Film | Chel Owens

Which films would you say are necessary to watch?

I propose to you an interesting dilemma: a friend who has closely guarded her offsprings’ viewing materials feels she’s done them a disservice now that they’re nearing adulthood. That is, the other teens talk a talk (and meme a meme) that she isn’t sure her teens can follow.

Cue: Family Movie Night.

Also cue: asking her friends which movies we thought were necessary.

We’re trying not to go crazy, but have started a list of ideas… and may have texted the instant a new one came to mind.

It’s a rare opportunity, really. I feel like I’ve been handed Tarzan from the jungle. It’s a Mormon Rumspringa* of viewing; nostalgia of youth; study of art; excuse to eat popcorn.

So, the question of today is an easy one: which movies do you think are a must to view in one’s life? Which do you love/hate/want your money back from? What would you add to the list?

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Here’s what I wrote for the past week:
Wednesday, May 3: Asked why you blog.

Thursday, May 4: Announced the Terrible Poetry Contest! We’re limerick-ing about Vermont cheddar cheese!

Friday, May 5: Friday Photo. Poor piano.

Saturday, May 6: A poem. Sort-of.

Sunday, May 7: Shared Stuart Perkin’s quote from his interview.

Monday, May 8: Atheist to Theist. I’ll probably re-work this one.

Tuesday, May 9: Responded to Carrot Ranch’s prompt.

Wednesday, May 10: This post.

*I’d like to note that Rumspringa isn’t a wild glut of abandonment as is popularly-depicted, but worked as an analogy even at its tamest definition for use in this blog post.

We watched Inside Out for our family movie night last week. Since then, my husband and I have had a lot to think about. He relates to Joy.

“I’m like Joy. I draw a circle and tell Sadness to stay inside it….” -Him

Me? I relate to Sadness, then Anger, then Fear. Sadness runs my little control panel, and tells Joy to keep it contained. We wouldn’t want things to get too happy, you know?

“Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life’s problems.” -Sadness

I know it sounds depressing. You don’t really need to tell a depressing person that she’s depressing. The funny thing is that, when other people express similar sentiments, I put on a little mask and cheerleader demeanor (though not ever the outfit). “I’m sure that problem would be helped by _________” I say. “You’re not worthless,” I add. “Every human being has worth and I have seen you do amazing things.”

Inside, however, my coagulation of Sadangryscared says rotten things.

“There is no point to life and no one really likes you.” -Me

I’ve expressed the feeling that others are driving, that life is ho-hum, that I don’t know what to do and that I feel badly for feeling this way on top of it all. At rarer times; I have been a little happier and explained how to move on, get over oneself, and improve.

The problem is Depression and its insidious friend, Despair. When both of those are too lazy to try very hard, they kick Apathy over to sit on me. I can’t care about much with her sitting there.

…. -Apathy

See? She can’t even be bothered to construct a sentence, let alone give me the idea that I ought to try to try.

Why are things that way? Why can’t I try a little joy? It’s because when Joy is loose inside my mind, she’s a tad crazy. We’re talking toga party crazy. We’re talking repressed emotion crazy. She bounces off walls, says embarrassing things, and doesn’t really know how to respond to others’ comments. As Fear slowly gets a good grip on her arm to put her back over in her circle, she turns into Anxiety.

“Oh, no. What did I say? I should never have allowed myself to feel happy.” -Me again, or Joy as Anxiety

Like in the film, I believe my emotions need to get along better if I hope for more stability. My mind islands need a fusion; a cohesive Pangaea where all may play and get along.

After all, Riley’s mother’s dominant emotion is Sadness. She and the other eyeglass-wearing, ponytail-toting gals get along fine and don’t seem to be collapsing in crying heaps all over the place. I can aim for that, can’t I?

Until then, here’s a final message from Sadness: