Tip#1054: Be Open to Unexpected Movies that Entertain, Part 3 - War for the Planet of the Apes - King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

I have been so grateful recently knowing that my physical health has been really good this summer! Last summer I was dealing with sciatica pain, tennis elbow and a fractured molar (See tip#983). And yet what I learned was I just needed to face my fears of the unknown in order to find solutions to feel better.

It took courage to face my fears and apply tools and methods to heal myself (which I share on these blog posts). So today I am highly aware and happy I am free of back pains, my elbows is strong again and I can enjoy chewing and eating! These unexpected physical pains taught me not to focus on the pain but focus on how to improve my health and wellness.

I also had my go-to resources of cinema to inspire me to stay strong when I felt overwhelmed with physical challenges. And some films are ones I didn’t have any initial interest in seeing. I am always surprised afterwards that I remained opened and was highly entertained and inspired.



War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The science fiction, drama film, War for the Planet of the Apes, is the finale to the trilogy about Caesar (Andy Serkis) continuing to lead his ape clan in a war with humans. The CGI effects and motion capture are stunning with another great performance from Serkis, as well as, Karin Konoval, Steve Zahn and Terry Notary. Actors playing humans include Woody Harrelson and Amiah Miller. See: movie trailer

Despite loving the first two chapters I wasn’t interested in seeing this film based on the trailers. But I took a chance and was so surprised at how entertaining and emotionally engaging the story and characters were. There was such a strong message of what it is to be human and feel compassion for others. This was ironic as this human lesson was coming from CGI apes! Plus I was a big fan of the original 60’s apes films and this movie has some great nods to them.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

The fantasy, action film, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, is a re-imagining of the legend showing the rise of Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) and learning how to use the magic of the Excalibur sword to defeat his evil uncle King Vortigern. (Jude Law). Packed with rich costumes, stunning special effects, exciting action sequences and a great soundtrack, this is definitely another over-the-top film by director Guy Ritchie. See: movie trailer

If you are interested in seeing the King Arthur story rebooted as a modernized superhero-like film then check this out. Once again the trailers didn’t interest me in seeing this film as well as the negative reviews but was surprised to be highly entertained by the epic re-invention and creative filmmaking by Ritchie. There are amazing montages and some breathtaking moments like when Arthur finally masters the power of Excalibur.

What I found interesting was the life lessons of each of the movie heroes, Caesar and Arthur, needing to find the courage to face inner pains to overcome their adversities. Caesar had to face his dark feelings of hate and revenge while Arthur had to deal with childhood pain in order to be free and triumph in their tasks. These are the type of life lessons I love receiving as they are wonderful bonuses from films I didn’t expect to see in the first place.

Being open to new ideas and hidden solutions can be difficult when you are in physical pain. But if you keep an open mind and activate your indestructible optimism you will actually be releasing your inner courage as well! And if you still find that difficult then start small and go see a film you were initially not interested in. You just might receive an empowering surprise!

Related Tips:
Tip#623: Be Open to Unexpected Movies that Entertain, Part 1 – Django Unchained
Tip#802: Be Open to Unexpected Movies that Entertain, Part 2 – The Judge – Labor Day
Tip#1054: Be Open to Unexpected Movies that Entertain, Part 3 - War for the Planet of the Apes - King Arthur: Legend of the Sword



MOVIES & MENTAL HEALTH INTERVIEW:
Listen to Emmanuel’s interview on the podcast show THIS MOVIE’S ABOUT YOU with Thom Ernst (former host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies) and Louis Marrone. Emmanuel discusses his ideal double bill of GROUNDHOG DAY and PLEASANTVILLE and how they helped him cope with clinical depression. Click here

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT NEEDS CHEERING UP?
SEND THEM THIS: Uplifting Movie Montage produced by Emmanuel Lopez!

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: The Fresh Air Show

Remember How Movies Can Help You:
A) Entertain & Escape
B) Re-energize & Release
C) Inspiration & Motivation



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker on Health & Wellness
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com
 
© Emmanuel Lopez 2017

Tip#1053: Activate Your Imagination Through Movies, Part 3 - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

When I see delicious foods I always start eating them with my eyes! It’s the combination of scrumptious colours and textures that just excite me. As an artist, interesting visuals always stimulate my imagination. For example walking down grocery aisles can be a wonderland for me! Then, as someone who uses cinema to effectively relieve depression symptoms, the visual stimulus works on a healing, therapeutic level too.

