The 10-Day Movie Challenge

Recently, the lovely Rachel Kovaciny-aka-Hamlette tagged me on Facebook for something called the “10-Day Movie Challenge.”

The rules are simple:  every day, post a picture from a movie that has affected you in some way.  No explanation, just the picture.

However . . . y’all know I’m pretty much incapable of referencing any movie without talking AT LENGTH about said movie; so I’m using this blog post as my golden opportunity to chatter away about the significance of my choices, without breaking the rules of the challenge.  Look what a public-spirited and law-abiding citizen I am.  Heh heh heh hehhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Right, here we go!

Day 1.  Lilo and Stitch

Ah, Lilo and Stitch.  This may quite possibly be my favorite one of all.  Remembering it, thinking back on the experience of watching it, consistently brings me a warmer, bubblier happiness than the memory of any other movie.  And that’s kinda saying something.

Plus, for a cartoon movie, it’s astonishingly bittersweet and poignant and delves pretty deep into serious issues like “how do you make sure your developmentally challenged sibling has a good life” . . . GAH.  #allthefeels

Day 2.  The Woman in Gold

Let me tell you a story.

One day, Mom and I were home alone.  For once, our 10-person household felt empty, and quiet.  I came downstairs late in the afternoon and said to my mother, “I just watched the most amazing movie about art theft during the Holocaust.  I think you’d love it.”

My mom–who doesn’t like movies–said, “show me.”

I showed her.  We sat side by side in our quiet living room and absorbed the entire thing in silence.  Then, we talked about it for hours afterwards.

I’ll never forget that day.  And I’ll never stop being grateful to the writers and actors of The Woman in Gold, who made it happen.

Day 3.  Stand By Me

Three words:  BABY. RIVER. PHOENIX.

Day 4.  Bernadette

After a childhood of utterly loathing ALL movies, and a teenager-hood of being oblivious to their existence, Bernadette was the first film I watched all the way to the end.  It was the first film to make me think, “huh, this stuff might be fun after all . . .”

Plus, it’s such a beautiful story in its own right.  Much love and thanks to Sydney Penny for the most luminous, otherworldly screen presence I could ever ask for.  And props to her for filming in French despite not knowing a single word of the language.

Day 5.  Thirteen Days

Steven Culp as Robert Kennedy is a smol angsty overachiever and I relate to him with my whole soul.

Day 6.  Infinity War

“I’m not looking for forgiveness, and I’m way past asking permission.”

Cap’s self-confidence and self-love in this movie gives me life, baby.

Day 7.  The Last Jedi

Okay.  A lot of people absolutely hate this movie, and that’s fine.  I don’t care.  But for me, The Last Jedi is second only to Rogue One in terms of Star Wars Fantastic-ness.  It’s incredibly special.  I do not exaggerate when I say The Last Jedi changed my life.  Luke Skywalker’s journey in this film helped me quit blaming myself for some veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ugly experiences I’d been hanging onto far too long; and just . . . yep.  This is what movies are meant to do.  Change people’s lives.  ❤

Day 8.  Dick Tracy

This movie is essentially a piñata explosion of life-size Crayola crayons; and if you don’t think that sounds like fun . . . you’re lyin’.

Day 9.  Rain Man

STOP MAKING ME CRY.  Curse you.  *shakes fist*

Day 10.  Coco

When I was a small child, I became close with an old woman who lived across the street from us.  Her name was Mrs. Knight, and she was my very first friend outside the family.  She was married during World War II, so that gives you some inkling of just how old she was.

We remained close the whole time I was growing up; but when I was in college, Mrs. Knight became ill with dementia.  The last time I visited her, the last time I saw her before she died . . . she didn’t recognize me.

I don’t quite have words to express how devastating that was.

So I needn’t tell you how hard I sobbed at the end of Coco, when Miguel’s great-grandmother gets a piece of her memory back.  Before, y’know, dying; because that’s fine, totally fine.

Gaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  I’m okay.  I promise.  I’m okay.  😛  (I’M REALLY NOT.)

 

So there you have it, folks!  My ten movies, plus the reasons behind each one.

 

Seen any of these?

Planning to see any of them?  

Let’s chat!