LIVE, LEARN, & LEARN Series #17. The Rite (film, 2011)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#17. RITE (film, 2011)

Journalist: “Which do you believe in? Aliens or God?”

Michael (Seminary Student): “The jury’s out on both. I’m not a priest yet.”

Journalist: “So you’re having a final fling with atheism?”

Michael (Seminary Student): “Well, I guess it’s more like an ex-girlfriend who keeps coming around.”   

ð  This brief dialogue takes place between an inquisitive journalist and a doubtful seminary student who previously worked as a mortician. The journalist is looking into reported exorcism cases in Rome, Italy. Her role acts as an important, realistic counterbalance to the skeptical seminarian, Michael, as she examines the phenomenon with a direct approach, though her true motives are not immediately clear.

The journalist’s question implies that his atheism or skepticism is a final fleeting "fling" or phase, not a deeply rooted philosophical belief before he was officially accepted as a priest.

Michael’s answer to her question indicates that he continues to wrestle with his faith and is unable to fully abandon his skeptical perspective.

This underscores his inner struggle between rational doubt and the spiritual vocation he is following, presenting faith not as something calm and fully resolved, but as an ongoing and challenging journey.

 

“Michael Kovak (seminary student): I believe that people prefer to lie to themselves than face the truth.”

ð  This line of the seminary student, Michael’s is showing how skeptical and doubtful he is about the blind faith in a religion. He meant to say that people frequently prefer comforting illusions or easy denials instead of confronting difficult truths—such as the possibility of spiritual evil—because accepting these realities can be unsettling or frightening.

 

“Father Xavier: Tell me, Michael, do you believe in sin?

Michael (seminary student): Yeah, I just don't necessarily believe the devil makes us do it.

Father Xavier: He that committeth sin is of the devil.

Michael Kovak: Then that'd be all of us, wouldn't it? And if we're all of the devil, how do we fight him?”

ð  We can find the film’s main theme in this conversation between the Father and the seminary student. There is the strong tension between logical skepticism and religious belief. It reveals Michael’s deep-rooted doubts and his difficulty in reconciling traditional Catholic teachings about the devil with his own more contemporary or psychological understanding of evil.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

To begin with, I’m not an atheist. I do believe there is an all-powerful being somewhere beyond us, but that doesn’t mean I automatically accept or agree with everything preached in church. While watching the film, I found myself relating to the seminary student Michael, who struggles with deep doubts about traditional religious explanations of sin and sinners. If God is truly all-powerful, then any evil that exists must occur with His permission. From this viewpoint, the devil could be interpreted as an extension of God’s will—serving as a harsh force that tests humanity so people will ultimately remain devoted to Him. In this sense, the ongoing struggle against Satan resembles a kind of divine “War on Terror,” reinforcing God’s continued authority and loyalty from believers.

We are currently witnessing some of the most destructive and brutal wars in Middle Eastern countries. Under the seemingly noble justification of “protecting weak and vulnerable nations from evil leaders or dictators,” major global powers—such as the United States and Israel—are often accused of misusing their influence to serve their own interests and ambitions. Many people who look beyond the surface believe there may be hidden motives behind these actions, suggesting that powerful nations sometimes take advantage of their strength to expand their influence on the global stage.

On the Way to Find Me (Poem by Jean)

 On the Way to Find Me

by Jean Jiyoung Lee

 

Sometimes I wonder if I can read my mind clearly

If I have someone in my life who sees it better than I do,

I would ask him what it can be seemingly

and tell me if that is about what and who

 

Some may say I’m getting closer to my inner voice too gingerly

to live out my heart so true.

                                                               Some others think it’d be gnarly

If I really meant to coo

 

On the day I step forward audaciously,

I'll have found the long-lost clue.

Hoping that I understand the answer perspicaciously

I dream of the missing piece that I pursue.

 

 

It's time to play the SUNDAY PUZZLE from NPR: aired today on March 8th, 2006)

 This is a "quiet" puzzle. Every answer is a word that starts with SH-. I'm going to give you two words that the answer can proceed in order to complete compound words or familiar two-word phrases. You tell me the SH- word.

