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Tag: The Bridge on the River Kwai

Crystal Paine, Jaws, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Andrew Huberman Ph.D., and a Bhagavad Gita Verse

Sunday Supplement #164 (June 30th, 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:

“Living with intention means saying no to the things that aren’t important so we can say yes to what matters most.”

– Crystal Paine

Book of the Week:

Jaws – Peter Benchley

Most people have seen or at least heard of Stephen Spielberg’s film Jaws, which is often described as the original Summer Blockbuster movie.

That movie was based on Peter Benchley’s horror novel. After watching the film, I was curious to read the book. I was surprised to find the differences between the two.

The story follows the fictional seaside town of Amity as it becomes plagued by the attacks of a great white shark.

Chief Brody leads the attempts to kill the shark, with help from Quint, a shark hunter, and Hooper, an ichthyologist.

Mafia ties, affairs, and who dies are a few differences between the book and the film. I recommend Jaws for summer reading if it piques your interest.

Movie of the Week:

The Bridge on the River Kwai

The 1957 film The Bridge on the River Kwai is based on the 1952 novel. It follows a group of British POWS who are forced to build a railway bridge for their Japanese captors in Burma.

A standoff ensues between officers and camp commandant Colonel Saito. Neither party knows that a commando raid is planned to destroy the bridge.

Without spoiling too much of the film, the last thing I’ll say is that its leading characters are excellently written. The intentions and ambitions of both dominate the story.

The film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Alec Guinness won Best Actor in a Leading Role for Colonel Nicholson, and Sessue Hayakawa was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Colonel Saito.

There’s some great history behind the making of the film, including McCarthy-era reasons for the screenwriters (Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson) not receiving credit.

I love it when old films stand up to modern viewing; some even cast shadows over what’s made today. The Bridge on the River Kwai looms large in Cinema history and deservedly so.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Optimal Morning Routine – Andrew Huberman | After Skool

Andrew Huberman, Ph. D., a neuroscientist and Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, provides examples of practical tools for optimizing your morning routine.

In this video, Huberman discusses how sunlight in the morning affects your circadian rhythm, how caffeine intake can cause crashes depending on when you have your first cup of coffee, and how exercise and cool showers can benefit and kickstart your day.

The video is 16 minutes long and will surely provide a useful tip for you to add to aid your morning routine. If you enjoyed this video, check out my other Sunday Supplement featuring Andrew Huberman.

After Skool animates the background for videos of various life lessons presented by individuals and texts. I’ve featured their channel in a few previous Sunday Supplements.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Free from expectations and the sense of ownership, with the mind and intellect fully controlled, they incur no sin even though performing actions by their body.”

– Bhagavad Gita 4:21

I found this Bhagavad Gita verse an interesting look at intention and how we view the results of our actions.

This verse speaks to the idea that if we do our best and have just intentions, a bad result does not add negative karma to our lives. 

An example would be telling someone a harsh truth. If someone takes this poorly, it is not your fault. However, the delivery of a harsh truth must be done with the best intentions, genuinely seeking to help.

It’s easy to think your intentions are pure while not reflecting on your actions. For me, this verse is a reminder to diligently observe your thoughts and intentions before acting.

Align your thoughts and intentions with your actions, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Nat Turner, When Strangers Meet, 12 Angry Men, Julian Treasure, and Philippians 4:6


Sunday Supplement #28 (November 21st, 2021)

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.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity.”

– Nat Turner

Book of the Week:

When Strangers Meet – Kio Stark

Kio Stark has a rich background, including journalism, interactive advertising, community research, and teaching. She is the author of both non-fiction and fiction books and has taught, consulted, and spoken about stranger interactions worldwide.

In When Strangers Meet, Stark argues the benefits of interacting with strangers. The act of talking with someone you don’t know can pull you into experiences that open your world. They can be interruptions that pull you out of your daily routine. It’s up to you how you interpret these experiences.

Stark uses stories from her life and studies about talking to strangers and the dynamics of where, how, and why strangers come together. She explores the deep meaning that can come from these interactions and the necessary connection that occurs when we talk with others. 

Some helpful tips from the book include how we subconsciously decide who to greet and trust and the subconscious rules by which these interactions operate. The book helps open the doors for talking with strangers and gives challenges for those willing to try out the techniques.

The book is a short read and one worth adding to your list. Stark also did a Ted Talks that is worth checking out to see if you would like her work.

Movie of the Week:

12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men follows a seemingly straightforward jury trial that gets held up by a single juror whose skeptical caution forces the group to go over all the evidence again before making a hasty verdict.

The film was nominated for three Oscars but didn’t take home any wins. The Bridge on the River Kwai was the film that took most of the Academy Awards, deservedly so, in 1958, but 12 Angry Men is another brilliant film that lasts the test of time.

Sidney Lumet adapted Reginald Rose’s teleplay into one of the most famous films in movie history. Rose’s screenplay expertly showcased how a one-room drama could be just as riveting as an Action/Thriller. 

What makes the film stand the test of time is the story and the acting. Each actor, led by Henry Fonda, gives a performance that supports the narratives reflecting on judgment and speaking out. Many in the movie did not want to go over the evidence again. They assumed guilt on the accused and were ready to move on with their days. One many took the time to go over the facts with the others and challenge their preconceived notions.

The movie’s power comes from the willingness to go against the norm and to question what seems apparent. The dialogue that ensues carries the story and shows the importance of communicating effectively.

12 Angry Men is a trues classic that ages well and should be on your watch list if you haven’t seen it already.

Brainfood of the Week:

TED Talks: 5 Ways to Listen Better — Julian Treasure

Julian Treasure is a sound and communication expert. His five TED Talks views have been watched more than 100 million times. Treasure’s vision is to integrate speaking and listening skills into education.

In this video, Treasure breaks down how we interpret sound and how that filters into our listening skills. We have subconscious filters like culture, language, values, beliefs, attitudes, explications, and intentions that shape how we pay attention. He argues that accurate listening has disappeared because of impatience, desensitization, and technological advancements that allow presence to be unnecessary.

Treasure then highlights how conscious listening creates understanding. He follows that up with examples and ways of how we can cultivate our listening skills.

This TED Talks video is one of my favorites that I’ve come across. If you enjoy Treasure’s presentation, check out his other videos or his books How to be Heard and Sound Business.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

– Philippians 4:6

This passage from the New Testament reminds me of the power of communicating what’s inside you. The first part states to not be anxious. I believe when you are anxious, a contributing factor is thoughts building up with nowhere to go.

Whenever I’ve shared something I was anxious about with someone else, I’ve found that pressure was lifted. I wasn’t as tense, and I got the nervous feeling out of my head.

The other takeaway from this passage is communicating what you want, need, or desire. The clarity that comes from speaking these things to yourself or others is immense. If you do not let others know how you feel, you leave them to guess at best.

Speaking out about what you want to is a great way to focus on the things you want to attract in your life. Communication is paramount in all relationships, including the one you have with yourself. And for myself, I find writing down my thoughts a great way to get them out if someone else isn’t there to talk.

Clarify a need, want, or desire, and have a blessed week ahead!

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