"Admissions" Short Film Review

"Admissions" is one of the most powerful short films I have ever seen. It received standing ovations when it was screened publically and it evokes emotion, thought, healing, and a well-spring of love.

When I first saw this film at the Zeitgeist Media Film Festival I was deeply touched and moved. I knew I had to help share it and meet the inspiring filmmakers. So I began my journey of  befriending and working with the film's writer, John Viscount and producer Gavin Behrman.  They are two of the best men in Hollywood.

"Admissions" stars Academy Award nominee James Cromwell and tells a transformational tale about
what it takes to find lasting peace. Featuring an Israeli couple and a Palestinian, this modern parable is set in the admissions room for the afterlife. Its purpose is to start a conversation that heals.

The themes include peace, forgiveness, compassion, oneness, and women's ability to help heal our world. As the Dalai Lama said, "the world will be saved by the Western woman" and this is beautifully demonstrated in this film. I talk daily with powerful women who are working for positive change in their role as healer, coach, speaker, author, or non-profit founder and I trust that our Planet is in good hands.

Here Are 7 Life Changing Beliefs Presented in "Admissions":
- God (however you define this) is always with you
- Mistakes are okay, but we need to learn from them
- Everyone should be treated equal
- Focus on the present moment, the here and now
- Only the truth is important
- Ending a cycle of hatred and violence is possible with forgiveness and compassion
- Without forgiveness there can be no heaven

Upon viewing, I thought about my beliefs and I encourage you to review yours and see what awareness comes forward. I believe that peace begins within. I believe that when we heal one issue, all of humanity moves forward because we are inter-connected. I believe that there is no hell except for the one we create with fear-based thinking. I believe that we can find heaven on earth. I believe in the power of self-forgiveness and seeing the other side of an issue. I believe that women can and will save the world, and not just women, but the embracing of the feminine virtues such as compassion, nurturing, understanding, and gentle kindness. I believe it is time for a film like this to spread to the billions and for people to wake up, put down our weapons (real or imagined) and start to care for each other once again.

This film showcases a miracle: the simple, yet profound and often difficult shift from fear to love. May this film invoke a miracle in your life. We have the power to change our world. What would Heaven on Earth look like to you?

Entertain - Enlighten - Inspire,
Kate Neligan - Founder of Synergy TV

P.S.  Here is a special gift for you: a wisdom-filled and conscious conversation with the filmmaker John Viscount and our friend Matt Welsh at Spiritual Media Blog.

 

Also, if you want to watch "Admissions" you can rent it for yourself or gift it to a loved one on GiftPlayLove for only $2 and a portion of proceeds goes to charity.

KARMAGEDDON Movie Review

By guest blogger, Matthew Welsh from Spiritual Media Blog

Jeff Brown is a former lawyer turned author (Soulshaping: A Journey of Self-Creation) and filmmaker. His debut film, KARMAGEDDON, is a personal examination of the spiritual journey featuring 1960s counter-culture icon and chanter Bhagavan Das. Bhagavan Das came to fame in the best-selling book "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass, the Harvard professor fired with Timothy Leary for their LSD experiments in the 1960s.

Karmageddon traverses all manner of interactive terrain: shadow and light, heart and soul, psychological and spiritual, the sacred and the profane.

For example, during the film Jeff is very critical of Bhagavan Das's ethical and sexual decisions and even asks Ram Dass:

"Does how he (Bhagavan Das) behave in his personal life really matter?"

Ram Dass answers emphatically:

"Yes it matters...you have to be able to justify your actions on every plane."

During the film, Jeff does not shy away from expressing his own anger at Bhagavan's behavior, especially in regards to women and even how Bhagavan Das treats Jeff's girlfriend. This film really is a refreshing look at how to respond to a guru, teacher or any person we have trusted who has wronged us. It also shows us how to integrate spiritual and psychological teachings into our daily lives in a practical way that can help us deal with childhood traumas, unexpressed emotions and our pain.

For example, this film helped me realize that is okay for me to feel angry, upset and hurt at times; and that by expressing those emotions in a healthy manner, I can work through them and grow from them. It also reminded me of the importance of creating congruence, authenticity and integrity in all parts of my life including my psychological and personal life...

I recently had a chance to interview Jeff about Karmageddon. I asked Jeff why he asked Ram Dass about whether the way Bhagavan Das behaves in his personal life matters; and how Jeff would answer the question if someone asked him. The rest of our interview covers much more psychological, spiritual, and personal questions. For instance, during our conversation Jeff answered many questions that most spiritual and self-improvement authors avoid talking about such as:

1. Must there be congruity between the teachings and the teacher's personal life?

2. How can we bridge the quest for essence and unity consciousness fundamental to certain eastern traditions, with the quest for a healthy self-concept intrinsic to the western psychotherapeutic revolution?

3. How can we honor and express justified anger, without doing more damage?

4. What is the relationship between emotional and spiritual health?

Jeff's answer to each question reveal an honesty about himself that show *us* it is okay to feel and be human while we pursue our path and callings in life.

You can download an MP3 of our interview and listen to our entire 33 minute conversation for f.r.e.e. by visiting http://tinyurl.com/cbaa4yd. 

"The Law of Divine Compensation" Book Review

Marianne Williamson is back with another gift to her readers in "The Law of Divine Compensation". There are moments so profound in this book that I started to tear-up as I remembered who I am and why I am here.

