About a Boy A well-paced comedy about a self-absorbed rich kid with a posh flat full of gadgets and no karma whatsoever. "I really am this shallow," he explains, and he really likes it that way. But life comes knocking, and despite his resistance and fear of connection, it turns out there is something real inside Will after all.

About Schmidt A dark dramatic comedy about an aging man's quest for meaning. Retirement day, the death of his wife, and the upcoming wedding of his daughter motivate Schmidt to drive across country in his RV in order to meet his soon-to-be inlaws. A tragic story in which man does redeem himself.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Beautiful Ladies! Zest for life and the power of untrammeled imagination counter the deadening effects of uninspired rationalism and business-as-usual. But can they stave off Death? A more optimistic take on these themes than Terry Gilliam's earlier, brilliantly dark Brazil.

Agnes of God Interesting study of full-scale neurotic dysfunction. Or was it a miracle?

AI (Artificial Intelligence) Relevant for several reasons, including, most obviously, an android that wants to be real. However, on a more subtle level, the film presents the truly disturbing spectacle of emotional programming taken to neurotic extremes. The poor "guy" is constitutionally unable to change his patterns, or even recognize them as such. Worst of all, he never dies. Try to imagine spending an eternity in the confines of dysfunctional ego — sheer hell. Spielberg worked hard to come up with a warmish ending, but it's not very convincing.

Altered States This 1980 story of an obsessed scientist researching the origins of human consciousness suffers from the drug-trip mentality of its time, but also explores such interesting topics as the mysteries of the mind, our genetic heritage, racial memory, and, yes, altered states of consciousness.

The Anchoress A peasant girl with mystical tendencies agrees to become an anchoress — a woman who lives out her life confined to an enclosed cell in a medieval church. The local priest doesn't know what to make of her ecstasies, or her thealogy (no, that's not a mispelling). Really not as depressing as it sounds, we promise.

Andrei Roublev The first in a series of long, ponderous, brilliant art films by Russian maestro Andrei Tarkovsky; this one isn't so ponderous. The film follows monk and revered icon painter Andrei Roublev on his journeys through 15th century Russia. The harsh, primitive conditions of life only worsen with the Tartar invasion and the cruelties that ensue. What good is art in the face of such barbarity? How can one serve a God that allows such brutality?

Baraka A gorgeous 70 millimeter postcard of life on earth in all its beauty, profundity and horror.

Being Human Robin Williams stars in this little-known film. A soul reincarnates in several historical periods until he finally begins to get it right. Lots of interesting cameos.

Being John Malkovich Hidden in the recesses of a New York City office building is a tiny door leading into the mind of John Malkovich. This is of great interest to the puppeteer that discovers the door, but not good news for Malkovich himself. When the puppeteer learns how to pull Malkovich's strings, an already complicated love triangle becomes very complex.

Blade Stop me if you've heard this before: an ancient race of nonhumans live among us. Historically, they've maintained a low profile and thus their anonymnity while wielding enormous power. Now, a young upstart has thrown caution to the wind, gleefully creating havoc and carnage for all the world to see. Leading the resistance is Blade, a half-breed loner with many of the stengths and weaknesses of both bloodlines. Good thing that hot woman he rescued is a hemotologist!

Blade Runner If the robots that were created to serve humanity begin to dream of freedom, then what? A classic in the field.

Bubba Hotep Elvis hasn't left the building after all, but must summon enough life to face an Egyptian soul sucker. Artistic film.

Contact Besides a big pitch for SETI, this film, based on the novel by Carl Sagan, contains a reasonably developed (for Hollywood) dialogue between science and religion. If you can't demonstrate the reality of a thing, did it ever really happen?

Dead Man A western and an art film, at once. An effete CPA from the East arrives at the farthest edge of the American frontier, only to find that his anticipated job has fallen through. He soon finds himself on the run with a bullet lodged next to his heart. A Native American loner named Nobody takes him under his wing, determined to assist the poet (well, his name is William Blake) realize his ultimate potential before he dies. A shimmering, salty approach to death and transformation.