Ex. Holder     Cropper   -->   SHARE (shareholder, sharecropper)

 

1. Shooter     Eyed

 

2. Music     Metal

 

3. Skin     Dog

 

4. Shocked     Game

 

5. Key     Gears

 

6. Wreck     Mate

 

7. Horn     Lace

 

8. Center     List

 

9. Change     Range

 

10. Clock     Glass

 

11. Blade     Strap

 

12. Stall     Curtain

 

Answer Keys

    1.   Sharp (Sharpshooter & Sharp-eyed)

    2.   Sheet (Sheet music & Sheet metal)

    3.   Sheep (sheepskin & sheepdog)

    4.   Shell (shellshocked & Shell game)

    5.   Shift (shift key & shift gears)

    6.   Ship (shipwreck & shipmate)

    7.   Shoe (shoehorn & shoelace)

    8.   Shopping (shopping center & shopping list)

    9.   Short (shortchange & shortrange)

    10.              Shot (shot clock & shot glass)

    11.              Shoulder (shoulder blade & shoulder strap)

    12.              Shower (shower stall & shower curtain)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE Series #16. Sentimental Value (film, 2025)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#16. SENTIMENTAL VALUE (film, 2025)

 "I think it’s time you and I sat down and had a proper talk.”

ð     This line is spoken by Gustav Borg, the famous film director in the movie, when he meets his estranged daughter Nora at his wife’s wake. He is aware of, and tries to understand, the deep resentment Nora carries toward him, largely because he abandoned the family when she and her younger sister were still children. Although he expresses a desire to have a “proper talk” with her, such a conversation seems nearly impossible, since he lacks the ability to communicate in the way others would consider meaningful or sincere. I found this to be one of the film’s most ironic moments: a man who remained emotionally distant from his own family suddenly attempts to reconnect with his angry daughter while working on a deeply emotional film about family relationships. 

 

"I can't work with him. We can't really talk. My father is a... very difficult person."

ð     Nora immediately turned down his father’s proposal for the movie and refused even to look at the script. She could not imagine collaborating with her father and believed that doing so would only further damage what was essentially a nonexistent relationship. Nora worried that, for a brief period, she would become the focus of her father’s attention, only for him to leave again just when she might start believing their bond had improved. She was unwilling to allow him to play with her emotions. She had already witnessed the impact this had on Agnes, who had appeared in one of Gustav’s films as a child. After the filming ended, Agnes was left longing for her father’s love and attention, but he had already moved on.

 

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

As I see it, and perhaps as director Joachim Trier intended, the film tells a story about the many complicated and deeply connected emotions within families that people often struggle to discuss openly. Is there any family that doesn’t carry some form of past resentment or painful experiences that must be faced? For some people, bringing those feelings into the open may feel overwhelming. For others, it might be healthier to prepare themselves for the moment when they finally choose to confront the grief and sorrow they have long carried.

 

While watching the film, I kept replaying the scene where the two sisters lie next to each other and recall memories from their childhood. In that moment, they share an honest conversation and express tearful gratitude for having supported each other during the hardest times of their youth. When the younger sister, Agnes, tells Nora, “You were there for me,” it deeply moved me. It reminded me of my own childhood, when I would sometimes sleepwalk into my mother’s room and cry while holding her pajamas to smell her scent while she was away on business abroad. During those nights, my sister would always comfort me and guide me back to bed, reassuring me by saying, “Mom will be home in a few days.” Even now, I sometimes have a recurring nightmare in which I suddenly find myself in an unfamiliar place, lost and unable to return home. I believe my sister may also carry her own memories and emotional wounds from the lonely moments we experienced as children.

 

This film made me reflect on an important question: what responsibilities do parents have toward their children, and what do children owe their parents in return? It also raises another thought—are we truly ready to face the less pleasant parts of our past and mature enough to accept them and make peace with them?

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES # 15. "GOOD NIGHT and GOOD LUCK" (2005)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#16. Good Night and Good Luck (film, 2005)

 

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always, that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law."

ð  Edward R. Murrow argued that opposing the government is a basic right in a democracy and should never be treated as an act of treason or disloyalty to the nation. He made this statement during a notable 1954 episode of See It Now, where he criticized Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “witch hunt” methods. McCarthy often relied on unfounded allegations to damage the reputations of individuals he labeled as “un-American.

 

“Good night and good luck.”

ð  During the German air raids, people in London frequently ended their conversations by saying “good night, and good luck,” since they were unsure if they would survive to see one another the following day. Murrow later adopted this expression, reportedly inspired after hearing a similar line used by Princess Elizabeth in a 1940 radio broadcast.

