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In this section we endeavor to present a variety of audio/video selections, some which relate to grief, and others for their pure entertainment value. Please keep in mind that "taste" is subjective.
The listing of this information should not be considered an endorsement by Grief's Journey.
About Schmidt deals with a widower who is desperate to find something meaningful in his thoroughly unimpressive life. One of those 'mixed review' movies - some love it, some don't. "It�s a brilliant, honest performance by Nicholson, but the film is an agonizing bore except when the fantastic Kathy Bates turns up. Bravado Kathy," says Victoria Alexander. celebritywonder.com has a detailed review.
Bereavement Magazine's Bereavement Video Resources offers a support group in print, plus a complete grief resource center including events and conferences, memorials, gift baskets, videos, books, and ecards. The link provided here will take you directly to their video page featuring A Teen's View of Grief, A Ray of Hope - Facing the Holidays, Rainbow's Remedy, and When Mourning Dawns.
Dealing With Grief at the Holidays is an hour long video which deals with the matter of giving people helpful information in understanding that grief is enhanced by the holiday season. Most people tend to ignore the grief at the holidays season or find it so forbidding that they simply go off and find themselves in isolation at the time of the holiday. The video offers positive methods that people experiencing grief can use to help them get through the holidays.
Dragonfly is a supernatural thriller about a man (Kevin Costner) who believes that his deceased wife (Susanna Thompson) is trying to communicate with him through the near-death experiences of her patients.
Eulogy is dysfunctional misspelled. Kate Collins (Zooey Deschanel) is a screwed-up, unpopular loner, but ironically the most normal in her family. When her beloved grandfather (Rip Torn) dies, she and her dysfunctional family converge at Grandma's for the funeral including: her dad Daniel (Hank Azaria) - once a child star, now a porn star; lesbian Aunt Lucy (Kelly Preston) and her fiance Judy (Famke Janssen); obnoxious Uncle Skip (Ray Romano) and his even more obnoxious twin boys; and uptight Aunt Alice (Debra Winger). They've always hated each other, and in this confined space it's not surprising that an all-out war erupts. Meanwhile, as Kate attempts to write the eulogy, she discovers more than she bargained for about her own past, and finds true love with her childhood sweetheart, Ryan.
Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide is a made for Hallmark DVD documentary. It is a groundbreaking look at the role of faith and suicide: where is my loved one now? Can they be forgiven? How I can still have faith and go on? As a survivor of suicide, it may be very well worth your while to in depth explore the website. The documentary can be purchased in book or video format.
Finding Neverland is a tale of magic and fantasy inspired by the life of James Barrie, the real-life author of the children�s classic Peter Pan. Set in London in 1904, the film follows Barrie's creative journey to bring Peter Pan to life, from his first inspiration for the story up until the play's premiere at the Duke of York's Theater, a night that will change not only Barrie's own life, but the lives of everyone close to him. Possibly for widows and widowers, the movie's grabber is that some of us are reminded of having lost our Neverland with the death of our spouse.
Griefsong offers a collection of songs from Paul Alexander that bring heartfelt acknowledgment, comfort, and enriched meaning to the bereaved and those who travel the path with them. Mr. Alexander's recordings are resource tools being utilized by church groups, funeral homes, hospices, hospitals, bereavement support groups, and individuals for personal reflection and inspiration.
