Friday, November 25, 2011

Favorite Scene Friday! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I must begin this post with the confession that yes, for this Favorite Scene Friday!, I cheated a bit.  Being that this week celebrates the season of giving thanks, I tried to think about a movie that I am truly thankful for.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is simply a masterpiece.  It's beautiful from start to finish - every single scene.  There are very few other films that so poignantly portray the human experience - love, loss, happiness, grief, courage, acceptance...the list goes on.  With all of that in mind, I truly could not narrow down one favorite scene.  I'm actually giving you three, and believe me, it was hard to limit myself to even that number. 

The first scene is one that hits me the hardest.  It's where a still relatively young (although he doesn't look it) Benjamin takes his ailing father to see one final sunrise on Lake Ponchartrain.  It's in this scene that Benjamin evokes the words of the colorful Captain Mike, who he spent time with at sea during World War II. 

"You can be mad as a mad dog at the way things went.  You could swear, curse the fates.  But when it comes to the end, you have to let go."




The second scene pretty much speaks for itself.  In the letter Benjamin leaves for his daughter, he writes some of the best advice any of us could ever hope to receive...and these are words we should all try to live by. 




For my final scene, I give you the final scene of the movie.  Some people were born to sit by a river...


As we enter this holiday season and approach a new year...here's to all of us seeing things that startle us, and feeling things we've never felt before.  And always remembering, it's never too late.  Happy Friday, everyone!

3 comments:

  1. Good choice. Three powerful scenes from a great movie. Man that last one still gets me.

    One of my favorites is the unveiling of the clock at the beginning:

    "I made it that way. So that perhaps the boys that we lost in the war might stand and come home again. Home to farm...work...have children. To live long, full lives. Perhaps my own son will come home again."

    "Mr. Cake was never seen again. Some say he died of a broken heart. Some say he went to sea."

    :,(

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  2. I had forgotten about that advice scene, thanks

    Not my favourite David Fincher film, but it got a lot of nominations, so what do I know ( :

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  3. I agree this is a truly great film. I love that it takes its time and lets all the characters breathe properly. I have a huge crush on Kate Blanchett so combining her with Fincher is a no brain win!

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