A Night Under The Stars With Audrey Hepburn

Toronto is and probably always will be one of my favourite cities, and as a new resident, I am already jumping on as many opportunities as I can to explore and take part in Toronto's culture and events. One of my favourite things already about Toronto is the ability to take part in the many events the Toronto International Film Festival Group and TIFF Bell Lightbox has to offer. TIFF and the Toronto Entertainment District BIA have been hosting special free, I repeat free, screenings of Romance Classics every wednesday night at David Pecaut Square running from July through August.

The theme of this ongoing summer event is "A Summer of Romance" with classics like Sleepless in Seattle, Clueless, City Lights, and Sense and Sensibility on the list. Last night was the screening of the 1953 classic Roman Holiday that won Audrey Hepburn an Academy Award and launched her career. And I mean, who wouldn't want to spend a night with Audrey under the stars? Here are some photos of the event.

David Pecaut Square, west of Roy Thomson Hall

 So bring your blankets and pull out chairs because next week, the Nicholas Sparks classic The Notebook will be concluding this summer event! Check out tiff's website for more details.

Stay tuned for my TIFF experience starting in September.

New Trailer: Scarlett Johansson is the Must-Have Gadget in Her

In a technology enriched society, with gadgets left and right designed to meet our every need, it's not hard to admit they are becoming almost human-like. And it's not hard to admit we've got deeper connections with our gadgets than we do with some of our fellow humans. Spike Jonze, director of Being John Malkovich and Where The Wild Things Are explores this concept in his new love story with a twist: Her. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore, a lonely divorced writer, who develops the most unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system "Samantha", voiced by Scarlett Johansson, who is designed to grant his every command. A weirdly fascinating idea, it feels similar to the idea of falling in love with Siri, except Samantha's a little more advanced, almost human actually, and the sound of Scarlett Johansson's voice is there at the click of a button. The film continues to present itself with a strong female cast, with Rooney Mara, Amy Adams, and Olivia Wilde also starring. Her is set to open later this year on November 20th.

What do you think of the trailer?

Another Year of Madness: TIFF's Midnight Madness Lineup

One of the things I've yet to experience at Toronto International Film Festival is Midnight Madness. As one might know, Midnight Madness are special midnight screenings showcasing the best of the "wild side" of cinema. There's something thrilling about gathering with a bunch of strangers, in the middle of the night, in the streets of Toronto, and bond over our madness for mad cinema.

It's a new year, and TIFF has just announced their new lineup for the best in action, horror, shock, and fantasy.

Afflicted 
Directed by Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, the film follows two friends who, on a trip around the world, undergo a strange and sickly transformation after a mysterious meeting with a woman. Shot in a documentary style narrative, Afflicted is the filmmaker duo's feature debut.

Almost Human
Also with a feature debut, US filmmaker Joe Begos' horror sci-fi indie flick follows a quiet rural town in Maine, which becomes a raging inferno of axe murders and alien abductions. Blood and gore galore.
Watch the trailer here.

Oculus
This horror, directed by Mike Flanagan tells the story of a woman who tries to absolve her murder-convicted brother, by proving that the crime was committed by a supernatural phenomenon: a 300-year old cursed mirror who has left a trail of bloody tragedy on their family's history.

Rigor Mortis
Director Juno Mak pays homage to the Hong Kong cult classic horror-comedy series of the 1980's. Reuniting some of the original cast members, the films is set in a creepy and moody Hong Kong housing unit, who's halls are occupied by the supernatural.

Why Don't You Play In Hell?
Described to have similarities to Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Japanese director Sion Sono' action flick follows a renegade film crew who becomes entangled with a yakuza clan feud.
Watch the trailer here.

All Cheerleaders Die
In this fresh horror comedy from directors Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson, a rebel high school outsider signs up a group of cheerleaders to help her take down the captain of their school football team, but a supernatural turn of events plunges the girls in a different, and bloodier, battle.

The Green Inferno
Wizard of the horror genre, Eli Roth returns to the director chair for this gruesome homage to the Italian cannibal films of the 70's-80's. The Green Inferno follows a group of New York City student activists who, on an expedition to save a dying tribe in the Amazon, crash in the jungle and are taken hostage by the very tribe they came to protect.

