Tag: Academy Awards

John Wooden, In the Woods, Warrior, TED-Ed, and a Chinese Proverb

John Wooden, In the Woods, Warrior, TED-Ed, and a Chinese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 10, 2024

Sunday Supplement #183 (November 10th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”

– John Wooden

Book of the Week:

In the Woods – Tana French

Tana French’s debut novel In the Woods won several awards, including the 2008 Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author.

French is an American-Irish writer, theatrical actress, and longtime resident of Ireland. Her Dublin Murder Squad series, which started with In the Woods, features two Irish Detectives.

In the Woods follows Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox. Ryan keeps a terrifying childhood incident a secret but finds himself assigned to a case where a 12-year-old girl was found murdered in the same woods of his childhood incident.

French’s writing is gripping, and the story is a well-crafted mystery/thriller. I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy the genre.

Movie of the Week:

Warrior

Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior tells the story of the youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer, who returns home to be trained by his father for a mixed martial arts tournament. This tournament puts the younger son on course to face off with his estranged older brother.

Tom Hardy plays the younger son, Joel Edgerton plays the older brother, and Nick Nolte plays the father. Nolte was nominated for the 2012 Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.

I believe the movie didn’t do as well as it should have because of the marketing campaign and trailers. It failed to show the depth of each character and their journeys in the film.

This movie has much to appreciate, including a tight script and brilliant performances. If it piques your interest, check it out.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Overcome Your Mistakes | TED-Ed

This TED-Ed video starts by highlighting a 2019 study that invited participants to learn a mysterious invented language.

The study’s findings showed that the participants who were arbitrarily categorized as failures had a hard time doing better in the next phase of the study.

The video explains how we can avoid situations that will negatively affect our self-confidence, potentially cause pain, and make us feel demoralized or incompetent, causing our brains to stop processing new information.

At the end of the video, one of the guiding points for overcoming your mistakes is to be mindful of your self-talk.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.”

– Chinese Proverb

This Chinese proverb reminds me of the power of practice and how any success worth achieving requires effort.

When I discovered self-improvement books, I finally understood how studying things you were interested in made learning fun.

However, if you want to learn something new, you have to be okay with failure. You have to be okay with putting in the practice, which will eventually allow you to find success.

Learn to have fun failing, move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

Bob Marley, Tesla: A Man Out of Time, To Kill a Mockingbird, Einzelgänger, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 6, 2024

Sunday Supplement #178 (October 6th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The greatness of man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

– Bob Marley

Book of the Week:

Tesla: A Man Out of Time – Margaret Cheney

I picked up Tesla: A Man Out of Time because I was curious to learn more about a man entrenched in history but whom I knew little about.

Cheney’s biography of Nikola Tesla is an engaging read that covers Tesla’s childhood in Yugoslavia to his death in New York in the 1940s.

There are entertaining anecdotes, including some of Tesla’s friendship with Mark Twain and interesting insights into his inventions, which others commercialized.

After reading the biography, I found that it wasn’t as in-depth as it could have been and wasn’t as objective as it should have been.

I think it’s worth reading if you are interested in whetting your appetite for a deeper excursion into the history of a brilliant scientist and inventor.

Movie of the Week:

To Kill a Mockingbird

The 1963 film To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, remains a classic, as does its source material.

The story is set in a small town in 1930s Depression-era Alabama. It follows the childhood of Scout and the events around the trial of a Black man for an underserved rape charge.

Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, a widowed lawyer, defends the man on trial and tries to educate his children against prejudice.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic in film and literature. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role for a brilliant performance by Gregory Peck.

Brainfood of the Week:

3 Stoic Ways To Be Happy | Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger’s YouTube channel features videos that explore different people and ideas of history with the aim of inspiring, resonating, and entertaining.

The video starts with the observation that many people are concerned with achieving a happy life. Einzelgänger highlights how the Stoics figured out how to suffer less and enjoy more with a system of exercises, wisdom, and ethics.

The first point Einzelgänger covers is about altering your judgments to be aware of what lies within your control and what lies outside of it. Check out the video to see the other two points.

