Enlightenment/personal Development Movies

[Chrismint]

I just got done watching The Martian and absolutely loved it - really wasn't expecting it to be that funny and with such a great message at the end. 

[Pallero]

It's not actually a self-help themed film, but The Matrix to me is quite inspiring, because I think it's about the true nature of reality. The movie's real reality is probably made up - we are not actually being controlled by machines - but the idea that there is something outside all this, is quite thrilling. At this point in my journey, I think that getting out of the matrix is a metaphor for becoming enlightened. Maybe it could also be a metaphor for realizing how the society fucks you in the ass, but I see the message as being more fundamental.

[Clayman]

Star Wars my friend, all of them. I watched all the 6  parts, for 6 times and every time I watch them, I find something new and deeper. Its also movie that triggered one or two big paradigm shifts in my life, and it also helped me make some more mature decisions in the past.

Note: Interesting thing I noticed the last time i watched part 3: Revenge of the Sith.

The moments after Anakin chokes Padme. He says to Obi Wan:
U are either with me, or you are my enemy.
To that Obi Wan responds.
Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what i must.

U can try incooperate that in the Graves model
 

 

[Zane]

My favorite TV show with a heavy self-actualization theme is "Breaking Bad." "Breaking Bad" is entirely focused on Walter's huge paradigm shift from chemistry teacher to ruthless drug kingpin and his transformation is deeply fascinating. 

[Leo Gura]

The Star Wars movies have a lot of juicy Hero's Journey wisdom. The Force is so similar to enlightenment!

[Dhana Choko]

43 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

The Star Wars movies have a lot of juicy Hero's Journey wisdom. The Force is so similar to enlightenment!

George Lucas is extremely interested in Spirituality and the nature of our world. He has studied many religions and myths and his teacher was the very famous philosopher Joseph Campbell. He has said that he deliberately made Star Wars to bring myths and deeper truths to younger generation from religions to guide them and make them feel connected to something greater.

[Stef]

2 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

The Star Wars movies have a lot of juicy Hero's Journey wisdom. The Force is so similar to enlightenment!

Do or do not. There is no try.

 

"I don't believe it.

- That...is why you fail."

[Julian]

The Way of the Peaceful Warrior.

Maybe I would add Inception and Enemy to it, because even though they aren't directly about self-help they make you question what's true. And I love those kind of movies. 

[Guest]

Groundhog Day movie.

[Lucylou]

Amelie!  she learns through helping others. Its a fabulous feel good film.

[frog_eater]

Vanilla sky is very inspiring to me, btw +1 for The matrix.

[Mooders]

Synechdoche new york, whilst it is a very interpretive movie it is extremely powerful and grounding. It displays a man who gets stuck in routine never really being able to share his life experience with another human being in a meaningful way due to the fact no human will love another human for everything that human is. It is a brilliant film the soundtrack brings me close to tears everytime i listen probably the most powerful thing I have ever seen in my life nothing has ever slapped me across the face with mortality quite like this. 

If you dont have the patience to sit through the entire film i reccomend a couple of pieces from the soundtrack called 'Song for Caden' and 'Little person'. It really takes reality and rubs your face in it and yet is somehow the most beautiful movie i have ever seen. 

[Anders Saether]

"Limitless" from 2011, shows what is possible if we improve ourselves. Eventhough the main character in the movie, gets his powers from a drug, it really is a strong metaphore for how much more importaint inner change is then outer. This is my favourite. 

[Pamela Zamora]

"A Waking Life" it's an animated movie with deep philosophical conversations, it covers enlightenment and it is just beautiful.

"Into the Wild" It's a true narrative about this young guy who travels alone to Alaska and goes through life managing to survive as basically a "cave-man" it really made me think a lot.

"Mr. Nobody" just watch it because it's beautiful and deep of knowledge.

[kalter000]

Might be trivial choice, but "Fight club" impressed me at the time. It was like testosteron injection right in your balls! Movie and book helped me raise awareness, get in touch with my masculinity, question social conditioning. It's also quite symbolic: more about finding yourself in the comfort- driven world, setting yourself free rather than guys just touching each other in the basement.
Although Tyler's metods were unnecessary- he failed to realise, that freedom is in your head. 

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Anders Sæther said:

"Limitless" from 2011...

Such a great movie!

[Chrismint]

Just to add one - The World's Fastest Indian, amazing true story about an old guy from NZ who traveled in 1967 to the Bonneville Salt Flats to try and break the land speed record on a 1920s motorbike. 

[so here we are]

of course the matrix trilogy is very relevant conceptually.

 

 

some other good films though.

downfall - 'there's time enough to die.'

eternal sunshine for the spotless mind -

 

 

jarhead, dear john

not a movie but more visceral and vicarious 

https://m.youtube.com/user/FunForLouis

a different perspective of perceptual life 

Edited February 7, 2016 by so here we are

[jjer94]

I'm surprised nobody here has mentioned The Truman Show....

"Mike Michaelson: Christof, let me ask you, why do you think that Truman has never come close to discovering the true nature of his world until now?
Christof: We accept the reality of the world with which we're presented. It's as simple as that."

Or how about American Beauty?

"That's the day I realized that there was this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in."

But I think my favorite has to be Joe Vs. The Volcano:

"My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake and they live in a state of constant total amazement."

[Keyblade Viking]

There's so many great ones but The Lego Movie and Maleficent are two movies that really stand out for me.

The Lego Movie should hopefully be quite obvious though Maleficent might need some explanation but just know that Maleficent and Aurora are both the same people and they are both you and that should give you a pretty good impression if you're able to see the symbolism.

Inside Out is also fucking amazing.

If we bring in video games I'd say Persona, Kingdom Hearts and Dark Souls