Blogging from A to Z Challenge
Theme: Movies reflect human needs...
Uniqueness
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| Image from storyblocks.com |
Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. (Margaret Mead)
We are meant to be different. When we can accept this, then there is no competition and no comparison. To try to be like another is to shrivel our soul. (Louise Hay)
We are all unique without even trying... we were born that way. So, if we are already unique, how does this fit with human needs?
Well, first of all, because we need to accept ourselves, accept our own uniqueness... size, shape, likes, dislikes, ideas, talents...
I think of Runaway Bride (1999) and how Maggie (Julia Roberts) loses herself in relationships and needs to get in touch with her own preferences, her own tastes. She has to get to know herself.
John Nash (Russell Crowe) has to accept his thought processes and learn how to work with them in A Beautiful Mind (2001). (Based on a true story.)
Self-acceptance can be tough enough without others ridiculing, judging, rejecting... I think of how some of the characters in the following films struggle to find acceptance.
- The Greatest Showman (2017) (My review found here.)
- The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
- Tall Girl (2019)
- Wonder (2017) (My review found here.)
Which brings me to the second point... it's easy to forget that we need the uniqueness of others. We can learn something from everyone we meet, no matter our physical, emotional, mental, cultural, social differences.
There have been times when I've associated with people so dissimilar from me--coworkers, committee members, church congregants--that I wondered how we could possibly get along, and wondered why we were thrown together in whatever situation. And then they shared their thoughts and suggestions and I realize... This! This is why! There's no way I would have come up with the solutions or ideas they did since my thoughts travel a different path.
Great leaders surround themselves with people of differing views. Business and sports teams need a variety of skills. Moneyball (2011) is a wonderful example of someone thinking differently and taking a unique approach. Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) decides to use statistical data analysis to select players for the Oakland A's, selecting some who might have been considered no-name misfits.
Movies featuring crews of crooks and criminals give examples of recognizing the need for a variety of people with particular skillsets! (That's a bit unnerving! 😄)
- The Dirty Dozen (1967)
- The Italian Job (2003)
- Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- The Sting (1973)
And where would spies be without different thinkers? They need techie agents...
- Any James Bond movie!
- My Spy (2020)
- Spies in Disguise (2019)
I watch a variety of movie genres, and movies from different countries or cultures, because they expand my mind and my view, but I can't think of, nor have I seen, all movies that fit all topics, that's why I love when you share your thoughts and suggestions, too!
Here are a bunch of questions/prompts to get you started, if needed:
- What movies come to your mind when you consider uniqueness?
- Have you seen a movie recently with a character struggling with self-acceptance, or accepting the difference of others?
- Do you enjoy avant-garde movies? (experimental, unusual or unique)
- The Oscars will be presented tomorrow. Do you watch the Academy Awards? Have you seen any of the 2021 nominated movies? (You can find the nominees here.)
- Have you ever seen a movie character and thought, "Hey, that's me!"
- Have you ever been in or wanted to be in a movie?
- If you could be inserted into any movie scene, which one would you choose?
- What question/prompt do you wish I would have included?
(Note: The movies listed might not be completely family-friendly. See my "Movie Content" information on the blog's sidebar.)
Uniqueness and similarities are to me the same thing because even though we like uniqueness, we also like to be the same. I mean, I often try to be like others instead of doing the opposite. I think it's human nature to want to fit in and sometimes our uniqueness forces out or so we believe.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Kids, especially (and many adults) want to fit in. It's more comfortable.
DeleteSince I love romantic comedies, I'll go with Bridget Jone's Diary. Bridget comes to appreciate her uniqueness. It helps when Mark Darcy tells her, "I like you, very much. Just as you are."
ReplyDeleteEveryone is unique which makes life more interesting.
Weekends In Maine
What a wonderful line of acceptance... "I like you, very much. Just as you are." Thanks for sharing that.
DeleteAnd you're right... life would be boring if we were all alike!
Hey Trudy,
ReplyDeleteI've found my way to your post via Farida's blog.
