In some ways, I was nurtured by movies. I watched hundreds of movies as a young person and teenager, and I clearly garnered some dreams and lifeways from those films. Like an old friend, when I see clips of these old films, I am filled with related emotion.
Did these films give me good values and vision for life?
Yes and no.
The films included lots of positive family values and life lessons. Yet, often the roles for woman were narrow and skewed, rather than full and promising. And, many of these old movies, were not sensitive and inclusive of our wonderful diversity. Today, many movies introduce me to the greatness of this diversity which I love.
To relook at movies that moved you as a child or young adult now is to see those movies aloud. Last night I laughed out loud at many of the more mature jokes in a film I loved as a child. Though I had to dismiss some of the old notions displayed in the film, I did find the language clever and many of the jokes funny. As a young person, that aspect of this film was lost on me.
One of my son's finds Pixar films to be inspiring and nurturing. I've yet to embrace those films, but expect that I'll engage in a Pixar filmfest soon so I can see what he loves about those films.
Movies do have the potential to nurture who we are, and I am thinking about the positive aspects of this aspect of our lives.