Donnie Darko Those driven by visions of the future often have a different way of looking at the world, even if they don't understand what they're seeing. It'd be bad enough to be haunted by a rabbit with an evil glint in its eye — just imagine how more trying adolescence would make the experience.

Dogma Never before has a film so resembled fruitcake to me. Imagine that you like fruitcake, but hate those green candied fruits. The cherries, yum; the nuts, delicious; the batter, divine. The weird green fruit, though—yucko. Same here. This is really an interesting film—chunky, substantial, humorous, open-minded ... if someone had just toned down the occasional flourishes of gratuitous bad taste! I think Kevin Smith might have been trying to say something with them, but... I just really hate those gross green fruity things! (The plot involves an attempt by two fallen angels to get back to heaven through a loophole in canon law. If they succeed, that would prove God to be fallible, and we can't have that, can we?)

Dune Gayle says to put this on the website because it's full of the mysteries. I watched the first two episodes when they were originally broadcast and thought that they dragged. There's only one thing to do: read the books. They're full of insights as well, and an incredibly good read.

Earth on Edge A PBS documentary by Bill Moyers, who rings the visionary alarm bell for humanity. Will we awaken in time? An incredibly well-documented view of the environmental impact humanity has had on this planet. What will the future hold for us who live here? — GC

Emotions & Consciousness This PBS program examines the science of consciousness, perception and reality. — GC

The End of the Affair Damn the Other Lover. An unlikely triangle underlies this examination of love, jealousy, and sacrifice in 1940s London. Based on the novel by Graham Greene.

ExistenZ "Which world is really real?" as presented through the device of virtual reality-style gaming, which also presents us with the questions "What are the rules of this game?", "What is my role is this game?", and "What the hell is the objective here?"

Fantasia & Fantasia 2000 Forget about the dancing hippos and revisit the classic, as well as its recent sequel. In addition to narrative segments — depicting, for example, the evolution of life on earth; the dangers of young apprentices who misuse the means at their disposal; and the green goddess and the cycle of life, death and rebirth — each film contains more abstract works that powerfully demonstrate higher principles. From one comes two; from two comes three; from three comes all things.

The Fellowship of the Ring Besides the fact that this is just a good old-fashioned movie-going experience, The Lord of the the Rings is significant here for its archetypically-loaded imagery and themes, its multiracial backdrop of identity, interrelationship and destiny, and its examination of fate and free will in the face of epochal events.

Field of Dreams For all of us who hear voices from time to time and find the courage to follow a vision.

Fight Club Beginning as a sly manifesto about the superficiality of life in the consumer-age, Fight Club is about the search for vitality in the face of relentless cultural artifice, then it develops into something else entirely. A surprisingly complex film, by Hollywood standards, about cultural and personal Shadow.

First Knight The royal archetypal triangle beautifully — but inaccurately — portrayed. But who can resist Sean Connery and Richard Gere in the same film?

The Fisher King Terry Gilliam reworked this archetypal Grail legend into a modern rite-of-passage for damaged adults — men especially. Opening the heart, the kingdom turns green again.

The Game A rich executive is given a once-in-a-lifetime birthday present, an invitation to the Game, an esoteric manipulation of a person's physical and psychological makeup designed to provoke to new realizations. Fascinating, but a violent introduction to the initiatory process. — GC

Groundhog Day In which Bill Murray is forced to undergo the same banal day over and over, again and again, until he begins to figure out how to shift the pattern.

Harry Potter Ah, what Muggles can do to magic. Riding the Nimbus 2000 to the big screen, the film is an eclectic mix of Mary Poppins and Star Wars (some of us liked Mary's parrot umbrella better — Ed.). Too true to the book, and lacking its imagination, the movie still has its benefits. Magic, wizardry, and varying levels of perception become the elixir of life to the world of Muggles. Still, traces of the Orphic Mysteries, the alchemists, and the hero's journey are better served in the book. — GC Click here to stimulate some interesting trains of thought.

Heavenly Creatures A real-life cautionary tale about imagination gone awry. Two unconventional teenage girls find each other in 1950s New Zealand. Their strong attachment to one another and to their make-believe world begins to scare their parents, with disastrous results. Beautiful and terrifying with intense renderings of an unusual imagined world.

