glibberish.

I saw Bottle Rocket a few days ago. It was a subdued piece, little things happening here and there but not much else. But there is an underlying melancholy there, especially of the main characters (played by Luke and Owen Wilson). They are two nobodies trying to be happy in life and trying to be good friends with each other. Except maybe Luke Wilson’s optimist and Owen Wilson’s unreasonable zest, there is nothing about them that stands out – exactly the reason why I like them.

That brought me to watch yet another Wes Anderson: Rushmore. My love for this movie seems to grow exponentially. The first time around, I didn’t quite get it. Second time, it was great. And on this charmed third time… FANTASTICBRILLIANTSHIT!

I am particularly affected by Max Fischer’s (Jason Schwartzman) line to Herman Blume (Bill Murray), after he finds out that Herman and Miss Cross (Olivia Williams), whom Max is in love with, are going out:

“I saved Latin. What did you ever do?”

And several times Max reminds Miss Cross that he “wrote a hit play!” Max is befuddled why she doesn’t fall in love with him! This reminds me a lot of my very young self when, having liked a girl for several years, and trying to pursue her in a subtle way (maybe too subtle that the message never cut across?), I always wondered, why? Why someone else and not me, who is capable of many things? Me, who knows about films and books, great stories and ideas we could have explored together? Me, who loves music and can even make an entire song for you? Me, whose mind has been freed enough not to be bound by the usual constraints of relationships-as-usual? But there was no obvious answer for me; for Max and Miss Cross, it’s the age gap.

And Max is also the guy with “too many extracurricular activities… not enough studying.” But Max is brilliant in his own way – just not in academics. Do I see a reflection of myself as well (barring the ‘brilliant’ part)? Somehow. Maybe in a haphazard grab-anything-that-interests-me-but-lose-it-just-as-easily way. But no, better not to say “not enough studying” – I want to get through finishing my master’s degree!

It was also now that I see how sad the sad part of the movie is. Bill Murray is great. The happy ending is all worth it. From now on, this is my favorite feel-good movie (toppling off Almost Famous and The Royal Tenenbaums, also a Wes).

Well, I don’t know. I’m watching Royal Tenenbaums again in a few days. We’ll see…