Tag: Academy Awards

Angela Duckworth, The War of the Worlds, The Hunt, The Art of Improvement, and a Bhagavad Gita Verse

Angela Duckworth, The War of the Worlds, The Hunt, The Art of Improvement, and a Bhagavad Gita Verse

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 1, 2024

Sunday Supplement #173 (September 1st, 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:

“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.”

– Angela Duckworth

Book of the Week:

The War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells was a prolific writer with over fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His famous book The War of the Worlds was serialized in 1987 Pearson’s Magazine and Cosmopolitan.

The novel follows the first-person narrative of an unnamed protagonist and his younger brother as Martians invade southern England.

As the aliens move across the country in huge three-legged machines, they incinerate those in their path with a heat ray and toxic gasses.

The War of the Worlds is one of the first novels to depict a conflict between humans and extraterrestrials.

H.G. Wells’s science fiction classic has never been out of print and has been adapted into many different mediums, including the famous radio drama by Orson Welles.

Movie of the Week:

The Hunt

The Hunt, directed by Thomas Vinterberg and written by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm, currently ranks at #95 on IMDb’s Top 250 movies list.

Mads Mikkelsen stars in this Danish film about a teacher living a solitary life while struggling over his son’s custody.

The teacher’s life slowly improves as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but the new boost is shattered when an innocent little lie gets loose.

The Hunt was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year at the 2014 Academy Awards. It is an upsetting story, but it is well done and worth watching.

Brainfood of the Week:

Ten Ways to Build and Develop Resilience | The Art of Improvement

This The Art of Improvement video starts by stating that we all encounter hardships and that we can either let them swallow us up or make the best of them.

Resilience is the ability to pick yourself back up and move forward after tragedy or challenges—deciding not to quit.

The Art of Improvement explains that resilience is a skill, not an innate ability. It must be built up and developed over time through mindset shifts, practice, and healthy habits.

The video then highlights ten ways to build and develop resilience. Two of my favorite tips are to be proactive about problems and to change your mindset about adversity.

I’ve featured The Art of Improvement in a few previous Sunday Supplements. Their videos focus on helping viewers learn how to better themselves and be more productive.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“And that determination which cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness, and illusion— such unintelligent determination is the mode of darkness.”

– Bhagavad Gita 18:35

This Bhagavad Gita passage is an interesting insight into how we can determinately get lost in our own negativity.

We often stumble or find ourselves facing adverse situations. In those moments, it can be easy to drop your head or to think of past failures.

This Bhagavad Gita verse reminds us that this way of thinking is lost in emotion and will only lead us to darker places.

We must pay attention to our emotions but find balance and remind ourselves that we can take action to improve our situation.

Find the right mode of resilience, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Omar Khayyam, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Perfect Days, Einzelgänger, and a Tao Te Ching Verse

Omar Khayyam, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Perfect Days, Einzelgänger, and a Tao Te Ching Verse

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 11, 2024

Sunday Supplement #170 (August 11th, 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:

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

– Omar Khayyam

Book of the Week:

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Robert M. Pirsig

Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a fictionalized autobiography of a 17-day motorbike journey with his son in 1968.

During the trip, the father examines how we live as a species and meditates on the meaning of quality. He recounts an earlier form of himself’s pursuits of this information and how he views the experience of life at the present moment.

Pirsig’s book is dense, and I recommend it only for those interested in tackling a challenging read.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance received 121 rejections before being accepted by a publisher who didn’t believe the book would sell. It’s sold over 5 million copies so far.

Movie of the Week:

Perfect Days

The Wim Wenders film written by Takuma Takasaki and Wenders follows the life of Hiriyama, a man who cleans public toilets in Tokyo, lives a life in simplicity, and encounters that lead him to reflect on himself.

I found it a slow-burn story with a powerful reflection of life. Sometimes, people watch movies for intense action with extreme highs and despairing lows. This isn’t that kind of movie.

Koji Yakusho portrays Hiriyama brilliantly, embodying a man who finds tranquility and beauty in his simple existence yet doesn’t block out the sadness and frustrations of life.

Perfect Days was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Yakusho won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. It’s a film worth checking out for those whose interest has been piqued.

Brainfood of the Week:

Don’t Worry, Everything is Out of Control | Einzelgänger

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

In this video, Einzelgänger discusses how our busy lives can lead to stress, exhaustion, and burnout, which can cause illness and depression. He then highlights Taoist writings that offer solutions that can help relieve stress.

There are five different Taoist antidotes Einzelgänger goes over in the video. The two I’ll preview here are to stop looking for happiness and the internal law.

The video explains how worrying about getting or not getting happiness leads us to forever look outside of ourselves for it. The internal law explains how it’s not the world that decides how we feel; it’s our minds.

