Between Inspiration and Reality: A Review of 'Flowers of Evil'

Flowers of Evil (2016)

 

Flowers of Evil is a Finnish movie with the original title: "Pahan kukat".

Flowers of Evil  (2016)  is a Finnish film that has the potential to inspire emerging artists, especially those from foreign backgrounds. Although it takes steps toward addressing issues related to multiculturalism in Finnish society, it disappointingly falls short in some key areas.

Pros

Cultural Diversity
One of the strengths of this film is its focus on cultural diversity, particularly involving national minorities and children of immigrants. This is a fresh perspective in Finnish cinema, which often portrays a largely homogeneous society.

Cons

Unclear Protagonist
The film struggles with its character development. It's not clear whether the story centers around the teenager Sipe, his stepbrother Juno, or their father. The absence of clear goals for these characters adds to the confusion.

Vague Antagonist
Similarly, it's difficult to identify the antagonist—is it Finnish society, drug dealers, or something else entirely? 

Poor Structure
The film mainly focuses on setting up the story, giving the impression that we are stuck in the first act for almost the entire runtime. This results in a lack of resolution and a sense of unfulfillment for the viewer.

Delayed "Point of No Return"Structure
The crucial "point of no return" for the main characters is postponed until the film's end. This leaves the audience wanting some sort of resolution, which never comes giving the impression that we are stuck in the first act for almost the entire runtime.

Missed Opportunities for Growth 
The film introduces several elements that could provide a resolution, such as Juno's artistic talent and social workers' interventions. For instance, Sipe could express his concerns about Juno in a school assignment, leading to a positive intervention from social workers. This would provide a more hopeful conclusion to the film.

Final Thoughts

In today's world, where the value of wealth often surpasses that of creativity and art—symbols of higher consciousness—it's pivotal for societies to re-evaluate their priorities. As highlighted in my article, the value artists bring to society is immense, and the diminishing respect and support they receive is concerning.

Films like 'Flowers of Evil' are a testament to the struggles artists face, emphasizing the need for countries like Finland to not only recognize but also financially support and elevate their artists. 

For more insight into the value of artists and their key role in society, refer to the article: "Why War? Summary /C".

 

Misc

• Picture in the article:  ©IMDb 
• Edited using GPT4 from OpenAI

 

More Metaphysical Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 Subscribe 

 

 

 

Unraveling Umbra: From Academic Leader to Dark Enigma in 'Apeiron' - A Metaphysical Film Review

Apeiron (2013)

Metaphysical Movie Review by Jacklyn A. Lo – Apeiron (2013), Director Maria Ruotsala.

Apeiron, by Finnish woman director Maria Ruotsala, is a thought-provoking film that is itself a work of art.

Who am I?

The protagonist, Umbra, goes through the "Who am I?" process. He has an academic background and earns his living by lecturing students and examining patients with mental disorders. Therefore, his soul has a fairly high energy potential, which is typical for a mature soul.

Spiritual Journey

During his spiritual journey, Umbra makes some findings - he does not feel compassion for his patients, nor does he understand the meaning of human existence. Projecting his inner world onto the outer one, he concludes that people are not ruled by any Creator (i.e., God) but by blind chance.

Soul

As our thinking is a derivative of our consciousness, and our consciousness is a reflection of the qualitative energies of our soul, we can conclude that Umbra's soul contains quite dark energies. As these energies are the result of his multiple-choice towards Darkness, such a person cannot feel either Creativity or a source of Creativity, i.e. God. And while talking about Free Will, Umbra does not even realize that he may no longer have it.

Humanity

Umbra's wife, Iris, is presented in the film as an antagonist. Despite her partnership with Umbra, she retains humanity. Iris is shown to be more compassionate and understanding than Umbra, thus she represents the spiritual opposite of him.

Spiritual Choice

Aside from Umbra's monologues to his students, it would have been great to have a strong dialogue between him and Iris in the final moments of the film, highlighting the spiritual opposite between the two. Ideally, it would be best to come up with a Spiritual Choice for Umbra and demonstrate a further change in himself - whether it is irrevocably towards Darkness or unexpectedly towards Ligh.

