“Her” (2013). Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson (voice), Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Brian Cox (voice), Olivia Wilde, Matt Letscher, Chris Pratt, Laura Kai Chen, Kristen Wiig (voice). Director: Spike Jonze. Screenplay: Spike Jonze. Web site. Trailer. What makes a good relationship? That’s a question mankind has wrestled with for ages (or at least ever since Woody Allen started making movies), but the answer has always seemed to elude us, shifting like an ever-moving target. And the clarity we seek on this point may be even harder to come by with the release of the latest offering from director Spike Jonze, the romantic comedy-drama, “Her.” Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) leads a pretty isolated life in the Los Angeles of the near future. In a world that has become increasingly characterized by a greater reliance on technology and a reduced connection to humanity, the thoughtful, sensitive writer works for a web site for which he pens customized, highly personal letters for clients who are lost for words to express themselves. He pours out his emotions vicariously through his work since there’s no one in his private life to whom he can express the depth of heartfelt feelings he carries around inside him ...

“The Hunt” (“Jagten”) (2012 production, 2013 release). Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Anne Louise Hassing, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm, Susse Wold, Lars Ranthe, Alexandra Rapaport, Sebastian Bull Sarning, Bjarne Henriksen. Director: Thomas Vinterberg. Screenplay: Tobias Lindholm and Thomas Vinterberg. Web site. Trailer. In an age when so many aspects of life seem so inherently transient, it’s hard to fathom how some can persist with dogged determination. This can be particularly maddening when it comes to those we’d rather rid ourselves of, yet they’re almost always the ones that endure the longest. When such circumstances arise, there’s usually some kind of life lesson involved, one that we’d be wise to address, a point driven home in a poignant drama from Denmark, “The Hunt” (“Jagten”), now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Putting one’s life back together after a domestic upheaval can be quite a daunting challenge. Just ask Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), a mild-mannered kindergarten classroom aide who’s seeking to make a fresh start after a nasty divorce. The newly single father endeavors to remain upbeat, despite an ongoing series of heated telephone exchanges with his ex-wife over such matters as living arrangements for their teenage son, Marcus (Lasse Fogelstrøm). But life ...

I’m pleased to announce the upcoming release of my new book, Consciously Created Cinema: The Movie Lover’s Guide to the Law of Attraction, available in softcover and ebook formats from your favorite online book sellers in late February. In the meantime, get a preview by checking out my new book trailer, available by clicking here. My thanks to Paul L. Clark and Mary Giuffre of Inspirtainment (www.inspirtainment.com) for an excellent job in creating this wonderful new video and to the many distinguished experts in the movie, writing and new thought communities for lending me their kind words and support. Cover design by Paul L. Clark, Inspirtainment, www.inspirtainment.com ...

“August: Osage County” (2013). Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Abigail Breslin, Dermot Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Misty Upham. Director: John Wells. Screenplay: Tracy Letts. Play: Tracy Letts, August: Osage County. Web site. Trailer. Whenever we see someone rise to greatness, we’re inspired by the impressive personal power that they wield. But managing such power can be a dual-edged sword as anyone can attest who has witnessed its unleashing in the manifestation of terrible atrocities. The challenges associated with this issue can become apparent in a variety of arenas, too, including everything from the world geopolitical stage to the everyday theater of family relations. That point gets driven home with riveting clarity in the dark new comedy-drama, “August: Osage County.” The Weston family of rural Osage County, Oklahoma harbors a plethora of secrets, and most of those issues have evaded revelation or resolution for a very long time. Everyone has had a hand in this, and their respective challenges have taken a variety of forms. It’s quite a potent concoction indeed. For instance, family patriarch Beverly Weston (Sam Shepard), an award-winning poet, has spent years escaping into an alcohol-induced reality ...

“Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013). Cast: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, F. Murray Abraham, Ethan Phillips, Robin Bartlett, Max Casella, Jerry Grayson, Sylvia Kauders, Ian Jarvis, Adam Driver, Stark Sands, Jeanine Serralles, Stan Carp. Directors: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. Screenplay: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. Web site. Trailer. Getting out of our own way is often one of the biggest challenges we face in attaining success. For whatever reason, we often become stymied by various fixations, blind spots and pet peeves that hold us back from fulfilling our aspirations – and our potential. That’s a problem illustrated through the experiences of a beleaguered musician in the Coen Brothers’ new period piece film, “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Folk singer Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) leads a pretty unenviable life. The struggling artist desperately scrapes by while attempting to make a name for himself in the emerging folk music community of New York’s Greenwich Village in 1961. But, no matter what he does, he invariably winds up shooting himself in the foot, giving new meaning to the notion of “one step forward, ten steps back.” Why all the trouble? Well, for starters, he’s seeking to build a career as ...

After several years’ work (and many hours in front of the silver screen), I’m very pleased to announce the upcoming release of my second book, Consciously Created Cinema: The Movie Lover’s Guide to the Law of Attraction. This new title, a followup to my first book, Get the Picture: Conscious Creation Goes to the Movies, will be available in ebook and print-on-demand softcover formats, with a launch projected for the second half of February. I’m very excited about this new release! Like its predecessor, Consciously Created Cinema examines how movies illustrate the principles of conscious creation (also known as the law of attraction). The book explores some of the concepts first raised in Get the Picture and introduces some new principles not examined before. And, as a followup book, Consciously Created Cinema does this by focusing on titles released during the time since the debut of its predecessor, from 2006 to the end of the 2012 movie awards season. Nearly all movie genres are featured, too, from comedy to drama to science fiction and even documentaries. It presents a delicious buffet of cinematic offerings, something sure to suit every taste! In the coming weeks, keep an eye out for further ...