I rarely watch movies... let me rephrase... I rarely watch good movies, because they are rarely made. I like a variety of films, comedy being my favourite. The last good one I watched was "Borat". It is unbelievably stupid and hilarious. It deserves another blog. But this one is about a movie I watched over the Christmas weekend, a very wierd weekend to say the least. "The Pursuit of HappYness" is one of those movies that make you think, make you cry, make you laugh, stick with you, and make you salute the human spirit and the power of the individual. I absolutely loved the movie for it portrayed the kind of man I would like to be. Someone who thinks that no matter how low you are, no matter how much in the depths of dispair your life is, it is up to you to set it right. Like the real Mr. Gardner (Chris Gardner, whose life inspired this movie) says, "The cavalry isn't coming", and as an old saying (by which I try to live) goes "If it is to be, it is up to me."The pursuit of happyness made me cry. Not only because it is the story of a smart man who was down in the dumps and then rose to riches, and protected his son against all odds. This movie made me cry because the father in this movie taught his kid the same values that my father taught me, and I, someday will teach my kids. Be strong, be who you are, and if you get into shit, get yourself out of it. But no matter what, I'll always be there... will always be your Daddy.
Another movie that revolves around the same ideals and that has stuck with me through the years is "Life is Beautiful". Roberto Benigni's timeless classic about the holocaust created a lasting impression on me not only because it was a well made movie, but because it showcased the relationship between a father and son. A relationship that is so complex that it deserves another post (and another time). Guido Orefice (played by Roberto Benigni) uses his vivid imagination to shield his son from the grim realities of a Nazi concentration camp. He tells his son that its all a big game, the winner of which will get a tank as the prize... I can't write about the whole movie here, but go watch it. Its amazing. What's more amazing is as I grow up, I see how my parents have been so much like Guido. The sacrifices they made and continue to make are phenomenal. As I grow older, I realize the magnitude of the little things my parents gave up so I could have what I wanted. Life is a big game... and what I am today, and what I will be tomorrow, is the tank that I've won. Get it? No? Watch the movies I mentioned above :)
