ONE is not a movie. ONE holds magic, woven by the love of all those who crossed the filmmakers path: the spiritual leaders, thinkers, and ordinary folks who opened themselves to the 20 Big Questions; the technical professionals who helped create the movie out of love for its important message; the people in the theater who stuck around in the lobby when the movie was over to share what was in their hearts. You can't judge this movie by its production quality. You have to see it through eyes of love to recognize the seed it is dropping into our collective soul. Many people I've spoken with enjoyed the movie more the more times they saw it, because the layers of meaning began to unfold; the message behind the movie became more apparent. The message is much bigger than the filmmakers know themselves. There is a divine spark in ONE that manages to come through the screen despite its flaws.
7 Reviews
Your heart and mind will never be the same
RPSeattle8 January 2006
Both the film and the story of how the film came to be will forever affect your perception of the human experience and who you are. I'm betting this film will organically become one of the most popular and important contributions to the evolution of peaceful wisdom amongst all cultures and belief systems, worldwide.
It's more than a film, it's an experience. The audience laughed and clapped many times throughout, hanging on every word. Truly relative to any age or background. The first night Seattle premiere sold out in minutes, both showings, 600+ tickets, in the rain!
If you want to understand how *you* affect the world, you must have this experience. You will never see this truth and wisdom in commercial productions of film or television.
Get your local Indie supporting cinemas to show this film and you're community will forever be changed, for the better! I promise.
It's more than a film, it's an experience. The audience laughed and clapped many times throughout, hanging on every word. Truly relative to any age or background. The first night Seattle premiere sold out in minutes, both showings, 600+ tickets, in the rain!
If you want to understand how *you* affect the world, you must have this experience. You will never see this truth and wisdom in commercial productions of film or television.
Get your local Indie supporting cinemas to show this film and you're community will forever be changed, for the better! I promise.
Something for EveryONE!
torielly3 February 2006
Participating in the Canadian premiere of this film, I really didn't know what to expect from a little, low-budget American Indie about the "meaning of life" especially opening on New Year's Day. Not only did every show sell out, people returned to see it and brought their friends, their mothers, their lovers, often driving two hours to the there. Even churches reserved dozens of tickets! Every time I stood at the back of the theatre (because there only was standing room!) I could feel an immediate "heart opening" and expanded presence of oneness. Not only did this movie deliver on the message, more importantly it delivered on the experience. What I loved was the universality of this movie - it's not just for the "new age"/cultural creative set but truly for everyONE! Time for Hollywood to wake up and smell the success of spiritual cinema...
Earnest for Sure, But Short on Delivery
tj1screen9 February 2006
Here's a small film which is heart-felt and earnest, driven by pure motives to try to unite a divided nation and calm our fears and bedraggled nerves. So why am I about to rain on its parade?
As much as I respect the film and the attempts of the filmmakers, I must say I quickly became bored by the constant "golly-gee-whiz" factor of the filmmakers' incessant reminder that this is their first film - they're not professional filmmakers - but this is their first film - but they never made a film before - so they bought a camera and made their first film. How about that?!
Their access to high places in the world of religious thinkers is impressive. Unfortunately, the film is so heavily edited that these great thinkers only get to deliver sound bites; we don't get to hear a lot of reasoning behind the comment or the verbal pathway of thinking which brought the talker to this particular comment. Heavy philosophical questions cannot be answered in 20-second segments - even if you do string several such segments together.
The final groaner for me was the character (who comes to symbolize "any thinking person") as he takes a cliché-ridden journey to enlightenment.
I went to this film with another person who agreed with my complaints, and yet she was quite moved by this film and would recommend it to anyone. My recommendation is not as glowing. If you liked WHAT THE BLEEP, there's a 60/40 chance you'll enjoy ONE. But turn off that little film critic inside your head first.
As much as I respect the film and the attempts of the filmmakers, I must say I quickly became bored by the constant "golly-gee-whiz" factor of the filmmakers' incessant reminder that this is their first film - they're not professional filmmakers - but this is their first film - but they never made a film before - so they bought a camera and made their first film. How about that?!
