melancholy cozy
Being at the precipice of leaving something behind and starting something new.
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
themes: escapism, loneliness, friendship, childhood
I've always loved seeing imagination come to life—my earliest memories of it being Little Bill going to space and SpongeBob and Patrick transforming a cardboard box with their 🌈imagination🌈. Where the Wild Things Are is the ultimate cinematic realization of both, just a little more moody and a little more realistic about the limits of imagination. I don't see WTWTA as being the bearer of bad news. I appreciate that it says that it's okay to dream and play, but you also shouldn't forget to come back down.
Her (2013)
themes: loneliness, disconnection, romance, A.I.
It seems that I am just a fan of both being lonely and Spike Jonze.
I adore films that depict feelings in colors. Melancholy is a series of hazy pink shades. Emptiness is a dark room. The heaviness of reality a foggy grey blue. It's bizarre to watch a man excitedly speak to a personality stitched from code. Even more bizarre is rooting for their relationship, until the empty space in his bed reminds you it has never really existed.
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)
themes: self-growth, friendship, family
We tend to think the world revolves around us as teens. Life happens all around us and yet we walk through it all. This movie shows us the blinders we wear as self-absorbed and confused adolescents, only concerned with our routines and our problems. It takes reliving an experience over and over again to make some discoveries about places beyond ourselves. I appreciate that the focus is on familial love rather than romantic. I feel like we should prioritize that more. A tiny, delightful watch.