Williamson's work feels deeply channeled and is full of spiritual truths. In many chapters, I actually highlighted most of the sentences as the messages were all meaningful. If you saw my copy of the book you would see many "!" and heart drawings as well because the material really resonated.

If you are ready and willing to shift your perception around work and money this is a must-read. My favorite new belief brought forward from this book is: "what is lacking shall become abundant". It is a divine law that the Universe compensates for a loss, rights itself, and balances out. Early in Marianne's career she had to absorb a loss and she learned a lot from this experience. Her story serves as an inspiration to me as I continue to put forward heart-centered work without full compensation for my time (yet!).

Another beautiful lesson from the book is that our true work in the world is really our "calling" and our true boss is really God (aka Love). We are here to co-create with the greater intelligence from where we originated. We can either continue to serve fear and live an egoic lifestyle or we can choose love, step into our true gifts, and share from our heart. I have taken both paths and can honestly say, the latter choice is not easy but it provides much fulfillment and happiness. The reward of committing to your soul is that you continually receive access to a greater creative source that feels purely magical as it moves through you and allows you to be of service. You are here to make a positive difference and loyalty to your soul is what fills your cup and feels like real wealth. Even if the green bills don't flow right to you right away, the intangibles of Spirit will. Inspiration and joy are the new currency.
 

In many ways this is a book about love and the main principle from "A Course in Miracles" which is to shift our thoughts from fear to love. I felt so reassured by Marianne's comment that "what I had done for love came back to me a thousandfold and more." While I haven't yet seen any big outer rewards in terms of revenue for my business, I know I am serving the greater good on a daily basis and working to spread love and inspiration. I know this is my calling and I am just asked to trust that there will be a beautiful return on my investment. God/Love is my Source and the lesson is to continue to trust.

It's comforting to know that wealth and prosperity are an inner experience and that they can never be taken away. The path, as Marianne outlines, is in faith, love, miracles, meditation, prayer, purity of heart and embracing abundance while also releasing negative beliefs, anger, guilt and prejudice.

My other favorite book on money is Geneen Roth's "Lost & Found" which profoundly shifted my thinking about money and its true meaning. I hope you pick up a copy of both and enjoy these treasures as much as I did.

Entertain, Enlighten, Inspire,

Kate Neligan - CEO/Founder of Synergy TV

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN Movie Review

Ever heard of the musician, Rodriguez?  Well I hadn’t either, but he is bigger than Elvis in South Africa! The movie SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN follows the journey of two musicologist detectives (who even knew those existed ?!) as they look for the lost rock icon known as Rodriguez.

This music documentary plays like an unsolved mystery and it’s captivating. The film starts with the myth that a talented musician killed himself in a gruesome suicide. The truth is sought by two detectives who feel passionately about his life and pursue clues left in Rodriguez’s music. Their karma collides as the search ensues and their lives are changed for good.

I was shocked that I was so pulled into this story about a musician I had never heard of and impressed that his music is so beautiful and moving. I believe the reason this documentary has become so popular is because it’s a mindful movie with a meaningful story and some deep spiritual lessons.

 

We learn a lot, although not all, about the mysterious Rodriguez as the details of his life unfold.  We learn that he was not only a talented songwriter and singer but that his calling was to represent those who didn’t have a voice, first with the apartheid movement and then with the poor and working class in Detroit.  We learn that he was an amazing father and taught his daughters culture in an environment where it was not readily available. We learn that he was a very hard worker, modest, and lived in the same home for forty years.

Rodriguez was first told that his music wasn’t selling and that no one wanted it.  He was considered a failure in the United States although he is clearly talented when you listen to his deep, philosophical lyrics that sound like sung poetry.  Yet South Africa was obsessed with Rodriguez and he never knew it because the news of his massive fame, and also of his supposed death, never traveled to him in Detroit.

(Spoiler Alert!) I was totally blown away when the detectives found out that Rodriguez was alive and well in Detroit but no one knew him as talented musician in his home town and yet was considered a rock god and legend in another country thousands of miles away. It made me think a lot about how we can be two people at the same time – an “average Joe” and a “superstar”. Rodriguez was poor, but he was also rich. He transformed pain into beauty in his songs and exemplified the dual nature of our reality here as divine beings having a human experience.

The biggest lesson for me in the film is that how people receive you does not define you.  This means that what people think of me is actually none of my business. Rodriguez literally didn’t know that he was famous and that millions adored him! It keeps one humble to just show up and do the best you can, as he did with his records.  He didn’t know why they weren’t a hit.  It seemed that Rodriguez just shared his voice, his love, his gifts, and wasn’t attached to the outcome.  Even when he did learn of his fame and received more money, he didn’t change.  He remained modest and authentic. You can tell he just loved to sing and share his music and that was enough for him.

His message and the message in this film touched me deeply as I sometimes struggle with my own attachments to the outcome with my business.  Rodriguez reminded me to just do the best I can and show up in the love and joy for it.  He reminded me that we may never know the impact of sharing our gifts or the lives we touch.  He certainly didn’t know for decades. He didn’t need the recognition, money, and fame because he knew that wasn’t why he was here.  He just wanted to do the best he could for the people around him and his music had a huge impact on a tribe that resonated with it and understood his messages. He is a true example that we can trust that sharing our gifts will have an impact and even if we don’t see the recognition to continue to give and love anyway.

