OK, I think we can compromise. Ten seems a bit much, but I can give you five movies I really enjoy. In no particular order, here you go: The Way, Moneyball, Shawshank Redemption, Saving Private Ryan and Swingers. These are all pretty different – a pilgrimage, baseball, prison, war and an LA story – but there is one theme that seems to tie them all together. They are all stories about redemption. Maybe that’s what I like. A good redemption story.
- The Way – a father walks a 500 mile pilgrimage on a journey of grief and grace.
- Moneyball – a former player can’t see his own success beyond his fear of failure.
- Shawshank Redemption – a prisoner has lived a lifetime behind bars and given up hope.
- Saving Private Ryan – a soldier questions if his life was worthy enough to honor his fallen comrades.
- Swingers – a heartbroken boyfriend tries to regain his footing to move forward in life.
The theme is stronger in some than others, but for me, the feeling is there in each. It’s the hero’s journey that I am drawn to – the fallen hero on a journey to redemption. The pathway is often through the struggle of mind and soul.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.
– Redemption, Bob Marley
Art mirrors life. It begs the question, where am I on my own hero’s journey? Am I allowing myself to free my mind and soul? Something to add to my ever growing list of self-reflection. I never would have guessed a list of movies would lead me here. I’ll have to give this some deeper thought and this theme may find it’s way to another daily prompt. Let me marinate on this a bit. Let’s see where this takes me.
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Old pirates, yes, they rob I Sold I to the merchant ships Minutes after they took I From the bottomless pit But my hand was made strong By the hand of the Almighty We forward in this generation Triumphantly Won't you help to sing These songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever have Redemption songs Redemption songs Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds Have no fear for atomic energy 'Cause none of them can stop the time How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look? Ooh! Some say it's just a part of it We've got to fulfill the book Won't you help to sing These songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever have Redemption songs Redemption songs Redemption songs Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds Whoa! Have no fear for atomic energy 'Cause none of them-ah can-ah stop-ah the time How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look? Yes, some say it's just a part of it We've got to fulfill the book Won't you help to sing These songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever have Redemption songs All I ever have Redemption songs These songs of freedom Songs of freedom
MyGenXerLife 
Never heard of The Way
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It wasn’t a wide release film so I’m not surprised if you hadn’t heard of it before. It’s by Emilio Esteves and stars Martin Sheen. He walks the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage for his son who passed away. It’s become my favorite movie. Hoping to walk the Camino someday
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Oh cool father & son working together to make a film about a father & son. It does vaguely ring a bell. 👍
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I always have a hard time picking favorites anything: but i will go eith this diverse list: Blackula, Plane Trains & Automobiles, I’m gonna git you sucka, The Red Balloon, Harold & Maude, The Last American Virgin, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Squirm, Its a wonderful life, Gremlins, Who done it (1942)
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Great films. I’m the same. If you ask me tomorrow, I may have a different list.
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I was just reading other responses. So many good films. Maybe I’d add Pulp Fiction, the Usual Suspects, Goodfellas, Rocky, Lost in Translation and Gran Torino. I’m sure a bunch more will come to mind.
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Swingers in Moneyball are two of my all-time favorites!
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Mine, too. I may have to watch them again because of this daily prompt
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