the movie that made me love movies

I figured today we would talk about the movie that kind of started this all. The movie that made me love movies....Good Will Hunting

1997: Nominated for Best Picture

Beat By: Titanic

Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver

Well-known quotes: "How do you like them apples?" "Real loss is only possible when you love something more than you love yourself" "I gotta see about a girl"

I remember the first time I watched Good Will Hunting. It was the first time I got that feeling, the one that tells me that I'm watching an awesome movie. It signifies that the movie is better than your average movie, the ones I was used to seeing at the point. It says that there's something special about it. 

I think for Good Will Hunting that something special is the writing. Now don't get me wrong, there are many things about this movie that I find awesome. But it's the words, the way the characters say them and the interactions that really got me. I just love how in the end, everything connects, and everything makes sense. 

The screenplay was actually written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, two of the movie's stars. They won best original screenplay, which to this day is one of my favorite Oscar moments. Ben Affleck became the youngest person to win the Oscar, at the age of 25. I found the win extremely endearing, especially because they were such young, modest men. Also, their real friendship can be seen so clearly, it's a great thing.

In the movie the two play best friends Will (Damon) and Chuckie (Affleck). They live in Boston and go about their daily routine of hanging out, going to bars and living the lives that were dictated to them as children. They don't try or expect to go anywhere in life besides where they've always been. But Will has a brilliant mind, being able to solve mathematical equations that no one else can with ease.

The struggle that Will goes through as to if he should take advantage of this gift or stay in his mundane life with his best friends is what makes this movie so great. I know that most viewers over look this, but Will and Chuckie's friendship is one of my favorite aspects of the movie....responsible for my favorite scene in the movie.

To me, Affleck is the star here. I love how he's not even really in the movie that much, not really considered a "main character," be he contributes so much to the movie. I love when secondary characters play important roles, I prefer that over a movie with only a few main characters. Ben Affleck is one of my favorite actors, and he's totally under rated.

Robin Williams is also a standout star here, playing Sean, Will's therapist that he's forced to go to after being arrested. He has his moments of great subtlety, sitting quietly as Will insults him and gives him a hard time. But his real contribution to the movie, is his scenes when he's talking about his deceased wife. Williams is so good at portraying wisdom, and making it seem so simple. He gives endless profound advice about love and soul mates, and it gives a sort of hope to those of us watching, that love really is that simple.

 

 

Well done Robin Williams, no wonder he won the Oscar for best supporting actor. 

The way this story is told is extremely profound because it showcases simple people going through their lives and portraying an amazing message. Friendship, love, settling and the lives we strive to have. In the end, everything is connected and you can see that lessons are learned by all the characters. 

So, even though Good Will Hunting didn't win best picture, I still think it deserved to. And in the end, it doesn't matter, because this is still one of the best movies I've ever seen. And my favorite.

The Departed

So keeping up with these awesome mob movies, lets talk about 2006's best picture winner...

The Departed

2006: The Departed

Beat Out: Babel, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen

Well-Known Quotes: "I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me." "I'm the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy."

To me The Departed is like the epitome of what a "best picture" should be. It gets really confusing to think about what makes a movie a best picture winner, what makes it a best screenplay winner, or a best direction winner. Like what's the difference? Movies are all different so how can you pick a winner? I never really knew the answer to this, I mean there is no answer. But after watching The Departed I just couldn't help but being absolutley sure that this movie deserved to win. I couldn't really figure it out. I mean I didn't think there was this great message or a break out star....it was the story. For me thats what makes a best picture, the story that it tells and the way that the different characters and elements of the movie contribute and interact to tell it. I think the story in The Departed was told exceptionally well. I mean, that's what movies are right? They're stories.

The Departed tells the story of two "rats" Billy Costigan (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (played by Matt Damon). Billy is an undercover cop working as a worker for mob boss Frank Costello (played by Jack Nicholson), while Colin is a loyal follower of Costello working as a cop.

This film is unique because all the characters are extremely important. To me there is no "star." Sure you might think DiCaprio or Damon act as the movie's main characters...but the way I see it the story being told is way bigger than any one character.

In fact, if I HAD to pick the characters/actors that stood out to me, it'd probably be Mark Wahlberg (yeah yeah, Marky Mark from the 90's) and Martin Sheen. Both play police officers working with Billy, and both contribute greatly to the story. Walhberg earned himself a best supporting actor nod for his role. Damn he's come a long way...

I just love how basically for the whole movie you're watching the stories of two seperate people, who are really complete opposites in their characteristics and goals...yet they share so much. They share the same woman, interact with the same people, and are both desperate to find the other one. All this built up tension and anticipation is let out perfectly in the scene where Billy and Colin talk on the phone. Actually, they barely talk, they just breathe and acknowledge that they are both talking to rats. So little actually happens in this scene, yet I found my heart racing and my eyes closing in fear. Both actors do an amazing job here portraying to us how pivitol this moment is expressing all the trouble they have gone through in being a rat, and finding one. 

One of the main reasons I loved this movie is because it had the ability to surprise me. I mean (SPOILER ALERT) basically everyone dies...and I don't know about you guys but I did NOT expect this to happen at all....

my jaw literally dropped, and I started freaking out. Just when you finally think Colin has been caught, this happens. Not only does he get away, the only person who knows he's the rat is now dead. UGH!

But of course, in the end this movie kicks butt. I love love love Matt Damon (this love will be explained in later posts), but in the end he got his and I was so happy. As the credits started rolling, there was a huge smile on my face. I just love how basically every scene was instrumental in finally catching him, every scene mattered...in the end it all mattered. OH! and notice the rat on the ledge at the end...SO GOOD!

You go Mark Wahlberg! 

So in case you guys couldn't tell...I definitely think that The Departed deserved its Oscar. 

Fun Fact: Director Martin Scorsese won his first oscar for achievement in directing for this movie (crazy I know). Previously he had been nominated 7 times, 5 of which were for directing. Since then he has been nominated another time for achievement in directing.