Representations of Buddhists In Little Buddha and Ong Bak

Little Buddha and Ong Bak are films that show two distinct ways of looking at Buddhists. In Little Buddha, we see the very traditional monks that are searching for the reincarnation of a former teacher. The monks travel to Seattle to see if a young American boy is in fact the reincarnation of the deceased Buddhist teacher. In Ong Bak, we see that a sacred Buddhist statue has been stolen and the journey Ting takes to retrieve the statue. Little Buddha contains a much more western way of looking at Buddhists. They are bald men in robes who meditate and are very peaceful. On the other hand, Ong Bak shows a different side to Buddhists that westerners probably never see. Ting uses his fighting skills to return the statue to his town. This is very different from the western idea of Buddhism is like. Ong Bak seeks to be an action movie with the fighting but it also shows the grim truth. Buddhists are not all short, bald men in robes. There are some who steal, do drugs, and engage in violence. This is probably not the most positive view of Buddhists but it is also in some ways true. Any scene in Ong Bak where Ting is fighting is showing that some Buddhists will use fighting as a method to restore order. In Little Buddha, the directors wish to promote the idea that Buddhists are all peaceful and do not resort to violence. We are led to believe that they spend most of their time in quite meditation or searching for some sort of enlightenment. From Little Buddha, it is clear that the director wishes to show that Buddhism is a very peaceful religion and it is also a worldwide religion because of how the deceased teacher is supposedly reincarnated into an American boy. Both movies are important in showing different aspects of Buddhism. Yes, many Buddhists are peaceful like the monks in Little Buddha. However, this is probably not the whole picture and Ong Bak gives us another, less peaceful side of Buddhists to experience.

Theme of Seeking in The Way and Dead Man

Both films deal with the theme of seeking. The main characters in these films go on outward journeys that cause a journey inside of themselves. This leads to self discovery for the characters. In The Way, Tom walks the Camino de Santiago after his son Daniel dies while on the same journey. At the beginning, Tom is just finishing the journey to honor his deceased son. However, along the way Tom comes to realize that one does not choose their life, they live their life. Daniel, Tom’s son, says this to Tom when Daniel is to leave for the Camino de Santiago trail. At first, Tom does not understand this idea, but as he goes along the trail and meets the three other hikers and realizes that his son was right. This outward journey causes a self discovery within Tom which changes him. He learns more about himself through reflection and becomes a bold adventurer. We also see a transformation in the character of William Blake in Dead Man. William Blake sets out to go to a job as an accountant. However, along the way, through various encounters, William Blake becomes an outlaw and a killer. This is contrary to how William is normally but his experiences in the American west cause him to change drastically. Through his travel  throughout the west, William discovers that he is capable of killing. At first he is timid. When he is on the train to his job, William jumps at the sound of gunfire as the passengers fire their guns at passing buffalo. This shows how timid and reserved William is. However, in the scene when the two officers are looking for Blake, William walks right up to them and shoots them without hesitation. It is clear that William has been changed into a cold, hard killer as a result of his time on the frontier. From this movies, it is clear that journeys can often change a person so much that they turn into someone completely different. These outward experiences have such an affect on the characters that they are changed from the inside.

Representations of Muslims in Four Lions and The Infidel

These films offer unique ways of looking at Muslims. Four Lions shows how four young Muslims living in England train for and commit terrorist acts. The Infidel follows a British Muslim who discovers he was born a Jew but adopted by Muslims. In both films, Islam motivates the characters to strive to become pious Muslims. For example, the four men in Four Lions are trying to carry out jihad by training for and committing terrorist acts against non-Muslims. They are motivated to become terrorists because they wish to carry out the Islamic command of jihad. In The Infidel, Mahmud tries to become more strict in his religious practices because his son wishes to marry a girl whose father is a very strict Muslim. The pressure to stay a strict Muslim and adhere to the rules in the Quran drive Mahmud to keep the laws. Religion also challenges the characters. In Four Lions, the four men must face death if they are to carry out jihad. It is a challenge to face death and they must overcome their fear to fulfill the requirements of jihad. In The Infidel, Mahmud is challenged when he discovers he was born a Jew. It is challenging for Mahmud to learn Jewish practices because it is very different than what he has grown up with. Many of the Muslims in the films are portrayed as Muslims who are not adhering strictly to the laws of the religion. None of the characters go to prayer five times a day. In addition, Mahmud drinks alcohol, which is forbidden in Islam. Also, Arshad is seen as a liar because he is discovered to be a former singer who faked his death and assumed the identity of a Muslim. These films show that not all Muslims are training constantly to become suicide bombers. It shows how many are normal people who are not as extreme as people think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nature in Into the Wild and Point Break

