Dear readers,

I am a picky and selective movie buff. I am also a psychologist. I get a lot of satisfaction out of bearing witness to people making changes, facing fears, and coming out of it with a deeper recognition and appreciation of their life experience.  I do groups because group members also get to witness this change, and people grow closer, understand themselves better, and find meaning in life through the lens and perspective of others as a result.

My work is so personally rewarding that I look for other ways of bearing witness to seeing people change. One of those ways is to find examples of this happening naturally outside of my office.  And that includes selecting, watching, and sharing movies that may be of interest to you. So here is a new page that I hope to update periodically as I reflect on some of the best movies I’ve seen.

Honey and Clover- A Japanese foreign film- a great coming of age movie starring a for a group of college-age art students.

According to Greta- A movie that addresses suicide in a way most movies don’t.

Middle of Nowhere- This is about a relationship between the person trying to do what’s “right” to get to medical school and make a good life for herself- and the relationship she forms with the pot dealer in order to make her dream a reality. Some very good clips and (I thought) a great story line.

Shades of Ray- I am always interested in movies regarding ethnic identity, family, and culture clashes.

Amexicano- A compelling about immigration.

Lemon Tree- An aspect of this movie that really stood out to me was the tenacity of this woman. There were many moments throughout the movie where she was encouraged to give up, to rescind her position, and even threatened- but she stuck with it.

Please Give- I really enjoyed this one. Lots of perspective and depth of character from different viewpoints.

The Infidel- A movie about a Muslim who finds out he was adopted, and Jewish. This a delightful and humorous movie about identity- I loved it.

Long Life, Happiness, and Prosperity- I thought this movie was really touching and a real gem.

Up in the air- I started thinking about this movie after discussions about finding meaning. I am completely intrigued by the idea of having a job firing people (and doing it well!?!), and being able to observe what is said/ how things are handled in the immediate aftermath of delivering such bad news.

Dummy- Quirky, different, and well done. This is about a socially awkward vantriloquist. I really enjoyed this movie- and not just because I like Adrian Brody.

The Visitor- Another look at immigration and the complex issues surrounding what it means to be “American.”

Falling Up- I am always into movies in which perspectives collide. In this case, it is about social class/ social status, and the influencing factors that deter or promote relationships.

500 Days of Summer-Yes, I have a blog post about this movie, too. I liked this movie because it is so typical of the pain of first love, and yet through all the pining and expectation new things come about.

Amreeka- This is a movie about immigration, which I thought was very nicely done. I especially liked how proud and hardworking the mother was with everything that she endured.

I’m through with white girls- The thing I liked about this movie is that it is about a person with a pattern of getting stuck in relationships. And initially, perhaps, not minding getting stuck. But the lovely thing is watching the main character realize the consequences of getting stuck.  And then things change. And it is hard. It is a great example of opposite-to-emotion action for fear.  (Easier to watch the movie than apply it to oneself!).

Thumbsucker-Althought I watched this movie some time ago, it stands out to me. It is about an adolescent, asking the question at some point in the movie “What is wrong with me?” and the multiple answers he has to sort out.

Whip It- So here is another movie about adolescence and growing pains. I like this movie because there is a dialectical tension inherent in the process of growing up: The mother is trying so hard to give her daughter what she did not have, and the daughter is trying so hard to gain indepence and find something she loves to do. From both points of view, the struggle makes sense. It is painful. But change happens. And it touches on the experiences that we might have had growning up, or experiences of wanting to hold children close and having a hard time letting go.

Murphy’s Romance- Okay this is an old movie (1985), so you may have to get past the era of the times to enjoy it. It is about a recent divorcee  looking to re-establish herself in a new town. She strikes up a friendship with the town drug store owner. The beautiful thing about the movie is how the drug store owner interacts with the divorcee’s ex-husband when he comes into town. If you want an example of effective interacting, this is quite something to see.

Not Easily Broken- I was really struck by how well done this movie was. It explores the challenges and the strains of being in a marriage relationship. It is about integrity, faith, and the meaning of relationship.

The Greatest- Grieving parents struggle when a woman shows up on their doorstep claiming to be pregnant with their son’s child.

(more to come!)