Spiritual Cinema Circle: A Honest Review
By John C. A. Manley | March 1, 2008
What do I mean by “Stephen Simon tuck in your shirt!”? Well, if you’re a member of his Spiritual Cinema Circle, you’ll notice how laid back he has become hosting the DVDs each month.
Way back in 2006 (when I joined), he wore some nice sports jacket, sat in a director’s chair with a studio backdrop. It had a real “movie-making” feel to it.
Then they switched to a cramped family room setting with a fireplace at night. Simon went fromm a sport’s jacket to golf shirt. I liked the way it was before, but I wasn’t against the new look. It had a family room feel to it and I could understand where they were going.
Then a few months back they switched to a spacious millionairre’s living room (it looks like a TV talk show set) with sunlight streaming in the windows. Despite the more upscale look, their dress has became even more informal with shirt tails hanging out as Simon and the occasional guest lounge back in chairs.
I know a lot of “new-agers” feel it’s unholy or something to tuck in their shirt. I understand that the SCC is trying to tune in with their audience. But at least get a shirt that was a meant to be worn untucked. It just looks slothful, not laid back. Buy some Indian pajamas or a tunic or something if you really don’t want to tuck in your shirt.
It’s not a big deal, but I personally enjoyed the movie-maker look back in 2006 a lot more than the lounging around the house on a Saturday morning look.
An Honest and Constructively Critical Review
Of the Spiritual Cinema Circle
With What’s Bugging Seth we saw the end of the 2007 line up of films with the Spiritual Cinema Circle. I thought I’d do a series of short, honest, frank (and not always flattering) reviews of all films from last year.
And this won’t be like the type of reviews you’ll find on Google. I’m sure many of you Googled the Spiritual Cinema Circle and have seen listings like: “Shocking Review of the Spiritual Cinema Circle! Read this before you consider becoming a member.”
Then you click through and it’s not shocking, but a transparent promo disguised as a review saturated with glowing praise. One I saw said how the Spiritual Cinema Circle “saved” their family. Now they get together each month, “as a family” and watch the films.
It’s an insult to our intelligence
These guys are obviously affiliates to the Circle (nothing wrong with that, so am I) and are giving a hyped up favourable (if not unrealistic) review of the Circle. This actually does more harm than good.
Listen, if your family can’t get together unless you have a DVD going in the player, you need more help than the Spiritual Cinema Circle can provide. You probably need to take your TV set(s) and throw them out the window, for starters.
So, today, I’m going to give a honest review of the Spiritual Cinema Circle after being a member for 15 months now.
I can’t help but be critical, but that is necessary to help people decide whether or not they want to give the Circle’s free trial a go. It’s also necessary to help communicate to the Circle what we like and don’t like.
On the whole, I like it. 90% of the films I enjoyed, got something out of, felt good about myself after. You don’t get the down feeling after watching SCC films that you sometimes get with mainstream films. You know, what it’s like…
“Wow, that was such a wild ride!
Now I have to go back to my boring life…”
The majority of SCC films are much closer to how day-to-day life is, offering inspiration first, excitement third or fourth.
I can’t say I am as thrilled with many of their short films. The short documentaries they pick are often gold. But some of those animations and other short flicks are far too bizarre. Their meaning goes over my head, most of the time — thank goodness they are short. There has been some gems, though, and I’m grateful for those. The rest seem like filler material, and I’d rather save my time.
A good example was a story back in 2006 that looked like an adoption of a Zen Koan. I’d love to see more of those. There are so many parables from various religions that would make wonderful short films. More of those would be much appreciated.
My biggest complaint with the Spiritual Cinema Circle, however, is that I think it should be called…
The SOCIAL Cinema Circle?
Rarely, rarely, are the films about people becoming closer to God. Sure, in an indirect way anything you do to better yourself and serve other people makes you closer to God. But rarely is that theme part of the films.
Most of the films seem to focus on how to interact with other people better. There’s been a lot of films about relationships. Hence, why I say they should consider renaming it The Social Cinema Circle.
I realize part of the issue may be lack of selection. The Circle is limited to films that are available. I don’t attend film festivals so I can only imagine that the pickings of truly spiritual films may be few.
