Below is a letter written to James Cameron, director of Avatar, from the filmmakers of UNBEATEN Movie. It has been reprinted on Spiritual Media Blog with permission from Tamara Henry, one of the producers of Unbeaten. Avatar and Unbeaten demonstrate the type of positive impact that movies are capable of having on people as you can see in the letter written to James Cameron below….

“James, Great to see you tonight at the Hyatt…and yes, I am guilty of sending you several emails.. I have saved the BEST email for LAST!! Please understand that I am a passionate film maker on a mission, as you are… that being said, here is what my producer and I propose:

We would be honored if you and Mr. Landau , Stephen Lang and Sam Worthington would join us May 14,15 at the Walter Reed Medical Facility in Washington DC to receive the UNBEATEN AWARD (see attachments) This award exemplifies the “Unbeaten” spirit which you certainly embody. I understand that you have been given award after award after award and more to come. This award is different. Its not about film per say.. it is about you being the first film maker to embrace the Disabled Veteran in a positive light and the joy and hope that you have brought for millions trapped in a wheel chair.

Unbeaten at the Avatar Premiere: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgjrw95j_813gg44rhg3

Movies like ‘Coming Home” and ‘Born on the 4th of July” while showcasing the disabled vet, do not raise the profile of the Veteran like you have and certainly does not have the lead character as the ‘Hero” and show him as a positive role model like the Sam Worthington character in Avatar. It is impossible in words to tell you what it was like for both of the disabled men from our film when Sam not only invited them to the Premiere, but sought them out for photo ops and spent 30 minutes in deep dialogue about disability and Sam’s character in the film. He was just terrific!! Class act!!

I realize for the majority of film goers that seeing Avatar was a special effects extravaganza and film as it has never been seen before. For the millions of disabled in America and around the world, it was and will continue to be a journey of hope and enlightenment that one of “there own” is the lead character in the biggest movie in the history of cinema. THAT IS THE “UNBEATEN” message.. never give up, never give up….never, give up!!

Greg Strom, my producer had also put together and AVATAR MOBILIZATION PROJECT that I emailed to you last month…the project will embrace MILLIONS of disabled Americans and Greg and I would like to get a meeting with you and Jon after the Oscars. After all of the awards are over, and all of the money is in the bank, the message of Avatar has this amazing opportunity to morph into something even higher than you may have realized. It can now move into the future by being not just an entertainment vehicle, but a vehicle for healing and the greater good for the disabled. 100% of films end after the lights come up..AVATAR and the AVATAR MOBILIZATION project, NEVER HAS TO END!!!!

I have no idea of knowing if when you were writing this film that you could foresee the good that it might do, but because of my work with the disabled over that last few years, it is more than clear to me and EVERYONE who is sitting in a wheel chair of the potential of healing for the disabled.! You have done an amazing thing..for that, you are to be congratulated and it is my great hope that you will recognize my passion as a film maker and the quality of WWW.UNBEATENTHEMOVIE.COM . I believe there are 2 copies at your home..when the smoke clears, please watch it.. it is a ‘film makers” film!

Please really, really consider coming to Walter Reed. There are 558 Disabled War Veterans living at the hospital, and over 12,000 men and women with missing limbs have come through Walter Reed since the beginning of the war 8 years ago.. 12,000!!!! You will be an inspiration up on stage in front of these men, and the amount of good will and hope that you will be bringing with you…well, once again, there are no words. Thousands of people have one an Oscar.. NO ONE has yet to win the UNBEATEN AWARD!

We will have invites out to President Carter, Clinton, Bush 1,2 and Michelle and Barack Obama. We have also reached out to Colin Powell and several high ranking Congressman and Senators. There will also be a screening of UNBEATEN on Capitol Hill in April for many high profile politicians. We are very excited about the future of UNBEATEN and the healing power of this film and it would be our profound pleasure to bestow the UNBEATEN AWARD to you.. It is not just a coincidence that UNBEATEN came out almost the exact time as Avatar! It took me almost 4 years to get it finished.

