Movies and the Meaning of Life

In this introductory guidebook, Omura puts some very interesting films together in a meaningful order. As we consider these films with him, we are encouraged to relate them to deep questions about life.

Bruce Kaurin, author of Mindscreen and How Movies Work

Wayne Omura's book provides succinct descriptions of the films he considers to be the most evocative of the human condition. A useful guide for all film lovers and those who wish to discover the enigma of living life through the movies.

Suranjan Ganguly, Associate Professor of Film Studies, University of Colorado

The movie is a vicarious experience. It is a substitute for so-called "real" life. And yet, this illusion can move one's soul. It can place one on the beaches of Normandy with shells exploding and bullets whizzing through the air. It can place one on another planet facing alien forms of intelligent life. The movie is a fantasy, a distilled form of imagination. We know where we are physically in reality. But if a movie is good, our mind is somewhere else. And if a movie is excellent, our spirit has also been released. On some occasions a movie can be incredible. In such an instance our soul can he transformed. These incredibly transformative movies form the core of this book: movies that convey visions of the meaning of life. They are the most profound films in cinematic history.

From the Introduction