Home
Spiritual Movies
Letter B
|
Baraka.
|
The word Baraka means "blessing" in several languages; watching this film, the viewer is blessed with a dazzling barrage of images that transcend language. Filmed in 24 countries and set to an ever-changing global soundtrack, the movie draws some surprising connections between various peoples and the spaces they inhabit, whether that space is a lonely mountaintop or a crowded cigarette factory. Some of these attempts at connection are more successful than others: for instance, an early sequence segues between the daily devotions of Tibetan monks, Orthodox Jews, and whirling dervishes, finding more similarity among these rituals than one might expect. And there are other amazing moments, as when sped-up footage of a busy Hong Kong intersection reveals a beautiful symmetry to urban life that could only be appreciated from the perspective of film. |
|
Black Stallion, the.
|
Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, this 1979 family classic was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael, who wrote that "it may be the greatest children's movie ever made." The timeless tale of The Black Stallion plays out on almost mythic terms. A young boy survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returning home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse under the tutelage of a passionate trainer, played by Mickey Rooney in an Oscar-nominated role. From its serenely hypnotic island sequence to the breathtaking race scenes, this delightful film is guaranteed to enthrall any viewer, regardless of age. The Black Stallion is a genuine masterpiece of family entertainment. |
| Blake:
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. 30 minutes. |
With Academy Award-winner Anne Baxter and Tony Award-winner George Rose. A portrayal of artist / poet William Blake's effort to capture "an eternal world… of the permanent realities of everything we see reflected in the vegetable glass of nature." Winner of the Columbus Film Festival "Chris" and the Cine Golden Eagle. |
| Bonhoeffer:
Agent of Grace. Eric Till. 1999. 90 minutes. |
What is a moral person to do in a time of great
immorality? That question tormented Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German
clergyman of great distinction who actively opposed Hitler and the Nazis
at great personal risk. His convictions eventually cost him his life at
the hands of the Gestapo. Bonhoeffer’s last years, his participation in the German resistance and his moral struggle are dramatized in this film. More than just a biographical portrait, Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace sheds light on the little-known efforts of the German resistance. It brings to a wide audience the heroic rebellion of Bonhoeffer, a highly regarded Lutheran minister who could have kept his peace and saved his life on several occasions but instead paid the ultimate price for his beliefs. |
|
Brother
Sun, Sister Moon. |
A musical scored by Donovan about the life and times of St. Francis of Assisi, the passionate ascetic who expressed love for God by loving nature. |
|
But
Enough About Me… |
Subtitled "Moving Beyond the Fad of Self-Esteem," this was Bo's keynote speech before 1,000 people at the 19r5 annual conference of the Institute of Noetic Science. His message angered some audience, but encouraged and inspired most. This video is the complete talk, professionally recorded by Conference Recording Service of San Francisco. |
|
[more to come]
|
|