When the first Star Wars film came out in 1977 it ignited my imagination and I would draw X-Wings and T-fighters all over my notebooks at school and at home! That film helped me develop my creative skills that later led to a successful illustration career. Decade’s later James Cameron’s Avatar film would activate my imagination and help me through some dark days and difficult times. It helped give my brain a rest from ruminating negative thoughts by escaping into a dazzling, colourful alien world.

And then in the summer of 2017 another epic film came along that transcended anything that came before! That movie would be created by famed visionary, writer and director Luc Besson!



Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

The science fiction action film, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, is based on the French comics series about two special operatives in the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne). That’s all you need to know because this movie will treat you to an explosion of visual creativity and imagination! See: movie trailer

This film was pure EYE-GASMIC fun!!! I even had to use that new term to describe this kind of cinematic experience! Every scene was saturated with highly detailed creativity and imagination. The alien worlds and characters were so breathtaking and jaw dropping that I felt fully immersed into a new reality. On top of that there were fantastic inspirational and optimistic messages about mutual learning, loving and cooperation.

Despite some of its flaws, this visionary film reminded me of what I love most about exercising my imagination. And that is it helps me imagine and picture a better, more vibrant, healthier life when days look dark and hopeless. Imagination fuels my indestructible optimism and I hope you are allowing yours to do the same. It’s about activating a sense of play, wonder and childlike joy into your day when you need it most!

Whether you are an artist or dealing with mental health challenges always remember to keep your inner child alive and keep your imagination open. It will feed your abilities to imagine a better life and a better world to live in. It will allow you to picture a positive outcome in whatever adversity you feel stuck or hopeless in. It can help you problem solve the solutions that you seek. Activate your imagination today!

Related Tips:
Tip#980: Creative Visualization, Part 3 – Mental Imagery - Rio Olympics 2016 – 4 Inspiring Movies 
Tip#1004: Expand Your Mind with Science Fiction, Part 10 - Arrival 
Tip#551: Activate Your Imagination Through Movies, Part 1 - Prometheus
Tip#777: Activate Your Imagination Through Movies, Part 2 - Lucy 
Tip#1053: Activate Your Imagination Through Movies, Part 3 - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets



MOVIES & MENTAL HEALTH INTERVIEW:
Listen to Emmanuel’s interview on the podcast show THIS MOVIE’S ABOUT YOU with Thom Ernst (former host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies) and Louis Marrone. Emmanuel discusses his ideal double bill of GROUNDHOG DAY and PLEASANTVILLE and how they helped him cope with clinical depression. Click here

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT NEEDS CHEERING UP?
SEND THEM THIS: Uplifting Movie Montage produced by Emmanuel Lopez!

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: The Fresh Air Show

Remember How Movies Can Help You:
A) Entertain & Escape
B) Re-energize & Release
C) Inspiration & Motivation



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker on Health & Wellness
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com
 
© Emmanuel Lopez 2017

Tip#1052: Coping Tools & Methods for Mental Health, Part 1 – Baby Driver

This has been an epic week of celebrating my birthday with friends at the movies and at delicious dinners and lunches! It then led to an amazing walk on a hot sunshine filled Saturday that included a revitalizing Hatha yoga class and then treating myself to awesome deals on clothes and home items from Winners and Home Sense. I even got to meet Spider-Man hanging out in Chinatown at Dundas St. West and Spadina Ave.!

As mentioned in previous the tip#1051, the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) term, pleasurable activities, are simple yet effective coping methods for depression and anxiety. Enjoying a delicious meal, movies, social interactions, celebrations, yoga, sunshine, shopping and even meeting a superhero can do wonders for lifting my spirit and feeling re-energized, focused and enthusiastic about life again!

I was also inspired by news that exploded on the internet about Madalyn Parker, a brave woman that sent an email to her workplace needing to take a mental health day from work was fully supported by her CEO, Ben Congleton of Olark. This story on Twitter went viral and launched active online dialogues to help reduce the negative stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace. The story was quickly picked up on major news outlets like CNN, People Magazine and many more. Madalyn and Bob are my latest heroes for mental health!