We look forward to hearing from you and working with you. LAST EMAIL!!!

Regards

–
Steven C. Barber
~ Filmmaker ~
www.unbeatenthemovie.com

The review below was contributed by Mikki Willis, founder of the Elevate Film Festival (www.elevatefilms.com).

“The first movie that had a life changing impact on me was E.T.. It was also the first time my words made it to print. I was a shy and skinny kid standing near the front of a line that wrapped a block of my little Northern California hometown when a local reporter armed with a pad and pen asked me how long I had been waiting and why. The answer I gave helped to form the headline of the next days newspaper; “The Magic of Movies.” E.T. was the first film that confirmed my young and untainted intuition that we Earthlings were not alone. That there are worlds out there, as well as worlds within that we have yet to explore. And so my journey began.

Cut to, almost thirty years later, opening day of James Cameron’s Avatar. Because I’ve heard rumors regarding Mr. Cameron’s crass style of directing, I did not expect the emotional depth and pure sensitivity that pored from every 3D frame of his latest masterpiece. Yes, the technical accomplishments are groundbreaking, but for me it was the heart and purpose of Avatar that reached me. Because my path has led to environmental and socially conscious filmmaking, the last several years of my life has been blessed in ceremony with indigenous people. While their rituals vary from circle to circle, their prayers and prophecies are astonishingly similar! Divided by continents, without ever having read a Bible, seen a television, or used any form of modern communication device, miraculously they’ve received the same information.

How is this possible? The answer to that question came during my first “plant medicine” ceremony. With help from the sacred vine known as Ayauasca, I was lovingly guided beyond the confines of my human body to unite with the spirit world. In my humble opinion, this is where the real stuff goes down! There’s a line spoken by Jake, the male lead in Avatar that goes something like this; “this other world is becoming more real to me than what I know as reality.” The more we travel to the other, or inner worlds the more we learn to see the illusionary structures that support the human dream. We begin to see and hear things that before we were too deaf and blind to perceive. To paraphrase another line from Jake: “she tells me that there’s an energy that flows through everything…”

Avatar’s female lead is Neytiri, the most powerful articulation of the Goddess-warrior to ever make it to the big screen. Period! She represents the divine feminine that resides in the heart of every woman, young and old. Even in digital form, she is the real deal! Neytiri is innocent, yet infinitely wise and intuitive, fierce, yet sensitive, and dare I say… seriously sexy!

Jake represents the new man. He is both an infant and a warrior. Despite his handicap, he is fearless and unstoppable. Though he is unaware, Jake is not dumb. He is just wise enough, secure enough, and humble enough to learn from the divine Goddess. In doing so Jake evolves from crippled soldier to Hero-warrior.

Disguised as a Hollywood blockbuster, Avatar is art imitating life to the highest and finest degree. The visual imagery, sound and script are literally encoded with ancient teachings. Though told through a fantasy tale, Avatar it is based on a true story. Our story. Regardless of where you are, or where you come from, this message is specifically for you. It is a bold invitation, perhaps even an initiation into higher and deeper experience of yourself and your world. Tears rolled from behind my designer 3D shades, as I sat paralyzed in my stadium seat, spellbound by remembrance, aware of sniffling humans around me, wondering if they too were feeling what I was feeling; Gratitude for my fellow filmmaker Mr. Cameron for rising beyond the shadows and shining so bright! Gratitude for being alive within this moment of human history! Gratitude for the privilege of standing as a warrior and a witness to the awakening of who and what we truly are!

I see you…”

Mikki Willis – PS. If inspired, please support the conscious movement by forwarding this message to the masses. Thank you!