 

Rodriguez seems to understand a fundamental truth that Mother Teresa first shared with us: “Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never been you and them anyway.”

Our egos don’t like to hear this because we search for approval, love, and recognition outside of ourselves.  Yet that will never fill us or ever be enough. Rodriguez got it and he just showed up as an instrument for the divine to channel through him and shared his gifts whether it was in music, fatherhood, politics, or demolition work in poor communities. What we do never ends up mattering, but who we are while we do our work does. Share from a space of love and let the miracle of who you are move the world in the way it’s meant to. Stay humble, remember your roots, do the best you can and let go of attachments to the outcome.  Thank you for all the “sugar man” lessons, Rodriguez and for being what I like to call a “Conscious Rockstar”!

Entertain, Enlighten, Inspire,

Kate Neligan – CEO/Founder of Synergy TV

Review of Awareness Film Festival 2013

This past weekend the Awareness Film Festival was held in Santa Monica, CA at various screening rooms. Their mission is to “bring awareness to some of our world's pressing issues: Ecological, Political, Health/Well Being and the Spirit.” Most of the films they screened were socially conscious shorts and feature documentaries.

I was grateful to receive a press pass for myself and a colleague who attended THIS DEWDROP WORLD, Shorts Block 1 & 2, PAW PROJECT, G-DOG and CONSPIRACY RISING. Some of the films I wished I saw were FEMME, WINGS OF LIFE, and CONSCIOUS LOVE. Some of the films I had seen before that they also screened were PAD YATRA: A GREEN ODYSSEY, SACRED JOURNEY OF THE HEART, and AWAKENING WORLD. 

What I love about this film festival is that its main purpose is to open our eyes and provide information about many societal issues while also being a fundraiser for a charity. The non-profit it benefits, Heal One World, provides preventive health care (especially through alternative/natural methods) to those in need. The Founder of both, Skye Kelly, is a yoga instructor/natural health practitioner/activist and inspiring leader passionate about healing and making a difference. I admire her work and what she has accomplished with this festival and its growth.

I had a big realization during this festival after screening some of the shorts that made me feel anxious, depressed and frustrated with our world. I made an important decision that I only want to distribute and promote films that provide solutions and leave the viewers’ feeling inspired. While some may say this is a “Pollyanna approach”, I feel that sometimes we don’t act or create change when we see problems as so big and complex that we feel that one person can’t make an impact. The weekend before, the Topanga Film Festival also showcased some darker/intense films and even had a block on tragedy. Their theme for the year was “change” but tragedy is not the change I wish to see in the world!  Sometimes I wonder if our default programming for fear or conflict overrides our soul’s yearning for the light. The only way our media will change is if we start to demand more love-based films that demonstrate that transformation is possible.

 

On closing night, the Awareness FF delivered two of their best films that showcase the power of love. The short documentary, “See Me”, is a beautiful, powerful, and positive tale of transformation in South Africa. Filmmakers provided cameras to orphans and allowed them to tell their story which provided joy and priceless value to the children and spread awareness on the effects of HIV/AIDS.

G-DOG, the feature documentary shown, follows the lives of Father Greg Boyle (known as G-Dog), Founder of Homeboy Industries, and those he has touched. I had known about Homeboy for a while but I never knew the story behind this non-profit. I was literally blown away, crying through most of the film because second chance stories touch my heart so deeply. This film is a must-see. It raises consciousness about gangs and provides multiple solutions for rehabilitation. G-Dog is a real-life Saint who is changing lives, ending violence, creating community and kinship, and constantly telling a story of hope, transformation, and inspiration. He is now one of the top people on the Planet I wish to learn from and emulate and this film moved me to donate to the cause, to plan a visit to their café and offices, purchase his book, and to work towards distributing and promoting the film. I want people to see with the eyes of their heart as G-Dog does. He knows the truth that at our core we are all the same and worthy of unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness, and a second chance.

I fully support film festivals like this that are doing their best to screen films that raise consciousness and bring together creative idealists that are hungry to change our world for the better. Kudos to the Awareness Film Festival and please make sure this is on your calendar for next year!

Entertain, Enlighten, Inspire,

Kate Neligan – Founder/CEO of Synergy TV

 

Topanga Film Festival 2013 Review

by guest blogger Chris Gray

At the last minute I decided to attend the festival this year and these are my thoughts about my experience.

The festival itself still has that small totally cool hippie town feel. You walk into a festival put on by people who share vegetables from their gardens with each other. There is a definite Topanga vibe and if that is the experience you are looking for, this festival has it. If you want convenient parking, comfortable theater seating with great audio and video projection, this is not for you.  

 

After looking forward to the Faith Street Corner Tavern film I was disappointed. It had lots of beautiful images, interesting characters and music but the story didn’t flow. The entire film was packed with seemingly self-indulgent rants of dialog and random shots of the main character dancing around. There is a deep touching story behind the film, but you have to exercise tremendous patience to get all the pieces. It appeared the filmmaker was so attached to all the footage and the many many songs in the film that he was unable to cut it down into a form suitable for an audience unfamiliar with the story and the main characters. The film is a passion piece showing what the artist likes. It is not a film for everyday entertainment. One audience member commented “This would be better on some good bud”. Another said she would like to use it in her work with cancer patients and hospice. Some will love it and some will hate it, I would have enjoyed the story better if it had been presented differently.

