We all probably have films/shows that we’ve seen that really speak to us on some deep level or give us a kind of “life lesson”. Here’s a few of my favourite TV shows and films and what they mean to me.
The 13th Warrior (1999) – Fatalism is essentially a belief that your life is governed by fate–that your destiny is pre-determined and there’s no escape from it. The 13th Warrior is the only film I’ve ever seen that portrays this. In the movie, the Vikings are fully resigned to the idea that when they die is out of their hands. So, they fight with courage and gusto believing that if they die in battle, at least they’ll die with honour. It’s not the greatest film, but very good to see this philosophy made real.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) & Secretary (2002) – these are two completely different movies from different ends of the spectrum–one a film for young adults, the other very much an adult film. But, the theme is the same: you can achieve happiness only when you’re doing what really speaks to you–when you’re doing what you were meant to do. In Secretary, this takes the form of a woman embracing her submissive side and finding her dominant opposite. In Nightmare, Jack abandons his daydreams of doing something other than being the Pumpkin King–the organiser of Halloween and its ghouls and monsters.
Big Fish (2003) – this is probably the oddest film on this list and one of the strangest I’ve ever seen. It’s also the movie that’s made me cry more than any other. It’s the story of a son who doesn’t connect with his father, until his father is on his death bed. All his life, the son’s been told outlandish tales about his life. The son decides to check out how real the stories are and the viewer is left trying to figure out the truth in some of the grey zones that remain. Was his dad really the saviour of that small town or just a womaniser? It makes you think about what you believe and why–what your version of other people is. In a way, it’s a happier version of Fight Club…but, I won’t talk about that…
The Zero Theorum (2013) – the moral of this film is simple: don’t wait on life, make things happen. The Zero Theorum is the story of a man waiting on a phone call that he thinks will change his life. His whole life is put on hold and he lives simply waiting for the call as his life crumbles around him.
7 Years in Tibet (1997) – this is an odd film based on a true story about a man who ends up staying in Tibet longer than he planned. He becomes a teacher and close friend of the 14th Dalai Lama as he grows up. I’ve always felt this is a movie about simply focusing on making the most of what happens to you in life and how some of life’s happy accidents can become some of the best things that ever happen to you.
Eat, Pray, Love (2010) – this is an amzaing story about a woman’s journey to discover herself. She essentially puts her life on pause and takes time out to eat (in Italy), Pray (in India) then moves on to Indonesia to study under a guru…where she meets her soul mate. I like how her journey was both intentional/by-design but also how she relishes each experience. We should all take a year off and re-discover who we are…
Clerks (1994) – this is a day in the life of some lovable losers. What makes the film is how knowing (most of) the characters are. Most of the characters understand that most of life is nonsense–just a series of events and interactions that really don’t matter. Especially when you’re not even supposed to be here! I think it helps to give perspective to things and also reminds us how frustrating life is when you’re in those odd years between school and the start of adulthood.
Grosse Point Blank (1997) & Hope Floats (1998) – another duo that are similar but different. Hope tells the story about a woman who is forced to move back to the town she grew up in after a messy divorce. Grosse is the story of a hit man who takes a job in his childhood hometown and ends up attending his class reunion while he’s in town. Both films show how hard it is to go back where you came from. Your friends have aged, changed jobs. The guy who used to be the big goof is now the local bigshot and vice-versa. You just can never go back…or, as Debi says, “Some people say forgive and forget. Nah, I don’t know. I say forget about forgiving and just accept. And… get the hell out of town.”