Any comments, questions, and suggestions are very welcome.

Notes

• Find more about What is Spiritual Choice
• Learn about multiple Spiritual Choices toward the Light in Redemption novel.
• Discover Spiritual Choices toward Darkness via the novella "Tomo and the Soul Catchers"

Misc

• Picture in the article:  ©IMDb 
• Edited using GPT4 from OpenAI and Bard from Google AI

 

More Metaphysical Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 Subscribe 

[DISPLAY_ULTIMATE_SOCIAL_ICONS]

 

 

Braveheart (1995): A Metaphysical Dive into Freedom

Braveheart ( 1995)

Metaphysical review of Braveheart (1995) by Jacklyn A. Lo

Based on historical events, Mel Gibson's Braveheart (1995)  is a remarkable film that explores Spiritual Choice toward Light and its central value - Freedom.

Freedom

While some of us are fortunate to inherit freedom as a birthright, many must fight for it. William Wallace was among those who, though born into subjugation, chose the path of Freedom.

Wallace lived in the 13th-14th centuries in Scotland, a land oppressed by the tyrannical English King Edward I. Despite losing his entire family to English invaders, Wallace harbored no hatred in his heart, choosing instead the path of Light over Darkness.

Love, Peace, and Justice

Even when the father of William's beloved Murron, urged him to join the rebellion, Wallace hesitated, advocating for a peaceful existence. (Love and Peace - Value of Lights).

His ideals, however, were challenged when English soldiers attempted to rape Murron, imprisoned her, and later publicly executed her. At this point, Wallace could no longer remain indifferent; Justice, another Value of Light, had to be served.

Thus, Wallace emerged as the leader of his clan, rallying them against English rule.

Courage

Drawn to Wallace’s indomitable Courage—a central Value of Light—hundreds of Scots from neighboring clans joined his uprising.

However, the Scottish nobles, corrupted by wealth and power, chose servitude ( Slavery - Value of Darks) over freedom and betrayed Wallace, aligning themselves with the darker values.

Wallace is brought to London, tried for high treason, and condemned to public torture and beheading.

Spiritual Test

Like all of us in physical reality, he is supposed to go through the Spiritual Choice, which in William's case, was also a Spiritual Test.

Like all human beings confined to physical reality, Wallace faced a Spiritual Choice, which in his case, also functioned as a Spiritual Test.

Isabella of France, enamored by Wallace, pleaded with him to beg for the king's mercy. He declined. She then offered him a magical potion to alleviate his impending suffering, which he also refused.

When given one last opportunity to plead for mercy, Wallace instead roared, "Freedom!" Even after being subjected to torturous execution, he remained steadfast.

Commitment To The Light

Freedom for Wallace was not just a word; it held profound significance. While we may never understand why he was subjected to such a severe spiritual test, his actions stand as a testament to his unwavering commitment to the Light.

Concluding Thoughts

Without freedom, love and hope become meaningless, and we forfeit our ability to create, to become Creators.

Braveheart is a must-see film for anyone captivated by tales that inspire and provoke deep spiritual reflection.

Notes

• * Being born in a country that grants freedom to its citizens is a privilege earned through multiple choices towards freedom in past existences. Freedom in the past existences
• Learn more about the multiple Spiritual Choices and their consequences in the Sci-fi and time-traveling novel Redemption.

Misc

• Picture in the review:  ©IMDb 
• Edited using GPT4 from OpenAI and Bard from Google AI
  

More Metaphysical Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 Subscribe 

Sully: A Triumph Amidst Adversity. Metaphysical Review

Sully ( 2016) 

 

Metaphysical Review by Jacklyn A. Lo: Biographical Film "Sully".

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writers: Todd Komarnicki, Chesley Sullenberger, Jeffrey Zaslow

The film "Sully" (2016) stands out as one of the finest examples where the main character confronts a problem and transforms it into a triumph.

Spiritual Choice

Sully, the protagonist, faces a difficult situation where he must make a life-defining decision i.e. Spiritual Choice, within a very limited time frame. One option is based on logic, which would be accepted by governmental authorities, while the other is based on his intuition and serious attention to his recurring night dreams.