Their access to high places in the world of religious thinkers is impressive. Unfortunately, the film is so heavily edited that these great thinkers only get to deliver sound bites; we don't get to hear a lot of reasoning behind the comment or the verbal pathway of thinking which brought the talker to this particular comment. Heavy philosophical questions cannot be answered in 20-second segments - even if you do string several such segments together.
The final groaner for me was the character (who comes to symbolize "any thinking person") as he takes a cliché-ridden journey to enlightenment.
I went to this film with another person who agreed with my complaints, and yet she was quite moved by this film and would recommend it to anyone. My recommendation is not as glowing. If you liked WHAT THE BLEEP, there's a 60/40 chance you'll enjoy ONE. But turn off that little film critic inside your head first.
changed perspective
one-7127 January 2006
My awareness changed after seeing this film the first time. And how often can you say that about a movie?! The messages from these wise men and women resonates with you long after leaving the theater, and you are much more inclined to truly live in the moment, just for the quest to feel the "oneness" our lives represent.
"We do not know why my reality intersected with your reality, but that is the meaning of life." That is where we know our purpose.
Additionally, the "interfaith" reactions and dialogues are burgeoning in my community as a result of this film. The labels and walls of differences must be rendered passé as we attempt to move on to a state of oneness. Go see it, and listen.
"We do not know why my reality intersected with your reality, but that is the meaning of life." That is where we know our purpose.
Additionally, the "interfaith" reactions and dialogues are burgeoning in my community as a result of this film. The labels and walls of differences must be rendered passé as we attempt to move on to a state of oneness. Go see it, and listen.
A poor attempt at capturing greatness
hexanone18 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The brave people who went on the difficult journey of exploring the religious experience by interviewing influential religious thinkers were not prepared for the ride. Regardless if this was their first movie, as they are amply reminding us time and again, the lack of coherence and the unnecessary heavy editing that stripped all substance from thoughtful responses of the interviewee is rendering a good idea into something meaningless. I would have been much more interested in seeing complete interviews of each spiritual or religious leaders without editing, but no such luck.
I would not recommend this movie to anyone seriously seeking an articulate discussion on the topic of religion or religious experience, but it could be palatable for those seeking good one liners or simple wisdom.
I would not recommend this movie to anyone seriously seeking an articulate discussion on the topic of religion or religious experience, but it could be palatable for those seeking good one liners or simple wisdom.
It could have been so much more.
elewis0528 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie tried to explore the meaning of life- not just with ordinary citizens, but with some of the most influential and most brilliant minds on the planet. I would have much preferred to have seen experienced filmmakers asking these people that they interviewed questions so that they didn't make them look like idiots; example: "act-out the condition of the world without making any sounds." The problem was that in the beginning, these documentarians were talking about how great it was that they were doing this great project, and in the middle and end of it, they were still talking about what a great project it was, and how they got such great people to talk about so many great things- then why didn't they share all of these great things with us???!!! I left the film feeling less enchanted. I wasn't looking for answers, just some new perspectives about the human condition, about compassion, about where we all fit within this mass of humanity, and it could have really opened up some great avenues of discussion. But no, it ended with a conclusion that "we must be one with everything around us" and "we are all one." There were the expected characters- the homeless people, the atheists, the Buddhists, the fundamentalist Christians, the people who can channel spirits, ditsy teenage girls on the street, and tourists- all allowed numerous blips and shots to give their short little answers to what they thought about God and life- but everything was so edited, and so cut-down, and so....overly artistic (like this depressed guy filmed in black and white that they keep going back to throughout the movie who was supposed to represent the topic being discussed at that moment- he was really distracting and corny and....pointless to the film). I do not think this film respected the people in it- people who should have been given more time to reflect on one question, rather than being forced to answer 20 that put them on the spot. Anyway, I could go on, but basically, I was disappointed by this film and I would not recommend it. It wasn't awful, but it really did not do any justice to the importance of our eternal search for meaning- so I for "One", want my nine dollars back.
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