The Source Family film Undoubtedly influenced by mainstream media messages about “hippie” communes and cults, I expected a creepy film about real depravity. This movie was made primarily from film collected by a member of the Source Family and insight from actual members. It shows a full reality from within the Source Family, rather than sensationalizing only seedy aspects. It allows an intimate understanding of cults and of these particular people. Yes there was danger, pain and human damage. There was also tremendous growth, enlightenment, health and miracles. This film takes you on a trip into an extreme alternative lifestyle and it is an entertaining and interesting journey.  After the film there was a question and answer session with the filmmaker and a couple members of the Source Family. This led to the entire audience standing up and participating in the Source Family’s morning star exercise. Had this been at another festival I doubt everyone would have participated, in fact it probably wouldn’t have even happened. It was another authentic Topanga experience and it was really enjoyable.

The SEA Change Panel discussion delivered everything it promised and the panelists freely offered insight and encouragement to participants regarding their individual projects afterward. It was a place of synergy for those working on creating a better world through film.

 

 

I also hung out on the patio of the Rosewood, which is an experience in itself, but to top it off, at twilight one evening a small buck sprung by on the hillside just a few feet from me. I had many intense discussions with others as passionate as I am about creating positive change in the world. Unfortunately, because of other things in my life I wasn’t able to completely tune into the Topanga Vibe.  Now I know what to expect. Next year I plan to come better prepared to engage more fully in the experience of the Topanga Film Festival. Hope to see you there.

- Chris Gray

NOW IS GOOD Movie Review

 

I was first lured into the film NOW IS GOOD by the clever trailer which looked fascinating, spiritual, and unique. This dramatic film about a 17 year old girl fighting leukemia seemed like it would be a big tear-jerker and, while it certainly has its moments of tenderness and emotion, it is a beautiful and healing film at its core. The cinematography is stunning and creative, and the deep themes and messages showcase lessons of the human spirit.

Dakota Fanning does a brilliant job as the heroine Tessa, and her boyfriend Adam (played by Jeremy Irvine) is also an extremely lovable character. Their relationship is one of the best examples of unconditional love that I’ve seen on the silver screen. It left me yearning so deeply for more love and romance in my life.

I think on some level all of us want to care for another and feel deeply taken care of while we bring out the best in each other, and this is what Tessa and Adam have together. While they are just teenagers, they teach us about the commitment, kindness, and courage it takes to love, even when they know they will get hurt. This film helped me to see how I had been protecting myself from being hurt again in a relationship by staying small and invisible, and in turn not giving and receiving all the love that is available to me. NOW IS GOOD inspired me to risk opening my heart again.

This film essentially has three main messages. The first, and most obvious, is the message from the title NOW IS GOOD which is all about living in the present moment. The best line in the film is about life being a series of moments. While watching Tessa’s story unfold, the viewer can tell which are the moments that take her breath away, that mean something, and that are to be remembered. Tessa has a “list” of things she wants to experience like sex, drugs, fame, shoplifting, and while many are pretty ego-based experiences, we somehow can relate to all of them. I feel like if I had months left to live, I too would choose some unusual and intense experiences for my list (i.e. #1 horseback riding on a beach, #5 skydiving!). It’s apparent that the intention behind each item on the list is to feel alive, courageous, and fully present. I can imagine this is how anyone must want to feel when they know their days are numbered. And yet, we can always live this way because the only true joy is in the present moment and our lives are about the journey and not the destination. Hay House author Robert Holden says the word “now” is a synonym for the word life.

Another message in the film is about how we impact the lives of others. I have a belief system that we are all both students and teachers of life and we have a ripple effect on each other. Tessa changes the course of her loved ones by calling forward her mother’s parenting and courage, to her Dad’s purpose, to her best friend’s difficult choice, to her brother’s joy and wisdom. You also see how she directly impacts her boyfriend’s life by giving him new direction and the desire to live fully again. The moment when she realizes her impact is one of the most profound moments in the movie and one of the best scenes I’ve witnessed in a while. It’s a reminder to us why we are really here. I believe that Tessa came to teach these lessons and what I like to call “spiritual curriculum” to those in her “soul family” (i.e. those closest to her that she loved the most) and also to those who watch this film.

Her story made me question something…..is it more painful to die and leave behind all that you could still do/be/have or is it more painful to lose someone?  I feel blessed that I have never had to be in this position and yet I know death and loss are unavoidable in life. The only real control we have is to treat each moment and each human encounter and relationship as precious. How different would our lives be if we lived as though each day was our last?  What would we say to each other?  What would we do? How deeply would we love? The late Steve Jobs said, “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

I recently had a conversation with a good friend about not wanting to die with our music still in us. I suggested to him that he vision the end of his life and sit in his deathbed and see what it is that he regrets and then to start to DO or BE those things NOW. I told him that the only thing I would regret is not having told people I loved them or knowing that they loved me. My sense is that all we keep when we transition is the love and that part of us never ever dies. And to participate in life with “no regrets” is deeply transformational.

Tessa is an example to all of us that “now” is most definitely good because it is all that we have. We need to spend our “nows” wisely. We can’t waste a minute in regret, in anger, in judgment or in frustration that something is not happening our way. The only thing that is limited in our lives is time. We don’t know how much we get, but we do know one day it will end. So I encourage you to look at how you are spending yours, with whom, and why.

