There are some movies that I enjoy watching again for the story, the message, and most importantly, how they made me feel. The list has no particular order. You can go on to say that they are my ‘favourite’ movies, although this would skip some profound movies which I very much enjoyed and got a lot out of but don’t particularly wish to go through again.

My comments on the movies may contain spoilers.

1 Into the Wild

The story of Chris McCandles, a fresh graduate who doesn’t want to follow the well-trodden path. He leaves his family without word, destroys his posessions, and vagabonds around America, eventually making it to Alaska. I still remember the night I saw it in cinema back when I lived in Belgium, awestruck all the way home and the next couple of days. The movie is powerful and it has stayed with me ever since. I rewatch it to better understand Chris’ point of view on life and how it evolves throughout.

2 Gattaca

We are in a future where genetic modifications are commonplace, love between two people can be predicted using their DNA, and a job interview consists of simply looking at your genotype. This is a story of someone whose dream is it become an astronaut and go on a manned mission to Europa, except he lacks the necessary predispositions to do that. I rewatch it for motivation, to see what is possible when you really dedicate yourself to a cause even though everyone else is against you.

3 Mr Nobody

A confusing account of the main character’s, Nemo’s, life, or more precisely, what it could have been. The film is about choice and we see how Nemo’s life pans out differently depending on what he does. I rewatch it to better grasp how different decisions may affect your life and for the beutiful visual effects. Highly recommend if you often find yourself asking ‘what-if’ questions about the choices you made.

4 Cloud Atlas

Based on a book (which I actually have not yet read), it tells six separate, but in a way interconnected stories, across six distinct time periods ranging from the 1800s to the far future in 2300s. The movie is very well done with fantastic visuals and captivating stories to tell. I rewatch it when I feel like seeing an epic adventure and to remind myself, on one hand, of our insignificance in the scale of time and the universe, but on the other of the significance of individuals and their stories. I highly recommend this.

5 Sideways

Two middle aged friends from college go on a wine road trip in California before one of them gets married in a week’s time. I rewatch it as I really like the story, and the interactions between the two friends whose characters couldn’t be more different. One particular scene towards the end (which I will not spoil), has embedded itself in my memory and it pops back whenever I ‘save something for later’ or procrastinate in some similar way.

6 Match Point

Luck, that’s what’s it all about. This is what separates the winners from the losers. Yes, they can both be hard workers and yet still luck is what will separate the great success of one from the average life of the other. Never underestimate luck.

Luck is what ‘Match Point’ is all about. The main characters, Chris, definitely has a lot of highly desirable skills like grit and charisma that have gotten him to his current point in life but luck is what ultimately saves and defines him.

One of the other characters in the movie, upon seeing a newborn mentioned that he only wishes that he will be lucky. Never underestimate that in your life. Majority of the people that have made it were simply at the right place at the right time. Of course they were very hard workers, but what about all the other hard workers who got nowhere and their projects failed? Hard work is of course a necessary but not sufficient condition. Luck is the differentiating factor. Luck, but also your own ability to spot when it has arrived and act upon it, not letting the visitation go to waste.

What an absolute stroke of luck that Chris wasn’t caught just because some drug addict found the piece of jewelry Chris stole and then killed someone in the same neighbourhood just a day later? That was just so incredibly lucky.

On the opposite end, Nola was incredibly lucky to meet someone like Tom but she blew it. She didn’t use the luck that the randomness of the universe has granted her. With her own foolishness she led the relationship to an end, a relationship that would have set her up for life.

Luck, don’t underestimate its effect, but also don’t blame on it your lack of results. Work the hardest you can, and hope a stroke of luck aligns.