Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Movies reflect human needs: Knowledge

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

ThemeMovies reflect human needs... 

Knowledge


Image from storyblocks.com
 
We have a hunger of the mind which asks for knowledge of all around us, and the more we gain, the more is our desire; the more we see, the more we are capable of seeing. (Maria Mitchell)
He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. (Friedrich Nietzsche)
What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul. (Joseph Addison)
At the start of each school year while I was growing up, it was, "Time to return to the Knowledge Mill," according to my dad. 

I still call it that... even when I returned to school at age fifty. Now... if I could just remember all the things I've learned over the years!!

  • A knowledge of words and their origins helps Akeela (Keke Palmer) compete in spelling bees.
  • Most people believe her son is purposely making tics and noises to be disruptive or rebellious, but his mother (played by Patricia Heaton) wonders what if Brad is telling the truth... what if he really cannot control it... so she researches information regarding his symptoms and learns he has Tourette's syndrome. That knowledge is a game changer. (Based on a true story.)
  • Another true story of parents arming themselves with knowledge. When they learn their son has a fatal disease "so rare nobody is working on a cure," they pour through countless medical journals and study biochemistry in such depth that they gain knowledge on how to treat their son, and share what they've learned with doctors and other parents whose children have the disease. 
  • Learning how to communicate changes Helen Keller's life.
  • In order to rise above poverty, a man aims for a career as a stockbroker, but first he must learn how to be one. (Based on a true story.)
  • A girl in Uganda learns to play chess, and her knowledge and skill at the game help her make changes in her life. (Based on a true story.)
  • Okay, this one isn't about humans, but it does involve learning something new. In my favorite scene of the movie, a fluffy Pomeranian learns how to act like a cat. She learns traits like... no fetching... land on her feet... rub her tail in her owner's face... walk on the computer keyboard... knock coffee onto the computer. (Click here for that fun scene, click here for my review.)

What movies come to mind when you consider knowledge and learning?


(Note: The movies listed might not be completely family-friendly. See my "Movie Content" information on the blog's sidebar.)

14 comments:

  1. I think the movies that come to mind are the David Attenborough specials, or the Planet specials. I love learning about the animals and plants in other parts of the world. Also, What the Bleep do we know, is one of my favourites although the physics of it all boggles my mind.

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    1. Wonderful shows! Some of them are mesmerizing to watch.

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  2. I like your list! A movie I thought of is Bolt. I love that he has to learn what it means to be a dog.

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    1. Oh, that's right! Those are fun scenes when he's taught to fetch, and to give the cute puppy-dog look when begging for food!

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  3. I have seen Pursuit of Happyness and know of the Miracle Worker but realize that I may have never actually seen it! Good choices.

    Janet’s Smiles

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    1. I just saw Pursuit of Happyness last month, and it just dawned on me... the film's location is in your neck of the woods! It's been so fun to follow along with what you're sharing about San Francisco this month.

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  4. "The Theory of Everything" comes to my mind. Despite illness, Stephen continues to use his intellectual gifts to become a leading astrophysicist. Beautiful film.

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    1. Ooooo... that fits perfectly with Knowledge! This film will also be included in an upcoming topic. (Many fantastic films fit multiple topics for my theme!)

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  5. I saw a good one the other day. Limitless which is about a miraculous pill that can put a person into a super mode of retention of knowledge and drawing upon everything they have heard or experienced in their lifetime. I could use a pill like that.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. I enjoyed watching Limitless. I could use a pill like that, too. I would be a whole lot smarter if I could retain what I learned.

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  6. The movie that come to my mind is Lucy, by Luc Besson. Scarlett Johansson reach the state of ultimate knowledge!

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    1. I haven't seen that film, so I looked it up on IMDb. It looks interesting and intense!

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  7. Trudy,

    I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for but as far as learning I think of movies like Big or Freaky Friday. A person can't learn fast enough what they thought life would be like living in another person's body than first handed and making the discovery of how wrong they were.

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    1. Walking in another's shoes could certainly help us learn a thing or two, huh! Especially for learning empathy.

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