R100
In this bizarre and humorous take on sex comedy, Japanese director Hitoshi Matsumoto brings us the story of a mild-mannered family man who's secret taste for S&M finds him pursued by a ruthless gang of butt-kicking dominatrixes.





The Station
Marking the first time an Austrian film makes the mix, this horror thriller by Marvin Kren follows the crew of a remote weather research station in the German Alps who soon discover that a retreating glacier is genetically mutating the local wildlife into biological monstrosities.
Watch the trailer here.

Flashback: The Sea of Many Depths in Life of Pi

I suppose in the end, the whole life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.

Best Directing, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography. This 2012 award winning film tells the sweeping story of a young man who, upon surviving a disaster at sea with a single lifeboat, forms the most unlikely connection with another survivor: a Bengal tiger. With vivid imagery and bewitching visual effects, Life of Pi is one of the most visually beautiful films that I've seen in my life time. Through Ang Lee's incredible artistic eye, he is able to communicate a beauty that grants us an experience of eye-opening moments. Life of Pi is a film of moments.

Movie Moment: What do you see? If you look at it, the sea is another entire world, deep and profound, breathing with another force of life. It's an infinite universe immersed with creatures known and unknown, familiar and strange. It's both terrifying and astounding. Understanding the sea is as difficult to grasp as understanding outer space, the universe, and heaven. In this "sea montage scene," Ang Lee bridges the idea of the sea with the universe, with a spiritual approach; The reflecting stars and planets merge with the glowing sea creatures, the sea becomes one with night sky. It's as if the boat is suspended, drifting above this unfathomable universe. Through a montage of images, we are pulled deeper into this expansive sea-universe and see things never imagined to be seen.

What was your Life of Pi Movie Moment?

Toronto International Film Festival Opening Film Announced

A story about the relationship between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his early supporter and colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg, a story about a friendship torn apart as a website's power and influence expands across the globe. This 2013 thriller drama, The Fifth Estate, will kick off this year's Toronto International Film Festival, which runs between September 5th - 15th. The film, directed by Bill Condon (Dream Girls), stars English actor Benedict Cumberbatch and Spanish-German actor Daniel Brühl.

Cumberbatch seems to be a headliner this festival, with several appearances in several star-studded films. For one, he is among the stars of the Steve McQueen directed film 12 Years A Slave, which will premier at the festival. The film, a pre-civil war historical drama about a free black man who is abducted and sold into slavery, also features the likes of Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti, and Brad Pitt.

Among the Gala presentations announced, August: Osage County, a dark comedy drama based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, presents an all-star cast of Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, and Ewan McGregor, with a third Benedict Cumberbatch feature this festival.

Other special presentations announced include, Gravity, the highly anticipated space thriller starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney; Bad Words, a boisterous comedy directed and starring Jason Bateman, The Invisible Woman, a period drama directed and starring Ralph Fiennes about Charles Dickens' secret affair with young actress Nelly Terman (Felicity Jones); Prisoners, a gripping thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman; and Tracks, a story about a young woman, played by Mia Wasikowska, who set out on a 2,700 km journey across the Australian outback by foot.

Which TIFF film are you most looking forward to?

Visit tiff.net to view the full list of announcements.

Flashback: Quintessential Quentin Tarantino in Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction (n.)

1. A publication, such as a magazine or book, containing lurid subject matter.

2. Mass produced magazine, printed on cheap "pulp" paper.

3. A 1994 Quentin Tarantino classic

Pulp Fiction, directed and written by Quentin Tarantino, intertwines the four stories of two hit men, their mob boss gangster's wife, a boxer, and a pair of diner bandits in one unconventional timeless film. With quintessential Quentin style, it has everything you'd typically find in one of his films: violence, dark comedic moments, and witty dialogue. It was a major breakthrough for not only Tarantino's career but because it turns the gangster crime genre on it's head. Cool guns, fancy suits, the extravagant car chases charge most gangster films. Pulp Fiction, on the other hand, finds it's charge from it's wisecracking witty dialogue, it's alternative long-take camera style, it's blend of many genres, it's trademark non-linear narrative structure, and it's smart, sometimes oddball, cast. 