Into the Wild and Point Break deal with nature and how people find meaning outside of God or a deity. In Into the Wild, Chris McCandless leaves his middle class life in search of freedom from the modern world and the responsibilities that come with it. In Point Break, Johnny Utah is sent to investigate bank robbers who may also be surfers. In Into the Wild, Chris is trying to find meaning in nature through self-exploration. We see this idea of what Chris is looking for in the scene when he is reading a book inside the bus. The idea of meaning is finding happiness in nature, books, music, treating others like you wish to be treated and having wife and kids. This is the idealized happiness for Chris. However, as Chris finds out at the end of the film, only true happiness can be found when one shares experiences with others. Chris is not able to achieve true happiness when alone in the wilderness. It is too harsh and too lonely for anyone to lead a happy life. This is a way for people to find meaning outside of God or a god. They can seek happiness with others. They can also try to discover themselves in the wilderness but only true happiness, if that is what they want to find, can only happen when people are together. In Point Break, Bodhi finds meaning in finding waves to surf. His ultimate concern is to find the ultimate wave and surf it. He finds a spiritual connection to the sea and the waves which drives him to dedicate his life to surfing and finding the ultimate wave. In the Bonfire Scene, Bodhi says that one must be willing to pay the ultimate price to get the ultimate and how it isn’t tragic if one dies doing what they love. For Bodhi, surfing is the ultimate. It is what he lives for everyday. This is not necessarily religious, although it has some religious elements like ultimate concern and placing something above all else. Bodhi places surfing above all else and finding the ultimate wave is the ultimate concern. He loves surfing so much that he is willing to die for it. This is also a religious element because many followers of religions throughout history have given their lives for their religions/ultimate concerns. Both films deal with the idea of finding true meaning for ones life in nature and whether it makes sense. From Into the Wild, we see that one cannot find true meaning and happiness in nature. In Point Break, we also see a character who is searching for meaning in nature. It seems like Bodhi has found meaning in nature. While Chris never finds true meaning for himself in nature, Bodhi is able to find meaning, even if that means dying.  

Myth in Batman Begins and The Matrix

Mythical concepts that are related to religious themes are found throughout Batman Begins and The Matrix. Batman Begins shows the beginning of the well-known superhero Batman. He has no super human powers, but Bruce Wayne has inherited millions of dollars with which he can fund his crime fighting activities. The Matrix also has a similar concept. Neo has no special super powers at first but is able to learn special abilities when he enters the Matrix to fight for the survival of humanity. In both cases, humanity is in danger and the main characters in each film are humanity’s last hope. If it isn’t for these heroes, humanity would be lost. In the Matrix, there is a greater sense of the religious because Neo has certain abilities that set him apart from the average human. One scene that highlights this is when Neo is left in the Matrix after Trinity goes back to the Nebuchadnezzar. Neo is able to stop bullets when fighting the Agents, the artificial intelligence that has taken over the earth. Neo has now realized his special abilities that are necessary for saving the world. Bruce Wayne, the man behind Batman, has no special abilities but plays the same, savior-like role as Neo. Bruce needs wants to save the city before the League of Shadows destroys it. At first, Batman is not appreciated but after the authorities see what he is capable of, Batman is relied upon to save the city from Scarecrow and his League of Shadows. We see savior-type figures like this in religion. Most notably is Jesus Christ in Christianity. Jesus is more than just a human who came to earth to redeem mankind and save them from eternal suffering. We also see this to a lesser extent in Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Although Muhammad is an ordinary man, he is said to have received special instructions and laws from God so that humans may hear this and live according to these rules. These religious figures are similar to the heroes in the films because they bring something that no one else can. According to their respective films, or religions, they are essential in saving humanity.      

