Over the last few days I have had the chance to watch two very good films, which, if you haven't seen already, I would highly recommend you get a copy and watch as soon as you can. The two films in question are ' Meet the Robinsons ' and 'Castaway '. The former, even though it's an animated film has a strong underlying message and the latter, staring Tom Hanks is just so thought provoking it ends up being more than just a film.
Now, briefly, if you don't know the plots of either film I'll go through what I think the films are about and give the message I and see if they both become thought provoking for you as well.
Meet the Robinsons is about a boys journey(Lewis) from orphan with no family to a great inventor with a fantastic family and more in his life than you can shake a stick at, with a nice twist at the end to sort out someone else's life along the way. Lewis is a bit of an inventor and, by perseverance and determination his inventions become bigger and better. There is a catch phrase in the film 'Keep Moving Forward' and I think, for anyone who wants to make something of their lives, this is such a good motivator as you just have to keep moving forward despite setbacks and distractions and you will achieve the goals and dreams you have. Meet the Robinsons also has an element of time travel in it, a bit 'Back to the Future' I would admit but it does add to the message of the film and enables the twist at the end that I mentioned earlier. To watch this film is a joy and certainly makes you think.
As I said, I would highly recommend this film to anyone, not just your kids.
Castaway is also a great motivator. The film, centred on a character played by Tom Hanks (Chuck Noland) follows the life of a man who has a reasonable job and seems to have a happy life, with a girlfriend (Helen Hunt) and responsibilities. He has to travel abroad by plane for his company (FedEx) and, during the flight the plane gets into a really bad storm over the Pacific Ocean. The plane comes down in the sea and he is the only survivor. Eventually, he is washed up on a small deserted Island, which becomes his home for the next four years. After going through suicidal thoughts and making himself a noose to hang by then not being able to go through with it, he starts to learn the basic skills for survival, some of which I think a lot of us don't have as we live in a very convenient society. We follow the day to day happenings including when he makes a football his companion to which he uses as a focus for his subconscious and talks to from time to time (like talking through the third person, if you know what that is). Anyway, the majority of time he spends on the Island is skipped but we join him again as he has decided to make a break for freedom and built himself a raft from wood and various materials with oars and a shelter come sail (though you'll have to watch the film to understand what that bits about). He sets off with the football friend (called Wilson after the name on the ball) and makes his attempt to re join the human race. This section, as you may guess is as difficult as the first Months on the Island but he seems to be watched over by a Whale who keeps him alive by waking him up from time to time so as not to let him just drift off and die on the raft, which is quite touching. Anyway, after drifting for days and weeks through good weather and some pretty horrendous storms he is passed by a large freight ship that rescues him and, you may think, his life returns to normal. But there is a twist at the end as his life is not the same, his girlfriend (Played by Helen Hunt) has married because she was told he was dead (though admitted she always knew, somehow, that he was still alive) and he looks at his life and must see that it has to take on a new direction. There is a part, right at the end where he has reached a cross roads in a road in the middle of nowhere and he gets out of his car and looks down each road, not knowing which route to take. The film fades at this point, leaving you to finish off the script, as you would see fit.
Now, what I'm getting at here is, unless you've been asleep for the last 4 or so Months, you'll be very aware of the credit situation sweeping around the globe. Now, because of this, there are a lot of people, especially in the US, who are facing bankruptcy or eviction or having to really change the way they spend (or don't spend) what little money they have. The Banks, also having a hard time, also have to re asses what they do and how they do it. This is a major crossroads and should make a lot of people think very hard how they conduct themselves. Hardship of any kind, like the sort Tom's character faces when on that island should change the direction peoples lives are going in.
The same could be said for the people in New Orleans after Katrina and still now as a lot needs to be done to re build the communities and make peoples lives better than they were before such a disaster. If your in a situation of hardship and you are wondering why such things happen to you then you should look inward and ask yourself some very important questions, then adapt and do what you have to do to not only survive but break out from your Island and make a bid for freedom and do what you have to do, despite difficulties, problems and seemingly impossible odds. You could make a start by setting up your own business (not as difficult as you may think) simply set out what level of achievement you want and then use the resources on hand to get there, simple as that.
Be motivated and get off your Island, you can do it and it doesn't matter about your age of background. You're stood at the crossroads and looking at 4 directions, which one you take is up to you, but make the choice and go for it!
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