The last lesson I was left with was about hope. NOW IS GOOD helped me heal because I cried afterwards from all the sad memories stored in my heart. I felt so vulnerable, so fragile, and I could feel so much compassion for what we go through as humans. I thought about all the losses I’ve experienced, and those my friends and family have as well. And yet I heard the wise voice of my intuition and she talked to me about hope. She gave me the beautiful example of my best friend who broke up with her boyfriend at 23 and was so devastated at the time and she told me I would have smiled and laughed then if I had known that 10 years later I would be the one to marry the two of them in a beautiful wedding ceremony. She reminded me to not lose hope because it’s in that focus that helps us to get by in this sad, beautiful, mad, inspiring, and perfectly imperfect world.  She reminded me, as did Tessa, that love will prevail.

Entertain, Enlighten, Inspire,

Kate Neligan - CEO/Founder of Synergy TV

 

P.S. A recent, real-life "Now is Good" story recently came out thanks to our friends at Soul Pancake.  Here is the inspiring, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming story of a recent teenager who left behind a message and legacy of LOVE. Over 8 million people have watched this in just a matter of days.... this is the content Synergy TV will create, distribute, and promote.  We love to share and tell these stories.  Grab a box of tissues and enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NjKgV65fpo

HOPE SPRINGS Movie Review

I heard a complaint recently that Hollywood is not making movies for the older demographic but HOPE SPRINGS really delivers for the 50+ crowd.  Finally, we get to see a mindful movie that deals with issues in the bedroom in a very conscious and realistic way.

Meryl Streep (playing Kay) and Tommy Lee Jones (playing Arnold) deliver believable and lovable characters that show us a secret world of therapy, marital dysfunction, and the desire to change. Steve Carell (Dr. Feld) plays such a serious role that you forget it’s him and he really embodies the genius of a good therapist.  One immediately falls for Meryl’s character because she seems to love her husband so much, despite appearing as a bit of a doormat housewife.  At first we are frustrated with Tommy Lee’s character but he changes so much through the course of the movie that we are rooting for him and loving him for his vulnerability as well.

I learned in my Master’s program in Spiritual Psychology that “perfect vulnerability is perfect protection” and this is truly the main message from this spiritual film.  Kay and Arnold start off without any intimacy but through Kay’s deep commitment to herself and the marriage, transformation and healing begin.  I also learned in my Master’s that “healing is the application of loving to the places inside that hurt” and this we also bear witness to in this film.

Kay and Arnold begin to look inside to see how they have been hurt in the past, how they didn’t express their true feelings, ask for what they wanted, and how they started to shut down and protect their loving hearts from pain. Through this self-examination and willingness to work together (despite loads of resistance from Arnold) they start to open up to the possibility that it doesn’t have to be this way anymore.  Their choice to choose love over fear becomes the change-agent in their relationship.

Although I have never been to couples counseling, I could still relate to what these characters go through in how uncomfortable it can be feel to be vulnerable in front of both a loved one and stranger. I felt so much compassion for both Kay and Arnold as they work to save their marriage and fumble along, often taking two steps back for every step forward.  And yet, the reason why this movie works is because it is so authentic and realistic, and I felt like I was right there in counseling with them.

I could also empathize because I feel like I have seen so many marriages end up this way: as roommates or friends living together where the romance has died and intimacy is lost. I felt surges of different emotions as Kay and Anrold’s marriage so closely resembled my parents'. And I know there are many, many more couples like this out there and my thought was that this movie could really help couples dealing with similar issues. It was also a loud warning signal to me to always make my relationship and my husband (when he gets here!) a priority. Intimacy is a priceless, spiritual connection that has to be kept sacred. The truth in a relationship is freeing and since men and women speak such different languages there has to be a commitment to express authentically, listen, and understand each other.

I won’t ruin the ending of the film but let’s just say that I am always grateful for feel-good film finishes because they leave us hopeful, grateful for the shared human condition, and inspired to change for the better. 

I acknowledge this film for committing to showcasing a real issue, especially amongst older couples, that is often overlooked and not dealt with because the vulnerability can be uncomfortable. As more movies are made like HOPE SPRINGS and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK where we, as content creators and audiences alike, take a look at some of the real shadows in humanity and bring light, humor, and love to them; we all will be healed.

Entertain - Enlighten - Inspire,
Kate Neligan - Founder/CEO of Mindful Media Entertainment & Synergy TV

SILVER LININGS Movie Review

By Guest Blogger: Iva Radosevic

A silver lining means:  "a sign of hope in an unfortunate or gloomy situation" (dictionary.com).

The film SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK is a beautifully portrayed story of a conflicted man that struggles with bipolar disorder, which is characterized by periods of mania alternating with periods of depression.

Bradley Cooper, as Pat Solitano, does an excellent job of bringing this disorder to life and hooking the audience within the first five minutes of the film by inspiring empathy and compassion in the viewer and resonating a fluctuating ray of optimism throughout all his episodes of severe mood swings.

Despite the fact that Pat has lost his marriage and his job, he is determined to show his family and his estranged wife that he has come a long way and knows how to turn any negative energy into something with a promise of hope.