Hideous Kinky Despite its hideous title, a nice little film about the spiritual search. Kate Winslet plays a hippie chick drifting through Morocco, desperate to find an anchor. She's certain she's ready for the annihilation of her ego; too bad she's brought her two young daughters along for the ride. Told from one of the girls' perspective.

Hi-Fidelity This film offers a glimmer of hope for the perpetual adolescent in your life. An unambitious record store owner begins to review his love life when his long-term girlfriend leaves him. Reestablishing contact with earlier girlfriends, he begins to realize that the story (and soundtrack) of his life thus far has had virtually nothing to do with the facts of it. A fun movie with a great soundtrack.

Highlander Oh those immortals! The student-Teacher relationship; the sacrifice of the Teacher (Obi Wan, anyone?); the classic conflict between good and evil. And a soundtrack by Queen to boot.

Household Saints Absolute faith and purity of heart lead to classic manifestations of sainthood in 1950s Little Italy. Of course, that's impossible…well, highly unlikely, anyway.

I Heart Huckabees An eclectic romp from neurosis to infinite bliss, with a quick stop at the mall along the way. An interconnected group of allies and adversaries explore methods for deconstructing egoic masks, experiencing mystic oneness, and just being happy, all courtesy of the Existential Detectives.

In the Name of the Rose Although the novel offers an extensive and lively account of heretical movements and theological debates in Italy during the Middle Ages (and their fate at the hands of Rome), the film has its merits, among them Sean Connery and striking production design. A series of murders in a monastery fuels a mystery examining the lengths to which those in power will go to retain it. Truth, joy, and freedom suffer, as well as countless innocents. The quest for knowledge can be a perilous path.

Jacob's Ladder 1990 take on the 'Mind Control by the Powers-That-Be' theme, played out with Vietnam vets. A cross between The Matrix and The Manchurian Candidate.

Jesus Christ Superstar PBS' Great Performances broadcast this revamped, updated version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice classic. Set against the neo-Nazi propaganda, Jesus progresses through relatively modern dress to those of Biblical times. The archetypal theme transcends time and the casting and setting made the production fresh and enlightening. A bit of Darth Vader, dog collars, and ultramodern lighting weave the historic myth repeating itself and the mystic's role within the world while maintaining an identity that transcends it. A must see — especially since it's free! — GC

Journey of Man Researchers are building a family tree for humanity through extensive DNA analysis of our blood. Their conclusion: we can all be traced back to a single tribe of bushman in Africa. This PBS documentary examines the journey of our African ancestors as they dispersed around the globe. While the program doesn't directly address the wisdom school's teachings, the timeline drawn presents opportunities for further insight for those with the ears to hear.

Koyaanisqatsi Along with Powaqqatsi and the recently released Naqoyqatsi, which together make up the QATSI trilogy, Koyaanisqatsi depicts in grand scale the dichotomies and transitions characterizing life on earth in the last 25 years. Cinematic images of nature, traditional ways of life, and industrialized society are juxtaposed with each other and to original scores by Phillip Glass. The same creators also made Animal Mundi, which focuses on biodiversity in the animal world.

Kundun This film takes frequent breaks from conventional narrative in its depiction of the early life of Tenzin Gyatso — more commonly known as the 14th Dalai Llama — until his forced exile from Tibet. Scorsese pushes the medium to express Buddhist principles such as the plasticity of spacetime. A truly beautiful, transcendental (& long) film.

Ladyhawke What God has put asunder let no man put together. Sun and moon, earth and sky, man and woman. The tantric dance of opposites set in the Middle Ages.

The Last Temptation of Christ What is this that burns inside me? The uncovering of one's destiny, and the regrets that might keep one from attaining it. Scorsese's underappreciated labor of love based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis.

Like Water for Chocolate A luscious feast for the soul. The fateful separation of lovers, the esoteric properties of food, family traditions, and mothers — all rolled with honey and nuts for our delectation.

Little Buddha A introduction to the essentials of Siddhartha Gautama's biography. In his search for a reincarnated lama, a monk arrives at the home of a American boy. Neither he nor his parents understand what this means or entails. Thus a child's primer on Buddhism unfolds in full cinematic splendor, while the boy travels to Bhutan and Nepal for further inquiry into his identity.