Homicide: Understanding the Unique and Complex Challenges Survivors Face by Mary M. Wong. No one expects their lives to be shattered by the murder of a loved one. It is something no one can prepare for. Families deal with shock, denial and many similar feelings to other types of bereavement, but unlike natural death, survivors must deal with the criminal justice system and, often, the media. This maze of bureaucracy puts additional pressure on a family and this teaching tape takes an extensive and realistic look at how the 'injustice' system effects the grieving process. It provides a comprehensive overview to help survivors, as well as counselors, friends, and relatives, learn what to expect along this journey. (90 minute audio tape)
Ghost stars Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze as the passionate lovers whose romance is undone when the latter is murdered during a bungled hit arranged by a rival. The clever concept by screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, extends outward into comedy (Swayze's character communicates through a sassy medium played by Whoopi Goldberg, who won an Oscar for this role), horror (the afterlife is populated by hell-bound demons and the like), and romantic complications (a handsome suitor, played by Tony Goldwyn, comes on to Moore while Swayze's spirit is still hanging around). Directed by Jerry Zucker, Ghost is a careful balancing act of strong commercial elements, but at heart it is a timeless Hollywood tearjerker that easily gets under one's skin. --Tom Keogh
Journey of Loss...Discovery of Hope series, The Challenge of Grief is the world's first comprehensive, interactive DVD video addressing the challenge of grief and bereavement. DVD - 25th Anniversary National Classic Gold Telly Award Competition Winner.
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is marketed as a children's movie, however, it has very strong appeal to the widowed. It's a very sweet movie that isn't about grief per se, but the protagonist faces life transformation as a result of being bequeathed the emporium. A scene in the movie transformed it from a simply sweet movie to a profound allegory for life for many who are widowed - as they may view both their "before" and "after" lives. It's not a critically acclaimed movie (only received 2 stars), but after the transforming scene, it may position itself on your favorite movie list. Many who are widowed give it high marks.
National Association for Loss and Grief - East Melbourne (VIC) AU offers a list of educational videos and facilitator guides.
Six Feet Under is one of TV's most acclaimed drama series, the Emmy and Golden Globe winning Six Feet Under is created and executive produced by the Oscar-winning writer of American Beauty, Alan Ball (also an Emmy winner for this show), Six Feet Under continues to focus on the cathartic journey of the extended Fisher family, whose personal trials and tribulations are played out against the solemn backdrop of an independent funeral home in LA. Each of the five seasons is available for purchase.
Surviving the Holidays and Other Significant Events After a Loved One's Death by Mary M. Wong. Holidays and other significant events, after someone close has died, can bring increased anxiety and stress and survivors are often uncertain how best to hand specific situations. Do I keep the same traditions or create new ones? What can I expect on the anniversary of my loved one's death? How do I handle that wedding invitation when I feel so badly? These are just some of the topics discussed within this audiotape in addition to Christmas invitations, decorations, shopping, gift giving, meals, etc. She also provides practical, effective alternatives to current traditions in an effort to provoke your thinking to reach more appealing solutions. She discusses how to effectively handle New Year's, their birthday, the anniversary of their death, weddings, graduations, the birth of a new baby into the family and much more. If you are feeling anxious about any of these upcoming events, this tape is for you. (90 minute audio tape)
The Widower (Canada, 1999) is about a man, Milton Smythe, who lost his loving (yet demanding) wife to a shower accident. Since the accident he has been acting like she never died. He dressed her everyday, put food out for her every day for each meal, left the TV on as he went to work so she could watch her soaps. Everything is fine for the two (except for the fact that she's dead), until the nosy old woman from across the street notices the dead woman and the man doing the routine. She calls the police and two boobish police officers, played by Tim Trylinksi and Darren Andrichuk, think that she is full of it and tells her they need proof. She gets it the proof and the police officers still don't believe her. I won't give away much more, except that the dialog between the old woman and the detectives is hilarious. This is a must see." ---Devin Bray