It became a defining feature of his reporting, reflecting a sense of personal connection, the seriousness of the era, and a closing message that conveyed integrity during both World War II and the period of McCarthyism.

 

“This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends.”

ð  Murrow believed television possessed an extraordinary ability to educate and motivate the public, yet he worried that it was mostly being used for trivial entertainment and commercial gain.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Many times, we notice striking similarities between the past and the present across different areas of society. The manipulation or suppression of mass media and the spread of political paranoia are issues that never truly become history. While watching the 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck (directed by George Clooney), I was repeatedly reminded of tightly controlled media and compromised newspapers in various parts of the world.

 

The film portrays the confrontation between journalist Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965, an American broadcast journalist and war correspondent) and Senator Joseph McCarthy during the era known as the Red Scare. It underscores the importance of journalistic integrity and the responsibility of the media to keep the public informed, even under challenging circumstances. Murrow devoted his career to pursuing the truth and worked persistently to overcome the challenges journalists faced during a time defined by political fear and suspicion. His lifelong commitment to honest journalism and transparent ethical standards represents the kind of example that is especially needed today.

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #15. MEDITATIONS (journaled by Marcus Aurelius, 170 - 180 CE)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#15. MEDITATIONS (journaled by Marcus Aurelius, 170–180 CE )

 

“Always observe how ephemeral and worthless human things are, and what was yesterday a little mucus, tomorrow will be a mummy or ashes. Pass then through this little space of time conformably to nature, and end thy journey in content, as an olive falls off when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it, and thanking the tree on which it grew.”

 

ð  By emphasizing the transience of human life, he points out that material success and possessions hold little value in the context of eternity, encouraging people to distance themselves from trivial cravings and step back from fleeting recognition.

 

“Remember too on every occasion which leads thee to vexation to apply this principle; not that this is a misfortune, but that to bear it nobly is good fortune.”

ð  “At its core, this principle centers on owning your emotional responses and deliberately choosing a composed, poised, and virtuous reaction instead of resentment. Hardship provides an opportunity to develop patience, resilience, and inner strength, which can itself be considered a kind of blessing.

Adopting this perspective in life would reduce needless emotional distress by stopping minor annoyances from escalating into significant, lasting sources of negativity and stress.

 

“Judge every word and deed which are according to nature to be fit for thee; and be not diverted by the blame which follows from any people, nor by their words, but if a thing is good to be done or said, do not consider it unworthy of thee. “

ð  This suggests that you should have confidence in and affirm your own moral choices when they are rational, virtuous, and consistent with your true purpose as a reasoning, social being. “Be not diverted by the blame which follows... nor by their words”. Do not let criticism, disapproval, or fear of unpopularity prevent you from doing what is right.

The sentence that goes “If a thing is good to be done or said, do not consider it unworthy of thee” tells you not to allow pride or the fear of appearing foolish to stop you from acting the right way. If something is virtuous, it is never beneath you.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

As I read Marcus Aurelius’ reflections, I began to recognize how limited my perspective has been—both figuratively and, in some ways, literally. Over time, the world around us seems to be shifting quickly into unfamiliar chaos filled with uncertainty, something we are clearly experiencing today. However, when we examine this disorder through the recurring patterns of history, it may become easier to choose our path with assurance. Marcus Aurelius encourages us to turn inward and discover an inner center that allows us to remain calm despite external disturbances and turmoil.

It's Time to Play the NPR Sunday Puzzle!

I'm going to name two things from the same category. You name the only thing in that category that fits between my two things alphabetically.

Ex. Blue   Indigo   -->   GREEN (Category: colors of the rainbow)

 

1. August / February

 

2. Five / Nine

 

3. Bashful / Dopey

 

4. Tau / Upsilon

 

5. Kings / Lakers

 

6. Nixon / Pierce

 

7. Ventnor Avenue / Virginia Avenue

 

8. Cuspid / Molar

 

Answer Keys

    1.  DECEMBER (Category: Months)

    2.  FOUR (Category: Numbers)

    3.  DOC (Category: Seven Dwarfs’ Names)

    4.  THETA (Category: letters of the Greek alphabet (19th and 20th respectively)

    5.  KNICKS (Category: NBA TEAMS)

    6.  OBAMA (Category: The U.S. President’s last name)

    7.  VERMONT (Category: The street names from Monopoly board game)

    8.  INCISOR (Category: names of teeth)