CONSCIOUS CINEMA
Among the most common belief conflicts we encounter are aspirations undercut by doubt or, especially, fear. Holding fast to a cherished outcome
while simultaneously embracing a fear of that
manifestation’s realization will almost assuredly
prevent the goal from happening. It only makes
sense, too; after all, how can we expect our divine
collaborator to assist us if we send it mixed signals?
It’s like saying “I want something but don’t want it”
at the same time. It’s no wonder nothing happens.
This is where facing and overcoming our fears becomes so important. Indeed, purging ourselves of
fear-based beliefs is essential to keep them from
interfering with the materialization process. In fact,
embracing beliefs that are directly opposed to fear
– those related to courage and heroism – can play
a vital role in achieving our objectives. Such positive influences not only eliminate potentially undermining influences, but they also infuse a high
degree of confidence into the conscious creation
process, acting like a supercharger to bolster the
overall effort.
one of the most horrendous incidents in American
history; “The Front” (1976), director Martin Ritt’s
semi-autobiographical comedy-drama about a
cafeteria cashier (Woody Allen) who “fronts” the
scripts of a blacklisted TV script writer (Michael
Murphy) during the Communist witch hunts of the
1950s; and “Hotel Rwanda” (2004), the fact-based
biopic of a brave hotel manager (Don Cheadle)
who went out of his way to protect his guests, family and friends against the warring factions caught
up in the genocidal madness of the Rwandan Civil
War.
Given the power of these supporting influences,
it’s no wonder that they play such a central role in
many storyline contexts. That’s especially true in
the movies, which often celebrate heroes and reward characters who successfully overcome their
fears. In fact, these themes are so prevalent in motion pictures that coming up with a manageable
list of representative films was quite a challenge.
Nevertheless, many excellent titles reflect these
ideas, inspiring viewers with their compelling narratives and dazzling cinematic spectacles.
Courageously facing down the fears associated
with confronting powerful entities is a common
theme in this genre. In some cases, that involves
going up against oppressive governments or autocratic political factions; in others, it means taking on formidable corporate interests; and, in the
most challenging of such scenarios, it means tackling both.
Films that adeptly illustrate heroic initiatives
against the state include “JFK” (1991), director
Oliver Stone’s chronicle of the valiant crusade by
New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin
Costner) in challenging the Warren Commission’s
official findings on the assassination of President
John F. Kennedy and his attempts to prosecute
the parties he believed were truly responsible for
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Movies that peg the Davids of the world against corporate Goliaths include “The China Syndrome”
(1979), in which a nuclear power plant supervisor
(Jack Lemmon) and a pair of intrepid journalists
(Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas) seek to expose the
safety hazards of a facility in danger of meltdown,
something the plant’s owner would rather keep
quiet; “The Insider” (1999), the fact-based story
of the efforts of a 60 Minutes producer (Al Pacino)
to air a segment about tobacco industry secrets
revealed by a company whistleblower (Russell
Crowe) that the popular TV news magazine initially approved but later reneged on when confronted