The Widower (Australia, 2004) is a poetic tale (based on Les Murray's poem Widower in the Country) about a father and son who struggle to reconcile the loss of a loved one. Following the premature death of his extremely beautiful wife, Mary (Frances Rings), a woodcutter, Neville (Chris Haywood) is paralyzed by the pain of his loss and unable to properly care for his son. The boy is placed in a distant boarding school under the guardianship of an aunt and the widower is abandoned to his despair. Neville is an emotionally isolated woodcutter with a romantic disposition. His wife was everything to him, and her death plunges him into despair. He escapes into a world of the imagination and never really recovers; living in a suspended reality where dreams are real and life goes on in realms immortal. When the boy returns home from boarding school several years later as a young man he is disturbed to see how his father has fallen apart. There remain unresolved feelings between them about Mary. Haunted by the memory of his mother the son is left to brood alone. The widower is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and given three months to live. The son's efforts towards his dying father remain frustrated by the old man's wandering mind and eccentric ways. At the widower's death bed the love between them is restored. After the old man dies, the son is offered a glimpse into his father's sanctuary - a place where eternal love really does exist. "In the poetry of human grief Murray has no modern peer." ---Peter F. Alexander
Till Human Voices Wake Us is beautiful in its imagery and cinematography, music, acting, and writing. It had so many themes which may resonate with you on such a deep level. Themes such as look at how we deal with traumas in our life and how they impact on who we become as an adult. Themes about looking at the patterns of behavior passed down from generation to generation and the huge difficulty in breaking those patterns. Perhaps most important to me was the message that you have to work through your past in a positive way so that you can be free to live your future. --michlam
Truly Madly, Deeply is an intelligent, moving, and deeply funny story about love and death. Nina (Juliet Stevenson), a scatterbrained professional translator, has lost the love of her life, Jamie (Die Hard's Alan Rickman). As her life (and her flat) slowly falls to pieces, she's inundated by an endless stream of repair men and eligible suitors. But rather than go on with life, Nina dwells on her dead love, slumped at her piano, endlessly playing half of a Bach duet. Then, in a truly magical sequence, his cello suddenly joins her melody ... and Jamie's back from the dead. At first it's bliss. (Think of the superficially similar blockbuster Ghost--only with real people instead of pretty faces Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze.) But Nina gradually realizes it's a thoroughly real Jamie who's back, complete with every annoying, argumentative fault she'd conveniently forgotten. (He might be dead, he explains, but he still attends political meetings.) Moreover, he has to hide whenever any of the living are around. And he's constantly ice-cold. And he invites his dead pals to her place at all hours. What's a living woman to do? Director, Anthony Minghella, went on to create the melodramatic period piece The English Patient--but in this film, he shows a far more sensitive, subtle touch. The photography is brilliant, capturing the simple beauties of suburban London. And, the wonderfully acted characters, quirky and all too real, will keep you laughing--and always guessing what will happen next. --Grant Balfour
Under the Sand stars the remarkable British actress Charlotte Rampling, who plays Marie Drillon: a strong, attractive, professional, independent middle-aged woman trying to get her life back on track after the sudden disappearance of her husband. Even for a superwoman like Marie, the shock of the tragedy is psychologically traumatizing. Marie isn't sure what happened to her husband (Is he dead? Did he run off with someone else?) and she's in denial about him being gone. At Parisian dinner parties with her supportive, careful friends, Marie still talks about her husband in the present tense. At home, she still imagines that he is with her; she pours two cups of tea in the morning and she reminds him to set the alarm clock before going to sleep at night. At the university where she teaches English, she reads to her students from the melancholy book THE WAVES by Virginia Woolf. Through all of this, Ozon's camera caresses Marie and encourages her, always casting her in cold, confident light. Using film language such as the repeated double reflection of Marie's face in the mirror, audiences come to understand Marie's innermost thoughts and feelings. She is a woman confronting herself (her identity, her age, her body, her sexuality, her emotions, her intellect) with brutal honesty. UNDER THE SAND is beautiful, sad, languorous film that includes some unforgettable images of the rolling ocean waves near Marie's beach house in Landes, France.
What Dreams May Come details one man's visually compelling journey through heaven, hell, and other worlds. Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams) dies but cannot rest until he finds and joins his already deceased wife (Annabella Sciorra) in the afterlife with the help of a friendly spirit (Cuba Gooding Jr.). Academy Award winner, Best Visual Effects, nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.
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Created on 09/15/2005 10:18 AM by John
Updated on 12/15/2009 02:33 PM by Branch
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