<DIV>"The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions," said Albert Camus. And philosopher Woody Allen has wondered: "How is it possible to find meaning in a finite world, given my waist and shirt size?" Claims about what gives life meaning have not only been analyzed by philosophers but by the primary mythmakers in contemporary culture: Hollywood filmmakers. <BR><i>Movies and the Meaning of Life</i> shows how a wide variety of films have tackled ? to sometimes hilarious, sometimes surprisingly pointed effect ? the same questions that have obsessed the deep thinkers. These essays draw on such sources as <i>The Truman Show</i> and <i>Contact</i> to explore the nature of reality; <i>Fight Club</i> and <i>Being John Malkovich</i> for cogent lessons on finding one's true identity; <i>American Beauty</i> and <i>The Shawshank Redemption</i> for pointers on life's purpose; <i>Pleasantville</i> and <i>Spiderman</i> for nuggets of wisdom on how to live one's life; and more.</div>