This post was contributed by Mikki Willis, founder of the Elevate Film Festival For more information about the Elevate Film Festival please visit www.elevatefilms.com

Since launching in a yoga studio in 2005, in just three years Elevate became the largest single screen film festival in the world, hosting up to 6000 people per screening! The annual event has generated international acclaim, earning overwhelming support from Hollywood, including Kevin Costner, Jeff Goldblum, Alanis Morissette, Black Eyed Peas, India Arie, Mario Van Peebles, Derek Luke, and numerous industry icons.

The post below was contributed by Mikki Willis, founder of the Elevate Film Festival (www.elevatefilms.com).

It’s fulfilling to know that my review of Avatar inspired so many to see this landmark film. I’ve also received notes from a few people who were left conflicted by the violence, shocked and saddened to see the nature-loving indigenous fight back. 

I so get it. Through my work with Elevate Films I’ve spent the last few years locked in think tanks learning from brilliant people who like myself are committed to elevating the cinematic experience. Creating an alternative to violence is always at the top of the agenda. While wrestling with this subject one day a colleague asked me the following question:

“If an intruder broke into your home and was about to harm your family how far would you go to protect them?”

The answer came quickly:

“As far as I had to.”

Faced with annihilation the natives of Pandora took a stand for their planet and for the balance of all living things. Sure, we can all dream up new ways to handle such a situation. And the reality is, within our current war programmed culture Avatar will reach more people the way it is. If it takes a little violent action to get millions to see a film that ultimately teaches us life saving ancient wisdom, I say fire away!

That said, I do see that Avatar’s violence could have been reduced without diluting the film’s impact. I also acknowledge that Mr. Cameron did a fine job of not showing gratuitous images when possible, always choosing angles that spared us the site of exploding heads and splattering blood. 

Bottom line: We live in a violent world. Denying that reality will only leave us “light workers” huddling within our comfort zones, playing small to avoid experiences that conflict with our preferred view of reality.

I absolutely agree with the Buddhists belief: “resistance is the cause of all suffering.” In my experience, those who have the hardest time dealing with violence have not fully dealt with their own inner conflicts. Those doing the real inner work know that the battle between spirit and ego can get nasty. Through shamanic work we are taught that to overcome our own darkness we must “be the warrior.” Ironically, the moment we reject violence we are actually generating violence within, albeit on subtle levels. But it’s the subtle levels we could pay more attention to. Avatar is a deep film that requires deep viewing.

If we can forgive the violence and a slew of clichés, we just may see that this is one of the most important films ever made. It is literally paving the way for conscious creators to work on a grander scale. For that we are grateful. 

In service, humility and love… M

This post was contributed by Mikki Willis, founder of the Elevate Film Festival For more information about the Elevate Film Festival please visit www.elevatefilms.com

Since launching in a yoga studio in 2005, in just three years Elevate became the largest single screen film festival in the world, hosting up to 6000 people per screening! The annual event has generated international acclaim, earning overwhelming support from Hollywood, including Kevin Costner, Jeff Goldblum, Alanis Morissette, Black Eyed Peas, India Arie, Mario Van Peebles, Derek Luke, and numerous industry icons.

The Horse Boy movie review below is contributed by Shannon Honeybloom, from LILIPOH Magazine

Rupert Isaacson and his wife Kristina Neff were at a loss. After struggling with their young son’s autism—his constant, inconsolable tantrums, his incontinence, his inability to connect and communicate with other children and adults—they discovered the one exception. When seated on a horse, the child transformed into peaceful connection with the animal. Inspired by this sign, the Neffs decided to journey to Mongolia with their son Rowan to seek healing among the shamans who still live with the old ways, with horses.

The Horse Boy, a documentary, follows the travels of Rowan and his parents across the plains and mountains of Mongolia, interspersed with moments of his life back home in Texas. It’s a journey that requires optimism, hope, trust and a leap of faith. It is also the story of a child’s connection to animals, specifically to horses.

