4.2 ~ #5

"American Beauty" (1999)

From Netflix: "Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is struggling to endure marriage to uber-realtor Carolyn (Annette Bening), an unfulfilling career and a sullen teenage daughter (Thora Birch). Deep into a midlife crisis, Lester becomes infatuated with a friend (Mena Suvari) of his daughter. Soon, he's quit his job and is working at a fast-food joint in this dazzling blend of social satire and domestic tragedy from director Sam Mendes that scooped up five Oscars."

Another 2 hour wonder. Not that I minded AT ALL.

I've seen this movie a couple times before this week (I lie. More than a couple. I developed a mild obsession with it in high school). I totally see why it's on this list. So much so in fact, that fifteen minutes in, I started it over because my mother had never seen it and I felt she HAD to. Then at about 20 minutes in, I started it over AGAIN because my sister had never seen it, and I felt she HAD to.

The director of this movie had never worked on film before, only in stage productions, and now with my training in photography, I can really appreciate that in the cinematography. The lighting in this movie is PHENOMENAL! The score is amazing as well, which for some reason I never really appreciated before either. Kevin Spacey is mind-blowing as the main character of the film, and Annette Bening is my all time favorite actress ever, so it goes without saying that I loved her in this as well. Everything about the film seems so organic, like we really are catching a glimpse at these people's lives and not watching a movie...And I always cry at the end of this film, no matter how many times I watch it. Not a sad cry, but a so-much-emotion-built-up-inside-you-you-have-to-get-it-out cry. It's a movie that really stirs the soul and makes you truly grateful for every seemingly insignificant thing you've ever encountered or experienced.

This truly is a film that everyone on earth should watch at least once. I credit this movie with teaching me early on that one should always be kinder than maybe one deems necessary at first glance, because EVERYONE is broken, EVERYONE is battling demons, and you never really know what people are dealing with or why they do what they do, sometimes even in situations where you feel you know everything about a person, you might be surprised. I think another great message to take away from this movie is that people need to learn to slow down and just LIVE. Don't be so consumed with making a living that you forget to make a life...and of course, the most important moral of all...

"there's nothing worse in life than being ordinary."