Friday Five (Lent #3)

Part of my Lent discipline this year is to try to write something every day... it doesn't need to be deep and meaningful every day... just writing!

so, with that in mind, this week's Friday Five tickled my fancy.

I am not a huge movie goer; in fact, the last time I was in a cinema is more than three years ago... so answering five questions about films is a challenge! 

We do however watch DVDs from time to time... here are the questions, and my answers:

1) Is there a film that so captured your imagination that you couldn’t stop thinking about it? In what way(s) did it affect you?

 I can still remember watching "A Beautiful Mind" at the cinema; I had not fully understood what it was about; and the realisation in the middle of the film, that these friends were in his mind just rocked me to the core. I have always been mindful of mental health issues, it has been a constant part of our family life to one extent or another for many years. But watching this, and the stark reality of what treatments were available, and the stigma carried was so beautifully portrayed. And the moment, at the end of the film when John Nash is sitting in the campus canteen, and everyone gives him their pen (a sign of great respect) moves me to tears still, just thinking about it.

 2) What religious/spiritual film has touched you? This could be something overtly thematic, like The Last Temptation of Christ, or something more subtle, like Enchanted April.

 Hmm... if you do not know Enchanted April - watch it!! Stunningly beautiful film. However, for me a recent film about spiritual discovery that I liked (not sure I loved it) was Eat, Pray, Love. Another, older one would be Babette's Feast - so lovely, that was a story of deep, spiritual love at its most essential. And another... (heck, these all include food!) is Chocolat! Loved that... though I think I loved the book more.

 3) When the going gets tough, is there a film you turn to for distraction and/or to help shift your mood?

Ahh... see this is my guilty secret! I love a chick flick! And I have loads of them, do I want to laugh, or do I need to cry? Am I mad? Or am I frustrated? Clueless; Wimbledon; 27 Dresses; 2 Weeks Notice; Truly Madly Deeply; the list goes on here is a photo of my shelf in the DVD cupboard! 

 4) What is your all-time favorite movie?

This is a hard one. The film I watch over and over is St Elmo's Fire - a real rite of passage film from the 80s; another one I have watched a lot is "Truly Madly Deeply" all about grief and recovery. They are not classic favourites I suppose, but they each have a particular pull for me. 

 5) If you were to choose a film for viewing and discussion with your congregation, what would you choose?

Depending what we were exploring; Shadowlands is great for all sorts of aspects of faith, and love and loss. Meet Joe Black is really interesting if you were thinking about how evil permeates life. I cannot actually imagine doing this - so choosing a film for discussion is really testing me! 

Well, this was fun! 
Maybe I know more films than I thought! Although, most of those are not recent... so maybe I don't!