Raging Bull

Title: Raging Bull (1980)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty
Rank: 4

I watched Raging Bull last night, and it marks the tenth film in this project. That means I'm 10% done already! January is already over, and I have a feeling that this year (and this project) is going to go by fast.

Although Raging Bull centers around the life of a boxer, it really isn't just about the sport of boxing. (In fact, there is only a few minutes of the film that actually shows boxing.) Throughout the whole film, there is anger, rage, and fighting. Not only is it about the fights between the characters, but the general battle of life that we all go through.

As beautiful as it is, life is rarely easy. There is no one out there who does not experience hardships, whether they are financial, social, health woes, or anything else. If we want a satisfying life, we have to fight for it. We may often feel like we are K.O.'d by life, but there will always be another round if we are strong enough to get back on our feet. Jake La Motta (played by De Niro) goes through his boxing career wanting to be the champion, and although he doesn't ever win the title he wants, he does not ever give up or let himself fall. Sometimes, that's enough- as long as we keep fighting for it and don't let ourselves stop, we're doing alright. It is more about the journey than the actual destination: we learn so much going through life, riding over the bumps in the road, and trying to figure out exactly where we fit in. Life is an adventure.

Raging Bull is also about dealing with inner demons. La Motta finds his own downfall, both in personal relationship and professional, because of his own inner demons. Often our inner demons come from our own perceptions of how the world is; sometimes we become paranoid and judgmental because of one bad past experience, and because of that past experience being sour we assume any experience that is similar will also be sour. We become jaded, and our hearts harden. Distrust comes out to play, and we see things in an altered point of view.

Fighting our own demons can be a life-long battle. As long as we don't let them own us, we're doing pretty well. "Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye."
Helen Keller



Movies to Go: 90

The Wizard of Oz

Title: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Director: Victor Fleming
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley
Rank: 10

A Brain. Heart. Courage. A place to call home. These are the things coveted by the four yellow-brick-road-trekkers in The Wizard of Oz. Being smart, being a good person, having courage, and having people who love us are common human desires that most of us have. What we often don't realize, like the four characters, is that we already possess these traits inside of us, waiting to flourish.

The Scarecrow wants a brain. There are not very many people in the world who wouldn't want to be smarter. More often than not, it is a matter of applying oneself. If we didn't have brains, we wouldn't be breathing. Like any muscle, the brain needs exercise or it becomes flabby and weak. The more we use our minds, the stronger it becomes.

The Tin Man wants a heart. Deep down, I believe people want to be good. We all want to make a difference in the world, and leave something positive that future generations will remember us by. A good example of this is the situation in Haiti right now- there are people in need, and because of the dire situation, there are thousands of people who are reaching out to help those less fortunate than them. Whether it is by donating time, money, or blood, each little bit helps. (I myself tried to donate blood, but the Red Cross had to deny my donation due to the cancer and chemotherapy I had as a child. I was able to donate a little bit financially, though.) We all want to help others when they are in need, we all have a heart.

The Lion wanted courage. Life isn't easy, and often we have to do things that seem uncertain, and it takes a bit of courage to get by sometimes. People who are brave have the admiration and respect of others, two things that everyone would love to have. Being a valiant person doesn't mean looking for trouble, but facing it strongly when it comes.

Dorothy wanted a way home. What she is really looking for is familial love. No matter how far we may travel or how successful we may become, we still want the love of family and friends and the comfort of a place to call home.

What the four characters don't realize is that they had the things they wanted from the beginning, all it took was a little encouragement from the wizard for them to see that they were who they wanted to be. There is amazing potential in all of us, we just have to learn to tap in to it. So much easier to say than to do, but still entirely possible. People are astonishing creatures. As cliché as this may sound, we are all special. Each of us is a unique individual, and we all have our own interests, passions, and talents. People often don't realize how much potential they truly have, all it takes is a little belief in oneself.

When you put your mind to it, there isn't anything that you cannot do. We all have brains, heart, courage, and loved ones who support us. I firmly believe that the only limits we have are the ones we give ourselves.

Just because I think they are so pretty, I'm sharing with you a picture of the Ruby Slippers.


Movies to Go: 93