Realcardbored

entries profile chatter clicks extras

Greatness
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 @ 2:49 PM

You're an orphan, right? Do you think I'd know the first thing about how hard your life has been ... because I read Oliver Twist? - from Good Will Hunting, 1997

If there was any novel in the entire world which I wanted my own future novel to be in its same vicinity of greatness, I would choose The Lovely Bones.

Never in my life have I read this kind of novel before—powerful and stunning, horrific yet touching, passion radiating with its every word. From the first two lines, it explodes with drama all throughout the next three hundred pages; and it completely grips you, grows on you, exposes you to this family shattered by Susie Salmon's murder—the dead is the narrator. And what would have been shallow and sentimental, had it not been for Alice Sebold, was deep and truly profound; sometimes sweet and even funny. This is probably the most memorable book I've ever read in my life, and the only book I would truly commit to rereading.

And if there was any screenplay in the entire world which I wanted my own future screenplay to be in its same vicinity of greatness, I would choose Good Will Hunting.

With this film, every character in it can be fallen in love with. You find their human flaws and are able to understand them so deeply, profoundly, that it's truly unforgettable. The lines in the film, delivered just brilliantly by the actors, are so stirring, amazing—that I sincerely had moments while watching wherein I had to gasp and whisper to myself, "Wow", in amazement. (And don't laugh at me until you've seen it yourself.) Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote one hell of an exceptional screenplay.

So there we have it: Greatness packed into my memory so vividly, most admirably. (I forget that summer's just about having fun.)