Nightmares

At the beginning of the film, we see that Sully is haunted by nightmares. In these dreams, he envisions himself as the skilled pilot he truly is, but he makes a wrong decision that results in a plane crash with passengers onboard.

And then, that fateful day arrives.

Sully and his assistant find themselves in a dire situation when both engines fail. Sully, as the main pilot, has only a few seconds to make a critical decision that will determine the lives of 155 people. He is left with two options: try to reach the nearest airport or make an emergency landing on a river of icy water. He chooses the opposite decision from his dream and saves himself and the passengers.

Individual

Now, let's delve deeper into Sully's life journey.

Sully is an exceptional individual. His profession as a pilot demonstrates his proficiency in operating complex aircraft instruments. This occupation also demands a vast amount of experience and knowledge. Additionally, as a pilot, he possesses exceptional organizational, communication, and concentration skills. All of these factors indicate that the matrix of his soul has achieved a high level of maturity, i.e., an above-average energy potential.

Discipline

Sully's disciplined nature is complemented by his commitment to physical fitness and jogging while keeping his indulgences, i.e. alcohol, etc. to a minimum. These qualities are especially important in an extremely stressful situation as they allow a person not only to avoid physical collapse but also to help the mental field focus on an emergency problem.

Energy Potential

In our daily lives, by following a normal routine, we only slightly increase the energy potential of our souls. Therefore, Higher beings, whom we refer to as our Higher Brothers, closely monitor our energy progress and present us with challenges at the right time and under the right circumstances. These challenges play a vital role as the Universal Laws of Change and Evolution drive all living beings to enhance their energy potential.

Benefits from Problems

However, for some of us, our Higher Superiors strategically design and create emergency conditions that push us beyond our limits. These conditions provide us with the opportunity to rapidly increase the energy potential of our souls.

Even a person working on an average problem has a good chance to increase his energy potential since the challenge activates his soul. Each problem and a situation for it are individual and created for a specific person.

The energy potential of a problem situation is always higher than the energy potential of the human soul. That's why no one can avoid problems. We can compare this process to solving mathematical problems. The problems considered and studied increase the energy potential of the student, but those that lie ahead are even more energetic, and the student must work hard on them in order to progress.

Development on the Spiritual Path 

This is exactly what happened to the main character of the film, Sully - to evolve on his spiritual path, he needs new challenges.

From his conversation with Jeff Skiles, we learn that besides his skills as a pilot, he is also exploring entrepreneurship. Moreover, his business, presented on his website, looks very impressive, as if a large corporation is behind it, and not just one person. A low-energy soul cannot and will not want to “show off” in this way.

Starting your own business usually requires a higher level of risk-taking and responsibility than being an employee. It also requires a higher level of personal discipline and the ability to control business assets.

Conclusion

Although our life paths are individual, they are based on general rules that are controlled by Universal Laws.

For some of us, making decisions based on logic is already a triumph because that person must first learn logic. However, at a higher level of spiritual development, we must also allow our intuition and/or the promptings of our Higher Brothers to guide us in choosing the best possible option.

Our Earth serves as a platform for us to acquire the missing energy potentials, both qualitatively and quantitatively. And our Higher Brothers constantly provide us with difficult situations for the development of our souls.

Solving those problems in the right way and learning from the difficult situations is a plus for each of us.

Notes:

• Explore Spiritual Choice vs. Daily Choice and Decision making
• Find more films with a Spiritual Choice
• Read our articles about Spiritual Choice 
• Learn about the Spiritual Choice and its consequences in the novel Redemption. 

Misc:

• Picture in the article:  ©IMDb 
• Edited using GPT4 from OpenAI and Bard from Google AI

More Metaphysical Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 Subscribe 

[DISPLAY_ULTIMATE_SOCIAL_ICONS]

Unveiling Spiritual Courage: "A Hidden Life" Review by Jacklyn A. Lo

 

A Hidden Life (2019)

Metaphysical Movie Review by Jacklyn A. Lo – A Hidden Life (2019).

