Movies as spells: reviews of films that altered my consciousness (& made me cry)

A top 10 + honorable mentions

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Movies as spells

Movies are sacred to me. Film has changed me more than any other art form – more than books, more than music.

I watch movies in a particular way. I try to watch them the way an ancient person might have engaged the greatest myths of the time: as guides for how to be.

The actors’ body language – how they walk, how they sit, the subtle way they tilt their head to deliver a line of dialogue: one can receive these as transmissions. Likewise, the lighting, the cinematography, the set design: these are all symbols. Rarely do I do “film analysis” on these symbols. In my philosophy, the highest symbols are the ones which viscerally impact you upon exposure, even when you don’t know why.

Perhaps a better term would be “spells.” Every movie on this list is best watched as a spell. I believe these are spells which contain enormous wisdom. I hope you appreciate them as much as I do.

Table of Contents

• List of my top 10 films

• Reviews of my top 10

• Honorable Mentions:

  Philosophical films & dharma transmissions · Feel the love · Tragedies · The subtleties of relationships · Action/adventure · Sci-fi · Horror/blood & guts · Weird/surreal/psychedelic trips · Slice of life & family dramas · Joyous dramas · Wicked dramas · Tense dramas · Violent thrillers · Military

• Unsatisfying but very well made films

• Favorite directors