The Big Chill and watching movies blah blah blah

 I know you have all been waiting with bated breath to see what I thought about The Big Chill. 

Well, it is...a movie. Haha.

For nostalgia alone, I would say sure go ahead and watch it. Are you going to learn any earth-shattering revelations while watching it? Probably not. 

There is some infidelity in the storyline, and maybe 2-3 years ago this would have triggered me, but it doesn't anymore. (Thank you, healing work). And to be fair, the storylines in this movie border on ridiculous. But like I said, watch it for the music, the hairstyles, and the clothes. Haha.

Speaking of movies, Eli and I went to see the second Dr.Strange movie on Monday.

We enjoyed it. It was directed my Sam Raimi, and it was much darker than other Marvel movies we've seen, in a good way. It was campy and fun, and very much felt like a comic from the 70's-80's come to life. Lots of plot points and different characters, a lot of crazy scenes. It was a fun brain break and fun to get out with Eli.

Having said that, let me just tell you that given what I have studied and learned over the past several years, watching movies and TV shows is a lot different these days, haha.

For instance, in this movie, Scarlet Witch was dragged, I mean FOR REAL. She has up to this point in the recent Marvel films and TV been a pretty great character, very powerful too. Which is cool to see. But in this one, she was reduced to a 'hysterical female' and demonized as an 'evil witch'. It was like she was stripped of her entire awesome personality and reduced down to a tired trope.

No spoilers, don't worry. But basically she is mental because she discovered an alternate universe where she lives with her two children, and she wants to live in that reality, which means traveling the multi-verse and taking the version of her that lives in that reality out so she can take her place. 

Also, her power is portrayed as dark and evil. And hey, I get it, there is probably a comic book story arc that mentions this in some part or it may be taken directly I don't know, I haven't read them all. And listen, I am by no means a crazy conspiracy theorist. But I do think that media is used to control the public in some ways. To keep the populous distracted, and to instill certain beliefs and ideas. Not that we are completely mindless robots or anything. But we are gullible in ways and can be manipulated when we may not even recognize it. Have you ever been watching a TV show or a movie and a character eats a certain meal and you suddenly start to crave the same thing? The power of suggestion is very real. And it works with ideas and beliefs as well as food, haha.

I got the feeling that this movie, by demonizing the witch, and portraying women’s power as dangerous, was shilling this idea that powerful women should be kept in line; something to be scared of. Like we should actually be afraid of our own power, in a sense. Add to that, that the other main female character who is also VERY powerful, spends most of the movie as a damsel in distress who has no idea the 'how' or 'why' of her powers, and only realizes how to use them after a pep talk from the older man (who honestly is kind of a selfish and egotistical person).

I think we will keep seeing powerful women portrayed this way as Divine Feminine keeps rising, and patriarchy keeps crumbling. 

Here is the thing with movies, and seeing things so differently now. I can see these deeper things, and I can still sit and enjoy the movie for the silly brain break it is. I don't fret too much over it, I don't feel guilty about taking time to watch a movie. I had fun spending time with my son, and we had a good talk afterwards about the symbolism and also the fun campy-ness of the film. 

I think this balance is an example of what healing and living a spiritual life can look like sometimes. Although I practice daily, and I study a lot, I don't isolate myself on a mountain top wrapped in monk's robes, hiding away from the world we live in. I realize that my practice is important, but so is being human. So is spending time with people I love, even if it means seeing a silly movie. My mind is strong enough not to be easily influenced by subliminal (or overt) media messages and just enjoy the movie.

When I was still in church, there was an old saying that went, "Don't be so Heavenly minded that you're no Earthly good." And that makes a lot of sense to me, now, even if back then it was said kind of off-hand. Don't be so wrapped up in spiritual life that you can't be useful in your human life. 

Meditate. Pray. But you can still enjoy a stupid movie once in a while. 

Bye.

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