Feature Films

Little Buddha (1993)

Duration: 2h 02m 58s

Featuring Keanu Reeves as Siddhartha, “Little Buddha” follows a young American boy who is believed to be the reincarnation of a Tibetan lama.

Tom mentions this film in relation to the Kathe Simbhu Stupa in Kathmandu, which he visited during his travels in Book 2.

Made in Heaven (1987)

Duration: 1h 42m 16s

A romantic fantasy comedy film directed by Alan Rudolph, starring Timothy Hutton and Kelly McGillis. Made in Heaven is about two souls who cross paths in Heaven and then attempt to reconnect once they are reborn on Earth.

There is a very sweet, adorable movie named, “Made in Heaven.” I was so thrilled that I took a cassette tape recorder and taped the dialogue of the character that was playing God. He had his hair slicked back and was smoking a cigarette. It was even funnier to have that image as God. He was having a dialogue with the star of the movie, saying, “Well, that’s just the way the system works.” The dialogue was really very precious to me, like poetry to me, because they’re saying it humorously, they’re saying it with ordinary dialogue and so on. Read between the lines; it’s so beautiful, it’s so accurate.

— Tom Sawyer, What Tom Sawyer Learned from Dying,
Chapter 17

Fearless (1993)

Trailer

Starring Jeff Bridges, Max tries to live his best life as a survivor of a plane crash. Jeff Bridges’ character was modeled on the producer’s interviews of Tom.

The Ghost of Flight 401 (1978)

Duration: 1h 33m 48s

An aircraft crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 101 passengers. After the wreckage is removed, salvageable parts from the plane are used to repair other aircrafts. Soon passengers and crew on those aircrafts report seeing what they believe to be the ghost of the wrecked airplane’s flight engineer.

While correcting certain “non-truths” in the popular understanding of the story, Tom discusses the ghostly apparition of the pilot and its relationship to protecting aircraft in Book 1.

What Dreams May Come (1998)

Trailer

After Chris Nielsen dies in a car accident, he is guided through the afterlife by his spirit guide, Albert. His new world is beautiful and can be whatever Chris imagines. Even his children are there. But, when his wife, Annie, commits suicide and is sent to hell, Chris ignores Albert’s warnings and journeys there to save her. Upon arrival, Chris finds that rescuing Annie will be more difficult than he’d imagined.

Starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra, and Max von Sydow.

Tom loved this movie, and all his friends rave about it too.

Flatliners (1990)

Trailer

As a famous near death experiencer, Tom was consulted for the creation of the popular 1990’s movie “Flatliners.” The movie stars Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin, Oliver Platt, and Kevin Bacon. It’s about five medical students who attempt to find out what lies beyond death by conducting clandestine experiments that produce near-death experiences. Tom did not like the sensationalist direction the movie took. As Richard explains: “You can’t create your own NDE because it would be based on your limited, judgmental perspective. The movie is impractical and silly.”