Great Movie Wisdom - Part 02

"Let the Wookiee win."
-- Anthony Daniels, Star Wars (1977)

If I had to pick a film as the most inspirational for my life, I would have to pick Star Wars. It sparked my imagination like no other film or television show has done. From that point on, I was hooked on science fiction. I watched everything I could find and read everything I could get my hands on. It's an obsession that continues to this day.

Many Star Wars fans have tried to find a life philosophy or even a religion in its storyline. Certainly, it has a number of lessons that are worthy of being learned about fate, sacrifice, and redemption. I am inclined on occasion to spout lines like Yoda's famous admonition, "Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." But the movie wisdom I want to discuss today a more subtle lesson from the original classic.

While R2D2 and Chewbacca play holo-chess, the Wookiee becomes noticeably agitated at the thought of losing. When Han Solo casually points out that it's not wise to upset a Wookiee, C3PO states, "But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid." To which Han responds, "That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their socket when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that." With this enlightenment, C3PO suggests a new strategy: "Let the Wookiee win."

It's a humorous moment in the film, but it also teaches a valuable lesson for life, too. Everyone, sooner or later, will face a task that is insurmountable. No hero -- no matter how brave or clever -- can do everything. Sometimes it is necessary to re-evaluate a situation and decide if victory is possible. Even if victory is achieved, perhaps it will be a hollow one. Sometimes it is better to admit defeat and consider an alternative goal.

Recently, my wife and I made a tough decision to close our online DVD store. We had put a lot of time, effort, and money into building it, but after six months without any noticeable traffic it was necessary to admit defeat.

This setback does not mean the death of FilmGuru.Net, however. We will continue to bring you movie, DVD, and soundtrack reviews, and hope that one day our site will grow big enough to sustain a business. When that happens, we will put to use the lessons we have learned from our first business adventure and the new experience will be a better one.

Great Movie Wisdom - Part 01

"Sometimes the spaghetti likes to be alone."
-- Tony Shalhoub, Big Night (1996)

This probably seems like a strange place to start. Big Night is not a well-known movie. Moreover, the quote above is not exactly straightforward. What does it mean? It may have more meaning to those who have seen the film, but I think its significance is important for everyone.

In Big Night, Tony Shalhoub plays Primo, a chef who has immigrated from Italy to America with his brother Secondo (Stanley Tucci). They have opened a restaurant together, Primo creating the authentic Italian dishes while Secondo is the front man running the restaurant. It's fair to say that there are tensions between Primo and Secondo. Primo's genius in the kitchen is coupled with a fiery temper. He wants to prepare and serve food the way he believes it should be done. Meanwhile, Secondo is trying to keep the restaurant's few customers happy so they will not go bankrupt.

This is one of the great "food movies," so it makes sense that much of the dialogue should surround the preparing, serving, and eating of food. While Primo is talking about spaghetti, he is really talking about something else. To understand what is being said, you have to do more than hear. You have to listen to what the other person is trying to say. As a temperamental culinary artist, Primo is trying to express his need to separate himself from the expectations of his customers, from the demands of his brother, and from the business they have created. It's an excellent example of subtext in writing.

The "wisdom" to be learned from this quote is two-fold. First, listen to what others are really saying. Hearing is not the same as listening. Second, take some time to be alone now and then. No one can be by someone's side 24 hours a day. Even now, happily married as I am, I enjoy those times when my wife goes off on errands while I stay at home to write. The silence of the apartment offers me a chance to reflect, to clear my head.

Whether you write, paint, or just like to read a book, alone time is a necessity. Don't expect it to just happen. One must cultivate it. Plan it into your week, whether it's a lunch-hour break at a coffee shop or an afternoon at the park. Take time to be alone with your thoughts, without the cell phone ringing or the radio blaring. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish and how much better you will feel.

Great Movie Wisdom - The Prologue

One of my favorite movie quotes of all time is from Steve Martin in the 1991 film Grand Canyon. Martin plays a movie producer, who explains, "All of life's riddles are answered in the movies." Perhaps not all of life's riddles, but there is enough accumulated wisdom in over 100 years of cinema celluloid to warrant some reflection.

For the next several weeks, I will be analyzing movie quotes that have resonated the most with me over the years, the ones that have made me think that movies aren't just mindless entertainment. Of course, in no way could I begin to discuss every good quote out there. Some will be familiar, others will not. Many of the more obvious quotes will be ignored, as I try to find wisdom in the most unlikely places.