Tarantino is an undoubtedly a quirky, eccentric, and brilliant original. And his writing truly stems from his originality. He has the ability to focus on small details, often seeming so irrelevant and trivial, and follows them where they lead, even if they move the story away from atypical plot developments. He follows the unconventional path.

"That's when you know you found somebody really special.
When you can just shut the fuck up for a second and comfortably share silence."

Movie Moment: The Diner scene with Vincent (John Travolta) and Mia (Uma Thurman). The scene showcases some of the finest Quentin Tarantino writing. And the writing allows the characters to shine. With the dance number at the end of the scene, it's outlandish, quirky, and sparkling with clever one-liners. The scene is basically a portrait of Quentin Tarantino himself. 

With that said, the real movie moments for me exist in Tarantino's ability to focus on small details in important, often nail-biting situations. Whether it's Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta's) random chat about french hamburgers in the car on the way to a mob hit, or Jimmy (Quentin's cameo character) asking how Wolfe likes his coffee while Jules and Vincent are cleaning a blood splattered car. Quentin's true artistry comes in his ability to add seemingly insignificant dialogue in significant places, adding a delicious irony and inventive wit to his films. Pulp Fiction is vintage Tarantino- a film to establish that Tarantino-esque style that we know of so well.

                                       What was your Pulp Fiction movie moment?

Candid Moments - Behind the Scenes of Our Favourite Films

I've always been fascinated with behind the scenes photos. They're not only amusing to look at, but they allow us a glimpse into the world behind the faces, behind the facades, and behind the images we know so well. Photographs capturing candid moments break the illusion, giving us a peak into the humanity and normalcy of the people and films we idolize and admire. Here are a few of my favourites.

On set of Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927)

Leonardo Dicaprio & Tobey Maguire at a rehearsal of The Great Gatsby (2013)

Barry Levinson, Tom Cruise, and Dustin Hoffman on the set of Rain Man (1988)

Quentin Tarantino and Christoph Waltz joking around on set of Django Unchained (2012)

Stanley Kubrick photographing Jack Nicholson on the set of The Shining (1980)

Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in the ring - Raging Bull (1980) 

An Ape taking a break on set of Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey

Leonardo Dicraprio and Kate Winslet aka Jack and Rose on set of Titanic (1997)

Steven Spielberg and Drew Barrymore - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton on-set of Edward Scissorhands (1990) 

Anthony Michael Hall,  Judd Nelson, and Molly Ringwald fooling around on-set - The Breakfast Club (1985) 

Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway behind the scenes of Les Misérables (2012)

Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman on set of Pulp Fiction (1994)

Alfred Hitchcock and the (not-so-creepy) creepy Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) on set of Psycho (1960)

Flashback: Passions Run Deep in Mystic River

The river has many depths. Let it wash over you.

Mystic River, a film of many depths, tells the story of three men, friends since childhood, who are reunited in tragedy. Tragedy overshadows their lives in many forms, across many generations; the loss of a daughter, of a childhood, and a wife. Based on the novel by the same name, the film was directed by Clint Eastwood, and stars Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon. The film is a passionate, darkly intense, emotional drama with an heartfelt honesty filled with hope. With remarkably sincere performances, and beautiful on-location backgrounds of working-class Boston, Mystic River is a masterful portrait that is above all authentic. On top of receiving an Academy Awards nomination for best picture in 2003, both Sean Penn and Tim Robbins snagged the oscar for best leading role and supporting role for their breathtaking performances. 

Movie Moment: Sean Penn and Tim Robbins both give incredible performances. And each of them had their own moment. 

Is that my daughter in there? Sean Penn's performance as Jimmy Markum, a man with a troubled past, is riveting. The"is that my daughter" scene, and I can bet many agree, is a defining moment of the film. His portrayal in the scene of a man who's just lost a daughter is unbelievably honest. And it's not only his performance that makes the scene. The camera work amplifies it. A sea of police men swarm him, the camera swoops upwards, portraying a birds eye view shot enhancing the powerless vulnerable state of Jimmy.

