Let's Go To The Movies
The decade is coming to an end. It is a bittersweet finale to the ten years we spent growing up. Movies have a way of defining the times. They’re snapshots of who we were, what we were thinking, and what mattered to us. Here is a reflection of the last ten years, told through film.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, 2012
I read the 1999 Stephen Chbosky novel that this movie is based on beginning in eighth grade. It took a few months- maybe longer- on and off again until the rhythm of the book kicked in. Perks is one of the first “young adult” stories that I had encountered. Young adult in the sense that it spoke of aspects no one had before: teenage depression and anxiety and severe loneliness. The movie is just as beautiful. Logan Lerman stars as Charlie, a depressed kid, who writes letters to an unnamed friend chronicling his time in high school. Charlie is a freshman with senior best friends. I always related to this balance between maturity and yet constantly feeling like a late bloomer. When I read this book and watched the movie, I had so much to learn about myself and the world. In many ways, I still do.
Moonrise Kingdom, 2012
If you are an avid UA reader, you know we are all obsessed with this film. In Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson crafts a quirky world where Suzy- an irritable and restless girl- and Sam- an ostracized orphan- run away from the oppressive adults and bullies that plague their existences. Though it is about children, I always find myself rewatching this movie as I grow up. The idea of forging one’s path is relevant beyond childhood.
The Fault in Our Stars, 2014
A love story that we will all remember, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and the movie of the same name was one of our generations first romances that did not make us feel embarrassed for being romantics. Hazel and Gus’s battle with cancer make this love story appear grand and urgent. Let’s take this story into 2020. Okay?
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2015
The continuation of the Star Wars saga introduced me and an entire generation to a world I, and previously stated entire generations, may not have otherwise cared to visit. As big as the franchise is, it still manages to feel like a personal victory of conquering fear just as Rey, Finn, and Poe do with every adventure they undertake. I love Star Wars. I love the action and excitement and how billions of other people get just as amped up about the Resistance as I do. I love having something to share. Don’t we all?
La La Land, 2016
When asked the horrible question, “What is your favorite movie?” La La Land is almost always on my extensive list. It is instantly captivating with its vibrant color schemes and wide shots. The immediate joy from the dance routines and score make even the busy Los Angeles freeway seem grand. Although a classic love story between Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a jazz musician, there is so much more to the film. It regulates creative professions in a way I did not know was acceptable, and at the time, really needed to. As a young teenager when the film released, writing (and everything else I loved) was only a hobby. At the end of the decade, as I begin to consider a life I may want for myself, it is empowering to know that art and creativity matter- not just as an elective or extracurricular or addendum on a resume, but as valid paths with unarguable importance. If Mia and Sebastian found their place in the world and filled it through the artistry they loved, perhaps I can also.
Moonlight, 2016
After the 2017 Oscar ceremony fiasco, it seems impossible to mention La La Land without mentioning Moonlight. I view the two distant though impactful films as fraternal twins- bound by time and authenticity, and different in every other way. Besides their similar sincerity, Moonlight stands out as a film of its own kind. Told in three parts, Moonlight tells the story of Chiron as he grows up in Miami and struggles with his identity. He finds opposition in unanticipated places. His mother is an addict and also his greatest foe, while the mentor Chiron meets in his youth is revealed as the dealer feeding his mother’s addiction. It is complicated and heartbreaking, as real-life may be, and Chiron learns to look after himself the way a child should never have to. Unlike anything to have received the critical acclaim it did, Moonlight opened the door for a new era of film, and for that, it is remembered.
Call Me By Your Name, 2017
I came to love Call Me By Your Name in an unusual order. First, I watched the movie, then read the screenplay, and lastly the book nearly two years later. André Aciman has a way with words. A way of delicately tugging one’s heartstrings enough to lead them to recall memories that have not transpired. I fell in love with Call Me By Your Name before I really knew what love was. I absorbed the pages, scenes, and soundtrack as if I was Elio reminiscing on a passionate summer. The movie is perhaps one of the most visually stunning I have seen. It is oddly delicate and simply effortless considering Luca Guadagnino’s director’s cut was over three hours long. There are shots of garden paths and waterfalls and the camera cares equally for Elio and Oliver as it does for the scenery of Crema where their relationship unravels. The sequel, Find Me, returns to the story I and so many others fell in love with.