In the documentary, Rupert Isaacson describes his experience as Rowan’s father. He speaks of both the pain and shame of being a father to an autistic child, and also of the realization that he is “a better father because his (Rowan’s) autism forced me to listen to him.” He says that Rowan’s autism “helps to bring out the best in us all.” Those words ring true. The challenges of our lives, the most painful moments, also stretch and grow us as human beings. The challenges make us better people. Beyond Rowan’s autism, the film is a portrait of the relationship between a father and his son. It’s about a parent and a child, a relationship full of hope, doubt, fear, sorrow, love, misunderstanding, expectation and acceptance, pain and compassion.

Out of their experience, Rupert and Kristina have started a foundation to help not just autistic children, but all children, to connect with horses in the same way that has been healing and transformative for their son.

The Horse Boy is an exquisite and moving portrait of a family in distress that travels to the ends of the world for hope and healing. To see the trailer, and for more information about screenings in your area, visit www.horseboymovie.com.

This post was contributed by Shannon Honeybloom. Shannon Honeybloom is the author of Making a Family Home (SteinerBooks 2010). For more information, please visit http://shannonhoneybloom.com. Shannon also contributes articles to LILIPOH magazine.

Both inspirational and practical, LILIPOH is a lifestyles magazine for the growing populace known as ‘culture-creatives’, folks interested in holistic health, well-being, creativity, spirituality, biodynamic gardening, childhood, art and social health. Articles, art, poetry, reviews of books, CDs and DVDs, and news make LILIPOH a well-rounded, solution-oriented publication for creative, green-minded, thinking individuals, who have an interest in spiritual inquiry and a desire to make a difference in the world. Our upbeat and easygoing style packs in a lot of information that, over time, brings a new understanding of how the spirit works through the life in completely practical ways.

For more information on LILIPOH magazine, please visit www.lilipoh.com or their blog at www.lilipoh.com/liliblog/index.aspx

I cried buckets of tears at the end of this movie, but there’s no doubt that City of Angels ranks high in my list of favorite spiritual movies. It tells the story of an angel whose mission is to guide people who are nearing death into the spiritual world and who falls in love with a human being and gives up his angelic status to be with her. Nicholas Cage plays this role very passionately and Meg Ryan as the doctor he falls for is the apt foil to his brooding angel.

Seth (Cage) is impressed with Maggie’s (Ryan) dedication to her job and her zest for life. He reveals himself to her and slowly falls for her. When he tells her that he is an angel, she has trouble accepting his identity and rejects him. Seth wants to become human to be with Maggie, so he gives up his angelic status by falling off a skyscraper (after learning how it’s done from another angel-turned-human who did the same).

He has no money and no job, and when he is unable to find Maggie at the hospital, he follows her to her cabin in the mountains. He is mugged and robbed on the way and arrives at her doorstep bleeding and injured. Maggie realizes that he has become human in order to be with her and they rejoice in their togetherness. But that is short lived as she dies the next day in an accident and is escorted to the spiritual realm by Seth’s angel friend. The movie ends on a positive note with Seth proclaiming that he does not regret becoming human because even a second spent with Maggie was worth the sacrifice.

This movie made a profound impact on me because it showcases the power of love. It tells us that no sacrifice is too great for love and that if one wants, one can do anything for true love. Also, the sad ending made me realize that nothing is permanent and that we must be prepared to deal with life’s blows just as we enjoy the blessings it gives us.

Seth embracing his new life as a human even though the reason he gave up being an angel no longer exists showed me that we are responsible for our choices and that we must accept the consequences for our actions without blaming others. Only then is it possible to live life peacefully and contentedly.

This guest post is contributed by Rachel King, who writes on the topic of Christian Universities. Rachel welcomes your comments at her email address: r.king8383@reddifmail.com

I believe there is a new generation of filmmakers who are coming out now to make films that speak from a different place of possibility. Jon Firman is an example of this emerging type of filmmaker. He sent me the email below about a movie he is making and I was inspired to share it:

“I am a student currently working on a spiritual film. It is a short film, roughly three minutes in length, about two lovers living in the darkest hour of our history, right before the end. While the darkness seems to envelop the world around them, these two lovers seem unaffected by the chaos that the world is in. They are deeply in love and exude that presence everywhere they go.