Loss in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and What Dreams May Come

Both films mentioned above deal with loss. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Eternal Sunshine for short) follows a couple, Joel and Clementine, through their relationship. When it goes bad, they both want to erase each other from their memories. In What Dreams May Come, physician Chris risks his place in heaven for eternal damnation in hell to rescue his wife who committed suicide after her husband and children all died. From both of these films, it is clear that loss is meaningful. To both Chris and Joel, loss means so much. In Chris’s case, he is willing to sacrifice heaven to spend eternity with his wife in hell because he misses her so much. In Joel’s case, he cannot seem to get his mind off Clememtine even though he is undergoing a process to erase her from his memory. To both men, the loss of their partner is so important and meaningful that they sacrifice everything to be with them. In both films, characters face and erase memories. In Eternal Sunshine, even though Joel is undergoing a process to erase memories of Clementine, he is still facing the memories of Clementine in order to be with her. In What Dreams May Come, Chris faces memories in order to reach his wife in hell. Annie has erased memories when in hell because she has lost her mind. Chris must get her to face the memories of their love in order to bring her to heaven. From these films, we see that loss has a very large impact on people’s lives and how they behave. In Eternal Sunshine, Clementine “loses” her memories of Joel and she no longer recognizes him. When Joel experiences the loss of Clementine, he is so upset that he too decides to “lose” his memories of Clementine. However, the pain of losing Clementine is so great that he keeps remembering her while undergoing the erasing process. 

Interdependency in I Heart Huckabees and Groundhog Day

I Heart Huckabees and Groundhog Day both deal with the idea of interdependency. I Heart Huckabees is very explicit in its theme of interdependency. Albert is trying to solve the coincidence of seeing the same African man three times in one day. He hires two investigators who spy on his life and share their views on how everything in the universe is interconnected. Albert also meets a woman named Caterine who has the opposite philosophy and believes there is no meaning and the world is just cruel and full of pain. Towards the end of the movie, Albert makes the point that parts of both of these philosophies are true. In this scene, the film makes the point that even though the world is full of pain and suffering, people can still find meaning and purpose through interconnectedness with others. By bringing in in Caterine, her views cause Albert to not look just at the world through the philosophy of the investigators. This causes Albert to see components of each philosophy and see that, although the philosophies on their own are wrong, parts from each may be true about the world. There will be suffering but one must work to better the lives of others because they too are going through the same world. The film shows how the nature of the self can be selfish and self-seeking. However, when we see Brad’s house burn down, we see that being selfish does not always workout. Groundhog Day offers a unique way of looking at interdependence. Phil is a TV weatherman who is sent to a small town in Pennsylvania to cover the Groundhog Day event. The next day, Phil wakes up to find that Groundhog Day is happening again. This happens many times throughout the movie. Like I Heart Huckabees, Groundhog Day shows how the nature of the self tends to be selfish. Phil thinks very highly of himself. After the first couple days, Phil cannot stand the same day over and over and tries to kill himself. Yet this is futile as he simply wakes up again at the same place and time. As the days progress, Phil discovers that he must think less of himself and more about the people around him. A scene that highlights the interconnectedness is when Phil is dancing with Rita and townspeople come and thank Phil for all the kind acts he had done for them. All along Phil is hoping to have a romantic relationship with Rita but up until this point he had failed. Now that Phil had begun to treat others with care and respect, the interconnectedness shows through. How Phil treats others does matter because it makes a positive difference in their lives and his own. This ultimately pays off because Rita has a change or heart and begins to have romantic feelings towards Phil. What makes it clear that Rita has feelings for Phil is when she wins a bid for Phil at the Groundhog party. Not only does Phil get Rita, he also escapes the seemingly never-ending cycle of Groundhog day. Fortunately for Phil, he gets many chances to set his life straight and is rewarded in the end. But this also shows how interconnected people are and how kind acts and a positive attitude towards others makes a difference. 

