MovieChat Forums > Unmistaken Child Discussion > Ebert really missed the mark on this one

Ebert really missed the mark on this one

posted 14 years ago by JyLx
9 replies | jump to latest

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090722/REVIEWS/907229985

"I know I am expected to believe the tenets of a religion on the basis of faith, not common sense, but during this film, I found that very difficult. How reliable are wind directions, the interpretation of ashes and astrological readings? Would you give over your son on such a basis? Would you trust such a chosen one as your spiritual leader?

These matters aside, “Unmistaken Child” has undeniable interest. It is filmed as events occur, in the actual locations, showing a world of great contrasts between an ancient way of life and a society that uses automobiles and helicopters. Baratz doesn’t ask any of the obvious questions, preferring to observe uncritically, and if you can do the same, you may find “Unmistaken Child” worth seeing. I could not, and grew restless."

He assumes that the director and the film are 100% on board with the reincarnation belief. I'm not so sure.

Personally I don't know whether I believe the child is really the incarnation of the lama or not, leaning towards not, but I never felt the movie was trying to coerce me one way or the other. Solid, even handed film imo.

One point for the unbelievers: When they made the child pick "his" former possessions and seemingly got them all right, I noticed that the correct choices were more visually interesting than the incorrect ones. If I was a child I probably would go for the shiny pink beads over the boring brown ones too.

But anyway I think that's really beside the point. It doesn't matter which side you're on, the scene where Tenzin asks the child's parents if they will let him go will destroy you.

[–] howard.schumann 14 years ago

One point for the unbelievers: When they made the child pick "his" former possessions and seemingly got them all right, I noticed that the correct choices were more visually interesting than the incorrect ones. If I was a child I probably would go for the shiny pink beads over the boring brown ones too.

I did not really see how the correct choices were any more visually interesting. In fact, he chose the dark bell over the bright gold one. This is true for other artifacts as well, they looked pretty much the same. What is noticeable is that the boy always said that these are "mine". He identified the retreat they visited as "my retreat" and pointed to a photo of the deceased lama as "me".

"May God us keep from single vision and Newton's sleep" - William Blake

[–] reade-1 14 years ago

Why would a spiritual person (or anyone else) care so much for material possessions?

Image that you have died and then find yourself in a new body. You don’t remember who you once were or who your friends were. But you do remember your tooth brush and that’s what really matters. It is your tooth brush which ties you to your past life.

That’s just crazy!

As for the kid saying, "This is my resort," well they told him it was before they even got there.

[–] howard.schumann 14 years ago

All of the artifacts he was asked to choose from were used in his spiritual practice.

"May God us keep from single vision and Newton's sleep" - William Blake

[–] reade-1 14 years ago

“All of the artifacts he was asked to choose from were used in his spiritual practice. “

Now there is an interesting concept. If I had Babe Ruth’s baseball bat or Lance Armstrong's bike would that make me a great ball player or a great athlete? Hardly!

The Godless vampire in the novel "Salem’s Lot" told the priest that he had forgotten, or perhaps never knew, the basic concepts of his own religion. Namely the priest's cross was only a symbol of salvation and the communion wafer was only baked wheat. To a Roman Catholic all that mattered was faith. As you will recall, when the priest refused to relinquish his cross to save the life of a little boy his cross lost all power over the vampire. The vampire explained that the power to defeat him was never in the cross at all but only in the faith of the person who held it. All this from a Vampire!

Now for the Dalai Lama, is his power all in his prayer beads? If I were to steal those beads would I have stolen his piety, his wisdom and his spiritual strength? Would the Dalai Lama be weakened without the beads, would he be without his Mojo? Or would he just pick up another string of beads and go about his business?

To be a good Buddhist dose one need nothing more than to own the right set of holy relics?

[–] Simon_Bocanegra 14 years ago

Those are silly arguments. One does not need any of that to be a good buddhist. It is a fact that you impregnate your favorite articles with your own energy.
Do you cry whenever you get rid of a car you've had for years? Some folks do.
So it's like an extension of your body. People do it, dogs and cats do it.
You have pictures of your family that you imbue with love, not hate. They make you feel good because you've associated happy, familiar mental energy with them.
Or you have a favorite guitar that perfectly attunes with you.
Christianity has a huge thing about holy relics. Same thing.
Some folks can sleep anywhere; others can only sleep with their favorite pillow on their own bed. That's all it's about, except that high-power yogis and monks can really put out the radiation over a lifetime or 10. :-)

P.S. Ebert is a doofus.

[–] fe_faqet 13 years ago

"So it's like an extension of your body."

Which is absolutely ridiculous. It just shows that tibetan buddhism is not real buddhism. The idea of sacred places, persons and items is heresy to a real buddhist. And if a person is in fact a lama he would be cut free from all those worldy posessions.

[–] forwardmarch-1 14 years ago

reade-1, it seems you really have no concept of what a lama such as this actually does in retreat, so I'll I'll fill you in. First, before several 3-month retreats, a lama will have done 100,000 repetitions of various mantras using the prayer beads. Try to say just 1 syllable 100,000 times and see how long it takes you. Now, imagine what it's like to say a 100 syllable mantra 100,000 times. These are not the only prayer beads the reincarnated lama had his whole life, I'm sure, but probably for a good couple of decades at least.

Now, once a lama accomplishes some mantras, he goes into a 3-year retreat. During that time, he doesn't see anyone or do anything but meditate and practice. Many lamas go in several 3-year retreats and when they are not in retreat, they still spend several hours every day doing meditation and practice. They probably spend more time alone with their religious items than they do with any other person.

The Buddhist tradition is certainly not about material possessions, but that has nothing to do with what is going on here. At all.

I understand your skepticism, but the 1 year old kid immediately yelled out "That's mine!" when the prayer beads were pulled out. He didn't yell out, "give me that" or anything else. I've read similar stories regarding other rinpoches. You may believe that the camera did not show all the coaching about the prayer beads before this one scene, but I don't think that is what happened, personally. Though there was times he acted like a 1-2 year old, he for the most part did not act anything like a 1-2 year old. He seemed to be remembering quickly and seemed to know his place. Most 2 year olds would have freaked out at the idea of blessing several hundred people and putting scarves around each of them, touching each on the head, etc. but he did it patiently without struggle. On the other hand, I've seen my nieces and nephews in church...

[–] cedarrun 14 years ago

Just saw this last night (Oct 3, 2010) and I thought it was quite beautiful. There was certainly more to this child than meets the eye; this was not only evident through his choices of former possessions but also, for example, with his nearly ritualistic watering of plants (among which was a tree the old monk had planted) and his overall calmness and maturity when he was placed "in the spotlight". I can't think of any 1-year olds I have ever met that were quite like this one....

[–] gobbledygoo 13 years ago

I completely agree with you, JyLx, the scene where Tenzin asks the child's parents if they will let him go really moved me personally!

Believer or not, you would have to agree this film allowed you to see a side of world that typically remains unseen by the outside media (even if you take the argument that the point of view is slanted in the direction of the producer/director, it is *still* showing you something that you normally wouldn't be able to easy see).