Respect Life Month, celebrated in October by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), is a time to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life from the beginning to end and every point in between.[1]
Here is a list of three movies you may not expect to help you reflect on why the Catholic Church teaches that all humans have inherent dignity and why, “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2270).
Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
“Horton Hears a Who!” is a movie the whole family can enjoy. Based on the Dr. Seuss book with the same name, it follows Horton (Jim Carrey), an eccentric Elephant in the Jungle of Nool with exceptional hearing. A tiny speck flies by Horton, and he hears a small voice in the speck. It causes him to protect the speck and try to communicate with the little people who live inside it. Inside the speck is Mayor Ned McDodd (Steve Carell), the equally eccentric mayor of Whoville and father of 97 children who notices odd goings-on in the town inside the speck.
The antagonist of the story, Sour Kangaroo (Carol Burnett), suggests to Horton that, “If you can’t see, hear, or feel something, it does not exist.” Loved ones of Horton and Mayor McDodd tell them not to talk about the other people because it looks weird. Knowing that the Whos are real, Horton promises the Mayor that he will find their speck a safe place to rest. Meanwhile, Mayor McDodd does his best to keep the Whos safe while Horton overcomes various obstacles to get their world to safety.
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The events of the story prove Sour Kangaroo and others wrong. Horton avoids Sour Kangaroo’s schemes to destroy the speck and teaches the movie’s main message, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” With many comedic talents in addition to those already mentioned, “Horton Hears a Who!” is a fun, easy way to show the family that all people have dignity and that staying true to your faith is worth it, even when others doubt you.
Arrival (2016)
“Arrival” shows the beauty of choosing life, even when you know that life might undergo suffering. It is a science fiction drama based on the novella “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang, and directed by Denis Villeneuve of current “Dune” trilogy fame. Villeneuve is on record saying, “I was honestly afraid that it could be seen as a pro-life movie,”[2] which makes “Arrival” a classic case of God shining through a movie despite the creators’ intentions.
The movie centers around renowned linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and her quest to communicate with alien “heptapods” who have arrived in twelve locations across the Earth for unknown reasons. Louise is summoned alongside theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) by U.S. Army Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to figure out if the heptapods are peaceful or dangerous. “Arrival” is a slow, reflective movie in the best of ways as Louise and Ian make incremental breakthroughs in deciphering the heptapods’ logographic language.
The heptapods’ gift to humanity is the ability to alter the linear perception of time and to have premonitions of the future. For Louise, she sees glimpses of a future where she will have a daughter who dies from an incurable disease. Despite seeing her daughter suffer and die at a young age, she still carries forward and chooses not to change this outcome because she also sees many years of joy and beauty with her daughter. This relates to a common pro-abortion argument to end a child’s life before birth because you know the child will suffer or have a hard life. One easy way to combat that argument is to show the beauty of countless families with children who have disabilities or a disease, and the heroic actions of the mothers who chose life for their child, even after discovering a condition while the child is in the womb.
“Arrival” also showcases the importance of language and engaging in mutual dialogue to prevent war, common Catholic viewpoints. It also shows how dialogue is key to understanding those who are different or seen as “other.” Louise’s book about the heptapods, “The Universal Language,” relates to how the Church has established Latin as its universal language. Despite Villeneuve intentions, “Arrival” is a great sci-fi movie to reflect upon for respecting life in the Catholic context.
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The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” shows how a person with Down syndrome has a wonderful and valuable life. A modern take on Tom Sawyer and Huckberry Finn, the movie follows Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome who escapes his care facility to follow his dream of being a professional wrestler, and Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a man on the run after illegally catching crabs and sabotaging the gear of his rivals. Tyler discovers Zak, who was hiding under some covers on Tyler’s boat, and the two share a lot of misadventures on their way to get Zak the wrestling school he has longed to join.
Tyler’s tough exterior softens as he interacts with Zak and sees the world more through Zak’s eyes. In one of the more heartfelt moments of the movie, Zak explains he can only be a bad guy wrestler because his family abandoned him, and his teachers and coach told him he can’t be a wrestling hero. Tyler assures Zak that none of that matters because he has a “good guy heart,” and Zak returns the favor, telling Tyler that he is a good guy, too.
From then on, the two protagonists’ bond is solidified. They are eventually joined by Zak’s caretaker, Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), and find their way to the wrestler Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). The Salt Water Redneck is retired from teaching, but agrees to train Zak and sets up a local wrestling match between him and Sam (Jack “The Snake” Roberts). After a comical match and meet-up with Tyler’s rivals, Eleanor drives Tyler and Zak to Florida, implying a new start with a “found family.”
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, a ton of cursing, derogatory name-calling and bullying toward Zak, violence and smoking, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is not for the faint of heart. However, fans of Mark Twain and Flannery O’Connor are sure to enjoy this Southern Gothic-style movie that is full of charm, heart, and a positive message that uplifts the dignity of a person with Down syndrome.
[1] USCCB, respectlife.org
[2] https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/21/14035620/arrival-denis-villeneuve-interview
