Saturday, June 7, 2008

Akeelah and the Bee

Just saw this movie. Great movie. Once again, at least someone in the movie industry gets it. Gets what? Understands that movies like this one can inspire others to try harder than they have ever tried before. Maybe if Akeelah could do it, maybe I can do it. We could stand more of that kind of story.

This is the portrayal of a fictional person, Akeelah, a young black girl of 11 with an unusual gift of remembering the letters of words. I was hoping she was real. I am sure there are many real stories which echo the story of Akeelah in real life.

She lived in the wrong part of town. Her school was known many for troubles. And then those who originally thought she was a nerd, suddenly identified with her. They saw her as an example of hope. That people from poor neighborhoods, poor families, black single-parent families can make it to the most elite, the National Spelling Bee. And then it comes down to two. Akeelah and her rival. The amazing climax took me by complete surprise, a good surprise.

Highly recommended inspirational story!

My prayer is that whoever wrote the story keeps right on writing such inspiring stories. [Sorry I did not look the author up ... rushed right now.]

New Star Trek

Inspiring Movies

Let's simplify things.

Two basic kinds of movies. Yes I know there are more but I am talking about adult, non-cartoon, dramatic movies. There are great fantasy movies too. Movies that entertain. Movies that make you laugh.

There are documentaries and "pretend documentaries" like Michael Moore's which are actually political statement movies. Documentaries reveal interesting facts. Let's pretend documentaries are movies which attempt to move you to the point of view of the author regardless of truth. It is the author's or director's perception of truth that is important. "Don't confuse us with the real facts! My mind is made up" movies.

But here we are talking about movies that EITHER INSPIRE or DESPIRE you! Never heard of 'despire'? Don't feel bad because I just made it up.

Inspiring movies move you toward greatness. Despiring movies move you toward desperation! They do the opposite of inspiring you. I am sure you can think of a whole host of movies which show the lowest of the human condition, that make you feel cynical and hopeless. It is not my purpose to even mention them because they have already received more credit than their due.

Here we intend to point out movies that raise the bar of human compassion and inspiration. Movies that raise the bar not lower it. Movies which may not have been thought of by the Hollywood elite as particularly good in some cases but nevertheless move you to positive action not negative desperation.

The Passion of the Christ is obviously one of these. I have a DVD which outlines some of the amazing acts that Mel Gibson's movie led individuals to do. Did you hear about the man who murdered his wife, but was let go with no proof that he did it.

Later, in prison for another act, he saw "Passion of the Christ and confessed to the warden that he had also murdered his wife. Asked to explain how he fooled the crime investigators, he told them that he watched CSI all the time!

It is not my purpose to cast aspersions toward CSI. I enjoy the show except for the bloody dramatizations of how someone was murdered!

I hope that you some of you who read this will catch the vision and email me at cgpedley@gmail.com and ask to make a contribution or suggestion about movies that YOU found inspiring!

Cut!