The Diving Bell and the Butterfly comes out on DVD tomorrow April 29.  This movie is based on the true story of a French man, Jean Dominque Bauby, who suffers a massive stroke at age 43 leaving him to experience locked-in syndrome, a condition that paralyzes all of Bauby except his eyelids.  His only form of communication is blinking with his left eye. 

Prior to his stroke, Bauby was an editor of a popular French fashion magazine, Elle, and had a book deal.  The movie shows Bauby writing his book using an exhausting form of communication that requires him to blink his left eye when his nurse speaks a particular letter.  The cinematography for the film is quite ambitious as it depicts Bauby remembering what his life use to be like.  Some scenes give the viewer the perspective of the main character as he sees his eyelid opening and closing.  Then, it switches to a scene of Bauby imaging a mountain, feast or past social occasions. 

 This movie achieved great critical acclaim.  It was a four-time Academy Award nominated 2007 film.  The director Julian Schnabel won best director at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.  Many critics listed it as their top ten favorite films of 2007.  One small downside is that the movie is spoken in French and has English subtitles. 
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly shows that we are far greater than our bodies and the human Spirit is capable of filling our life with meaning, joy and purpose even if our body is in a debilitated state.  

Last night I watched August Rush and was deeply moved.  This movie is about an eleven year old orphan and music prodigy who is trying to find his parents by “listening to the music”.  It stars Robin Williams and Keri Russell.  One of the fundamental questions that this movie asks is where does the music come from.  The musical prodigy does not believe that he creates the music, but that it just comes to him.  All he is doing is listening for it and rewriting it. 

This raises some very spiritual questions.  For example,  Where does the capacity to appreciate music come from?  Where does beauty originate?  Additionally, many great musicians, similar to the prodigy in the movie, say that they are not the ones who create their lyrics and musical compositions because it the music just ”comes to them”.  Where is the music coming from?  Who or what is creating the music?

The “music” may also be symbolic for any source of inspiration in our life such as the capacity to experience love, follow a dream, or create beauty.  This movie reminds us that the “music” is always playing.  All we need to do is listen. 

Russell Simmons recently wrote a book Do You: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success.  Russell Simmons is known for his work with Def Jam Records, Phat Farm, and Def Comedy Jam and referred to as “The CEO of Hip Hop.”  While most people know him as an entertainment mogul, he attributes his success to spiritual principles that he lays out in his book.  In the introduction he says, “Instead of The Prince or The Art of War, these laws are rooted in books like Autobiography of a Yogi or The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.”

The book is an interesting example of how an entertainment mogul applies spiritual principles to his work.  Russell explains that he is able to be focused through daily mediation and yoga and also how important it is for him to give back.  There are many interesting antedotes throughout the book that give a glimpse into the daily business operations of his life and how he approached these challenges from a spiritual perspective. 

Ben Stein is releasing a documentary this Friday, April 18th, Expelled No Intelligence Allowed.  This movie is about how academy ridicules people who suggest the possiblity of an intelligent design for the origin of our world.  He points out that Darwinism, while being a valid scientific theory, offers no explanation for the origin of life and that some professors have even lost their jobs for advocating that an intelligent designer or God may play a role in the origin of life. 

This movie points out some of the great questions that we often ask ourself such as Who are we?  What is our origin? and Where did we come from?  Stein suggest that the spiritual answers to these questions may be absolutely consistent with Darwinism, but many intellectuals are ridiculed for even mentioning the possibility that religion and science are not mutually exclusive.

You can watch the trailer for the movie at http://www.expelledthemovie.com/

On Tuesday night, the contestants on American Idol sang inspirational songs.  David Archuleta picked a song titled “Angels”, which Simon Cowell proclaimed was the best song choice of the night.  The first line of “Angels”, is

“I sit and wait.  Does an Angel contemplate my fate?” 

It’s interesting that Simon who is known for being very critical of contestants acknowledged that “Angels” was the best song choice of the night. 

This song raises some interesting question about what role Angels may play in our life.  Archangel Gabriel is likely the most well known Angel.  It was Gabriel who was responsible for giving Mary the message about the coming of Jesus.  If a person is open to the possibility that this story is based on truth and Gabriel delivered a message to Mary, then might it also be possible that Angels are capable of giving us guidance today?  For example, why would the Angels be active in people’s lives 2000 years ago, but remain silent now.  Our world today faces just as difficult of problems than any time in history.  So, it appears that these same Angels may be just as likely to offer us guidance and support.  Although their exsistence will never be proven, the sense of peace and direction that some people have reported experiencing will remain very real and powerful. 

Tonight at 10/9c Randy Pausch will be doing an interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC News.  Randy has become well known because of his Last Lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” he gave at Carnegie Mellon.  In August 2007, Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was told to expect 3-6 months of good health.  Since then, he has been following his dreams including practicing with the Pittsburgh Steelers and also sharing his inspirational messages with others.  Disney-owned publisher Hyperion paid $6.7 million for rights to publish a book about Paush.  Below is a link to clips of his interview with Diane Sawyer.

http://abcnews.go.com/gma/lastlecture