Movies

[Reefs]

Jan 25, 2024 15:52:24 GMT -5 zendancer said:

Jan 25, 2024 15:35:17 GMT -5 sharon said:

Very good film. 

That really looks good from the trailer. I'm going to see if I can access the longer version in French with subtitles. Love the music!

It's actually a movie about friendship. The two protagonists Enzo and Jacques are world record divers and therefore rivals, but that doesn't prevent them from having fun together, because they can respect and appreciate each other and the level of mastery that they each have achieved. In a sense they both live in their own diver world that no one else seems to be able to enter. They both know this and that's why they can so appreciate each other's company and being. 

[zendancer]

On the plane back from Portugal to the states, I watched a wonderful little Japanese film with subtitles titled "Perfect Days." Some people might find it a little slow, particularly during the first half, but it gets increasingly interesting as it progresses. The main actor is superb, and the film has a rating of 96%. The story is pure Zen, and it has a few classic lines in it. My favorite was, "The next time is the next time but now is now." The ending of the movie showed nothing but the main actor's face for 15 or 20 seconds, but it was so poignant that it brought tears to my eyes.

[andrew]

I only watch documentaries occasionally, but I found the new Scientology documentary on Netflix to be compelling. I know a bit about Scientology from before, and resonate with the basic idea of 'going clear', and I can see how the observational process of 'auditing' could be of some value. But it also sounds like the basics have been corrupted by money, power and crazy ideas. All those levels....yikes. The 'dark' side of spirituality perhaps.

Also, a film called 'The Master', with Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, is worth a watch (it may have been mentioned here before). When I saw it, I felt strongly that it was based on Scientology. Compelling viewing and brilliant acting, as we'd expect from those three.

[stardustpilgrim]

Jul 25, 2024 10:35:56 GMT -5 andrew said:

I only watch documentaries occasionally, but I found the new Scientology documentary on Netflix to be compelling. I know a bit about Scientology from before, and resonate with the basic idea of 'going clear', and I can see how the observational process of 'auditing' could be of some value. But it also sounds like the basics have been corrupted by money, power and crazy ideas. All those levels....yikes. The 'dark' side of spirituality perhaps.

Also, a film called 'The Master', with Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, is worth a watch (it may have been mentioned here before). When I saw it, I felt strongly that it was based on Scientology. Compelling viewing and brilliant acting, as we'd expect from those three.

I saw The Master in the theater, it's definitely based on L Ron Hubbard. I saw an interview once with Harlan Ellison (also a SyFy and fantasy writer). He said he was talking to L Ron Hubbard once (way back) who told him he was going to invent a religion. I read Dianetics, the modern science of mental health (I think that's the subtitle), once, pre-Gurdjieff, read it in full. I was impressed. (I later realized he had taken some material from Gurdjieff). I even went to a meeting-lecture, didn't take it any further. Those guys don't let go. About once a year my parents would get mail from them, addressed to me (as that's where I lived when I got on their mailing list). I would just throw it in the trash. But I was on their mailing list for almost 50 years.

I will check out the documentary, thanks.

[andrew]

Jul 25, 2024 11:46:50 GMT -5 stardustpilgrim said:

Jul 25, 2024 10:35:56 GMT -5 andrew said:

I only watch documentaries occasionally, but I found the new Scientology documentary on Netflix to be compelling. I know a bit about Scientology from before, and resonate with the basic idea of 'going clear', and I can see how the observational process of 'auditing' could be of some value. But it also sounds like the basics have been corrupted by money, power and crazy ideas. All those levels....yikes. The 'dark' side of spirituality perhaps.

Also, a film called 'The Master', with Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, is worth a watch (it may have been mentioned here before). When I saw it, I felt strongly that it was based on Scientology. Compelling viewing and brilliant acting, as we'd expect from those three.

I saw The Master in the theater, it's definitely based on L Ron Hubbard. I saw an interview once with Harlan Ellison (also a SyFy and fantasy writer). He said he was talking to L Ron Hubbard once (way back) who told him he was going to invent a religion. I read Dianetics, the modern science of mental health (I think that's the subtitle), once, pre-Gurdjieff, read it in full. I was impressed. (I later realized he had taken some material from Gurdjieff). I even went to a meeting-lecture, didn't take it any further. Those guys don't let go. About once a year my parents would get mail from them, addressed to me (as that's where I lived when I got on their mailing list). I would just throw it in the trash. But I was on their mailing list for almost 50 years.

I will check out the documentary, thanks.

Yep, the 'Dianetics' aspect of scientology is the bit that sounds pretty good to me. It reminds me of 'The Sedona Method' (Lester Levenson), who was around at the same time as Hubbard. And it also a bit like Faster EFT, in which one is invited to precisely describe their memory of a situation, and the negative 'charge' is taken out of the memories, at each step.

If you aren't familiar with Lester's story, you might enjoy it. Here it is in his own words (it's not long) lesterlevenson.org/about-lester/