CNN: When a woman took sick days for mental health, her email sparked a larger discussion
National Post: 'You are an example to us all' : The mental health email shared 'round the world
Forbes: How To Know When You Need A Mental Health Day

This story demonstrated and confirmed for me that my lived-experience and creative coping strategies for clinical depression could be invaluable for the workplace and begun to immediately design new social media promotional graphics for my motivational speaker services. I just knew organizations with mental health initiatives were looking to hire a speaker like me and I am excited to let them know I exist! And I am eager to share how Hollywood movies can be a powerful coping tool for mental health.



Baby Driver (2017)

The action comedy film, Baby Driver, about a young and talented getaway driver named Baby (Ansel Elgort) who uses music to cope with a hearing impairment called tinnitus. This highly entertaining, stylish film is filled with fantastic songs, humorous, witty dialogue, thrilling car chases (no CGI) and engaging performances by Elgort and from co-stars Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Eiza González. See: movie trailer 

This was the first time I've heard about tinnitus (no pun intended!), which is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. And although the movie hero suffers from this condition his coping strategy is to listen to favourite songs through earphones from his many iPods. The results are we get to have fun peeks into his world where music heightens his talents for driving and his ability to read lips.

Though there are some violent moments in the movie there is a joyful, musical sequence near the start of the film where Baby is getting coffee. That’s all I’m saying! I highly recommend you see this smart, imaginative movie that also features several inspiring life lessons.

Inspiring Themes:
• Courage
• Confidence
• Perseverance & Tenacity
• Resilience
• Strategic Thinking
• The Power of Love
• Indestructible Optimism

Despite having an epic week, I did have a day where I lapsed with depression symptoms. Once I realized I was slipping into darkness I quickly applied my coping strategies of increasing my electrolytes hydration, walked in sunshine and watched a favourite movie that stopped the ruminating of negative thoughts in my head and lifted me up to a happier place. In Baby Driver, the movie hero uses music to deal with his condition and I hope this inspires others to find creative coping tools and methods for whatever health or mental health issues they face.

Whether you are dealing with mental health challenges or other stressful problems in life or in the workplace always remember that you have coping tools and methods you can apply. Maybe it’s taking a mental health day off work to take care of yourself or perhaps music or movies are your go-to-resources for feeling more positive. And while you are feeling well make a list of your favourite pleasurable activities. This list could be invaluable to you on the unexpected days your warm, bright sunshine is covered by clouds.

Related Tips:
Tip#1051: Get Energized by Cinematic Thrills, Part 3 – Pleasurable Activities -Spider-Man: Homecoming
Tip#1048: Activate The Power of Your Mind, Part 5 – Top 4 Movies on Reprogramming Your Life with Positive Lying



MOVIES & MENTAL HEALTH INTERVIEW:
Listen to Emmanuel’s interview on the podcast show THIS MOVIE’S ABOUT YOU with Thom Ernst (former host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies) and Louis Marrone. Emmanuel discusses his ideal double bill of GROUNDHOG DAY and PLEASANTVILLE and how they helped him cope with clinical depression. Click here

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT NEEDS CHEERING UP?
SEND THEM THIS: Uplifting Movie Montage produced by Emmanuel Lopez!

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: The Fresh Air Show

Remember How Movies Can Help You:
A) Entertain & Escape
B) Re-energize & Release
C) Inspiration & Motivation



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker on Health & Wellness
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com
 
© Emmanuel Lopez 2017

Tip#1051: Get Energized by Cinematic Thrills, Part 3 – Pleasurable Activities -Spider-Man: Homecoming

This week has been a fantastic series of sunny, hot days and I soaked up this wonderful energy on my daily walks! Walking is part of my mental health & wellness coping strategies and the consistent sunshine and clear blue skies have been such a blessing! When I’m walking and feeling the sunshine on my skin I always feel like a battery drinking in the sun’s energies like Superman did in the Superman Returns film! See: Superman Flies to the Sun

Pleasurable Activities

I also get energized feeling a cool, comforting breeze on hot days and it makes me feel so good and grateful to be alive and for my health, home, friends and family. The sight of delicious foods and meals also energize me even before I take a mouth-watering bite of it! This positive emotional energy flowing through me then leads to feeling self-confidence, self-esteem and, of course, indestructible optimism! Tapping into personal triggers for fun and joy is what I practice everyday to manage depression symptoms and is what cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) refers to as pleasurable activities.

