I think I may love movies more than music. It’s been budding for a while now. At first, it began as a distraction, a way to pass the time. But then I rediscovered my love for characters. Here are some of my favorite movies and quotes. Or in some cases monologues.
Before Sunrise (1995) – Every great romance begins with a conversation. It’s one that lasts for hours and stopping is not even an option. For me, Jesse and Celine exemplify the rare intimate connection people are searching for all the time.
“All right, all right, think of it like this: jump ahead ten, twenty years, okay? And you're married. Only your marriage doesn't have that same energy that it used to have, you know? You start to blame your husband. You start to think of all those guys you met in your life and what might have happened if you'd picked up with one of them, right? Well I'm one of those guys, that's me! So think of this as time travel. From then to now to find out what you're missing out on. See, what this really could be is a gigantic favor to both you and your future husband to find out that you're not missing out on anything; I'm just as big a loser as he is, totally unmotivated, totally boring, and you made the right choice and you're really happy.” – Jesse, enticing Celine to walk around with Vienna with him.
Jesse makes several great points about relationships here: a) we meet, flirt, but don’t pay close attention and move onto the next person without much thought, b) other relationships follow, go wrong, and we can go back through our minds, wondering what if, and c) the final relationship we have may not be the right one and we have settled. In other words, take the chance and don’t be left to wonder.
Before Sunset (2004) – Jesse and Celine reconnect in Paris and fall for each other all over again. It’s my favorite romance movie of all time. To have a second opportunity to be with the one that got away is a dream. It is one most people don’t get to realize. For those that do, it’s bittersweet.
Jesse: You want to know why I wrote that stupid book?
Celine: Why?
Jesse: So that you might come to a reading in Paris and I could walk up to you and ask, "Where the fuck were you?"
Celine: [laughing] No - you thought I'd be here today?
Jesse: I'm serious. I think I wrote it, in a way, to try to find you.
Celine: Okay, that's - I know that's not true, but that's sweet of you to say.
Jesse: I think it is true.
I think it’s true, too. I believe Jesse and Celine lost each other nine years ago. It begs the question: what does it mean to lose someone? Is it when they break up with you? I don’t think so. With a relationship, the connection is given time to charge. It then eventually frays, whether due to circumstances or lack of interest. They had a meeting but couldn’t develop anything beyond the conversation. They had the promise of something but weren’t able to follow through. To only have promise is the real loss. (Fair warning: the link below has spoilers for the movie).
“Auto-MO-Beel!” – Long Duck Dong, after a drunken night of partying in Sixteen Candles. Every time I talk about this line, I can’t do it without laughing.
“I wanted to let them know they didn’t break me.” – Andie to her best friend in Duckie in Pretty In Pink. After every heartbreak or setback, this quote usually enters my mind.
“One of these days you’re going to OD on nostalgia.” – Andie, again in Pretty In Pink. And that quote is me, in a nutshell.
“This isn’t a democracy, it’s a cheer-ocracy!” – Torrance in Bring It On. Again, it just makes me laugh every time I hear it.
“Why should Caesar get to stomp around like a giant, while the rest of us try not to get smushed under his big feet? What's so great about Caesar? Hm? Brutus is just as cute as Caesar. Brutus is just as smart as Caesar. People totally like Brutus just as much as they like Caesar. And when did it become okay for one person to be the boss of everybody, huh? Because that's not what Rome is about. We should totally just *stab* Caesar!” Gretchen in Mean Girls. Her meltdown is classic.
“Her hair is full of secrets.” Damian to Cady, about Gretchen’s gossipy ways.
Janis: “We gotta crack Gretchen Wieners. We crack Gretchen, and then we crack the lock on Regina's whole dirty history.”
Damian: “Say crack again.”
Janis: “Crack”.
