Reflections on Lion

WHO AM I?

The Western World is fond of memes, of pictures and mantras that subscribe to a belief we have. A common one often seen goes something like this: "Family isn't always blood. It's the people in life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you, no matter what."  Ah ... what a lovely sentiment! And so true, right?

Hmm. The movie Lion, released in November of 2016, would suggest that meme was correct. A little boy from India, Saroo, gets separated from his bio-family, and adopted by a lovely Australian family, who love him dearly. If that was all to the story, then it would would have been perfect and we could back it up with every belief we now have.

The movie is about that, but it's also about something else. Something that is not part of our world, something that we have lost. I believe this movie is about identity - that comes not only from who we choose, but also from our history, our past, our family that is in our essence.

Over the last year, I've had the opportunity to learn about our Indigenous People and the struggle they are going through. This struggle has come in part from their separation to their history, to their ceremony, and people. Canadian history has a dark, black smear through it - the attempted genocide of our First People. How? By 'removing the Indian from them', by separating them from their people and forcing them to stop all 'Indian' things, they believed that they could make them white. Who these First Nations people were needed to be wiped clean so that they could become part of who Canada was becoming. What they didn't realize is what happens when a human being is separated from his culture, his identity, his people.

I think this is a part that is missing from understanding the movie from the meme above. As he becomes an adult, Saroo knows that he has a good life, but also knows something is missing. Something missing in his identity, who he is at his core. And with this missing, he is broken. People ask questions, as people do - where are you from? who are you? ... and Saroo gets to a place where his quick, easy answers no longer hold water. He loves his mother and father, but he is missing his identity. And that becomes the thrust of the film. A search for self.

There are times when I ponder 'who am I?' ... what are my roots? what is my culture? where do I come from? And I don't have an answer. What I know about my history is so small ... what rituals? what ceremonies? what food? what traditions?

I wonder what time will bring - will we connect more to our past or less? And, if less, how will that play out in our people? They say we can pick our own family, it does not have to be genetic. But do we then pick our culture? our history? our rituals? I can practice what I see my Indigenous brothers and sisters practice, but it's not the same ... it's not 'mine'. I can honour them and respect them and value them, but it's not the same. Something broke forth when Saroo learned who he was ... something that only someone who walked a like road would know. Maybe this hole is something more of us have than we realize. Maybe this has more influence in our world than we know.

Do you know who you are? Who are you?

Reflections on La La Land

WHEN IS A MUSICAL NOT A MUSICAL BUT STILL A MUSICAL?

I went to see the highly acclaimed movie La La Land yesterday ... And, I gotta say - it's either a meh musical with a couple of cute numbers, some great cinematography, and average musicality at best, or there's something below the obvious, anchored in the message, that just might be close to genius, which has nothing to do with the musical component of the film (which really is average, at best).  And this is more than just those movie-changing last 15 minutes.

When people read the Bible, they tend to 'cherry-pick' their verses, interpret according to what this verse or that verse says, in its literal form. The thing is that the Bible was not written in verses, nor was it written to be literally interpreted by 21st Century western minds.  It was written as whole books of different genres, pulled together into One form, and to 'understand', it needs to be viewed as a whole, mosaic of integrated genres or parts. And what is the centre of that 'whole'? One word: Love.

So, to, sometimes it's good to look at a film in a similar way, especially if the director is good at his craft. So, if we look at La La Land as a whole, mosaic of integrated parts, what would be that centre? What would be that director's concept on which the entire movie is pulled together? At first, I thought it had to do with the line said by the secondary character: "How are you gonna be a revolutionary if you're such a traditionalist? You hold onto the past, but jazz is about the future," said by the buddy, Keith. This would suggest that the director is presenting a new form of musical to us and if we expect what 'was' musical form, we will not accept what he 'is' presenting to us.  

But, I don't think so. Or, this is a complimentary theme.  I think it has more to do with a small observational comment that Sebastian says, "They worship everything and they value nothing." This, to me, is more of what this movie is about.  Not about musicals, but an almost cautionary warning on what is happening to us as a society. Even the title, "La La Land" - frivolous, superficial, 'la la', a fanciful state or dreamworld. But if that is the meaning of the title, then what's with the story?

For the most part, we are given a story that is exactly like what everyone's dreams are - success, big name, "make-me-happy" mindset. Life is about me and pursuing my goals and doing what I want to do and defining what I believe to be true and right and good. The first part is ego ego ego - all about me. But the ending pulls that rug out from under us - it says we are living in a dream world, we are putting the emphasis on the wrong things ... and 'happiness' is NOT defined by 'me', but by 'us' ... and until we get that, until we shift our thinking, no matter how much we pursue what we think will make us happy, how much we worship the self, it amounts to nothing. We have lost the meaning of life. 

If that is the movie's essence, then the director/writer has done a magnificent job of creating a very cautionary tale, wrapped in exactly what the world believes - this frill and froth - and obviously people who go to it will love it ... because it is exactly what they worship and aspire to. The ending will be puzzling, but secondary to the movie. However, the ending is exactly what puts the movie into perspective, what makes it a 'fairy tale' for today. A 'tale' that is about 'fantastical' characters that pursue their dream, that illustrate traits that hold them back, that gives a message for protection. And La La Land is also a fairy tale - a postmodern one, if you will. We have 'fantastical characters' (people who reflect us and who we have become) that are pursuing their dream, what holds them 'back' is each other and they only achieve their dream when they separate from the other, and the message? Take that and turn it upside down - it's not a happy ending because they got what they wanted, but a very dark and bleak ending because they got what they wanted and sacrificed what they didn't know they had and didn't know they needed - community. The reason, I believe, for which we were created. If we continue to worship the self, we will discover our lives are meaningless and void of value. 

Exactly what Seb said. 

Good stories create an arc of character development. This one does not ... they are the same people they were in the beginning of the movie. Their journey taught them nothing about what has true significance in life. They have not learned from what they went through. 

They worship everything and they value nothing. Exactly what Seb said.