Movie Club against depression 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 |
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 |
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! :) |
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 |
2Stop, I also like movies that make me cry. It's good to get in touch with feelings. Juls |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Also Tootsie, and Mrs. Doubtfire, Juls |
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 |
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!;) |
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.;) |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Radical therapy for extreme depression 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 |
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? |
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 |
Thanks Lilya~ I am going to try to order at least one this weekend.:) |
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 |
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