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

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Nature doesn’t make long speeches. A whirlwind doesn’t last all morning. A cloudburst doesn’t last all day. Who makes the wind and rain? Heaven and earth do. If heaven and earth don’t go on and on, certainly people don’t need to.”

– Tao Te Ching (Verse 23)

The Tao Te Ching is a central Taoist text associated with the philosopher Lao Tzu. Taoism holds that humans should live in balance with the universe (the Tao – the Way).

In this verse of the Tao Te Ching, I’m reminded to live in the moment. We can often get lost in thoughts of the past or worries of the future, but our world exists in the present.

I don’t believe we should completely ignore the past and future. Gathering clouds can be plans for the future, and storms can leave destruction in their path to remember them by.

However, this verse reminds us not to dwell too long on events outside our immediate control. It’s nice to connect to the moment you’re in.

Remember to ground yourself in the present moment when you’ve been caught up in a narrative that has pulled you away from it, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Marcus Aurelius, Invitation to a Beheading, The Seventh Seal, The School of Life, and an Italian Proverb

Marcus Aurelius, Invitation to a Beheading, The Seventh Seal, The School of Life, and an Italian Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 4, 2024

Sunday Supplement #169 (August 4th, 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:

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”

– Marcus Aurelius

Book of the Week:

Invitation to a Beheading – Vladimir Nabokov

Vladimir Nabokov was a Russian novelist whose books are constantly listed among the most important novels of the 20th century.

Invitation to a Beheading isn’t Nabokov’s most famous work, but the author regarded it with high esteem.

The novel follows Cincinnatus C., a thirty-year-old teacher sentenced to death by beheading for “gnostical turpitude” in an undisclosed amount of time.

Invitation to a Beheading teeters between illusion and reality, as does its main character, Cincinattus.

Nabokov’s prose is some of the best writing I’ve ever read. It’s a complex novel to describe but one worth reading.

Movie of the Week:

The Seventh Seal

Ingmar Bergman, writer and director of The Seventh Seal, is considered one of the greatest filmmakers ever. He was nominated for nine Academy Awards in his lifetime.

The Seventh Seal is one of my favorite Bergman films. It tells the story of a knight, Antonius Block, returning to Sweden after the Crusade to find the land ravaged by the Black Plague.

Antonius Block, played by Max von Sydow, encounters Death and challenges him to a game of chess, believing he can survive as long as the game continues.

The knight seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he and his squire encounter various survivors of the plague.

Older films that stand the test of time often represent the best of Cinema, in my opinion. If you have explored the classics in film, I highly recommend dipping your toes in the waters.

Brainfood of the Week:

Reasons to Remember Death | The School of Life

This The School of Life video discusses death and how useful it might be to dwell on the prospect more than we’re inclined to.

The short video makes the point of how we can be scared to fail or scared to be rejected and, in doing so, delay or avoid the lives we could be living.

In the video, The School of Life argues it could be beneficial to have a greater fear of death than our other fears so we can allow ourselves to live freely.

I’ve featured many The School of Life videos in previous Sunday Supplements. Their channel has over 9 million followers, and they make content from psychologists, philosophers, and writers devoted to helping people lead calmer and more resilient lives.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“After the game, the King and the Pawn go into the same box.”

– Italian Proverb

Whenever I come across proverbs or spiritual passages, I like to take a deeper look at them to see if I can gather deeper meaning.

This Italian proverb points to death and its universal experience. However, I tried to look at what the proverb could mean regarding Pawns and Kings from the game of chess other than the obvious.

One interpretation could be that it doesn’t matter what you do at the end of the day. The other could be that you end up dead regardless, so why die as a Pawn?

For me, I like the idea that you might not get to decide whether you’re a King or a Pawn, but you do get to choose how you move your piece on the board before you go in the box.

Embrace the fact you will die at some point, live the best you can, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Gilbert K. Chesterton, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, In Bruges, Island Hopper TV, and an Irish Proverb

Gilbert K. Chesterton, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, In Bruges, Island Hopper TV, and an Irish Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on July 21, 2024

Sunday Supplement #167 (July 21st, 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 traveler sees what he sees; the tourist sees what he has come to see.”

– Gilbert K. Chesterton

Book of the Week:

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold – John Le Carré

David John Moore Cornwell, better known by his pen name John Le Carré, worked for the United Kingdom’s MI5 and MI6 in the 1950s and 19060s.

Le Carré’s novel career began in the 1960s, and he reached international acclaim with his third novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.

The novel covers shadowy dealings of international espionage through the story of a British agent who wants to retire but undertakes one final assignment, playing the part of a dishonored spy to lure the East German Intelligence to an ultimate defeat.

I’ve featured another spy novel, Ian Fleming’s Moonraker, in Sunday Supplement #60. While I enjoy the Bond novels, Le Carré’s writing has a more realistic take on the spy genre.