I’ve featured several Einzelgänger videos in previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoyed this video, check out the other posts or his YouTube channel.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

– Proverbs 21:3

I think it can be an easy trap to create narratives around your actions or the actions of others to support your opinion of yourself or others.

This Bible passage reminds me not to get wrapped up in excuses for poor behavior. We can stumble and make mistakes, but we should be honest with ourselves.

The part of the verse about sacrifice reminds me of how we can take on burdens or cope with a wrong situation rather than speak up for what is right.

Reflect on the integrity of your actions, move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Sylvia Plath, The Creative Act, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ethan Hawke, and an African Proverb

Sylvia Plath, The Creative Act, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ethan Hawke, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 22, 2024

Sunday Supplement #176 (September 22nd, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

– Sylvia Plath

Book of the Week:

The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin is a record executive and producer, co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records.

Rubin has worked with various prestigious artists, from Jay-Z and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Aerosmith and Johnny Cash. His production discography is iconic.

The Creative Act is Rubin’s book about tapping into the creative spirit that flows in us and connecting to the world around us.

Rubin shares his insights about creativity from his personal experience and the tools and methods he’s learned.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a guidebook on a more profound and more playful experience of life.

Movie of the Week:

Pan’s Labyrinth

When I write these posts, I’m sometimes surprised that I haven’t already recommended my chosen film for the week.

Pan’s Labyrinth is a phenomenal story brought beautifully to life by the Academy Award-winning director/writer Guillermo del Toro.

The film is set in the Falangist Spain in 1944. It follows the young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer who escapes into an eerie fantasy world.

The cinematography is excellent, and the acting from Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Álex Angulo, and Doug Jones is captivating.

I can’t recommend Pan’s Labyrinth highly enough. It can be a somewhat intense movie, but it is a brilliant story.

Brainfood of the Week:

Give Yourself Permission to Be Creative | Ethan Hawke | TED

Four-time Academy Award-nominated actor, author, and director Ethan Hawke sits down and discusses creativity for the TED channel.

Hawke starts the video by saying that many people struggle to give themselves permission to be creative.

He states that most people want to offer something of quality that is considered good, but that aim is the enemy of creativity. It is not up to us whether what we do is any good.

Hawke shares his views on creativity, shares experiences in his life, and finishes with the credo that you have to be willing to play the fool.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“It is crooked wood that shows the best sculptor.”

– African Proverb

When I read this proverb, I’m reminded of how perfect final products can look and how often we don’t see their origins.

In creativity, I believe that everyone has their unique story to contribute. Sometimes, that story speaks to a universal experience.

The road to creating something beautiful, personal or universal, isn’t always straight.

Get in touch with your creative side however that looks for you, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Jen Sincero, Peter and the Starcatchers, Blow, Deepak Chopra, and a Japanese Proverb

Jen Sincero, Peter and the Starcatchers, Blow, Deepak Chopra, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 15, 2024

Sunday Supplement #175 (September 15th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Basically, I chose not to identify with being broke any longer. I realized I deserve a beautiful life, and abundance was something that I needed to welcome into my life.”

– Jen Sincero

Book of the Week:

Peter and the Starcatchers – Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson

Authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson collaborated to write a reinterpretation of the classic tale of J.M. Barrie’s famous character, Peter Pan.

The first novel in the series follows an orphan boy named Peter as he’s shipped out with his friends on the boat Never Land. Peter discovers a mysterious trunk on the ship and its guardian, a girl named Molly.

Peter, his friends, and Molly must overcome bands of pirates and thieves to keep the trunk’s contents safe.

Barry and Pearson beautifully craft a familiar world in a unique way. The novel is an homage to Barrie’s original works, and the series is a wonderful adventure.

Movie of the Week:

Blow

Ted Demme’s 2001 film Blow, based on Bruce Porter’s book and adapted by David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes, tells the story of George Jung.

The movie recounts Jung’s life from Boston to California as Jung, played by Johnny Depp, finds himself a central figure in establishing the American cocaine market in the 1970s.

