Who of us, at one time or another, hasn't looked forward to the movies—the cartons of popcorn being passed, the first images dancing across the screen, and most of all the chance to leave behind the daily routine, if only for a couple of hours?
Yet going to the movies, as we know, isn't always escape and entertainment. Sometimes it turns out to be more of an unexpected look in the mirror!
At their best, movies provide us with a closer look at ourselves, individually and as a society. They cast a spotlight on the betrayals and failures of human ego. They can also reveal an identity and goodness larger than we might have thought possible. When an inspired or truly probing movie comes to an end, we may go home in silence, having glimpsed something that needs to be pondered more deeply. We may even find ourselves more willing to look into hidden corners of our lives for the purpose of healing and spiritual progress.
