Tonight I watched two movies with my dad – one he wanted me to see and another one that I wanted him to see. His movie was The Bucket List . It was a nice story about the last moments in the lives of two different men, who dying of cancer. After meeting in a hospital room, they became friends and decided to fulfill their life goals.
While the movie was fine I did not really share the enthusiasm that my had father about it. I just could not relate to the characters.
Then it was my turn and I put the Edges of the Lord DVD in the player. I won’t go into much detail about it, as I will soon write a separate review about it. But when the final credits rolled my father said that he liked it.
The two movies tonight made me realize why I am fond of coming-of-age movies; much more than any other genre. As you know, in coming-of-age movies the central plot revolves around a person suddenly facing a life-changing experience, trial, or tribulation. That person once was naive or childish and is now suddenly older and wiser because of the experience. While watching movies from this genre it is not hard for me to associate with the characters portrayed there. I am still preparing to embrace the world out there, without some of my naive beliefs.
During the process of growing, I made mistakes and naturally learn from them. I still feel that there is so much to be seen and learned. That is probably the reason why I associate with the characters on screen allow myself to go deeper into the story and gain something for myself. The same reasoning probably explains why I am so into the stories and movies of Stephen King. It’s the way he writes, describing the feelings of his characters so well that I almost believe I was them. I have been afraid of the dark since I was 6 and still am. You can imagine how I feel when reading the thoughts of Johnny in his book IT.
This is not to say that I don’t enjoy movies from other genres. But “The Bucket List”, for example, was for two old men evaluating their life. This is too far away for me to consider it as my story.
No, I didn’t miss your point and it was well made. I was just trying to say that maybe one can be too conservative and miss a lot of great things that caution will never let you experience. Sometimes it is about going blindly forward and taking a chance.
I realize that this went tangent to your premise. I just thought it worth mentioning.
Having said that, I am quite a bit older. I enjoy watching COA Movies for several reasons.
I can re-experience my youth by placing myself in the character and sometimes I just like to watch the act of innocent discovery, perhaps the joy of overcoming adversity on ones own without the help of an adult.
Sometimes it is a joy in watching a young person realized that their choice doesn’t have to be popular to be right for them.
Sometime I just like the act of innocence blossoming. There is something wholesome about it that can turn the tide when I’ve had a shit day and reassure me that there is hope for the world.
What ever the reason, it remains my favorite genre of movie. It always has been.
Cheers,
John
Either I missed the message in the movie or you missed the one in my post. It was meant to explain – both to myself and the readers why I am into coming of age movies.
But on a side note I really do not think that ” The Bucket list ” is a good movie – and am glad that I saw it at home instead of wasting money on it in the cinema
I think you missed the message in “The Bucket List”.
First of all, cancer is blind to age and it can and frequently does take children and young people. Even the ones who eat right and don’t smoke or anything.
Second, you may French kiss a truck tomorrow so live today as if you know you will not have another tomorrow.
Live each day as if it were your last.
It may be.
A quote from the series Mash.
“Sometimes you just have to drop your pants and slide on the ice.”