In addition to Depp’s brilliant lead performance, the film has an excellent supporting cast, including Penélope Cruz, Ray Liotta, Cliff Curtis, and Miguel Sandoval.

Blow didn’t sweep the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes, but it is a well-done film worth checking out for a glimpse of history and its message on chasing abundance.

Brainfood of the Week:

Two Practical Ways to Create Abundance | Deepak Chopra

In this video, Deepak Chopra discusses how money contributes only a small percentage to daily happiness, but it is the number one cause of stress.

Ironically, obtaining money doesn’t necessarily increase your happiness unless used in a fulfilling manner. Chopra explains how you can cultivate abundance and use money in meaningful ways.

Deepak Chopra founded The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit for research on well-being and humanitarianism. He has written numerous New York Times bestsellers and was described by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.

I’ve featured Deepak Chopra in a few previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoyed this video, check them out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Laughter and smiles will bring happiness and fortune.” (笑う門には福来たる)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb is a good reminder for me to welcome as much laughter and as many smiles into my life as possible.

I try to catch myself whenever a negative stream of thoughts passes through my mind. I am wary of that becoming a default mindset.

This proverb suggests that happiness and fortune follow those whose lives include laughter and smiles. In many ways, happiness and fortune are laughter and smiles.

Welcome an abundance of positivity into your life, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Susan Sontag, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Boyhood, Eckhart Tolle, and a Quran Passage

Susan Sontag, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Boyhood, Eckhart Tolle, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 8, 2024

Sunday Supplement #174 (September 8th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Compassion is an unstable emotion. It needs to be translated into action, or it withers.”

– Susan Sontag

Book of the Week:

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a well-known work of English literature and a pivotal book in the history of the gothic/horror genre.

The novella, published in 1886, follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates the connection between a murderous criminal named Edward Hyde and Utterson’s friend Dr. Henry Jekyll.

Utterson believes that Mr. Hyde is blackmailing Dr. Jekyll after Jekyll covers for the brutal acts of the murderer.

Finding a work of art that lasts for decades or centuries is a beautiful experience. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Stevenson’s novella and highly recommend it.

Movie of the Week:

Boyhood

Richard Linklater’s 2014 film Boyhood depicts the childhood and adolescence of Mason Evans Jr., from ages six to 18, as he grows up in Texas with divorced parents.

Linklater filmed the movie from 2002 to 2013. The project began without a completed script, and Linklater allowed all pivotal actors to participate in the writing process to help incorporate their experiences into their characters’ stories.

Ellar Coltrane portrayed Mason, Ethan Hawke portrayed Mason’s dad, Patricia Arquette portrayed Mason’s mom, and Lorelei Linklater portrayed Mason’s sister. Each had a phenomenal performance.

Boyhood was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture of the Year. Arquette won for Best Performance of an Actress in a Supporting Role.

When I first saw it, it felt like a unique experience in Cinema history. The story, acting, and directing are brilliant. It’s almost three hours long and well worth the watch.

Brainfood of the Week:

Guide to Overcoming People Pleasing | Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher, public speaker, and bestselling author. I’ve featured some of his videos and books in previous Sunday Supplements.

In this video, Tolle answers a question from an audience member about growing in a different (spiritual) direction than a family member and how to handle that situation.

Tolle states our happiness or fulfillment does not depend on any other human’s acceptance of who we are.

Tolle explains how conditions of society and environments can lead to judgments of others. He encourages understanding, compassion, and acceptance.

If you enjoy the video, check out some of the other posts where I’ve featured his work.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Indeed, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good.”

– Surah Al-Ankabut 29:69

This passage from the Quran is an interesting litmus test for determining whether one’s actions qualify for God’s approval.

Many religious messages are twisted by those who claim to be followers to justify their actions or what they think is righteous and good.

I think we must reflect on our thoughts and actions and ensure they align with what is righteous and what is good.

Many different verses and passages from various religions speak about righteousness and goodness. Seek those sources that help you be your best self.

Have compassion for yourself and others, and have a blessed week ahead!

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