collection, either too light or too funny, or the sad ones I've seen too many times... and I need to FEEL something, a catalyst to catapult me into seeing myself, the world in a different light. The depression is so bad today I feel the tears and rage inside me but nothing I do releases them, I would have to agree that movies can play a big part in getting us to feel differently....thanks for the list, I am going to find them, maybe I can order them off the internet if I can't find them in a store?

[Lilya]

You can definately get them through the Internet Movie Database. Just check Ingmar Bergman and his films will be listed. But they are in Swedish so get the ones with subtitles. Oh, and check for "Autumn Sonata" by Bergman with Liv Ullmann.

They are also classics and extremely interesting.

If you decide to rent "La Pianiste" by Haneke (not Le Pianist" by Polanski), fast forward the bathroom scene... Just a tip. But the acting is amazing and both actors won the Palme d´Or in Cannes.

Good luck and feel better soon!

Use adversity

[2stop]

Thanks Lilya~ I am going to try to order at least one this weekend.

[Juls]

2Stop,

I'm sorry to hear your feeling bad. Can you relate it to anything in particular, or is it you just wake up feeling bad?

Lilya, I remember when I saw Cries and Whispers, there was that one scene (I'm sure you know the one I mean) that really affected me. But I'm familiar with the concept of watching movies that take you beyond your own feelings of sadness and depression to another depth.

There's an Black and White that I've watched for that reason called "The Lost Weekend," about an alcoholic man who goes on a binge.

Juls

[Lilya]

I know which scene from "Cries and Whispers" you mean, Juls! Tammie, be careful when you watch it. But Bergman´s films are so incredibly intense, I think it´s just what you need right now. It will affect you in adifferent way. :p

Use adversity

[2stop]

Years ago what did the trick was to watch some of these talk shows like Jenny Jones to Jerry Springer, I felt incredibly intelligent and together after watching them!!LOL!! I can't bear to watch them now, of course~they simply irritate me..Sometimes writing character profiles helps me, I can write in any quality, and vices I want!! Pick the height, weight and eye color, and on and on.... If I could only finish what I start now!:p

[Lilya]

I´m not sure we have these shows here in Paris, but whenever I feel the depression coming on I try to watch shows on obsession and compulsion. They get some people with the strangest obsessions to come and talk about it on TV, plus a documentary team stays with them for 24 hours. Then a psychiatrist answers questions and recommends treatment.

In one show there was a young woman obsessed with drinking diet-Coke. She lived only for that and slept 3 hours a night to be able to drink it. She drank about a gallon a day. Then there was another one who ate her hair! With the roots! I felt sick watching it, but somehow I realized I´m not as crazy I might think.

Then there are the Relationship/Sex shows on. I feel embarrassed when I watch that. Husbands and wives are shown on TV and usually the mistress too. They talk openly about their impotence, frigidity etc.

You must have similar shows in the States?

Use adversity

[Juls]

Boy Lilya,

we do have some wild shows on here, but I've never heard or seen one about a person who lives to drink diet coke. I feel saner already.

Last night the move "Pay it Forward" was on t.v. It was a good movie. About a kid who for a social studies project decides to do three good deeds for other people, then tell them that they have to do the same for others. I won't tell the ending though.

Juls

[2stop]

Pay It Forward is an awesome movie!!~