Have you been classically conditioned? I have.

In Psychology, classical conditioning refers to the repeated pairing of one thing with another. You’ve heard of Pavlov and his dogs? He’s the guy that taught his dogs to associate a bell with food. After a while, the dogs would salivate at the sound of the bell. Kind of like I do at the sound of the dinner bell.

Another way I’ve been classically conditioned involves Reese Witherspoon. When a movie in which she’s cast starts up, I’ve learned to run away screaming. In my mind, she’s become associated with that most dreaded movie genre, the romantic comedy. Oh, the horror…

That’s not completely fair, of course. She did give an amazing performance as June Carter in 2005’s Walk the Line.

I’m pleased to report that my previous conditioning was completely shattered by the recent move, The Good Lie. It hasn’t exactly set the box office on fire, and that’s a shame, because it’s very good.

In what way is it good? From a social justice point of view, it shines the light on the human tragedy in Sudan, the horrors the victims faced, and they lengths they’ve gone to survive. The acting was top notch all around, and the script was clever and to the point. The movie covers themes such as survival, family bonds, sacrifice for the greater good, and it also has many funny moments.

This one is well worth looking out for. A small gem that shouldn’t be overlooked.