“Do not go gentle into that good night.”

Interstellar stars Matthew Mcconaughey

Well here we are. After a good ten weeks or so, we have found ourselves at the end of the journey, the top of the pedestal, eagerly holding the gold medal to crown the much anticipated number one film. It’s interesting- number one came first when I created my list, as natural as anything. I guess it has always existed there, the top of my unwritten list since the minute the 2 hours and 50 minutes of what can quite literally only be referred to as cinematic genius expired, my eyes left to adjust to the sudden bright lights and my mind left to adjust to the incredible influx of pure, well, WTF! that had just occurred.

The movie starts with the scene above: one that puts into perspective the chaotic and unique nature of the plot. Set in the semi-nearby future, Interstellar follows a world struck with famine due to a second type of Dust Bowl affecting the majority of the world. Earth’s population has been drastically reduced, and life as we know it struggles to exist in an age of so little. Few resources remain other than those geared to farming. Cooper, played by the brilliant Matthew Mcconaughey, a retired NASA pilot, discovers a secret operation of the former government agency that is barely surviving: an operation to find a new home for the human race, requiring Cooper to head a mission into a wormhole with potential habitable planets.

I know, I know- science fiction can be quite draining for the casual viewer. Trust me- it is not a genre I jump to on movie night. And I refrain from trying to summarize a plot so dense and detailed as this- for we could be here for days. In fact, the scientific base behind the entire film is completely accurate and plausible, hypothetically. Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan spent years studying time relativity, gravity, and more to ensure that the movie was not purely a work of fantastical fiction, but a visual account of human research put to light in the context of a movie plotline.

Interstellar Science

The film is replete with brilliant acting, from young, inexperienced Timothee Chalamet to Jessica Chastain to, of course, front man Matthew Mcconaughey, who absolutely changes the level demanded out of the entire cast, who plays, in my opinion, his greatest role yet. He humanizes science, to put it in the simplest way. He brings forth emotions in waves of gravity, into years of lost time due to relativity, into moments where it seems the journey is over. He, at his core, is just a father, who wants to see his daughter one more time: (Don’t let me leave Murph.)

Here is the thing about Christopher Nolan, about any great director that has artistic vision: dare I say it, the plot doesn’t matter. It doesn’t. As amazing and incredible and intricate as the script and the storyline is, it is not integral to the greatness of the film, not the sole factor for brilliance. What matters, more than anything, is the ability to move people, to make people feel. It is what I have centered this entire list around, and on a deeper level what I have spent my life trying to achieve: real, human feeling. What is the point of life without it? What is the point of science, or literature, or space or time or school or marriage or absolutely anything we have in this world without the beauty and tragedy of human emotion to enable it. It doesn’t have to be loud, it doesn’t have to be dramatic, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be. 

It is the man with AIDS fearful of a life cut short, and the pair of new friends haunted with the end of prospect of being alone when the world ends. It is the love of two people despite a time of war and revolution and the Beatles, and it is the pure gift of friendship the therapist showed the genius boy from the wrong side of town. It is the hope held by the stubborn girl who is so ready to take on the world, the pure intimacy experienced by two strangers in a beautiful Italian summer, the confidence and joy brought to an entire class by a single teacher’s revolutionary way of thinking. It is the pain experienced by the depths of the human mind and the extents it can hurt one man, it is the respect and love that two prisoners  managed to find in their own form of hell. And it is the man, from whom so much time was taken powers out of his control, who got to hug his daughter, now years older than him, one last time.

I say goodbye for now, and I thank those who have taken the time to read my little love poems to these 10 films. I hope I have helped you add some films to your “must watch” list and I hope I have allowed you to reminisce on movies you have forgotten about.

But most of all, I hope I have inspired you to not be afraid to feel. Experience life, revel in the pain and the tears and the glory and the love and the light.

Do not dare go gentle into the good night.

“Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying.”

Well, here we are ladies and gentlemen. The edge of glory. After weeks of reading what could only be described as my love letters to my favorite films, we have made it to grand ole’ number two; the silver medal, the consolation prize, yadda yadda yadda. You may see this and think oh, it’s the one that just quite missed the mark. But nothing about this movie and its 2 hours and 22 minutes of pure genius could ever be described as missing the mark.

Shawshank Redemption

Shawshank Redemption is a movie I did not want to see. At all. In fact, when my mom nearly choked at the fact that I, the self proclaimed “movie aficionado” had never seen it, and she forced me to watch it with her, I groaned and moaned and moped. It felt antiquated, silly, meaningless: that movie from the 90s with Morgan Freeman that old people like.

