Non-Nursing (well… o.k. maybe it is Nursing related): Movies you should watch over Christmas break

Students, faculty, nurses, and all other people…. You may have a day or two of down time this Holiday Season and my advice is. TAKE IT! Take a day off, in your pajamas, and relax. Do not clean the kitchen, do not go visit someone, do not go shopping or to a sale somewhere… just stay home and take a day off.

While you do that… watch a movie. These are a few I recommend that deal with one of the following: health care, changing the world, changing your view, or having your eyes opened. These are several of the most moving films I have ever seen, but don’t take my word for it (I am certainly no film critic and often am subjected to reruns of Phineas/Ferb and Spongebob). Watch one!

Schindler’s List – If you have not seen it, you should. It is one of the iconic movies of our generation. I took  not only history away from it, but a feeling of purpose in my own life for causes I believe in.

Something The Lord Made -  This HBO original film is very well done and speaks to relationships, judgment, critical thinking, racism, and science.

Lorenzo’s Oil – This 1992 drama depicts the real life struggle and quest for change of a family, regarding their son’s diagnosis and prognosis. The amazing work of Augusto Odone in finding a treatment for a fatal disease is literally unforgettable.

And the Band Played On – This very moving film from the late 1980′s highlights the AIDS epidemic in its earliest stages. It is a historical look at this disease that all people should be privy to.

Hotel Rwanda – I could go on and on about this film, but it speaks for itself. Courage, leadership, doing the right thing in the midst of Chaos are all present in the plot. For me, civil unrest, cultural views, and violence will never be the same.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas – This very moving film, the only one in the group that is not a ‘true story’ but still worth the time to watch, shows the openness of children and the equality of human beings. Set in a WWII concentration camp, clear contrasts are made concerning human nature and goodness.

The Soloist – After watching this movie I simply had to sit alone for a while and absorb it. Mental illness, homelessness, and my own personal responsibility (or perception of) to both were glaringly present throughout the film.