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In this paper I present empirical findings from an ongoing project, “Spectator Engagement in film and utopian self-reflexivity. Moving images and moved minds” (The Swedish Research Council, 2011 – 2013). During 2011, 30910 questionnaires is were sampled 2011, among from students in of education, nursing, social care as well asand media.  In open ended questions these young adults in their twenties  give gave examples of contemporary film of personal importance dealing with life issues.  and sSome movies, such as Pulp Fiction (1994),  Shawshank Redemption (1994), Avatar (2009), Gladiator (2000) and Amelie from Montmartre (2001), attract a collective interest.  such as Donnie Darko, Amelie from Montmartre and Pulp Fiction. Examples of therespondentsrespondent’s statements about the kind of struggles in life these and other films evoke are dealt with from different theoretical perspectives.

The reported impact of specific movies is analyzed  throughanalyzed through theories about cognitive psychology (Plantinga 2011) as well as visual rethoricsrhetoric’s and the responding chord (Elmelund Kjeldsen 2008) where cognition and emotion are important aspects of the spectator’s’ relation to a film. Theseese analyszees of audiences responses of reading a film are put into the context of ‘the subjective turn’ in the sociology of religion as well as the changing conditions for the reflexive self in late modernity (Giddens 1991, McAdams 1993, Lynch 2007). Also how film viewing is able to elicit self-reflexive transformation processes (Bruun Vaage 2009, Plantinga 2009).