The Florida Project, 2017
I have so much respect for homemade movies. There is something spectacular about a few people getting together with childlike excitement and a wild idea. I love movies where I can imagine how the initial story was birthed. In The Florida Project, Bria Vinaite plays Halley, the young mother of Moonee played by Brooklyn Prince. Set in Orlando only minutes away from Disney World, the alleged happiest place on Earth, a painful dichotomy of socio-economic discrepancies is set. Throughout one summer, Halley struggles to care for Moonee and takes various jobs that eventually threaten her custody. Meanwhile, the focus is on Moonee, her neighborhood friends, and the adventures they have unbeknownst to their parents’ suffering. Sean Baker, the writer and director of the film, filmed his directorial debut, Tangerine, on an iPhone. When casting The Florida Project, he DM-ed Bria because she had the right look for the part.
Get Out, 2017
A film where the cinematography feels like art, Get Out brought a new meaning and depth to the term “moving image.” There are stills from Get Out that feel like paintings. Yet the risk of the film, the message that it conveys, is nothing short of revolutionary.
Lady Bird, 2017
If you frequent UA, you know Lady Bird is an all-time favorite. Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut seems to have been released at a time when we all needed it. We were growing up, high school was turning towards an end. College and real life were and are on the horizon. Lady Bird’s self-transformation spoke to a generation of girls who wanted to be transformed. With this film, we grew up, are growing up, we found, and are finding ourselves. I cannot write anymore. I cannot pretend that this story means more to me than it does to you. The most special part about once in a lifetime films like these is that because they resonate deeply, they also resonate differently with a variety of patrons.
Black Panther, 2018
One of the most powerful and exquisite movies that truly defined a culture and generation.
Crazy Rich Asians, 2018
Okay, so 2017 was a good year for film. 2018 had some great ones also. As the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the last ten years, Crazy Rich Asians is a vibrant and undeniably engrossing triumph. I watched this movie months after it was released with the rest of my family (I come from a family where romantic comedies are worshipped. I’ve seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding more times than I’d like to admit). After laughing at everything Awkwafina said and feeling empowered by Constance Wu’s relentless confidence, I wrote the following in my Notes app:
CRAZY RICH ASIANS IS SO GOOD, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.
I stand by my statement.
A Star Is Born, 2018
A Star Is Born, though predictable, is a win for both music and film. The movie follows singer-songwriter, Jackson Maine, and Ally, an up-and-coming musician. Despite his unwavering love for Ally, Jackson’s alcoholism overcomes him, leaving her devastated. While accepting her Grammy for “Shallow,” Lady Gaga encouraged her fellow musicians to look out for each other, pursue those who are hurting rather than abandon them, and if you are hurting to find the bravery to ask for help. Perhaps the fictional Jackson Maine could have benefited from this advice. Nevertheless, the movie leaves us with the task to do better than our cinematic predecessors.
Booksmart, 2019
I did not like Booksmart the first time I watched it. It took a few more months, and undergoing a long and tough college application process before I understand what Booksmart had to offer. Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut takes the form of a comedy following overachievers Molly and Amy the night before graduation. Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever star as girls who spent their high school experiences studying and crave one night to party like a typical high schooler. This film is relatable in more ways than I would like. Nonetheless, there is something to be said about ambition- they way we talk about it, if we talk about it- and desire- what we want and why want it. Booksmart is about girls who want things- whether that is an Ivy League education or to be truly understood by their classmates. Each of their desires is treated fairly and equally, and there is no shame in setting their hearts on whatever matters to a teenager.
Little Women, 2019
Every generation deserves a remake, right?
Avengers: Endgame, 2019
There is not much to say about the highest-grossing film of all time that has not been said in millions of articles throughout the internet. All I can add is that Avengers: Endgame brought a lot of people together at a time when we really needed it. Although it is not the most indie movie to discuss, it is an undeniable sign of the times and unforgettable moment in the decade.
Here’s to a new decade full of great films, great filmmakers, and lasting memories.