I started the movie with this attitude, watching this opening scene with a side eye at my mom (how dare she?) and wanting so badly to hate it and prove her wrong. So there I sat as the minutes ticked on and on and I tried so very hard to hate it, to loathe it with my whole heart. But I couldn’t. My heart, my mind, my eyes, my soul- whatever it may be refused to comply with my plan. And I couldn’t hate it.

How could I when I feel so emotionally invested into the lives of the prisoners at Shawshank, I feel as though they are my best friends? How could I when my stomach turned at my heart raced at the pain of how poor Andy was treated? How could I as I felt as though I personally had been accepted in this world when Morgan Freeman’s character, Red, befriends loner Andy who is in the depths of hell? And certainly, how could I hate this film as the tears streamed down my face during the scene below? (I warn you to watch with caution. It is one of the most heartbreaking scenes I have ever watched.)

Shawshank had this magical and rare ability to somehow make an 18 year old girl watching at home in 2019 feel as though was apart of the community of all mate inmates in the Shawshank prison in the 1950s. To establish a sense of commorody and community with an audience is one of the greatest things a film has the ability to do, and truly must qualify it as something special.

It also was able to wonderfully convey a socially conscious message of how we as a society and a country often dehumanize prisoners, forgetting that rehabilitation aspect of prison itself. The corruption within the American correctional facilities is one of the worst in the world, and often times focuses too heavily on how to punish rather then how to heal. Shawshank reminds us that yes, we as humans make mistakes- but we also can learn and grow and still love. We are never too far gone to not deserve the simple, yet all fulfilling love of friendship. This is beautifully displayed in the love between Red and Andy, and bond that is not broken by cinder block walls or electric fences, but withstands hate and persecution through its lasting power. Watch the scene below (beware of spoilers) for what I consider to be the most beautiful and touching way for a movie to end. In fact, it is my favorite ending of all time.

So yes.

I was wrong.

I sit here today knowing full well that my stubborness will kill me one day, that it is my vice through and through. But luckily I have people in my life who won’t take my no for an answer, and will teach me what I refuse to be taught. Sometimes, the story of the movie is amazing. But sometimes the story behind it is even better.

To you, Mom. I love you.

Andy in the Rain

It’s crunch time, ladies and gentlemen.

We begin our countdown to the gold by introducing the bronze; however, this number 3 is far from some consolation prize film that almost! but just did not quite make the top of the list. To call our number three, Inception, anything short of a masterpiece would be an injustice to cinema itself.

Inception stars Leonardo Dicaprio

I am not going to sit here and attempt to summarize this film. That would prove nearly an impossible feat, and one that would only dilute the true brilliance of this movie’s plot. I will, however, provide the basics for context: Inception is based around the premise of the manipulation of dreams, and how this manipulation can be a business black market tool, in which secrets and strategies can be extracted and altered. It is a concept that is not simple, that almost hurts your head to think about. Therein lies the genius that is Christopher Nolan.

Regarded by most film fanatics as one of the greatest modern filmmakers, Christopher Nolan is known for pushing the edge on plot concepts, leaving an audience with permating storylines that make them enter back into the real world with an almost wariness, a distrust in the environment they have always known as authentic. I know, I know- you are asking yourself what exactly that even means. It is a feeling that is extremely difficult to put into set words. The best way I can describe it is like this: you have known the color red for your whole existence. You know it’s shade, you know how to pick it out of a painting, even how to make it. And then, one day, you meet a man who tells you that no, actually, that shade you know so well is not in fact red, but a whole different color entirely. This man is convincing enough that you begin to question this simple truth you have known your whole life, you begin to see every color and hue in a new way. That is what Christopher Nolan does to you with his films; he makes you second guess everything you have known to be the truths of the universe, leaving you with an altered perception of almost everything in your life. The beauty in his filmmaking is unparalleled: I dare you to watch the scene below without being shocked with the brilliance of its construction.

A beautiful film landscape is nothing without those to construct it. The actors in Inception are brilliant; they are able to dance through the difficult storylines with ease, and provide the balance between science and emotion that the movie calls for. One of my favorite things about Nolan is his casting choices. Nolan will often cast actors repeatedly, as he has found them to be people that can work within his demanding storylines. Actors like Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, and Michael Caine have been reincarnated throughout Nolan’s films, each in a new capacity. I would be careless to not emphasize the Leonardo Dicaprio’s performance, one that cut through the depth of the plot and allowed for true human emotion to surface. The scene below is arguably one of the greatest displays of his acting genius.