Director and writer:  Terrence Malick. 

"A Hidden Life" is a thought-provoking historical film about Finding Spiritual Strength during WWII.

Individual vs. Society

This film explores the journey of a man who refuses to conform to societal norms and instead embraces his own spiritual beliefs, even in the face of hardship.

Living in a small Austrian village, Franz finds himself isolated because of his convictions. He refuses to participate in Hitler's war, firmly believing that both the war and Hitler himself are wrong.

However, his dissenting views are met with disdain and judgment from those around him, who see his refusal as arrogant and even prideful.

Higher Consciousness

This lack of understanding stems from their limited vision and inability to understand a higher consciousness than their own.

Franz seeks guidance from the local priest, but even the "servant of God" is unwilling to go against the grain, choosing instead to prioritize external circumstances over the moral principles of an individual.

Spiritual Challenge

Furthermore, Franz's spiritual challenge extends beyond his resistance to the war.

It comes at a great personal cost, including the suffering of his beloved family, separation from his wife and children, enduring physical pain, humiliation, and even facing death at a time when he desires to live.

Despite the hardships, Franz's wife and life partner, Fany, stands by his side, offering him unwavering support throughout their journey together.

Profound Spiritual Trial

In essence, this film delves into the profound spiritual trial faced by Franz and the sacrifices he makes for his beliefs.

It is worth noting Franz's village doesn't understand his higher consciousness. Most people there struggle to even grasp what consciousness is. As a result, they can't fathom Franz's difficult spiritual choice toward enlightenment.

The theme of individual vs. society and following spiritual challenges for the protagonist reminds the movie "Hacksaw Ridge (2016)", directed by Mel Gibson. Find my review of this film via the link.

Metaphysical Perspective

From a metaphysical perspective, Franz's journey can be seen as a metaphor for the soul's journey towards enlightenment.

In a world where many people are quick to conform to societal norms, A Hidden Life (2019) is a refreshing reminder that it is possible to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means facing hardship.

Franz's story is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the importance of following your own path, regardless of what others may think.

Like Franz, we are all faced with challenges that test our faith and our resolve. But if we are willing to face these challenges with Courage and Determination, we can emerge stronger and more enlightened on the other side.

The film also raises important questions about the nature of consciousness and the relationship between the individual and the Divine. Franz's choice to follow his conscience, even in the face of overwhelming opposition, suggests that there is a Higher Power that guides us and supports us on our journey.

Ultimate Message

Ultimately, "A Hidden Life" is a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it. It is a reminder that we are all connected to something greater than ourselves and that we have the power to make a difference in the world.

Notes:

• Picture in the article:  ©IMDb 

 

More Spiritual Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

 

Donate to Metaphysics

 

 

The Dark Soul of the Jackal. Film review

©IMDb 

Film Review: The Day of the Jackal

By Metaphysical Reviewer Jacklyn A. Lo

The Day of the Jackal is a 1973 political thriller film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Edward Fox. The film is based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth.

 

Mature and Dark-Souled

The assassin, code-named "The Jackal" accepted an offer to kill a high-ranked politician.

It is likely that the Jackal possesses a mature and dark soul that is in its final incarnation.

The maturity of his soul is demonstrated through exceptional organizational, planning, and entrepreneurial skills. For instance, he adeptly orchestrates the theft of a passport from someone who resembles him, cleverly assuming the role of the victim.

He is also highly disciplined and capable of working independently in unpredictable situations.

Goal-Orientated

In a constantly changing environment, the Jackal swiftly adapts to avoid obstacles, such as altering the appearance of his car, stealing license plates, etc.

The Jackal is highly focused on achieving his assigned goal. All his actions are dedicated to this defined objective.

Resistance to Temptations

He displays a remarkable resistance to temptations if any exist for him.

For instance, he could easily take upfront payment for a challenging and dangerous project and disappear, but he chooses to continue working on the assignment. He does not succumb to distractions, whether in the form of sexual relationships, leisure, or substance abuse, for example, alcohol, and remains dedicated to his task.

