Some movies touch us deeply and leave an imprint on our lives forever.

Here is a list of movies that have touched my own life (along with some input from friends on The Liberated Life Project Facebook page). All of them are connected to themes of freedom, liberation, and transformation. So break out the popcorn and get ready to make a change…

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Living Out Loud – The story of one woman’s journey to put her life back together after a divorce, and ultimately to fall in love with herself. It’s all about freeing ourselves from fear and self-loathing, and finding who we really are. This is one of the sweetest movies I’ve ever seen – in the sense that it manages to show that most people really are kind at heart, even if they have a gruff exterior. Stars Holly Hunter, Danny DeVito, and Queen Latifah.

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Shawshank Redemption – A classic movie about freeing your mind, even when your body is locked up. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman play two inmates who form a friendship that changes both their lives. This is a long movie (it clocks in at 142 minutes), but there’s a reason for that length… it helps you to have a visceral sense of the patience and fortitude of the lead characters as they go through interminable days, months, and years in prison. And it makes the ending all the more powerful.

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Invictus – Morgan Freeman shows up again, this time to portray Nelson Mandela, who was an exemplar of a “liberated life.” Based on a true story, Mandela, who had just been elected president of South Africa, enlists the support of a soccer player (played by Matt Damon) to help that country’s reconciliation process. During his 27 years in prison, Mandela often turned to the poem “Invictus” by English poet William Henley for inspiration. This film does a beautiful job of translating this story onto the big screen.

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – This movie illustrates just how much social and cultural norms function to contain us… and what happens when one man questions ‘the system’ and sparks others to do the same. I used to work in a state mental hospital, and this movie gets so many of the details right that it’s scary. The fantastic cast includes Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, and Louise Fletcher.

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Thelma and Louise – Honestly, I couldn’t decide whether to include this one or not. Maybe it’s because I always feel the ending is so painful to watch. It’s another classic tale of liberation – in this case, two women who take their lives into their own hands and hit the road. It’s a bit dated by now, but still evokes a deep sense of expansion and freedom. And Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, and a very young Brad Pitt are lots of fun to watch.

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The Color Purple – A 1985 film (wow, can’t believe it was that long ago!) based on the novel of the same name by Alice Walker. This deeply spiritual story follows the life of Celie, a poor uneducated black girl living in the rural South, as she gradually wakes up to her power and frees herself from limiting beliefs inside her and around her. The book has one of my favorite lines ever: “More than anything, God loves admiration…I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it.” The cast includes Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.

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Groundhog Day – People often wonder why this movie turns up on lists like “the best Buddhist movies” and this one. There’s a good reason… behind the simple, comic contrivance of a weatherman who is doomed to live a single day over and over, there’s a wonderful existential tale. Bill Murray, as the lead character, is really given an opportunity to liberate himself from self-centeredness and live a happy, kind, and compassionate life. If he can figure it out. This is a tale of transformation cleverly disguised as a comedy.

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Strictly Ballroom – This Australian film tells the story of Scott, a champion ballroom dancer who gets bored with dancing by the rules and wants to create his own steps. The moral of this movie, “A life lived in fear is a life half lived,” has stayed with me for years. Great music, great dancing, and a profoundly moving and energizing story. It’s perfect to watch when you’re feeling stuck in a rut of life and need the courage to break out into something bold and new.

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Auntie Mame – A classic movie about one woman’s break from society’s expectations. Rosalind Russell is a delight to watch as Auntie Mame, the flamboyant and boisterous free spirit at the center of this film. Mame’s motto: “Life’s a banquet, and most suckers are starving to death.” (A newer version of this movie came out last year which I didn’t see… so I can only speak to this 1958 version.)

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The Matrix – The first movie in what ultimately became a trilogy, “The Matrix” is a hip, philosophical take on liberation. The first time I ever saw this movie, it blew me away – I’d never seen such a clear representation on film of what it means to free your mind. If you know anything about Buddhism, there is a lot of dharma going around in this film. And I love it when Keanu says, “Whoa.”

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Freedom Writers – based on the true story of a high school teacher who helps her students find their voices through writing, and subsequently change their lives. There are plenty of other movies in this genre, but this one gets it right through a moving lead performance by Hillary Swank and detailed portraits of the kids and the challenges they face. All the key characters come out transformed by the end of the story, and you’ll really feel it.

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A Force More Powerful – Here’s the one documentary on our list. I’m guessing you haven’t heard of this one before. This is a shame because it’s one of the most compelling films I’ve ever seen. “A Force More Powerful” is actually a collection of six shorter films, each profiling a successful nonviolent social movement, including Gandhi’s Salt March in India, the Nashville, TN, lunch counter sit-in (with Martin Luther King, Jr.), and the rise of Solidarity in Poland. If you’ve ever doubted the power of love to change the world, watching “A Force More Powerful” will open up your mind to the vast possibilities.

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What’s on your Freedom Film Festival list?

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