Ilchi Lee Meditations

Ilchi Lee says: "How can you find hope? Hope comes to you when you know who you are." In the end, we must first learn about ourselves – only then is personal success possible.

That idea is somewhat demonstrated in the recent film "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World," typically more known for its dazzling visual effects than its thoughts on philosophy. However, parts of the movie actually touch on these subjects much more than the standard Hollywood fare.

Inspired by a graphic novel, which was in turn inspired by a number of video games, it's easy to get caught up in the crazy visuals of this film. Sure, the plot is pretty cartoonish, but then, that's the whole point.

What's interesting is tracking the personal growth of the title character (played by Michael Cera) over the course of the film. Pilgrim sets out to defeat the "evil exes" of his crush, Ramona. Each one tests him in a way different than the last, similar to levels in a video game.

Without giving away the ending, Pilgrim eventually learns that it's not really the exes he should be worrying about, as he is ultimately his own worst enemy when it comes to relationships. Only once he realizes this is he able to face off against the worst of Ramona's ex-boyfriends. 

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Ilchi Lee believes that meditation can bring to light many revelations. For example, in his poem The Light of Conscience, he writes that "Although all people have conscience / It is difficult to meet people / Who live their conscience." 

This theme is heavily present in 2000's hit drama, Erin Brockovich, a movie that shows one woman's journey as she tries to unravel a complicated controversy surrounding Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Brockovich notices that residents of Hinkley, California, are suffering medical conditions due to industrial poisoning in their water supply and theorizes that it is coming from the operations of the corporation. She also finds that there has been a systematic cover-up of the findings.

The star of the film, Julia Roberts, won an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors' Guild Award and BAFTA for Best Actress. Erin Brockovich is based on a true story and the real Erin Brockovich has a brief cameo in the film as a waitress.

The reception of the movie was largely positive. It received four Golden Globe nominations and five Academy Award nominations.

"We get the best of independent cinema and the best of mainstream cinema all in one package. Erin Brockovich, like Wonder Boys right before it, makes the year 2000 seem increasingly promising for movies," wrote reviewer Andrew Saris for The New York Observer.  

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