Thoughts on the Movie Deej

I saw the movie Deej recently. I loved it. It is a documentary about DJ Savarese who is a nonverbal autistic like me. I am following in his footsteps by going to regular school and being included. DJ received a good education with the help of a communication helper. He was meaningfully included. He participated. DJ learned to teach his neurotypical classmates that just because you can’t speak doesn’t mean you can’t think or communicate another way. DJ types like me. Like me he needs assistance to initiate, keep going, and not get off track. DJ wrote a play about his autism. His classmates acted it out. I thought it was great that DJ could teach his classmates this way. I hope I can make my classmates understand autism too. It is really peace to my soul to teach others that we who cannot speak are deep thinkers. We just have bodies out of synch with our minds. Meaningful lives are found when we can connect with others. Having effective means to communicate builds bridges linking people’s hearts and minds.

Deej was able to graduate from high school. His walk across the stage was my favorite part because it is my goal to get a high school diploma. I graduated middle school last spring. It was one of the best moments of my life.

DJ went to college at Oberlin. It was a lot of hard work. I mean to be a writer when I finish high school. I’m not sure I want to go to college. But I think everyone should set their own goals. I love that DJ's parents always supported him in reaching his goals. My parents also support me. They make my life more like a neurotypical's life by making me able to do regular things. I’m not typical though. Being autistic is my destiny. Inclusion should be for all on the basis of our humanity.

Typing a question to Deej himself! 

 Copyright 2017 Philip Reyes.  All rights reserved.

Zootopia Review

By Philip

Zootopia is one of the best movies I have seen. It was funny, had an excellent plot and message, and characters you could sympathize with. I loved the friendship of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, animals from opposite sides of the predator-prey world in Zootopia. The world in Zootopia is a lot like ours. The different species are a lot like our different cultures and races. We often make up distinctive markers in our world too. Neurotypical and neurodiverse. Immigrant and native. Woman and man. While it is good to acknowledge our differences, it is bad to judge people based on those differences. I liked how Zootopia addressed prejudice from both majority and minority’s points of view. We are all the same in living in a less than perfect world where we often are underestimated, bullied, or typecast. We need to peacefully live together, accepting our differences, and getting to know one another as people rather than our distinctions.

At the theater with Lia, Carlos, and my Grams

Copyright 2016 Philip Reyes.  All rights reserved.

Reflections on Pixar's Inside Out

By Philip

I saw the movie Inside Out. I enjoyed learning about emotions and memories from Inside Out. I watched some nonsense movies recently. This one was alright but not as good as Big Hero 6. There are five competing emotions in the character Riley’s brain.  They are Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear as personified. They compete to make memories for Riley. Memories form islands of meaning.  For Riley, these include loving family and hockey. My acceptance of my autism is an island of meaning for me. Lots of emotions and memories have built it. Pain and sadness are as much a part of my life as joy. Lots of different emotions are necessary. People usually only want to experience joy. But people make important memories based on many emotions. I am able to tell you about autism because I have meaningful memories based on lots of varying emotions. I am peacefully putting sad memories away. I made the decision to walk an autistic life and no longer try to become like a neurotypical person.  Peace comes from accepting my path. I am meaning to make the most of my life. Saving others like me from a life of insignificance is my mission. 

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Watching TV and Movies

From Philip's Classmate:

Dear Philip,

I have some questions to ask you.  First, what does your brain think about when you do things like watch TV, and if you understand movies, what is your favorite movie?  Second, how and when did you get diagnosed with autism?  Finally, is there a way you can climb over autism and speak your mind like neurotypical people?

From Philip:

When I watch TV, my brain often loses its peace. For me, the moving pictures and loud noise is too much for me to take in all at once. I practice watching TV by either looking out of the side of my eyes to limit the visual input or I just listen. I like movies because of the good stories. My favorite movie is Big Hero 6. I liked that the main character was smart. Lots of action too. I was diagnosed with autism when I was 2 and a half. People diagnosed me because I didn't talk. I can climb over the autism wall by talking by typing because my mouth can't talk. I can look more neurotypical by practicing being with you more.

Theory of Everything Review

By Philip

The Theory of Everything ran too short on caring to explain Stephen Hawking's ideas and moments of seeking meaning in motor disease. I think it would have been best to have put more time into exploring into Hawking’s mind and his disease to animate his true nature.  I wish a sheer view were made into his mind to see how his mind really worked even as his body was really not cooperating. I think the wife was lonely because she was made to take care of Hawking a lot. He was a burden. Mrs. Hawking tried to load each problem on assuming Mr. Hawking didn't care he was hard to care for. Take it from me; i know it feels bad to be a burden. I think too much was made of the marriage.  My interest mainly was in his work as a scientist. I was really interested in how he operated with his disease and made peace in life. I was bored through a lot of the love parts. I liked the parts with Stephen’s professor. I would have liked to learn like him. I question Hawking's theories but I like trying to explain unifying theories too. The Theory of Everything is your typical view of Hawking's life. Next time there should be a movie based on his perspective.