I have probably weighed you down with my lengthy descriptions of how the film alters a viewer’s perception. Maybe this concept is foreign to you; perhaps you have yet to have been so moved by a piece of cinema that everything around you changes, that you feel you sometimes are living in a distorted version of reality. But it is an experience that is not like any other- almost painful in a way. The ability of one film to affect even one individual like this, however, is greater than any reward, any box office dollar amount. I urge you to find this film for you: maybe this one, maybe not.

Escape the comfort zone you exist in. Hurt your mind a little.

Iconic Image from final scene of Inception

Dead Poets Society stars Robin Williams

“O Captain, my captain.”

The title of this film is not one that is conducive to obtaining a large crowd of eager watchers, itching to view a movie seemingly centered around dead poets (woohoo). I saw this as I speak from first hand experience: my exact reaction to my mom insisting we watch this film was a deliberate and strung out groan. However, (shockingly!), as you can see from how far this film has found itself on my list, I was embarrassingly naive and judgemental, and left the movie with tear stained eyes and a new perception on both the intricacies of film, literature, and life itself.

Cast of Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society follows a group of students at a rigorous all boys preparatory school, sent in by parents with the expectation of exceptional academic achievement, especially in fields such as business and mathematics. A new English teacher is brought in, John Keating, played by Robin Williams. Keating challenges the status quo of learning and education at the school, an environment centered on numbers and figures and disabling any sort of personal expression. The boys eventually revive Keating’s former “Dead Poets Society”, a underground group that meets to read poetry, old and new. While this is a main activity of the society, it becomes to stand for more than just simple words on pages, but a place in which emotion, love, self expression, and brotherhood thrives and can live safely. Below is a scene from one of these exclusive meetings, showing the creativity and freedom that was allowed to exist within the confines of the cave, so cherished to these boys.

One of the greatest testaments to a film’s greatness is what I like to call it’s aftertaste. What does a film leave you with as those ending credits roll? How do you feel waking up the next morning? I believe that film does not succeed in achieving anything worthwhile if its audience does not carry a piece of it with them as they go throughout their life, not matter how small or silly. One of the reasons Dead Poets Society is so high on my list lies in the fact that its message had struck a chord in me upon first viewing it at age 14, one that has yet to leave the inner corners of my mind. Throughout the film, the idea of expression, the idea of the beauty that lies within words and syllables and tears of passion is constantly emphasized by Keating, and eventually realized by the boys. For what is there to live for if not something so alive, like the words of a poet in love? Often times we are overwhelmed  with the idea of finding a career that will offer us the highest income, the greatest financial security. Sometimes we push aside passion in pursuit of stability. But, as Keating describes in the clip below, “Poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” This film awoke that feeling in me, and has consistently indoctrinated in me the urge to express, to write, and to love, as that truly is the purpose of my existence.

I would be remiss if not to include perhaps the most influential aspect of this film: Mr. Robin Williams. I know, I know, I spoke of him a few short weeks ago concerning his role in Good Will hunting. But the impact of Robin Williams spans not one or two blog posts, or 1000 words, but an infinite amount of time and space. I am foolish to even attempt to speak on this man’s life, or talent, as it is almost indescribable, intangible. John Keating had the ability to make his students find the beauty in a world of books and numbers, had the ability to help them find the true meaning of life itself. But Williams? Williams had the ability to somehow bring this character out of the cinematic dimension and right into the eyes of the audience. He challenged everyone watching to be their best, to not just live, to “live extraordinarily.” This is why the final scene has stuck out to me, and millions of others, so prominently. We were not just watching from the comfort of our couch at home, but found ourselves standing on top of those desks. Oh Captain, my captain, thank you for teaching me, us, to seize the day. That is a gift we can never repay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j64SctPKmqk

“Call me by your name and I’ll call you by mine.”

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, back to my blog. Our short hiatus has brought us right to our halfway point: Number 5. And let me assure you, it is not one that will disappoint.

Poster for Call Me by Your Name

Released in 2017, considered to me one of the modern golden years of cinema, Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name started out as an more indie style movie, but quickly transformed into one of the most lauded films of the year.

