Exploring Cinema therapy

Movies can be a powerful source of inspiration, insight, and reflection. Have you ever seen a movie that left had such an impression that you wanted to share your thoughts and reactions immediately?  Has a movie ever provided you with answers to some of the questions you have been pondering about life?

I have found it to be fun and rewarding to take a journal to the movie theater because the movie may trigger something that will be a catalyst for growth and self-discovery.

Watching a movie with conscious awareness can be an enjoyable and rewarding way to be more aware of what is going on in our personal lives.  Most recently I have selected a core group of movies to watch with a conscious awareness and analyze for the deeper meaning.  The first movie I have chosen to view and analyze would only be fitting for a Navy Officer on deployment, Men of Honor.  Men of Honor explore a variety of themes and reveal much about the human condition. The movie is based on a true story about the first African American Navy diver Carl Brashears who faces an abundance of adversities and obstacles in order to reach his goal. Tony Robbins says “in order to get better answers, you must ask better questions”. Below are a list of powerful questions that explore the positive and negative aspects of anger and how

1.       What labels did Master Chief Sunday put on Brashears? Master Chief Sunday labeled Brashears as a incapable because of his race. Brashears attempted to participate in activities such a diving that only white men have participated in before. The racial discrimination is evident.

2.       What are two negative effects of anger that you saw in the film? Two negative aspects of anger that I saw in the film were Masters Chiefs aggressive behavior that lead him to be demoted two levels of rank. As a result of his inability to use positive coping skills he turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism, which in turn had a negative impact on his judgment which further deflated his career.

3.       What were two positive effects of anger you saw in the movie? Two positive aspects of anger I saw in the movie was Carl Brasher was able to use his anger toward Master Chief Sunday to become more determined. He was able to overcome his learning impairment and pass the written exam and he was also able to put the instrument together even though his pack  was scattered in the water and it took him over nine hours.

4.       How did Master Chief Sunday’s anger affect him negatively? Master Chief’s anger affected him negatively because he was unable to control his behavior and became violent.  As a result it impacted his career.

5.       Describe two instances where someone in the film behaved in a manner suggesting they harbored unresolved anger and resentment.  It appears as if Master Chief Sunday has unresolved anger and resentment towards black people when he is dunking Carl in the water.  Master Chief Sunday references how his father was out of work and became an alcoholic because black men would work for less.  Another example of unresolved anger is when Master Chief and his wife are at the formal dinner and Master Chief has been drinking and he punched the LT who told him he could no longer dive. This is unresolved anger for the LT who ended his diving career.