His true transformation begins to happen when he meets Tiffany (played by Jennifer Lawrence), who serves as a mirror to the inner pain and anger that he feels. Tiffany’s torment over the loss of her husband allows Pat to feel a stronger connection to her and have greater understanding of her ways. Through their mutual pain and anger they feel comfortable in each other’s presence and recognize a bond from the beginning that progressively intensifies as their friendship builds throughout the film. 

This new friendship helps Pat rekindle the lost connection with his father, played by Robert De Niro. Pat’s commitment to Tiffany’s dance routine practice keeps him unavailable to join his father for the football watching at home. This inspires Pat’s father to express verbally why he finds it important to have his son join him during these games. By keeping Pat occupied and away from home, Tiffany plays a key role in inspiring this critical bonding conversation between father and son that takes place in the later half of the film. She also turns out to be the positive energy that brings good luck to Pat’s father in the winning of his favorite football team by noting that every time his team won she was with his son in some context. The strong bond that Pat and Tiffany share turns out to be the glue that links the whole family back together through a common thread of optimism and hope. 

SPOILER ALERT......

The reframing of hope in the face of an unfortunate situation is solidified in one of the last scenes of the movie where Pat and Tiffany manage to get a score of 5 out of 10 in their dancing competition and the whole family bursts out with explosive excitement over a score that is viewed as only average by the judges and the rest of the audience. This ‘5’ is a winning number for the family, since the father bet with a friend that Pat and Tiffany could achieve at least that number in a competition against much more professional dancers. Being rewarded a ‘5’ was the peak of the mountain for the family and it was the epitome of what ‘silver lining’ represents in this film.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK is a film of hope, empathy, compassion, understanding, reconnection and love.  It inspires us to view life through a positive filter and recognize the beauty in the lessons of pain and loss. We learn that by redefining our goals and expectations an ‘average’ score may just be good enough to give us the happiness worth a lifetime.

P.S.  Note from Kate Neligan - Founder of Synergy TV:  This movie is currently a big box office hit with a lot of positive word of mouth and sold-out showings. I couldn't be happier because this raw, original, authentic story really deserves all the positive press. We definitely give it a big thumbs up as a mindful movie and hits out Top 10 List of the Year!

CLOUD ATLAS Movie Review

                                  

I wish I could recommend CLOUD ATLAS because it had SO much potential but I really can't support it because it was so violent and convoluted.

 

Despite having excellent visual effects, some of the best actors in Hollywood like Tom Hanks, and a theme of "everything is connected", this film is not what it was marketed to be: an inspirational/spiritual epic.

 

I felt cheated when I saw the movie because I was expecting a deep, riveting story with profound spiritual messages like AVATAR, INCEPTION and LIFE OF PI and instead I got a violent, action film that was very hard to follow.

For the first hour my head hurt just watching the various story-lines from different time periods. It was not easy to connect the actors and roles throughout their past lives. However, the make-up was fantastic as you can barely recognize Tom Hanks and Halle Berry throughout some of their scenes

 

The last fifteen minutes of the film are definitely the best and showcase a bit of a message about the inter-connectedness of humanity, the potential to stand-up for the truth, and the fight for love.

 

I am just disappointed that this movie missed out on its potential to be a mindful movie full of wisdom and Spirit. I felt like the Wachowski brothers sold-out to the lowest common denominator that wants violence in our media. Some of the kill scenes in the film were very disturbing because they were so realistic and gruesome. And while we have often died in cruel and unusual ways in past lives, I felt like the deaths portrayed were gratuitous.

 

I kept hoping the law or karma would prevail and teach everyone a lesson but a lot of the stories were so bleak. This is definitely not THE MATRIX and I guess I had too high expectations for the next spiritual blockbuster.

 

The group I screened it with all had differing opinions of the film and one person compared it to the book which seems to be a bit more introspective. I guess the good news is that there is still a lot of room for powerful, meaningful, profound blockbusters to be created about concepts like karma, inter-connectedness, and love. Who is going to make the next one?  What did you think of the film?

 

Entertain - Enlighten - Inspire,

Kate Neligan - Founder & CEO of Synergy TV

LIFE OF PI Movie Review

Finally, one of the most engaging, best-selling reads was made into a movie!  LIFE OF PI tells the touching story of a boy lost at sea after the boat he is on with his family and all of their zoo animals capsizes.

I remember, after reading this book for book club years ago, that it would make a great movie and it was thrilling to see such an excellent adaption into film, especially with all the special effects. I chose to see LIFE OF PI in 3D and it is meant to be seen that way as you feel like you are on the lifeboat with Pi and his tiger, Richard Parker.

It has been said that this 3D movie is the best one since AVATAR and I would agree. The other similarity between these movies is that they both examine deep, philosophical and spiritual concepts in a mainstream way. These are exactly the types of stories I want to see more of (and plan to produce in the future!) and they signify the best in class of the "mindful movie" genre.

There isn't much to say about this movie without examining the very end so if you haven't seen the film yet, please do so and then check back here as I don't want to spoil anything for you.

LIFE OF PI ending:
It was fascinating to discuss the metaphors and meaning in this film with my friends after the screening. To me, this film is about the mind and the stories we tell ourselves and others. It provides a mirror for us to see the way we examine our own lives and how we view truth and God.