The last time I saw Dave, was 25 years ago, going up the street in the back of that car. Tim Robbins portrayal as Dave, a man abducted and sexually abused as a child, a man who lost a part of himself, is also painfully authentic. Several times, they cut back to the shot of the sidewalk, reminding us of the incident of the abduction, as if the moment is stuck there forever. The meaning in the shot is chilling. Only half of Dave's name is carved, as if a part of him was taken that day. It reminds us that a moment can change your life forever.

Room 237 Draws You Back Into Stanley Kubrick's Maze

Some movies stay with you forever...and ever...and ever. There is something profoundly remarkable about a film when it's over 30 years old and still has the ability to inspire speculation, debate, and continue to haunt us to this day. Room 237 is a documentary that explores the countless theories about the hidden meanings within Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film The Shining.













The documentary weaves together 5 different points of view through voice over, archive footage, film clips, animation, and reenactments. Different subjective theories are explored, including the holocaust, sexual (and incest) themes, the wipe out of the Native Americans, and the faking of the lunar landing, to name a few.

At the time of The Shining, Kubrick was fascinated with advertising and the idea of subliminal messaging. Many of the techniques found in advertisements, Kubrick implemented into the film. He became a master of subliminal messaging in cinema. Kubrick had an incredible eye for detail. Every detail is intentionally fixed into the film. Even the tiny minor details that seemingly slip past your conscience, have overflowing meaning. The Shining is like no other in this way and because of this, it continues to be analyzed and obsessed over to this day. Stanley Kubrick was a genius. A cinematic Einstein. Dissecting The Shining is like picking apart an Einstein equation. There are endless pieces to the equation. And as difficult it is to fathom, we know one thing; Every piece equals up to something.

In the end, what the film means is up to you, and everyone else. I think the most important aspect of the film is not objectively what it means but the power the film bestows upon us. The act of searching for themes, making profound connections, and exposing our minds to deeper meaning allows us to see reality through a higher level of awareness and enlightenment in our own lives.

Whether you are a Kubrick fan, a Shining fan, or just a fan of film in general, Room 237 will draw you into the twisting and winding maze of a brilliant movie and mind.

Brad Pitt Saves Humanity From Zombies and Movie Flops in WWZ

So how loyal did World War Z stay to it's novel counterpart?  Based on the non-fiction novel by Max Brooks, the book tells the story of the geopolitical, social, religious, and environmental impact resulted from the zombie war, from a wide variety of perspectives on a global context. The movie follows the story of Brad Pitt's character, Gerry Lane, a United Nations employee, who races against time to save humanity against the Zombie pandemic. I'm not going to lie, it was entertaining in the Hollywood-Big-Blockbuster way, but yet, I can't help imagining what they could have done to move away from a linear narrative path, and stick more closely to the documentary-nonfictional feel of the book.

With that said, adapting the book was not a simple task whatsoever, and I'm sure the idea has crossed the minds of many throughout the course of the project. In 2007, the project began when Brad Pitt's production company Plan B secured the rights to the film and an adapted screenplay was written by J. Michael Straczynski. In 2009, after many delays as the script was still "far from realization," the script was rewritten by Matthew Michael Carnahan. Filming began in July 2011, but several reshoots were scheduled in 2012 after writers Damon Lindelof and his Lost Partner Drew Goddard were hired to rewrite the film's third act. Several scenes were dropped and a new ending was built to make the film less "abrupt and incoherent" and to water down the film's political undertones and drive the film to a more "family summer blockbuster." 

With three different writers on board and credited, did this affect the overall consistency of the plot? I can say that the film did seem a little short, in my opinion, as it lacked the need for a larger and more definitive climax. I also would have liked to see more scenes on a global scale. It is called World War Z after all. Having said that, I can say that Brad Pitt saves it. And I'm not just saying that because you get to watch Brad Pitt's face in high definition for two hours. There's something about Brad Pitt that legitimizes a film, and it's apparent in any film he's part of. If anyone else was cast in the lead role; a Channing Tatum, even a Tom Cruise, this would be completely different film.

Now, just in case we ever find ourselves in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, here are some tips I gathered from the film:

How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse Brad Pitt Style

1. Magazines make good armour.

2. Keep your finger off the trigger.

3. Nova Scotia is always the answer.

4. Aichmophobia? Get over it.

5. Know how to count.

6. Turn your phone on silent. 

7. Family is always first.

8. Always listen to the dog. No matter how annoying it is.

9. Piling things is a good barricade...chairs, suitcases, whatever!

10.  It's the Zombie Apocalypse, but dammit never forget to accessorize.

What did you think of World War Z? 

