"how is it in hillsborough? well, it's warm here, too."

let's kick off this all-too-relevant blog with a discussion of my experience with the best movie ever.

of course, savvy readers already know that we're talking about BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE (1972).
this gem was introduced into my life at such a young age that i could only remember hazy details until a couple of years ago when i rediscovered it. for about a decade, i would get mental flashes, lone images from a film that my subconscious was trying desperately to recall. now i know why the film stuck with me, even if only in fragments.
i finally pieced together the clues to find the title and, subsequently, a copy of the DVD during my sophomore year in college. it was like digging up a treasure that was lovingly and carefully buried in the backyard during the second grade. such a precious find; i couldn't believe we'd been separated for so long.

as i see it, it's more important for me to describe my affinity for this movie than it is to review its content and structure. this is because i recognize that the nature of my love for BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE is somewhat unreasonable and maybe even irrational. films in general are very important to me, and the experience of identifying strongly with a character or theme is a precious one. but this one in particular hit me on a whole new level.

if you must know about the film itself (as i have omitted even the names of the actors and an outline of the plot), please head over to IMDb. it's difficult for me to explain it here, as basic and simple as the plot may be. the whole of the film is so much greater than the sum of its parts, and it transcends the material so successfully that a discussion thereof seems almost moot. anyone who sees the film because of my recommendation may be left wondering why i would feel such an allegiance to it. but i suppose asking you to love this movie like i do would be like handing my old and tattered teddy bear to a stranger and expecting them to bond.

on the bandwagon

just a briefing,
what to expect from my blog:

1. oodles of random ruminations and essays, movie reviews and the like.

2. very rare occurrences of capitalization but an otherwise strict adherence to the guidelines that govern spelling, grammar, and syntax.

ok, now that you've been sufficiently prepared, strap on your seat belts!