My biggest take-away is that whatever we believe is our truth. There is no such thing as absolute truth, especially when something can't be proven?! Only Pi knows what happened to him at sea and yet he tells two believable stories and asks which one we prefer which leaves us wondering and grasping for an answer. Why is it that we crave to know the answers so badly? Why do we demand the truth or fight for it when it's so hard to prove something we all see differently? Why is it we are so uncomfortable with the unknown?


What I love about this film is that it asks us to accept and to have faith. We each have a different view of religion and spirituality and we each have our own God. Pi's father believed in hard, cold facts and science. I used to be like this and was an Aetheist for years until I had experiences I couldn't explain and had a deep desire to BELIEVE in something grander than human suffering. I'm a lot more like Pi now, appreciating all religions and the value in each.

This film is amazing because it calls forward our inner need for beauty and to choose the story that is full of love and connection. The other option is to believe in a disturbing story of human savagery. This is a deep reflection of our main choice in life: to listen to the beast/ego within or to chose the love-filled, hope-inspiring journey. The most fascinating part of life is that both are happening right now as you read this......we leave in the duality of war and peace, love and fear, acceptance and hatred and both realities fully exist. I am blessed to see more light than darkness each day and I consciously choose this by not watching the news and engaging with inspirational content.

Whatever story we tell is OUR story and often we would rather be right than happy so we cling to our stories, even if they make us suffer. Pi tells the story that he feels in his heart and we all want to believe. We want to feel that a tiger can love us despite it's animal instincts to kill us and that miracles happen.

Besides the truth, this story has us yearning for something else.....closure. Pi doesn't receive this with his family since they die so quickly and traumatically. He also doesn't receive it with Richard Parker as the tiger never turns to say good-bye. As viewers we are also left without closure because we are left wondering what really happened in the life of Pi.


Yet the key to the entire mystery and to the closure is the most profound and metaphorical line in the movie: "And so it goes with God." Pi says this after the writer picks the story he prefers and to me it means that only God is our witness to all that happens here on Earth and our preference for the truth IS the one that is filled with God, magnificent creatures, and the magic of a floating meerkat-filled island. Pi followed many religions as he could see value in all of them and this may be why he can easily tell two stories of what happened to him. What is the truth? Which religion is right? Is it possible they all are?


I highly recommend this film as it is not only beautiful and deep but I promise it will leave you thinking and  stir your soul. It has the three main ingredients for the perfect recipe in film: entertaining, enlightening, and inspiring. It is a triumphant epic journey that leaves us with hope and with a new-found curiosity for the mystery of life and God. It reminds us to respect, love and stay connected to animals and to trust that God is always with us, rain or shine.

Entertain - Enlighten - Inspire,
Kate Neligan - Founder & CEO of Synergy TV/Mindful Media Entertainment

VITALITY Movie Review

 

                                                

Last night I got to see an awesome new film called VITALITY from the passionate filmmaker and doctor, Pedram Shojai, at a screening in Malibu. This film is a health documentary that is made for the masses and is educational and enlightening in nature.

 

The filmmaker is a health care practitioner and acupuncturist and he noticed that the medicine field is a big sinking ship. He realized that people who get sick, see doctors and depend on them to fix them is a broken system and we need to take personal responsibility to prevent dis-ease and focus on our well-being. He believes that being free of illness is not true wellness but living a life of vitality is and this is achievable if we focus on certain areas.

The film breaks down the core of vitality which is surrounded by four inter-connected areas of life which are: sleep, exercise, diet, and mindset. The film has a lot of great facts that showcase how we have histrorically changed as a human species and how living in the modern fast-paced world can be damaging to our bodies. The movie shows us ways to rest and relax, tips to get great sleep, and ways to eat healthy while also focusing on the important beliefs we have about ourselves. The key is truly to synergize or harmonize all of these aspects of life to wholeness. Everything works together in our lives and a proper diet, sleep, healthy mindset, and exercise give us the energy we need to be our best selves and live our best lives.

My favorite part of the evening was the Q&A and discussion that took place afterwards. There was a lot of engaging talk about how people are unwilling to change, how we aren't fully educated (i.e. we don't even know if there are GMOs in our food!), and what we can do to help others get healthy. Let's be honest  - America is obese and our health care industry is deeply flawed and yet there is a lot of hope. 

I started to think about vitality in my own life and in the past few months I have gone gluten, dairy, sugar, and alcohol free (still working on breaking the coffee dependency). I have seen measurable positive results with no acne, better energy, more creativity, better sleep, less anxiety, no PMS symptoms, no bloating or indigestion, more peace and happiness, and I've lost weight! I overall feel much better than I have in years. AND this hasn't been easy but it is worth it. Now when I eat beef or have gluten or sugar I feel an immediate brain fog and feel exhausted the next day as though I didn't even sleep. 

The immediate seconds of pleasure of eating a brownie is now not worth what I will feel like for hours afterwards. It is the same with our healthcare. Yes, eating organic food may be a bit more expensive at first and gym memberships aren't free BUT the long term savings is priceless if I can prevent thyroid, candida issues and other possibly dangerous and extremely costly dis-eases. I promise you that healthcare and doctors can not and will not fix you. I have been there and the only way to wellness is through information, baby steps of change, and conscious choice. We have to think about our future; we often do with our children but not with ourselves! We are important, we are worthy of our own self-care and without our health then nothing else matters.