Lack of Interest in Earthly Possessions

All listed qualities indicate that the Jackal is a mature soul who has transcended the allure of worldly possessions.

In other words, he has almost transcended the physical realm.

One might wonder why, despite possessing many high-end qualities, the Jackal is depicted as a spiritual entity moving toward Darkness rather than Light.

Movement towards Darkness

A professional killer cannot adhere to the fundamental values of Light, such as Peace, Human Life, and Compassion. Therefore, the Jackal gravitates towards the opposite direction from the Light, accepting values associated with War, Cruelty, and Ruthlessness, thereby moving further towards Darkness.

In terms of energy quality and quantity, Jackal's soul is comparable to that of John Doe, one of the main characters in David Fincher's film Se7en (1995).

Conclusion

The Day of the Jackal (1973) is a suspenseful thriller that follows the story of an individual with a mature and dark soul. From a spiritual, metaphysical point of view, the Jackal can be seen as a man who made multiple choices toward values of Darkness such as Hatred, Revenge, and Violence.

It is a film that can help us to become more conscious of our own dark impulses and make the Right Spiritual Choice.

Notes:

• Explore a Spiritual Choice towards Darkness in the screenplay Heaven
• Image in the article: ©IMDb 
• Edited using Bard, an experimental large language model from Google AI

 

More Spiritual Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 

 

The Drop (2014). Metaphysical in Film

The Drop ( 2014)

Metaphysical Movie Review by Jacklyn A. Lo – The Drop" (2014).

Director:  Michael R. Roskam. Writer: Dennis Lehane.

False Pride

The key phrase in this film is False Pride.

Bob's current life is realized in the harsh environment of Brooklyn, infested with low-level mafia gangs. Bob makes a reasonable living working as a bartender in a pub that was previously owned by Cousin Marv.
At first glance, Bob is a humble guy who is doing nothing but pouring drinks to clients and obeying whatever comes to him. For example, Bob is willing to pay ten thousand dollars to Eric Deeds for Eric's ex-dog's well-being.

Own Value

Simultaneously in the film, we follow the life story of Cousin Marv, a large, unremarkable middle-aged man.

Both protagonists open up in private conversation when Cousin Marv tells Bob of his own great value and the meaning of his "boss chair". His speech is full of pride in himself, which shows him as an undeveloped soul.

In opposition, Bob shows himself to be a mature soul.  He has a different idea of who Marv is. Bob clearly realizes that this pride has no value because it is based on Marv's zero accomplishments. And Bob's answer is very short and clear - the chair, which is of great importance to Marv, is just a chair, nothing more. This plot's situation deserves more than 10 points!

Separate the Tares from the Grain

After all, this episode shows the difference in the energy potentials of the protagonists' souls. One is a young soul full of false pride, and the other is a more experienced soul, able to separate the tares from the grains and draw clever conclusions.

Who am I?

Life is not easy and Bob had some blunders.  And at the end of the film, he wonders if he belongs to God or the Devil, that is, he asks: "Who am I?"

Well, he has a soul, which is definitely moving towards the Light. Because those who have given their souls to Satan have no sympathy or compassion for others, be they humans or animals, but Bob has.

On the topic "Who am I?" the film is similar to such films as Father Stu (2022), Requiem for a Dream ( 2000), Kyle XY ( 2006-2009), and others.

Conclusion

The Drop" (2014) is a thought-provoking movie about human pride, recommended to watch to any independent thinker!

Notes:

• Find more about false pride in the screenplays "The Return of Melissa" ( Nathan) and Heaven (Cora) 
• Learn about multiple spiritual choices toward the Light in Redemption novel.
• Picture in the article:  ©IMDb 

 

More Spiritual Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 

 

Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002). Metaphysical Review

Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002)

 

Metaphysical review Jacklyn A. Lo for the film Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002).

Original title: Elina - Som om jag inte fanns.

 

This is a very exciting film with metaphysical elements where the main character - a little girl confronts an adult authoritarian woman who is fit for her grandmother.

Mature Soul

The protagonist Elina is a school-age girl with a mature soul that has great energetic and spiritual potential.

