Phenomenon

Watched the movie starring John Travolta and Kyra Sedgwick on HBO.

For those who haven't seen it, the story's about a regular man, played by John Travolta, who acquires incredible mental prowess after being struck down by some kind of light from the sky.

All of a sudden he's learning a new language in 20 minutes, he's making objects move with his mind, and he's solving complicated math problems in a snap. Oh, and he also predicts an earthquake.

Everyone he knows is either in awe or afraid of his gifts. The only person who treats him the same is the woman he loves, played by Kyra Sedgwick. One scene even reminds me of many a Bible story, where a crowd gathers around Jesus, asking him to perform miracles.

Well, as the movie progresses, we find out that the light was actually just a symptom of a medical condition that caused him to use a bigger percentage of his brain. When he collapsed, he lost all his "gifts" and was told that he was dying.

Unlike most Hollywood love stories where the man and the woman live happily ever after, the main character does die, and the friends he has left behind celebrate his life.

It's a beautiful movie. The simple premise of a good and simple man touching the lives of those around him, so much so that he continues to live even after he dies.

My favorite scene in the movie is the one where Kyra's character, Lace, gives John's character, George, a haircut and a shave in her kitchen sink. I remember that I cried the first time I saw it. The intimacy, tenderness and love captured in the scene was just beautiful. And the music they used to enhance the shot was perfect.