The charged energy in the room after this screening was palpable. Health, like money and spirituality, are juicy issues and they all come down to self-worth. I realized last night that the best way we can change the world is by changing our selves. The Gandhi method of "being the change" is the answer. As I have taken responsibility and educated myself about gluten and experimented with a cleaner diet, I have raised my vibration and consciousness. My friends and family have noticed. 

They have asked me what I am doing and they have slowly started to make changes. One friend is now juicing and feels amazing, a family member has cut back on her sugar dependency, and another friend is experimenting with gluten-free. I am so proud of them and myself. This is how we get healthier as a nation! This is how we break free of ill-ness and treat our bodies as our temples.

As I drove home from this event I realized the way to vitality is really to raise consciousness. One of my teachers says: "Every time one person resolves one issue, all of humanity evolves." My intention with Synergy TV is to raise consciousness. As I have raised my own consciousness I have changed so much. I now care about what goes into my body, what I think in my head, what I put into the environment, what I clean my body with, and so on. I am more response-able as I have more knowledge and I am inspired to change because I want to feel great. I am done with the status quo of misery and suffering. When we grow in consciousness we make healthier, smarter, conscious choices. 

Synergy TV is all about conscious choice which is the free will we have despite our circumstances. How we choose to respond to anything - sugar or vegetable, couch or gym, sleep or stress, positive thinking or negative - it is ALL up to us. We have the power and all we need or want to be vibrant, healthy and fully alive is within. Nothing we fill ourselves up with will provide the love we are seeking.

I love you and I encourage you to watch this film, to share it with loved ones, to screen it at schools and churches, and to participate in raising your concsciousness and others. We will do our best to bring you VITALITY on Synergy TV soon. Dr. Pedram Shojai is a true health-care rockstar and he has started Well.org which has more information on how to live a vibrant, healthy life. He is surrounding himself by smart doctors, charities he can help, and brands that care.

We are the ones we have been waiting for. The love you are seeking is within. Your birthright is vitality - choose it now.

Entertain - Enlighten - Inspire,
Kate Neligan - Founder/CEO of Synergy TV

Public Interest Pictures Non-Profit Film Festival

I'm excited to announce that SynergyTV is partnering with Public Interest Pictures for their upcoming Film Festival this Sunday, October 21st in Los Angeles.

 

This group is doing something really cool! They are partnering filmmakers with charities to create films and then all of the shorts are screening in a festival at the end of the weekend. Its sort of like a 48 hour film festival with a great prize and supporting great causes.

 

I believe they are still looking for both filmmakers to participate and attendees for their Non-Profit Film Festival. If you would like to apply, definitely send them a note or just come to The Hub for the showing on Sunday evening.

Public Interest Pictures Non-Profit Film Festival Weekend: http://publicinterestpics.org/calling-all-filmmakers/

JULIE & JULIA Movie Review

JULIE & JULIA offers such a positive, feel-good and heart-warming experience.  It feels like a “chick flick” and yet it is really for anyone that needs to believe that pursuing a passion can pay off. Meryl Streep is amazing as Julia Child and Amy Adams is endearing as Julie Powell. Based on the true story of a Queens girl who started a blog to give herself something to look forward to outside of her job. Her life parallels the famous cook, Julia Child’s, as they both transform through their love of food.

I can see why so many people adore this film because it sends an inspirational message that anyone can be successful. My favorite moment in the film is when Julie starts to listen to her 65 voice mails after she is written about in the NY Times. She quickly receives offers for an agent, a book, and a movie. In many ways, this is any entrepreneur’s dream (and certainly my own!) to hit it big overnight. Yet the truth is that Julie showed up consistently every day for a year to cook and write about her experience. It made me realize that a great idea, paired with consistent committed action really does yield significant results. Julia Child also had many attempts before her famous cookbook was published.

What I loved the most about this film is the relationship that both Julie and Julia are in with their respective husbands. The strength and support these men offered to their wives was amazing to me. It gave me hope that there are great guys out there that will show up for strong women who are working on their dreams. In the past, I used to feel like I would have to choose between an amazing relationship or my dream career. I always thought both would take so much time but this film portrays a different reality where both are not only possible but work together in complete harmony. I was comforted by the generosity these men offered to their leading ladies and how they worked as a team with the common phrase of “we’ll figure it out.” I have so much hope that these relationships exist now.

I also particularly liked how Julia raised the bar for Julie to be a better person. Sometimes we really do need a mentor or idol to follow and to positively project the new, higher-self qualities we are stepping into. This film also portrays Julia as a master at visioning. She stated clear affirmations that her book would change the world and it did. Her enthusiasm, yes-attitude, and love for food were infectious and impactful. She is proof that anything that we jump out of bed for at 6:30am is worth pursuing and doing every day of our lives.

So that is my blog post about a movie about a blogger! I am proud of Julie for staying the course of her commitment and for reaching success. As her husband said, she was already a writer; she just needed to own this in herself regardless of the outer circumstances. I am going to own being a writer as well, even if only a handful of people read this blog (for now). I love films with purpose, meaning and heart that make us feel good and to me the movie JULIE & JULIA is like beef bourguignon to Julia Child.

Entertain - Enlighten - Inspire,
Kate Neligan
Founder/CEO of Synergy TV and Mindful Media Entertainment LLC.