Happy to have found another film buff:)
I like all kinds of films as long as the writing appeals to me. After reading your bio on this page, I reckon you, too, must be drawn to well written scripts.
I'm adding The Peanut Butter Falcon to my list. I like the title.
I'd love to act in a movie. Gosh! That's been a childhood dream/fantasy.
Like you, I love to watch world cinema. Watching well made films is the best way to ravel in Covid times.
I'm glad you found my blog!
DeleteI do, indeed, enjoy well-written scripts. In fact, I enjoy studying the screenplays of my favorite films.
I'm glad you love world cinema too! Do you have a few favorites you would recommend?
Great post. I love that the world is full of such a diverse range of people. A Beautiful Mind and The Greatest Showman are brilliant films. Another film that makes me think of uniqueness is Matilda. I related to her a lot as a child because I was very bookish and didn't really git in. Sometimes you have to wait a while to find your "tribe", the people that appreciate how special you are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding Matilda! Her unique ability definitely sets her apart. (I listed Matilda when I wrote about "Belonging". You might like that post, too.)
DeleteI like what you said about tribes. It's a good reminder that our "tribes" don't necessarily have to be people who are just like us, but, rather, people who appreciate our uniqueness.
I watch movies from all over the globe. It helps broaden my view of the world. Since I'm learning French, I like watching older French films, newer ones too. Wes Anderson makes unique films that are fun to watch. I always watch the Academy Awards, and try to see as many nominated films as I can prior to the show. I enjoyed watching last night, although I didn't agree with all the results!
ReplyDeleteWhich of the older French films are your favorite?
DeleteLooking at a list of films made by Wes Anderson, there are quite a few I haven't seen. I'll add some to my list of movies to watch.
I wasn't home last night, so I recorded the Academy Awards and hope to watch it later today. :-)
I especially enjoyed Éric Rohmer's "Six Moral Tales," six films he made of varying lengths, different characters yet similar themes. I think my favorite Wes Anderson film is "Moonrise Kingdom." Runner-up is "Isle of Dogs." So many movies, so little time!
DeleteWe recently found Moonrise Kingdom on one of our streaming channels and added it to our list, so I'm glad to hear it's one of your favorites of his. I watched Isle of Dogs alone because my husband didn't think it interested him, but I liked it! I want to see it again, and have him watch it too.
DeleteI'll have to keep an eye open for the Six Moral Tales. Do the films stand alone, or do they follow a sequence?
I watched the Six Moral Tales films by year they were released. They are stand alone, but I thought it would be interesting to see them in the order Rohmer created them.
DeleteThat's good to know they are stand alone... I would prefer to watch them in order, but as I keep watch for them, I won't worry about finding them sequentially.
DeleteGreat list. Peanut Butter Falcon was surprisingly good.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed The Peanut Butter Falcon, especially since my late nephew had Down Syndrome, and he loved loved loved movies!
DeleteFunny, but I do like the idea of using the heist movies as an illustration of how we need diversity.
ReplyDeleteBlack and White: U for Ultima Thule
I almost omitted the teams of crooks list (because of the post's length)... I'm glad I left it in!
DeleteGreat list for uniqueness. I'm thinking about Intouchables (a French movie by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano). And all the movies about autims, learning troubles, and everything else that can teach the meaning of living together.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen The Intouchables yet, but I hope to. I saw a remake of it called The Upside, and enjoyed the story.
ReplyDeleteTrudy,
ReplyDeleteOne of the hardest things people can accept is someone's uniqueness. It seems like one group always wants to change another. We need to embrace oneself completely loving the person created us to be. We can't fit a particular mold because when God made us, He broke the mold to start again with the next. You suggested some good movie titles that feature characters with individual unique skill sets. Dirty Dozen is a great old film. The remake of Ocean's Eleven is fantastic. George Clooney and Brad Pitt are awesome in this movie, as well the series.
I like what you said about embracing oneself. Sometimes I struggle with that and say things to myself that I would never say to another human being. Accepting my own uniqueness is a challenge for me, at times.
Delete