The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

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binocular
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by binocular »

tiltbillings wrote:I forgot to add: I :heart: Huckabees. And Bee Season.
Bee Season? You'll have to explain that one.


I'll add The Last Samurai.
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Fluke
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by Fluke »

I'd add the movie "Revolver" to the list.

It's very violent in parts, but the main theme of the movie is the ego, and conquering it.

At least that was my understanding of it; it's quite a weird movie.

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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by tiltbillings »

binocular wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:I forgot to add: I :heart: Huckabees. And Bee Season.
Bee Season? You'll have to explain that one.


I'll add The Last Samurai.
You choose Last Samurai, but you do not understand Bee Season?
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by daverupa »

Fluke wrote:I'd add the movie "Revolver" to the list.

It's very violent in parts, but the main theme of the movie is the ego, and conquering it.
I got a one-off feel from "Revolver" - as though the exploration got close but was never quite on target. I earlier suggested that it took place in an Asuran realm, to account for the violence.

:tongue:

Probably this 'one-off' feeling is because movies with Kabbala themes seem to contain out-of-focus, Buddh-esque themes as a side effect, in my experience. "Bee Season" is one example, but I could mention "Pi", "The Fountain", & "Life of Pi" as well.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
binocular
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by binocular »

tiltbillings wrote:You choose Last Samurai, but you do not understand Bee Season?
I own a copy of "Last Samurai" and have seen it many times. [ah, no suitable emoticon]

But what does "Bee Season" have to do with Buddhism? It has to do with some forms of theism for sure, notably Jewish and Hare Krishna theism. But I don't see the Buddhist connection or theme in it, other than in some meta sense in which pretty much any film can be viewed as Buddhist.
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by tiltbillings »

binocular wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:You choose Last Samurai, but you do not understand Bee Season?
I own a copy of "Last Samurai" and have seen it many times. [ah, no suitable emoticon]

But what does "Bee Season" have to do with Buddhism? It has to do with some forms of theism for sure, notably Jewish and Hare Krishna theism. But I don't see the Buddhist connection or theme in it, other than in some meta sense in which pretty much any film can be viewed as Buddhist.
As for Bee Season, a nice little film, I'll take "some meta sense" in Eliza's compassionate act for her family as having more to do with acting in accordance with Dhamma over Nathan's very directly -- hands on -- assisting with the self-killing of Katsumoto for Katsumoto's honor.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
binocular
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by binocular »

tiltbillings wrote:As for Bee Season, a nice little film, I'll take "some meta sense" in Eliza's compassionate act for her family as having more to do with acting in accordance with Dhamma over Nathan's very directly -- hands on -- assisting with the self-killing of Katsumoto for Katsumoto's honor.
There's samurai culture and there's the Dhamma, and I'm not sure how much the two really have in common. There are some fierce claimants that the samurai culture is Buddhist. I'm not so sure about it.

There seems to be a similar problem as in Hinduism: according to the varnashrama system, there is the warrior caste, and yet they belong to a religion that is principally non-violent. There's that famous story of Arjuna having a conversation with God, and God encouraging Arjuna to act in line with his duty as a warrior - and kill people.
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by Spiny Norman »

I like the film "Dances with wolves" and will try to think of a Dhamma connection.. :tongue:
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by DNS »

Spiny Norman wrote:I like the film "Dances with wolves" and will try to think of a Dhamma connection.. :tongue:
I'll give it a shot.

Lt. Dunbar (played by Costner) chose to go to the vast wilderness of the West for his assignment / post. He was all alone and enjoyed the solitude. He kept a journal. (meditation simile)

After encountering the nearby Native American tribe, he gradually grew fond of them, ignoring the orders and rules of his post. (rejecting the authority of the Vedas simile)

When first meeting the tribe, he shows his bravery, which is admired by the tribe leaders. (simile for ascetic meditation persistence and determination)

He eventually assimilates into his newly adopted culture of the tribe. (simile for not accepting something simply because of the ethnicity to which you were born; Kalama Sutta)
binocular
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by binocular »

David N. Snyder wrote:
Spiny Norman wrote:I like the film "Dances with wolves" and will try to think of a Dhamma connection.. :tongue:
I'll give it a shot.
Ah, he goes to live among the Indians, that's the Dharma connection. :shock:
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Kim OHara
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by Kim OHara »

Lots more here, on the Tricycle BuddhaFest Online Film Festival.
Guide: http://www.tricycle.com/buddhafest/festival-guide

:popcorn:
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by Modus.Ponens »

I don't know if this was added before, but "The Straight Story", by David Lynch, is a wonderful film. Probably the most beautiful film I saw in my life. It's a very simple story (not encrypted like Muholand Drive), yet so beautiful and profound. It has some good lessons, among them the importance of being kind and have a non-conflituous life of friendly love towards others, especialy family. You won't regret watching it.
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

Post by tiltbillings »

Modus.Ponens wrote:I don't know if this was added before, but "The Straight Story", by David Lynch, is a wonderful film. Probably the most beautiful film I saw in my life. It's a very simple story (not encrypted like Muholand Drive), yet so beautiful and profound. It has some good lessons, among them the importance of being kind and have a non-conflituous life of friendly love towards others, especialy family. You won't regret watching it.
It is, indeed, a lovely bit of story telling.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

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Re: The obligatory Dhamma themed movie thread

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You can't take it with you.

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