Sometimes you’re watching a film, and a character says something that just sticks with you for a long time after the film has finished. I find this happens when films I love give a little wisdom about life – sometimes uplifting but other times humbling. So here are a few examples, the films are also definitely worth watching if you haven’t seen!
Kill Bill 2 – Nothing quite like true love than delivering an insult, right? The Disney idealism of finding a Prince Charming is long dead. Instead we are happy to embrace that the person who becomes your favourite will still be as deeply irritating as every other human being, but you still adore them. I think human beings are bored by perfectionism, it’s not interesting and it has a sense of unrealness to it. We seek imperfections because those are what make us human. (Also deeply suspicious of anything that seems “too good to be true”).
Juno – Another quote about love, and similarly to Kill Bill it shows love isn’t about perfection, but about loving someone flaws and all. Because without said flaws, they wouldn’t be who they are.
Garden State – This quote struck me, because after I left home for university my dad got the place all done up, and when I next returned it almost felt like entering someone else’s house. Although I have no plans to settle anywhere permanently for the time being, which is extremely liberating, I do sometimes miss being able to have a stable ‘home’ setting where I can bury my head and pretend I’m not an adult.
Obvious Child – This Indie Rom-Com is great because it brings the too often ignored subject of abortion to light, and shows to the audience that yes, abortions happen. Although in this scene the mum is (for the time being) distant and authoritative about the main characters recent break up, this line is refreshing to hear because it applies to everyone. No point getting too hung up over drama, otherwise we’ll never be happy. Life is challenging so it’s better to take it on the chin and embrace the difficulties.
Synecdoche, New York – This film is a bizarre, mind twisting experience, but I found it to be quite powerful in examining people’s dissatisfaction with life and themselves. At least, that’s what I took from it. This speech, given by a vicar at a funeral, is definitely designed to make you sit up and take notice. I like its point: that everything is connected, but only by little links that are fragile and easily altered. We are more in control of our lives and destinies than we think. And that we, as humans, wait too long to do anything, and that we’re all too self-focused. Harsh life lessons.
Inside a Mind 