American Beauty!

I saw American Beauty yesterday and what do I say! I dont want to write a review of the film since many have done that before me. But these are a few line in the film that just hit me, that I just can't get rid of ...

"It is one of those days when it hadn't been snowing. There was this electricity in the air. You can always feel it. And this bag was just ... dancing! With me!! Like a little kid begging me to play with it ... for fifteen minutes! Thats the day I realized that there is this entire LIFE behind things and this increasingly benevolent force wanting me to know that there is no reason to be afraid ... ever! This video is a poor excuse I know, but it help me remember what I need to remember - sometimes there is so much beauty in the world. I feel like I can't take it and my heart is just going to give in!"
... Ricky explaining to Jane his philosophy behind the video of the polythene bag flying with the breeze!


"I’d always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn’t a second at all. It stretches on forever, like an ocean of time. For me, it was lying on my back at boy-scout camp, watching falling stars. And yellow leaves from the maple trees that lined our street. Or my grandmother’s hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper… And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new firebird ... and ... and Jany ... and Jany! ...... and ... Caroline! I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what really happened to me but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday."

... Lester Burnham's ending monologue!



But what I identify the most with is a sentence that Lester says! Probably he said that in a totally different context in the movie, but it is so very true that it does apply to the life most of us are leading -

"This isn't life ... this is just stuff and this stuff has become more important to you than life itself. Well thats just nuts!!!"