Pleasurable activities is a behavioral strategy that helps reduce depression and anxiety by breaking negative, ruminating thoughts and feelings with activities you already know help you feel positive. These activities help you be more present in the moment taking you out of negative thoughts from your past or future.

See more: The Big List of Pleasurable Activities

On one of my sunny walks I saw this Royal Purple Smoke Tree in full bloom!

Thankfully watching movies, especially with a friend, has always been on my list of pleasurable activities long before I knew it was a CBT coping strategy. The fun and joy I experience from a feel-good, stimulating and inspiring film is my favourite tonic for when I'm feeling depression or anxiety symptoms. And when these films tap into happy childhood passions like superhero comic books it re-energizes me even more!



Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

The superhero action film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, is about Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) big life changes and high school experiences after Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) designed a high tech suit for him to wear in the film, Captain America: Civil War (2016). This exhilarating, fun and humorous movie features great performances from Holland, Downey Jr., Michael Keaton and Marisa Tomei. The cast also features a wonderful, multicultural cast that includes Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, Tony Revolori, Laura Harrier, Donald Glover, Bokeem Woodbine and more. See: movie trailer

For me, Spider-Man: Homecoming is the most joyfully blissful, fun superhero movie of all time! As a fan of Marvel comic books growing up and loving the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfold on screen I was absolutely thrilled at this new adaptation of Spider-Man. The engaging story, the exciting action scenes and all the characters introduced in this film was an epic cinematic experience. I loved how multicultural it was and I loved that Parker’s high school sidekick was played by a fellow Filipino named Jacob Batalon! The film also captures the magic and humour of writer/director John Hughes's high school movies like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

What added to my feeling energized was seeing this film on opening day with an old high school friend and a packed audience full of kids and adults! There was just so much to love about this movie and the added bonus were the inspirational life lessons it presents on identifying your inner strengths, courage, passion, perseverance, resilience, teamwork and a strong belief in one’s self. These are just some examples of cinema thrills that could be your tonic for lifting you up when you are feeling lost or having a bad day.

Inspiring Themes:
• Finding Your Inner Strengths
• Courage
• Passion
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Indestructible Optimism
• Supportive Relationships
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Belief in Yourself

Movies can be part of your list of pleasurable activities that can help you feel better and manage depression or anxiety. Be more aware and mindful of activities that have always brought fun and joy to your life and soon you’ll be feeling like the sun’s bright, warmth is flowing through your mind, heart and body! Let your shining, positive emotional energy radiate out today!

Related Tips:
Tip#515: Get Energized by Cinematic Thrills - Chronicle  
Tip#994: Get Energized by Cinematic Thrills, Part 2 - The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years 
Tip#1051: Get Energized by Cinematic Thrills, Part 3 – Pleasurable Activities -Spider-Man: Homecoming
Tip#938: Passion is Fuel, Part 4 - Pleasurable Activities - The Ramen Girl
Tip#1044: The Uplifting Power of Cinema, Part 4 – Galaxy Quest



NEW INTERVIEW WITH EMMANUEL:
Listen to Emmanuel’s interview on the podcast show THIS MOVIE’S ABOUT YOU with Thom Ernst (former host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies) and Louis Marrone. Emmanuel discusses his ideal double bill of GROUNDHOG DAY and PLEASANTVILLE and how they helped him cope with clinical depression. Click here

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT NEEDS CHEERING UP?
SEND THEM THIS: Uplifting Movie Montage produced by Emmanuel Lopez!

LISTEN TO EMMANUEL’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on
MOVIE MESSAGES OF HOPE: The Fresh Air Show

Remember How Movies Can Help You:
A) Entertain & Escape
B) Re-energize & Release
C) Inspiration & Motivation



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker on Health & Wellness
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
See website: www.motivatorman.com
 
© Emmanuel Lopez 2017