New Trailer: Team Scorsese - Dicaprio's Wolf Of Wall Street

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Dicaprio team up again in the crime drama The Wolf of Wall Street. The film, based on the autobiography by the same name, follows Jordan Belfort, a headstrong New York stockbroker (played by Dicaprio), who refuses to cooperate in a massive security fraud case involving widespread corruption on Wall Street, in the corporate banking world and mob infiltration. Drugs, sex, money, greed, power. This black satire looks fast-paced, filthy, and rather hilarious. A lobster get's thrown at someone, Dicaprio does a little jig, and Matthew McConaughey performs an off-the-cuff-chest-pound-hum thing (which supposedly was completely improvised). Not to mention, Jonah Hill is also in it. Certainly, it will be interesting to see the dynamics of a unique cast.

The film hits theatres later this year on November 15th.

Chasing Ice: Big Ideas Big Visuals

Chasing Ice, a documentary that follows National Geographic environmental photographer and adventurer James Balog takes us on a breathtaking journey across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras to capture multi-year records of the ever changing glaciers. Balog's videos, composed of thousands of still images, compress years into seconds as they capture ancient ranges of ice melting right before our eyes. 

James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change, even with his scientific upbringing. With one trip north, and the visual evidence before him, it sparked an idea within him: The Extreme Ice Survey. With a team of young adventurers, Balog sets out across the Arctic landscapes of Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska to plant time-lapse cameras to record the melting glaciers. According to Balog, visual evidence of our changing planet is what people need, more so than the facts or statistics. 

The images are incredibly stunning. They truly capture the power and history of these massive forces of nature. And at the same time, I could feel a sort of serene sadness watching them. Some of the shots are other-worldy. They evoke a simplicity, a beginning of time, and a human-nature relationship. It reminds us that we humans depend on nature as much as nature depends on us.

There is no doubt that the Arctic is changing. You can see it plain and clear in Balog's videos.  I believe that teaching the world through the visual is extremely valuable. In such a visually enriched world, there's a growing need to see to believe. But as much as visual evidence is important, we need the facts too. We see the change, but what exactly is changing it? And more importantly, how do we stop it from changing?

Watch the Official Trailer:

Learn more about the film here

A Tribute To Alfred Hitchcock

The Master of Suspense. A kind of suspense that he understood to be universal and eternal. He established techniques that are used to this day.

"Fear isn't so difficult to understand. After all, weren't we all frightened as children? Nothing has changed since Little Riding Hood faced the big bad wolf. What frightens us today is the exact sort of thing that frightened us yesterday. It's just a different wolf. This fright complex is rooted in every individual."
-Alfred Hitchcock

Sure, our wolf today may look a little different (maybe some more CGI, maybe some more gore) than the one from Alfred Hitchcock's time. But the fundamental aspect of the wolf, the feeling the wolf gives us, fear is universal. It's not the what we're scared of, it's how it's presented to us. Suspense is the how. It can make us fear anything. This is why his films are timeless.

Take a step down memory lane in this Alfred Hitchcock "Film Checklist" Tribute by Jean-Baptiste Lefournier:

Short Film: "Under The Knife" - Etta Bond

A short film collaboration project for the "Random Acts" series by Channel 4 literally goes "Under The Knife." The film, directed by Jeremy Cole, opens with a continuos shot of UK singer Etta Bond which is fragmented into hundreds of shattered pieces. 1374 3D layers in After Effects to be exact, all individually key framed and positioned. As the song progresses, the pieces begin to merge together, revealing a face behind the voice.

"Under The Knife" is undeniably unique and technically beautiful, with a powerful message. And not to mention, Jeremy Cole is an After Effects wizard.

See how the film was made here.