Oliver and Elio

The film follows Elio, a 17 year old boy living in his family’s beautiful home in Italy for the summer. His father, an archaeologist, brings in one graduate student to stay and work with him throughout the course of summer. Cue Oliver. The film is magnificent from the get go, as you find yourself in the most beautiful home and landscapes of Crema, Italy. Remember that nostalgia I told you about before, setting so beautiful it felt as though I missed it myself? I immediately felt myself longing for the trees and streams and cobblestone roads of a 1980s Italy. The film explores the relationship between Oliver and Elio, one that begins as tense and confusing, but evolves into one of the most magnificent and honest displays of true and utter passion and love. Below is the scene in which Elio confesses how he feels to Oliver. “Because I wanted you to know…”

One of my favorite things about the film is its’ subtly in dialogue. Much of the emotions and feelings of the characters are expressed through body language, through the scenery itself. Guadagnino does not rely on flashy words or loaded, tense words to convey the love and pain felt by these characters, but allows for them to do so in a simple touch, or glance, or movement around a statue. Another tool utilized throughout the film is music. I have said before and I will say again- music in film can add a whole other dimension to a work, can bring out emotions that you did not even know you had in a matter of a few chords. The driving song of the film was Sufjan Stevens’ “Mystery of Love”, beautiful and haunting and echoing around your soul with a feeling of hopefulness, but also slight sorrow and loss: just like Elio and Oliver’s love for one another.

And finally, the selling point for me in our midway movie was, of course, Timothée Chalamet. I had not known who Chalamet was before the film, other than slight recognition of his face from small roles. He became all the buzz- I saw the movie right when it came out, and it was as if to watch a sun explode across the sky with my own eyes. Once unknown, now regarded as the hope for Hollywood, standing to be one of the greatest actors of all time. How can one performance allow people to even consider giving him such a title? Well, if that one performance was as incredible and indescribable as Timmy’s, then that title is earned without a doubt. Timothée has a way of making you feel as though you are in love for the first time; not necessarily with him, but with the world, with words, with life. He makes you want to be better, forces you to get out of your bed and do something by being the most paramount example of human ability. Someone that good has the capability to make me want to sing and dance and write sonnets, just because I want to prove to myself I can. Below is by far the greatest scene of the film; no context is needed for your heart to ache at the slow, silent tears down Elio’s face, his face a lit with the glow of a fire that proves the only thing that is left to warm his heart.

“Call me Lady Bird.”

Talk about an opening scene. Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to present invite you to the madness that is Lady Bird. Directed by Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird follows high school senior Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a girl who feels she is bigger than her routine life in Sacramento. The scene above opens to the brilliant and whimsical nature of the movie, while also balancing such realistic feelings and emotions that propels the entire plot of the movie. I first watched this movie in 2017, in the midst of one of the greatest award show seasons ever. I kept myself constantly updated with each film that was receiving “Oscar buzz”, so naturally this fell at the top of my list. And, needless to say, I was far from disappointed.

Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird

I was drawn to this movie for various reasons, the first being the Catholic school aspect of the film. I went to Catholic school all my life before coming to Penn State, and all girls Catholic school for high school. Gerwig is not the first to explore this storyline, but she hits the nail on the hammer in her framing. I felt as though we shared some common secret, almost like a invisible nod through the layered dimensions of the film, saying “Yeah, I get it.”

Comparison of Gerwig and Lady Bird

And Gerwig did get it. What is beautiful about Lady Bird is the reality of it all. Gerwig went to the very school that Lady Bird attends and lived in Sacramento her whole life, creating an unique sense of familiarity, of poignant nostalgia for a place you never have even been. The film is not a biography, but employs this familiarity as a way to make you comfortable within the setting, almost as if you exist in the very memory that Gerwig is creating with the film.

Gerwig’s ability to create a sense of place, a sense of setting is absolutely breathtaking and all-consuming. Setting is not just a background tool in Lady Bird, but the plot itself, moving you along its winding roads and high hills and busy city streets. This move asked me to open my eyes into my own setting and see what beauty it holds before it is all gone. It asked me to be proud of where I came from and understand how it is contributed to my identity.

My hometown of Philadelphia

And, in all honesty, it is easy to listen to a film’s message when it is being told by such incredible actors. I mean, any cast that includes Timothee Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Lucas Hedges, and Laurie Metcalf promises to be brilliant, and this is no exception. The ability for these individuals to showcase such power and strength and vulnerability simultaneously intimidates and inspires me. If these are to be the actors of our generation, the new Hollywood stars, then so be it. I am more than ready to see where they take us.

Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting

Here we are: number 7.