However, I’d recommend both novels for those interested in testing the waters of two classic novelists. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is one of my favorites of Le Carré.

Movie of the Week:

In Bruges

Playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh has received six Academy Award nominations for three feature films and won an Oscar for his short film Six Shooter in 2006.

McDonagh’s first feature film, In Bruges (2009), is about a hitman and his partner hiding out in Bruges, Belgium, after a botched job.

Colin Farrell and Brendon Gleeson star in the offbeat dark comedy. Ralph Fiennes, Jordan Prentice, and Clémence Poésy have great supporting roles.

The film is engaging and quirky, but it also has an interesting depth when the two main characters explore the medieval city and engage in odd philosophical discussions.

In Bruges might not be for everyone, but I’ve found it a movie I’ve enjoyed over the years and recommend at least checking it out.

Brainfood of the Week:

Best Budget Travel Destinations in the World 2024 | Island Hopper TV

Island Hopper TV is a travel channel dedicated to providing relevant travel information and adventures worldwide. Their mission is to bring you closer to the people, cultures, and nature that make each destination unique.

This video from their channel discusses 17 different countries you can travel to, with breakdowns of the US dollar to local currency and expected conversions for food/accommodations.

I think some of the biggest barriers to travel are fearing you won’t have the means, you will run into trouble, or you won’t be able to navigate a foreign country.

This channel does a great job of providing information that helps on all fronts. And a lesson I learned from my brother is to set travel plans as far in advance as possible to ensure cheaper travel/accommodations.

Take a look at Island Hopper TV and see if you find a video that inspires you to travel!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.”

– Irish Proverb

I haven’t featured an Irish Proverb before in a Sunday Supplement, but this one stuck out to me, and I thought it was worth sharing.

The sentiment of the proverb can be positive or negative, depending on how you view it. I think it is a reminder to understand your heart and be aware of your emotions.

If you lose control of yourself, you may find your path dictated by outside influences. Awareness, reflection, and understanding will help you navigate your adventure.

Travel with an observing and full heart, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Sigmund Freud, Sleep No More, Ordinary People, Psych2Go, and a Quran Passage

Sigmund Freud, Sleep No More, Ordinary People, Psych2Go, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on July 14, 2024

Sunday Supplement #166 (July 14th, 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:

“Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.”

– Sigmund Freud

Book of the Week:

Sleep No More – Greg Iles

New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles’s Sleep Nor More follows John Waters, a successful businessman and happy family man whose life is upended by one word, “soon.”

Waters faces a memory from his past, an obsession he thought he had escaped, in the form of a stranger who whispers the word and an old lover used to share.

Stephen King’s review, which he doesn’t often do, says the novel should come with a red wrapper marked DANGER: HIGH EXPLOSIVES.

I remember reading this book many years ago; the gripping experience has always stayed with me. If you’re looking for a spooky summer read, this is it.

Movie of the Week:

Ordinary People

As I’ve stated in previous Sunday Supplements, I think it is quite a feat for films to stand the test of time. Some movies don’t even fare well after a re-watch a couple of years later.

The 1981 Academy Award Best Picture winner Ordinary People tells a powerful story that will likely continue to stand tall in Cinema history.

The film follows the grieving of an affluent family. Each member handles the death differently, and the story follows the consequences of each member’s path.

Timothy Hutton stars as the son Conrad, Donald Sutherland stars as the father Calvin, Mary Tyler Moore stars as the mother Beth, and Judd Hirsch stands out in his supporting role of Conrad’s therapist.

In addition to the Best Picture win, Ordinary People won the Oscar for Best Director (Robert Redford), Best Writing (Alvin Sargent), and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hutton). Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch received nominations.

Brainfood of the Week:

4 Signs You Are Still Grieving | Pysch2Go

Psych2Go’s mission is to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. I’ve featured their videos in a few previous Sunday Supplements.

This video starts by discussing how we may think we’ve moved on from something or someone, but we may still be experiencing unresolved grief.

The video then gets into the four signs of unresolved grief and how you can be aware of them. At the end of the video, Pysch2Go highlights a service of affordable online counseling platform.

I’ve featured another Psych2Go video on grieving in Sunday Supplement #104. Check it out if you found this one useful.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure.”

– Surah Al-Baqara 155

I found this passage from the Quran an interesting look at the tests God or the world can give us and the grieving process.

When I looked at the definition of endure, I found it meant patiently suffering. From the above passage, I take away the good news of allowing a loss or hardship to process while we move forward instead of trying to rush things.

I think the messages of powering through and ignoring emotions are familiar narratives. However, by burying emotions, we can lose the opportunity to learn and to heal.

This Quran passage reminds me that it’s okay not always to feel in control or to suffer, but when we patiently endure, good news will eventually come.

Make sure to acknowledge your emotions, and have a blessed week ahead!

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