The Matrix A contemporary variation on a familiar theme: There's more going on behind the scenes than most people ever imagine. Wake up!

The Matrix: Reloaded In which Neo finds out that destiny isn't all it's meant to be. Moreover, that he has to make a choice, and that there is no real choice. How much control do we have over the vast patterns that create our world? What do we have to rise above them?

The Matrix: Revolutions Yes, the action scenes drag, Morpheus is played out, and Trinity doesn't get her due as a character (at least she gets to see the heavens before she dies). Many different audiences were invested in this film, and the Wachowskis had quite a balancing act to pull off. So... Neo breaks the cycle by surrendering yet having enough identity to incorporate the chaos. And anyway, and after such unrelenting grimness, it's nice to have a cute little girl as the avatar for the new cycle.

Meetings With Remarkable Men 1979 adaptation of G.I. Gurdjieff's account of his quest for spiritual fire. The dancers at the end of the film were trained and choreographed by one of Gurdjieff's close students. The dance isn't simply for pleasure.

The Messenger The voices Joan of Arc heard — whose were they? Is there a difference between the real and the imagined? How do we distinguish between them? An example of the importance of self-examination — lest one mistake one set of operating instructions for another.

Mindwalk A failed U.S. presidential candidate, an expatriate poet, and a disillusioned yet philosophical physicist share views about the failings of modern civilization and the alternatives available to us. The politics of the possible, systems theory, and the music of the spheres are among topics discussed. Slightly dated, but aspiring politicians should watch it anyway. Adapted by Fritjof Capra from his book, The Turning Point.

Minority Report Worth mentioning for no other reason than the sight of the three androgynous precognitives (one woman and two male twins, for those of you who understand these things — and if you do, you know who's the leader) floating in their "shrine" — an illuminated pool of nutritive water.

The Mists of Avalon If you care for the book, don't watch this television adaptation which primarily focuses on the most superficial, salacious and embarrassing aspects of the story. The spirituality which imbued the book is missing, as are various subplots — which makes practical sense in adapting such a long work, but come on — Morgaine never even becomes Lady of the Lake in this! Marion Zimmer Bradley's estate should be ashamed of themselves. Not only will this disappoint the choir, it also makes paganism and Goddess-worship look ridiculous. What was the point, exactly?

Music from the Painted Cave A PBS extravaganza. Native America follows the Riverdance craze. Nevermind, native and modern music merge to bring the heart of the Native People into the consciousness of 2001. Great flute, drums, voices, and dances establish the return of the White Buffalo. And Robert Mirabel is easy on the eye, too. — GC

My Dinner with Andre Who would ever have thought that a dinner conversion would make such an interesting film? One man's inner doubts prompt a fascinating dialogue between two contrasting philosophies about meaning and existence.

1984 An interesting translation to screen of Orwell's classic novel. Another take on the quest for vitality and meaning in the face of an oppressive status quo.

Pi An eclectic, paranoid thriller about numbers, master codes, the stock market and Cabbala.

Ponette After her mother's death in an automobile accident, four-year-old Ponette tries to understand the totality of her loss. All the contradictory beliefs she encounters about death and religion are perplexing, but she finally manages to cobble together a cognitive map that works well enough for her. A heart-wrenching, yet sweet, film.

Princess Mononoke If you liked Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, try this fairytale in which the creatures and spirits of the forest struggle to maintain their way of life in the face of encroaching human civilization. While this sounds like a no-brainer (forest good; humans bad), this animated feature (yes, animated) is much more ambiguous, and actively searches for middle ground.

The Princess and The Warrior Two unconventional souls cross paths then part under extreme circumstances on one otherwise ordinary day. When questioned later, while seeking out the man who saved her life, the perplexing young woman replies "I had to know if it meant something. Is my life supposed to change [because of him]?" Created by the same team who gave us Run Lola Run (a stylish and entertaining action film that examines free will, timelines and the creation of reality), the final shots of this film perfectly illustrate the Gurdjieffian notion of the Observer and the ability to change one's patterns.