Number 7 brings us to Boston for our next film, a movie my mom insisted was my “civic responsibility” to watch with her. Shocker here: I loved it. Good Will hunting follows Will Hunting, a boy from the Southside who works as a janitor at Harvard. It is quickly discovered that he is a genius, his talents hidden from the academic community due to the nature of his upbringing. He is to see a therapist, Robin Williams after a wild night leads him to court. Having seen Williams in roles such as Mrs. Doubtfire previously, I prepared myself little for the impact that his character could bring to the movie. If only I could have known what was to come. William’s role in the film left me breathless, in complete awe of human capability. Every line was delivered with such authenticity, such beauty, it became difficult to see this man as anything but his character. The scene below, perhaps evidence of one of the greatest performances ever given in this modern age, was enough to move me to sharp tears in the compassion and utmost love shown by Sean.

Another distinctive feature that contributes to my love of the film is the emphasis on friendship between Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Such is pertinent given the context of the film. The two actors, both Boston natives, grew up together after playing on the same Little League team.

Childhood friends Damon and Affleck

They were the writers of the screenplay, and through the trust and support given by Robin Williams, they were to successfully execute the film. I am a sucker for pop culture, for actors and actresses; their friendships, relationships, life stories all fascinate and inspire me. So for me to see the success of two boys who grew up best friends before the lights, camera, action, and to see how they were able to portray and show this friendship in the film itself was the selling point for me. The scene below shows the example of what I believe is true loyalty and love is, and all I could ever ask for in a friend: sacrifice, and support.

To conclude, I leave you with Robin Williams’ acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor at the 1997 Oscars. The perfect balance of beauty, humility, and grace, Williams shows what it means to truly be deserving and talented, but rooted in friendship and love. I look back and this and cry at the beauty of a soul lost too young, but smile at the time he was given to make our day a little better with his brilliant heart.

Across the Universe starring Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood

Nothing’s gonna change my world. 

There are few things more beautiful than the music of Beatles: eternal, proof of the extent human capability. Each song, each lyric, each word, so perfectly crafted to evoke the strongest of emotions out of even the most apathetic audience. Sometimes I find myself wondering, just how a song affects each individual who listens to it. Am I the only one unable to rest, or merely listen to a song that speaks to my soul? Do others sometimes feel as though they are listening to the soundtrack of their life? These thoughts lead us to our next move: the wonderful, soul lifting Across the Universe. 

Jim Sturgess plays Jude in the film

Across the Universe follows aptly named Jude and Lucy through their epic love 60s story, told throughout with various Beatles songs. The movie is time appropriate, and shows the impact of the various historical events, such as the Vietnam on the characters’ lives. I was wary about the concept of the movie initially; how is a film to employ such beautiful songs in its’ foundation and create a mature, developed plot line? I was proved wrong, naturally. You are starting to learn, probably, that my assumptions have a record of being thrown back in my face. The scene below is one of my favorites in the movie, one of the beginning scenes that showed the film could effectively balance the work of legends into a believable story line.

Not only does the plot have a strong basis, with a respectful devotion to the music of the group, but the actual talent of the actors is laudable. I would make a guess that a musical role is one that is not easy to play; to balance vocal performance and acting in a manner that is not theatrical at nature seems to an impossible feat. But the actors do it brilliantly, delivering stunning solos and duets while maintaining a simple grace to their actual performance. This simplicity is shown much in the scene below, its raw vulnerability and talent being only heightened with the beautiful, original lyrics of the song.

I am a sucker for music. I am a sucker for the beauty that it brings in its words, its melodies. To say that the Beatles mastered the art of music creation is an understatement. I am also, as you have seen, a sucker for film. I find my soul lies in each perfectly captured scene, in every emotion that pours out of an actor. To mix two of the greatest art forms into one is difficult, but Across the Universe manages to do just that gracefully, and tugs at your heart strings along the way. To close, let me leave you with the final scene of the film, one that brings tears to my eyes everytime. There is no better final song, no better farewell, than All You Need is Love. All one truly needs is love, and Jude and Lucy found theirs.

Sometimes, the most amazing, memorable things in life are the things that we initially think little of. Such is the case for my next film: Steve Carell and Kiera Knightley’s “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World”. The title itself suggests comedy, which yes, the film could be seen as on the surface. However, whatever preconceived notions I had about this movie completely escaped by the end. (Warning: Spoilers ahead, in some regard.)

