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Secondhand Lions (2003)
"Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most."
This wonderful little film really kind of blindsides you as it goes along, evoking powerful emotion and hopefully reflection on what really matters in life. Like many of the truly important movies out there that should be seen, it was critically panned, horribly/barely marketed, and a commercial failure. The general consensus among "professional" critics was it was "overly sentimental" and "cartoonish." To that I would say most of those people are so far removed from the basic humanity this movie imparts that they probably felt personally attacked for their illegitimate profession and life decisions.
I'm not going to discuss too much about the actual plot of this movie, because it does need to be seen and experienced without spoilers. Instead I want to touch on the themes and use simple descriptors: if the following things appeal to the person reading this review even a little bit, then this is a movie they should see. It is straightforward and earnest. It is positive and optimistic. It is both noble and wonderfully outlandish. It is gentle and wholesome. It might even make you believe in things like dignity, integrity, passion, and benevolence: even when the world around you (especially now, as I write this in late 2020) seems to have absolutely no use for such concepts.
I think the best compliment I can give Seconhand Lions is that my affection grows for it each time I see it. Yet I've probably only watched it a total of four, maybe five times. For a movie that is nearly 20 years old now that I happen to adore, that really isn't a lot of viewings. It's like an old friend that you seldom see because they live far away, and when you catch up one of the best parts is that you take stock of how you have changed and grown since you last visited. You can count on this friend, because you know they live by a code and are a tree with deep roots: unwavering and strong even against the torrents and storms of a world that seeks to snuff their kind out. The kind of friend that reminds you that when it comes to adventures: the best one...is the next one.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: In the Pale Moonlight (1998)
A lesson in the ethics of the greater good
I think it goes without saying that this is almost universally viewed as the best episode of DS9. It remains as compelling as it was when it originally aired. We see the noble Captain Benjamin Sisko compromise himself in ways he did not think possible. But he "can live with it" because the price he paid on his soul saved everything he cared about.
This wasn't the first time the ethics of Star Trek was directly challenged, but I would say it was the most poignant.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The quintessential cinema experience
I saw this film two days ago and am still reeling from its impact. IMO this is the finest work to ever be put onto film, no question. I won't summarize the movie since that has been done many times already, but I simply don't see how anyone could walk out of the theatre disappointed after viewing the masterpiece. The visuals are brilliant, and by far this is the most emotionally engaging chapter of the trilogy.
It is a bittersweet feeling that it is over, that we do not have another LOTR to look forward to next December. All i can say is I hope PJ makes the Hobbit because there is something wonderfully unique about everyone involved in this production as a whole.
10/10