In their final moments, they choose love over fear and anxiety, not ignoring the state of the world, but existing on a different level, almost floating above it all. And of course, at the end, so deeply in love, they embrace as they become flooded with the light of nuclear explosions, which represents the light within us all. The innocence of two young lovers, a metaphor for what true love is, not clinging, but rather, complimenting each other, bringing out that love that exists inside themselves and does not fade once the other leaves.

My film is about going within and finding love- essential for these dark times we live in. The two lovers represent the two sides of humanity- feminine and masculine joined as one, in union. They walk through the chaos in ease in the Self. In these dark times we live in, it is essential that we have uplifting and more optimistic films that don’t try to cover up our situation and distract us, but, rather, force us to look within and to encourage real change.

I first learned in my film 101 classes that film is a medium that covey’s information- informing others of different realities and different ways of being through the art of story telling. Many of my peers have taken it upon themselves to make films that inform the viewer of realities of violence, which in my opinion has spiraled out of control to be the number one reality viewers are subjected to. “As within, so without” and this saying is more relevant to the state of media in this world than
anything else.

I represent a new generation of filmmakers who are coming out now and are choosing to make films that speak from a different place than extreme violence and chaos. What I am asking those reading is assistance in making my film a reality and to help support those who do make films that speak to higher values. Any amount that you would be willing to contribute would go a long way to make this film possible and of course, full credit will be given to all contributors.

Contact me at dreamoftheiris@gmail.com for more information regarding the movie and for all donations. Thank you very much for your time reading this and for all donations!”

- Jon Firman

The post below is a guest article written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of christian college online . Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson83@yahoo.com.

I’m not a diehard fan of the movies, but I do enjoy an occasional date with my television, DVD player and a big bowl of popcorn. I am a diehard romantic and sentimentalist though, because my eyes automatically fill and spill when movies are sad or hopelessly romantic. Some movies have a profound effect on me though, sometimes not in a positive way – I was around 8 or 9 when I first saw Steven Spielberg’s Jaws and suffered nightmares and a fever for two whole days. But there are some experiences that I treasure, because of the impact they have had on my life, like Bruce Almighty for one.

Now not everyone would agree that this flick with Jim Carey is a spiritual movie, even by a long shot, but for someone who was so used to complaining loudly with the words Why me God? every time she prayed, this movie seemed like the perfect answer to that often-asked question. To put it in a nutshell, Bruce Almighty tells the story of a journalist (Jim Carey) who blames God for all his misfortunes in life. God then appears in front of him (Morgan Freeman), grants him his powers, and allows him to literally play God.

It’s a rollercoaster ride from this point on with Carey using his powers for personal gain, advancing his career and personal life and playing havoc with that of his rivals. When God reminds him that he needs to take answer other people’s prayers as well, he says yes to all of them, without even knowing what they are. And the result is pure mayhem.

Carey finally realizes the error of his ways when he sees that his girlfriend has sent in a prayer to God asking for the strength to forget him because she does not want to hurt any longer. He repents and admits that God is omnipotent and omnipresent and that no one can replace him or even do a fraction of his job.

The movie made me realize that God does answer our prayers; we only have to be patient and wait for the right time for our prayers to reach God. And if they are not answered, there is a very good reason for God choosing not to do so. In short, the movie taught me that there is a reason why things, both good and bad, happen, and that we must accept God’s destiny for us. It is of no use ranting and raving at him for all the misery that we think we are being put through, because God knows what is good for us.

In short, Bruce Almighty made me realize that the Almighty has a tough job on his plate handling the entire world’s problems and that I must not add to them with my constant complaints.

If you would like to write a guest article on Spiritual Media Blog, please email Matt Welsh at Matthew@MatthewWelsh.com