Keira Knightley and Steve Carell star in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

The film begins with the news that a catastrophic asteroid is set to hit Earth in a month, which will bring an ending to all mankind. Casting in this film is impeccable; Steve Carell plays Dodge, the insignificant 40 something whose wife just left him after hearing the news of their impending doom, living in apartment building with flirty, fun, and young Penny, played perfectly by Knightley.

Penny and Dodge embarking on their road trip 

Throughout the movie, I quickly realized that the shallow plot that initially presented itself was a facade. The movie was brilliant, with its dark humor cutting through heavy emotional story lines, and beautiful, thought out character development. It left me with a feeling of nostalgia: allow me to explain. Some films are able to establish a sense of setting and time in such a way that it feels as though you live through each and every minute, that you too are on that beach or in that car. The scene below is a prime example of this- the beauty of the day, the happiness and simplicity of the setting makes me yearn for a moment in time I never even experienced.

Another sure tell sign of whether a movie will be deemed a favorite by me is the soundtrack. The two art forms do not simply coexist in the cinematic world, but fail to thrive, to grow, without one another. In this cases, the music does not set the scene- it is the scene. The Hollies “The Air that I Breathe” creates a sense of longing, of farewell, with apocalyptic undertones that allude to both the physical end of the world and the symbolic end that comes with Dodge saying goodbye to Penny for what seems to be forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdMeIIZDdI

Finally, the moment that solidified this movie’s place on my list, in my heart, and probably the hearts of thousands more is the beautiful final scene: the end of the world. Something so large and astronomical and incomprehensible becomes something simple and breathtaking. This last scene stands as a testament to the power of human relationships, no matter one day or one year or one lifetime. What a beautiful way to die- with the one you love right by your side. Dodge’s final love declaration, the final words in the entire film: “Penny, I’m really glad I got to know you.” Concise, haunting, magnificent- just as is the film itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OuxZy153tM

Alright, alright, alright. 

To kick things off, coming in at number 10 on the list of greatest movies ever is the 2013 biography-drama “Dallas Buyers Club”. DBC stars legend Matthew Mcconaughey as Ron Woodroof, a Dallas rodeo heterosexual man who discovers he has AIDS. The movie tells the true story of Ron’s campaign to bring unapproved pharmaceuticals to those who were unable to get on the list for clinical trials, or could not afford the astronomical prices of the FDA approved medication.

Jared Leto as Rayon in “Dallas Buyers Club”

I first watched this movie in 2015 with my older brother, Matthew. As you will quickly learn in the coming weeks, Matt has recommended to be the majority of my favorite movies. He has seen the glisten in my eyes at a particularly beautiful scene, replete with just the right song, camera angle, and dialogue. Mcconaughey’s raw emotion in the scene below is a perfect example of just that: the candidness in his emotions, the complete portrayal of fear masked as hate, enough that you struggle to feel empathy for the dying man, the chilling, but hopeful prophecy he delivers that “There ain’t nothing out there that can kill Ron Woodroof in thirty days.”

Mcconaughey’s performance was not the only stand out in the film. Jared Leto’s commendable performance as Rayon, a trans woman with HIV who assists Woodroof in his distribution of medication, drew me in initially to the film, especially after he received the Academy Award for Supporting Actor in 2014. The character received mixed reviews socially. While many praised Leto’s portrayal and acting “chops” in the role, others found themselves agitated by his casting, as opposed to a trans actor. I felt myself agreeing with the call for a more diverse casting, but Leto’s talent still shone through. Below is the scene that I feel earned Leto the Oscar.

I always find myself eager to seek out films based on unsung “heros”. I feel as though history is only capable of retaining a small portion of idolized “saints”- people who we forget are human at all. Dallas Buyers Club candidly portrays the truth of a man with a list of flaws, who refused to give no for an answer. The film’s success in this portrayal proves itself through its various accolades, the most famous perhaps being Mcconaughey earning his first Academy Award for Best Actor. He offers one of the most concise, beautiful acceptance speeches, clearly humbled and affected by his work. In fact- if I were to make another top ten lists of favorite acceptance speeches, this would be #1. It gives me the chills everytime- the message leaving an unintended, beautiful consequence of the production of the movie.

As the weeks go on, you will come to learn, dear reader, that these are the moments I live for; the moments in which a film transcends a media platform: a screen, a laptop, a small cracked phone nestled in the lap of an airline passenger. A good film, a real film  is not made for the blinding lights and the hoards of money. A beautiful film speaks in the quiet, and comes when you least expect you need it, in a way it probably never intended to.

Or, maybe, that was its exact purpose the whole time.

Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof in “Dallas Buyers Club”