Clever "Pictogram" Movie Posters

Stumbled upon this collection of minimalist movie posters designed by Milan-based creative studio H-57. This series, titled "Shortlology Movies Collection," takes popular movies, past and present, and summarizes their plots into a simple pictographic form. Check them out:

    

Underdog Films of Summer 2013

(1) Kristen Wiig, Darren Criss, one movie? Is this real life? Girl Most Likely follows Imogene (Wiig), a failed New York playwright who moves back home after both her career and relationship backfire. Back home in New Jersey, Imogene must awkwardly navigate life as she's forced to live with her eccentric mother (Annette Bening), and two new strange men sleeping in her house (Matt Dillon and Darren Criss). I missed this at the Toronto International Film Festival last year (where the film was previously titled Imogene). I'll definitely be checking it out this summer when it hits theatres July 19th.
Watch the trailer here

(2) Remember little Moises Arias as Rico from Hannah Montana? Well, he's back making a name of his own while working on projects like Ender's Game and this summer's film The Kings of Summer. The Kings of Summer follows three teenage friends who, in a declaration for freedom, spend their summer in the wilderness building a house and living off the land. The Kings of Summer is playing in select theatres now.
Watch the trailer here

(3) A Sundance nominated film, Ain't Them Bodies Saints starring Rooney Mara is an romancic-drama following the tale of an outlaw who escapes prison and journeys across the Texas countryside to reunite with his wife and daughter who he has never met. Slow paced and beautiful photography, this film was the winner of the Cinematography award at Sundance Film Festival. Ain't Them Bodies Saints opens in theatres August 16th.
Watch the trailer here

(4) Another TIFF film, Much Ado About Nothing is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic comedy. Shot in 12 days, in Black and White, and using the original text, the film follows two pairs of lovers with different views on romance. The film will be released in select theatres on June 7th.
Watch the trailer here

(5) Cate Blanchett stars in this summer Woody Allen film Blue Jasmine. The plot of the film is somewhat of a secret, the only thing disclosed is that it is "the story of the final stages of an acute  crisis and a life of a fashionable New York housewife" according to the film's distributor Sony Pictures Classics. Blue Jasmine hits theatres July 26th.
Watch the trailer here

Life Saving Technology Protecting Endangered Species

  

One rhino is killed every 11 hours in Africa.

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is making global impact. The organization plans to install state of the art camera technology to better protect endangered wildlife in Kenya. These camera traps, installed in poaching hotspots, will be equipped with sensors that will instantly transmit images of intruders, detect vibrations from vehicles, and sounds of gunshots. Park Rangers can then identify the location of poachers and act immediately.

The organization, winner of fan favourite for Google's Global Impact Challenge, is hoping the project will reduce poaching incidents in a Kenyan protected area by 50% in the next two years.

Learn more about the charity and their projects here

Follow My Blog with Bloglovin!

Click here!

Flashback: The Force of Life in American Beauty

I watched American Beauty for the first time yesterday and let's just say I'm seeing red everywhere. Now, red is definitely a symbol in the film. And although red is used many times in the film to symbolize many things like danger, violence, passion, lust, the screenwriter Alan Ball generally uses it to signify a life force for the characters. And this life force initiates a transformation among them.

The cinematography and mise en scene is vividly compelling, and I can tell I'd have to watch the film another good 50 times to truly catch all the meanings, depths, and symbolism in the film. And even then, that may not be enough. With that said, what truly makes the film what it is, is the writing. Along with winning 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this film also has the award for best Screenplay. Which leads me to my next point.

Screenwriter Alan Ball's own moment with a plastic bag inspired this scene. 

Movie Moment: A plastic bag dancing in the wind. Ricky shows Jane the video he shot of a bag drifting in the wind. It appears as if it's dancing. Moving by it's own will.

Ricky: "It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. Right? And this bag was just dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. That's the day I realized that there was this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever...it helps me remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in.

The juxtaposition of the bag and Ricky's dialogue is a haunting experience. It pulls you in, captivating you. In that moment, it's as if Ricky is revealing a secret. But not just any secret solely bound to the film and it's characters. He reminds us of the simplicity, the beauty of simplicity, and the beauty of life. It's as if as we are looking right into the eye of our life force, whatever it may be. True monumental moments in film exist when they can connect with us on a deeper metaphysical level. And this moment does just that.

What was your American Beauty movie moment?

(p.s. happy belated birthday to American Beauty's Annette Bening who turned 55 yesterday)