The theme of apocalypse in Children of Men and Melancholia

Both Children of Men and Melancholia deal with the end of the world. They have two different ways of showing how people react to the apocalypse. Melancholia, like its name suggests, has a much more depressing tone. Justine cannot seem to be happy on her wedding night because of the impending collision between earth and another planet. A scene that captures the sad state of Justine is when she receives a picture from Michael. Michael says that the picture will make her happy whenever she looks at it. However, not even a beautiful picture will console Justine as the end of the world draws near. This is one of the many times Justine leaves the wedding. Justine cannot seem to be happy and it seems to Justine that her wedding ultimately does not matter because everything is about to end. Justine constantly leaving her wedding gives the impression that nothing will console her. On the other hand, Children of Men gives a more positive outlook on the end of the world. Although children are not being born, there is one girl who is in fact pregnant and gives birth. Theo attempts to get the girl to a place so that she can take care of her child in safety. One scene that stands out is when people see the baby and stare at it. Even the soldiers stop fighting and are amazed to see a baby. Everything around Theo and Kee becomes quiet because of a child. There are no guns firing or bombs exploding as everyone is amazed to see the first baby in many years. Everything stops in time because a child has been unexpectedly born. This wonder and amazement shows how bad the world has become. A baby is such a rarity that even soldiers stop fighting to get a glimpse. Unlike Melancholia, however, this scene, and the entire film Children of Men, offers some hope in a period of intense despair. While both display the despair of the apocalypse, only Children of Men offers some glimmer of hope for those living during the last days of earth.

Redemption in The Wrestler and Crazy Heart

Both movies deal with redemption and the sacrifice that goes along with it. First, The Wrestler deals with an aging wrestler who wishes to become famous again. At the same time, he attempts to start a relationship with his daughter that he barely knows. Not only is there a struggle with his daughter, Randy also is struggling to stay healthy. The tension between wrestling and health shows up when Cassidy comes to Randy before his fight and warns him of the health risks of wrestling. Randy, clearly past his prime, shrugs off Cassidy’s warning and decides to fight anyway. When Randy is walking to the ring, there are lights, music, and screaming fans. These are used to create a feeling of the “old days” when Randy was in his prime and among the best wrestlers. In order for Randy to redeem himself in the wrestling ring, he must be willing to sacrifice his body, possibly to the point of death. In the final fight, The Ayatollah realizes Randy’s heart may give out but Randy presses on. Randy seems to be willing to give everything for redemption. The theme of redemption can also be found in Crazy Heart. In this film, Bad Blake must rethink his dysfunctional life. His country music career is heading nowhere and his health is poor from all the alcohol and smoking. The scene where Buddy is found after Bad loses him really shows how Bad has hit a low point in his life. Up to that point, Bad had been in a romance with Jean. But in this scene, Jean wants nothing to do with Bad. Every time Bad tries to console her, she screams at Bad to not touch her. Bad becomes very drunk that evening and when he wakes up, he decides to become sober. It has taken a harsh lesson to get Bad to realize that he must turn his life around before he hurts anyone else or himself. in order to redeem himself, Bad must give up alcohol. which has been a large part of his life. Both films deal with two men who are past their prime but who wish to rekindle the glory days of years past. Both deal with health and relationship issues. In order to redeem themselves, both men must be willing to sacrifice a great deal. While in Crazy heart we know that Bad Blake redeems himself, the audience is left to interpret for themselves whether the Randy redeems himself. The film ends with Randy jumping into the ring and the screen fading to black. One may suppose that Randy did in fact suffer a heart attack while trying to redeem his reputation. Whether he paid the ultimate sacrifice is left up to imagination.