Thursday, January 27, 2011

Can we leave this world alive?

A friend and I caught up today and decided to watch a few movies, as is our usual custom. The last movie we watched was P.S. I Love You. We have both seen this movie a number of times now, and every time I watch it I’m struck by the joy within it. I remember when it first came out critics didn’t really like it – probably rightly so in terms of technically good movies – but I was charmed by it and still believe its worthiness comes with the questions it asks about the finality of death. When we die, are we really gone?

You can answer this question in several different ways. Religiously, this question is answered by the notion of souls going either to heaven or hell once they die, and while I have a strong belief in an afterlife, I find it more interesting to look at the question from a philosophical stand point. This is also the avenue which is explored in P.S. I Love You.

One of the final lines of the film surrounds the idea that this world and this life is one which nobody comes out of alive. This is given as a motivational concept. It is perfectly sensible. To the best of our knowledge, we only get one life. It is the one material certainty in this life that we will, at some point, die and we don’t know when this will happen. Once this is realised, there are two choices. We can either become depressed, lamenting the fragility of life, or we can live life as best we can with what we’re given. This is one of the major themes in P.S. and is what makes it so touching when Holly accepts her fate and begins living her life.

Ironically, this response to the confirmation of death has further implications for the original question. P.S. I Love You urges viewers to make some sort of mark on the world rather than simply walking through it. These differences that you make become part of you, but do not leave this world when you do. How can a person be dead when a part of them is still alive on earth? Part of being alive is being able to influence this world. Even though Gerry in P.S. is physically dead, he continues to influence his wife, Holly, in profound ways. He has made his mark on her life and therefore lives on in her.

In the end, it is those who have lived their life to the full who can live on after death. They can be confident that the things they have done and the people they have known will ensure their survival. This is ultimately the beauty of P.S, I Love You: the message that in a world preoccupied with death, life is the stronger and more enduring force. This should inspire all of us.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Holiday boredom leads to unexpected find

OK, it’s official! Holidays are overrated. They promise so much but ultimately they deliver so little. Still, I fall for the promises every time and end up thoroughly bored. I have to wonder what that implies for my memory ….. Anyway, I’m currently sitting here with just over a month left until I’m forced to return to the grindstone of university. Anyone studying Arts at Melbourne University will immediately recognise the irony of that statement. Nonetheless, university does require early mornings and a level of brain power which I’m not relishing expending right now.

And so, I resolved that if my break is not going to give me anything interesting to do, I’d at least waste my time pleasantly by catching up on a few movies I’ve been meaning to watch. The first one I found was a little movie from the 90s by the name of “Before Sunrise.” It is the beautifully simple story of a couple who meet on a train in Europe, spending a night together before going their separate ways.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much more than a sentimental flick from this movie. I think it’s already clear at this point that I was pleasantly surprised. I found it to be an intelligent film, relying more on the real conversations between the two leads, rather than flashy situations and editing. The simplicity of this film is astounding. Instead of the action that bombards many of the movies we see, Before Sunrise is nothing more than a tour around Vienna while the lead characters talk about love and life. Each of their conversations is unique and offers something to think about. At times their conversations even border on being too philosophical, but these periods are only temporary.

The leads were awesome. Apart from being a really cute couple, they had such great chemistry, keeping their conversations fresh and genuinely funny while giving great insights about their characters. One memorable scene  involved these two in the listening booth of a record store where the camera was focussed on them for a full minute simply avoiding each other’s gazes. The actors handled this with subtlety to create a funny and sweet scene out of what could have been rather awkward.

Anyway, I think you get my point ….. Awesome, understated movie that really makes you feel for the characters, hoping that somehow they meet again. There is a sequel which surprisingly is rated pretty well, but whether or not it’s needed I’m not sure.

Before Sunrise; cute, unique film, cute actors, beautiful locations. What more could you want? Totally recommend it!

Find the trailer here.