Rashomon A classic from Akira Kurosawa. In medieval Japan, four witnesses tell remarkably different stories about a murder to which they are all connected. An object lesson in the relativity of human perception.

Ravenous Dances with Wolves as told by an Anne Rice fan, with a little Silence of the Lambs thrown in. Elements of the mysteries abound in this supernatural thriller set on the Western frontier.

The Red Violin 300 plus years in the life of a violin, as it passes through a series of players and lives. Despite its diverse manifestations and accumulated history, the violin maintains its intrinsic identity.

Restoration In which great talent is led astray. Through the misuse of his gifts, Robert Merrivel (played by Robert Downey, Jr., in a sad twist of fate) becomes a fool. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have something to live for — or the opportunity to rediscover it anew. Visually magnificent.

Resurrection The power to heal reveals the inner struggle of how to deal with supernatural abilities.

The Return of the King There wasn't much new in the final episode of the trilogy, just the playing out of all the lines, rousingly accomplished. Neither Frodo nor Sam could have done it on their very own, and even then, Frodo actually blew it at the end (consider Neo in Matrix: Revolutions for a comparison). Now that the Elves have departed for the West, has all the magic passed out of the world? Did Arwen really have to sacrifice her immortality to stay behind? There must be another way...

Rosencranz and Guildenstern Are Dead Tom Stoppard directed this adaptation of his own play, in which two minor characters from Hamlet struggle to understand their place in the universe, both on-stage and off. Hapless and existentially confounded, Rosencranz and Guildenstern — or is that Guildenstern and Rosencranz? — eventually find themselves done in by a script they barely understand, much less have control over, despite hints from the Master Player that there may be a method to the madness.

Scientific Frontiers: Alternative Medicine. This episode of the PBS series Scientific Frontiers offers thought-provoking challenges to conventional and alternative medicine with surprising results. — GC

The Silence of the Lambs In case you've forgotten, the gristly Dr. Lecter provides young Clarice Starling with several gifts in this taboo-ridden film. Not the least of these is uncovering the source of her egoic motivations.

The Sixth Sense A moody mystery, rather than the supernatural thriller it was taken for. A young boy is haunted by ghosts; eventually he learns to manage the situation in a fairly healthy fashion without shutting off his sensitivity. It really does happen, you know.

The Skulls An action-packed adventure about Yale's secret society. Everything is on the line for initiation, brotherhood, and survival. Interesting, though focused more on power and leadership than spirituality. — GC

Solaris While quite different, both versions of Stanislaw Lem's book tell the story of a man seduced by memory and a planet with a will of its own. Andrei Tarkovsky filmed it in 1972; Steven Soderbergh returned to the story 30 years later. Consider the Bardo Thodol: you must vanquish your internal demons before passing on to the clear white light. That's the first step towards immortality, and Chris Kelvin isn't passing the test.

Star Wars The hero's journey, perfectly encapsulated. What else is there to say?

Stigmata Be warned: this is a suspense flick posing as a horror film, and there's no shortage of blood. But it also has a great cast and a visual sensibility so keen that it often overwhelms the narrative, which is unfortunate but all too common these days (can anyone tell me why?). The story is about an urban hipster who suddenly begins to manifest stigmata, the wounds Christ is said to have suffered during his fabled crucifixion. A handsome priest from the Vatican is sent to investigate, and alternative gospel texts soon emerge as a factor.

2001 The stages of man as seen through the lens of Stanley Kubrick. What's not dated here is the subtext about the in/fallibility of logic and technology divorced from a holistic approach to existence. And the star child, of course.

2010 In the darkest hour, light. The star child returns with a completely new paradigm — just in time to avert an earthly catastrophe of human design. And what is it with Europa, anyway?

The Thin Red Line Meditations in the face of Death. Beautiful, hallucinatory, extremely moving — but relentless in its final analysis. The film's ever-shifting points-of-view can be confusing, but this is exactly the point. In battle, it doesn't matter who you are; the meatgrinder of war requires bodies, not individuals. The grunts struggle to cope in the face of this grim reality. Those who've found some saving grace are the worst off; eventually they discover they've been deluding themselves all along. A long, meandering film.