But, what I’m finding is that most the films are on the FRINGE of truly spiritual cinema. How can you compare their last film What’s Bugging Seth to films like the Peaceful Warrior or Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall and Spring? Or even mainstream, less overt productions like Groundhog Day, The Shawshank Redemption or The Man Who Knew Too Little.
I’m not saying the films they chose don’t have a spiritual component to them. But, well, everything in life has a spiritual component. I think their motto, “Movies that Matter” is a better description of a lot of what the Spiritual Cinema Circle offers.
Even when they release a rare film that involves someone consciously growing closer to God — like their own production, Conversations with God — it still lacks a real spiritual seeking angle to it. Conversations with God was a great production, and an inspiring story, but I really didn’t see how Neal Donald Walsh earned, no less pursued the relationship he suddenly achieved with God.
If everything was depicted truthfully, then I can only assume he earned his ability to “converse” with God from spiritual efforts in past lives.
But seeing only this part of his life gives a very incomplete picture.
So, while I applaud what the Circle is doing,
I just want to say…
…that I’d love to see it start incorporating more films about people pursuing a spiritual life in earnest. Many of the film’s feature characters show no sign whatsoever of any spiritual path. They aren’t pursuing a relationship with the Intelligence and Love that runs the cosmos.
Another way they describe the movies is films that remind you why you are human and ask the “big questions about what it means to be human.” Okay, great. But spirituality, at least to me, is about finding out what it means to be a soul. Reminding you what it’s like to be one with God. It’s about following a path that helps you transcend matter. It’s about metaphysics, not psychology.
Sure, how you live in the world determines whether you experience yourself as a spiritual being or as a mortal being. I’m not denying that. But the focus and theme of the SCC films is not this metaphysical goal, but usually more emotional or psychological goals that have some spiritual side-effects.
That said, I’m going to do a quick review of the films from 2007, next issue, with two ratings: How good it was from a purely cinematic point of view, and then from a spiritual point of view. These are just my opinions. If you feel similar you might want to voice your opinion on the SCC forum and help guide the film acquisition committee to choose different films.
One Other Way The Circle Could Be A Lot Better
Whenever I lend a copy of one of the Spiritual Cinema Circle’s DVDs to someone I always warn them: “The introductions can be a little flaky.” After growing up with TVOntario’s Saturday Night at the Movies and PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre, which both had brilliant introductions by their hosts, Stephen Simons preludes come across weak. We’re almost at the point of just skipping them altogether.
I understand they don’t want to ruin the film for us. But what they could do is introduce us to some behind the scenes facts. How did the writer come up with the idea? Where/how did they discover the film? How was it first received? Related background of the actors and director? What are some things to look out for in the film?
That’d be so much better than the usual string adjectives we hear. All the films are either “thought-provoking,” “wonderful” or “beautiful” or something like that — which really isn’t saying anything. How are they wonderful? What makes them beautiful? What thoughts did they provoke?
The script writers at the Spiritual Cinema Circle do not seem to realize that they need to be selling/promoting each film constantly. It’s not just about the money it’s about the time we invest in watching them.
I do, however, enjoy it when Simons interviews the director or script writers from the films.
Unless they can do more interviews and more detailed and thought-provoking introductions, I’d recommend to simply have one monthly welcome per DVD, briefly introducing all that is included. Skip the lukewarm introductions before each film unless there is something really definite to say.
Last Words…
Again, I love the Spiritual Cinema Circle. It’s one of the few clubs I haven’t unsubscribed from in recent years. The films are usually fantastic. They expose me to subjects I wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to (e.g. seeing Star Dreams was worth the entire year’s membership). I just think it could be more spiritual, that’s all. And, I’m sure, with time, that’ll happen.
P.S. Please leave a comment. Do you feel the same way about the Spiritual Cinema Circle? Are the films spiritual enough for you, or would you like to see stories that reflect a seeking for God, salvation, nirvana, samadhi, Brahmin, Cosmic Consciousness (whatever you want to call It, Him, Her). Share you thoughts below…
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