With three major awards shows to go: Baftas, SAG Awards, and the Oscars there is something to take away from these movie and TV shows

The Morning Show (season 3)

No matter how hard it is, telling the truth is always the right thing to do, even if it involves a family member you are trying to protect and be loyal to. For those that have seen the season you will know what I’m referring to regarding Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon’s character). It’s very similar to the thesis of the Showtime show, Your Honor. In that moment when you are hit with speaking up or keeping quiet, the latter in the long run can turn out to be more detrimental than helpful.

Another takeaway is: be wise in your romantic pursuits. I’m thinking of Alex Levy’s (played by Jennifer Aniston) relationship with Paul Marks (played by Jon Hamm). Even in a good and healthy relationship, we are all blinded by love. But, taking time and putting the brakes on sexual encounters can help us have clarity to see any atrocious and barbarity in a person’s character. Putting on the brakes can help us really decide if that person is right for us and if they hold the values and morals we are looking for.

Killers Of The Flower Moon

Piggybacking off of The Morning Show, there are similar themes in this Martin Scorsese directed film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert DeNiro, and Jesse Plemons, which I might add is based on a real story. My takeaway: BE CAREFUL WHO YOU MARRY. While it's impossible to know everything about a person in just dating, there are risk averse measures we can take before marrying someone. DiCaprio’s character, Ernest Burkhart had a motive to marry Gladstone’s character, Mollie Burkhart and that motive was money-driven. And money driven motives, though history tells us Ernest Burkhart and Mollie Burkhart genuinely loved each other- though I’d argue that genuine love doesn’t lead you to want to kill your spouse- are nastily evil.

And while, we can’t read people’s hearts and know who they really are, God knows people one-hundred-percent and He knows people’s motives. So, when deciding on marrying a person, especially if you have money or status, you have to be extremely prayerful with your eyes open. Asking God to point out things about a person- and He always will- then it’s our job to do our due diligence and make wise decisions when we see negative things that could be detrimental later. It takes courage to walk away from a relationship, especially when your heart is deeply in it, and especially when wedding plans have taken off. But, it’s better to walk away than be put six feet under, because they never loved you at all.

The Holdovers

Dominic Sessa and Paul Giamatti | ***Photo Provided By: Miramax***

We always want to know why people are the way they are, and rarely do we ask how and when did it come to be that they are this or that way. When we take the time to get to know people, and look beyond their misbehaviors and the façades that they give us, we see that we’re all just people with wounds, joys, skills, gifts, and contributions to the world. There is beauty in most every person and it takes time and humility to see that. We can often be better about giving people a chance.

Saltburn

Again, this film follows with this theme: be careful who you let into your life, especially if you’re rich or have status. People have motives and it’s hard to know who is genuine and who is not. It’s better to err on the side of caution with people and as I’ve gotten older, it’s better to have a few good friends. I like the quote, “I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies in my life.” Quality people in our lives are better over a large quantity of people.

Oh, and really get to know someone before you let them into your home. I’m reminded of my time in Germany. It’s hard to make friends in German culture. They don’t let you into their lives and friendships easily. I’d say the Spanish are the same. Their friendship groups are very tight. You have to meet a German like 20 times before they let you into their homes and their lives. They are real and direct people, and they don’t let just anyone into their lives. They take their time to study people. It’s not easy to be an American in Germany, at the beginning of an expat journey, because we Americans are so open and welcoming- and we let people in fast, even new people we just meet. But when a German lets you in and when you make a German friend, you have a friend for life. There’s wisdom in this, and if Jacob Elordi’s character, Felix Catton (and his whole family) had exercised some distance and held back, then Barry Keoghan’s character Oliver Quick wouldn’t have had quick (excuse the pun) access or control over the family.

Barbie

It’s much better when both men and women can come to the table and work together, instead of working against each other. Both bring value to the world and when we can value each other’s gifts and talents, and not see the other in a negative light, so many positive things can happen.

Oppenheimer

This film shows the need for atomic technology regulation, which there is a lot of in the world. But, there is often disregard for said regulation. Just look at North Korea. Secondly, for every action there is an equal and possible reaction. There is always a reaction to an action, and with the looming Cold War in 1945 on the horizon, and the mistrust between the United States and Russia, it led to a lot of action and reaction- the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki being two. On an individual level, we must look in our hearts at our actions and reactions to people, especially the most challenging ones, and seek to not drop bombs on them.

Maestro

Leonard Bernstein became a world-renowned composer because Bruno Walter, a guest conductor, got sick with the flu. Because Bernstein was assistant conductor he conducted one night, and voila, became famous. The takeaway: when God gets ready to elevate you, no one can shut that door. Open doors are great blessings from God.

And, it’s important to be honest with people, especially about your sexuality. You’ll understand from the film, but if you know you’re not secure, confused, and not sure in your sexuality, don’t get involved with someone of the opposite sex until you are confident in who you are, to not mess up someone else’s life.

American Fiction

This is a film with a lot going on from navigating family relationships, to feeling overburdened, to the politics around the culture of race, to human relations, to society’s ignorances. The takeaway is clear: communication is key. Monk, played by Jeffrey Wright and the members in his family, though they love each other, don’t communicate well and that led to Wright not knowing about his mother’s deteriorating cognitive health. It also resulted in the sister carrying all the weight of caring for the mom, plus dealing with her own life’s challenges, that led to her putting herself last, and to ultimately… Well, I don’t want to give anything away. Monk wasn’t able to communicate with himself, which led to him not being able to relate to others and pushing them away, or him losing significant things in life. When we don’t communicate we suffer, and those around us suffer.

And, the race. part. I’m just reminded how much the United States focuses on race, and it’s exhausting. The culture of race and society’s expectations and judgements on certain races are just tiring, and these ignorance’s can hold a nation back or just keep a nation with a boxed mindset.

Nyad

The takeaway are in the words that say it all of Diana Nyad, played by Anette Benning at the end of the film: “Never ever give up, you’re never too old to chase your dreams, it [swimming] looks like a solitary sport but it takes a team.”