The Truman Show In which an affable young man begins to awaken to the truth: he lives a scripted, artificial life. Can he escape from the charade while the whole world watches?

The Turning Point The resolution of life decisions set against the brilliant tapestry of some of the world's finest ballet. — GC

Twelve Monkeys It really shouldn't surpise anyone at this juncture that the future doesn't turn out well for humanity: the trends are out there for anyone to see. One way or another, our civilization is probably screwed. Thank God we can go back in time and try to do things differently! For all you know, Bruce Willis may already have been successful at averting global disaster.

The Two Towers In the second film of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the story divides to follow several threads as the fellowship itself has become physically divided. While those on the 'dark' side of the conflict are unequivocally evil, many who oppose them struggle to find their way amidst the uncertainties encountered along the way. And yet, they continue on — of course, it helps to have the support of stalwart friends and companions when the chips are truly down. There are good reasons to work with a group, especially if elves are involved. Also, Gandolf the White redeems the archetype of the bearded old wise man while (no doubt) introducing many to the concept of an avatar. He's glorious!

Vanilla Sky Okay, I confess that I have not yet seen Abre los Ojos, the 1997 Spanish film — said to be brilliant — that inspired this remake, which has certainly has its flaws (it's too long, for starters). Nevertheless, it has it merits, including the fact that it puts some interesting ideas out there for mainstream audiences to encounter. Without giving too much away — it is that kind of film — Tom Cruise plays a cocksure young publisher coasting through life and aware of it. On his 33rd birthday he meets Sofia, a woman who genuinely engages his interest. Unfortunately, his casual partner in sex doesn't take this too well, and leaves a disfiguring mark upon his once flawless face and psyche. And that's just the beginning!

Waking Life A cross between Slackers and My Dinner with Andre. Although most reviews focussed on the unusual visual techniques employed in the film (it was shot with a camera, then each frame was animated ), it's the protagonist's dreams and the lessons within them that we find especially notable.

What Dreams May Come The afterlife as determined by one's disposition in life — another reason to muck out one's psychological garbage. Despite a clunky script, a vivid representation of the astral realm.

What the Bleep? Part fiction, part document, this popular film has been making the rounds, introducing many to the mind-blowing ways science has been reconceptualizing reality in recent years. While it may take a second (or third, or fourth) to sort it all out, there is much of value here. Unfortunately, the filmmakers trade in their well-founded first and second acts for pie-in-the-sky in the final chapters. Yes, I have grand visions, too, but you won't find me slipping them into a documentary as a done-deal.

Why Has Bodhidharma Left for the East? Three stages in the life of man, considered from a Zen perspective. A young boy is taken in by an elderly monk at his remote mountain retreat. While the child learns the ways of the novice, a young monk struggles to transcend the vagaries of samsara — consensual reality. The elderly monk oversees all this while preparing for his impending death. A long, ruminative film.

Wings of Desire While its sequel, Far Away, So Close is actually more metaphysical in theme — it focuses on the perils that attend divine beings when they walk the earth — Wings of Desire is the original, and the more beautiful of the two. An angel sacrifices his wings in order to taste, feel, experience color, and love. Loosely remade by Hollywood as City of Angels.

Wonder Boys With luck, you come to a point when you realize you have a choice: remain as you have been, or reconfigure and move on, with all the sacrifices that might entail. Optimistically, Wonder Boys suggests that it's never too late to grow up and that it might be worth it after all.

X-Men In a not-so-distant future, apparently random individuals begin to mutate, developing superhuman abilities. As mainstream society struggles to understand and control the situation, the mutants themselves "debate" the proper approach to mainstream society: integration or survival of the fittest?

X2: X-Men United Elsewhere Gayle has predicted that the day of movies based on cartoons has passed, but I hope this franchise lasts for a while. It's got great themes (human evolution, fear of the Other) and interesting characters (go Nightcrawler!—one of the most unconventional and winning characters to emerge from Hollywood in a long time). And best of all, it's really an ensemble work. There is no single saviour, folks, we've got to do it together.

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