Following the plot we recognize that Elina has not only Courage but also Compassion (the episode with Finnish-speaking boy Anton).

On top of that in spite of all difficult circumstances, she is a fighter for Justice, her own Human Rights, and the rights of others.

As Courage, Compassion, Justice, and Human Rights are the main intangible Values of Light, Elina is a spiritual being moving toward the direction of Light.

She also has a high sensitivity to reality beyond the physical world which proves her high Spiritual Potential.

Absolute Power

The antagonist of Elina is her teacher Tora Holm, a conservative and authoritarian administrator.

The main value for her is absolute social power based on what she believes in her rightness.

That principle she spread not only over school children but also to Einar Björk, the new teacher, who sees things differently than she does.

Spiritual Direction 

From a spiritual point of view, Tora has an above-average energetic potential in her soul (she is an administrator and a teacher).

But, what is her Spiritual Direction?

Through the film, we see that she humiliates the poor and those who have a lower social status (such as Finns).

She is also indifferent to their suffering, for example, she deprives Anton and Elina of dinner.
She clearly enjoys her own social power ( the episode of giving or not giving charitable boots to Elina), ignoring the girl’s positive intentions, etc.

All these actions are signs of the presence of heavy brutal energies in her soul and the movement of her soul toward Darkness.

Elina's and Tora's battle

At first glance, the energy capabilities of these two characters are equal, but it turns out that the girl is still stronger.

In fact, Elina is ready to sacrifice her own life, but not give up the Values of Light¹ that she followed.

Moreover, Elina receives additional strength from the collective will of all the schoolchildren who joined her protest.

Under these circumstances, Tora finally finds herself in a "No Choice" situation and is forced to accept her defeat and subsequent Change.

Some thoughts

It would be useful to add visibility to this change in Tora - for example, she changes her red suit for a less authoritarian dress and, for example, shows her sitting at lunch at the same table with schoolchildren.

Unfortunately, the film ends without showing us the inner transformation of the Tora. That would be the most interesting part.

Will she continue her journey into Darkness, hiding her cruelty like a wolf in sheep's clothing? Or perhaps this unwanted Change gave her a chance to turn to the Light and begin the process of enlightenment? Or maybe she will give up her school career and retire, i.e. will choose the direction of Degradation?

Conclusion

"Elina: As If I Wasn't There( 2002)" by director: Klaus Härö and scriptwriter Kjell Sundstedt is a fascinating film with spiritual elements and highly recommended to watch by the whole family.

Notes:

• ¹VALUES OF LIGHTS: FREEDOM, LOVE, PEACE, COURAGE, TRUTH, JUSTICE, HOPE, HUMANITY, HARMONY, GENEROSITY, FRATERNITY
• Picture in the review:  ©IMDb 
• Learn more about the Spiritual Choice towards Light and its consequences in the novel Redemption. Get an 85% price discount with the code YK37U. Valid until 2023-9-9
• Check the presales of my new screenplay, "The Hamlet's Choice".

 

More Metaphysical Movie Reviews – Jacklyn A. Lo

Check Our Featured Screenplay Melissa

Explore TV-Series Redemption 

Donate

 

Interview with Jacklyn A. Lo

Jacklyn A. Lo, India

What do you write about?

Metaphysics

Why do you write about it?

The metaphysical is the source of everything that happens in the physical world.

Why exactly do you write about the metaphysical?

I would like to share my experience. I have felt the supernatural and its influence since I was a teenager. However, the main reason is the upgrade of my Consciousness that occurred in adulthood.

What metaphysical theme do you like the most?

Spiritual Choice

Why Spiritual Choice is the most fascinating for you?

Any Spiritual Choice toward Light provides not only an upgrade of consciousness but also enlarges your vision.

View the whole interview now at Smashwords.

Connect with me:

Facebook

Twitter

Smashwords profile page

The Hamlet's Choice. Presale

 Exclusive early release! 

The Hamlet Choice 

My new screenplay, The Hamlet's Choice, is coming on August 29 to major retailers, but the ebook is available NOW at Smashwords for immediate purchase and reading!  

#presale #smashwords #hamlet