We all have those movies that we watch whenever we need a little comfort or the songs that transport us back to a pivotal moment in our lives.
Here is a list of movies, books, songs and other media that have molded me into the person that I am today.
She’s lost control by Joy Division
This song reminds me of the old black Volvo that my dad used to drive. He used to pick us up from our after-school program at 5:30 every Wednesday. I remember him telling us about the story behind the song. It’s about a girl who suffers from epilepsy and Ian Curtis (the lead singer of Joy Division) sings a startling song about when a person loses control of their body. This became my entry song into the punk/post-punk genre and I can talk about the whole Joy Division story for hours.
Wall-E (2008)
This is one of my favorite movies. The startling commentary the movie makes on the future of human activity is done so well while also being lovable and heartwarming. I can’t help but fall in love with Wall-E and his quirks. He was the first trendsetter of the van life movement. The soundtrack is also amazing with songs from Hello Dolly and Louis Armstrong’s version of “La Vie en Rose”. The score by Thomas Newton is on my constant rotation and combines an intriguing futuristic sound with a full orchestra accompaniment. Also, I named my cat after Eve from this movie.
Rudie Can’t Fail by The Clash
“Rudie Can’t Fail” is an interesting mix of genres from ska to punk. Sometimes it’s a little abrasive to listen to and you can’t exactly relax to it. But it was introduced to me, like much of my music taste was, by my father. He used to change the words around just a bit and call it “Skootie Can’t Fail” and Skootie was what he used to call my younger sister. It is another reminder of my childhood and dancing around my childhood home’s living room.
The Aristocats (1970)
I have a tattoo of the three little kittens from this movie mostly because it is my ultimate feel-good movie. I put it on whenever I feel like my world is crushing in on me and immediately I am transfixed by the story. I love the old Disney animation and the beautiful Paris background. The main characters are all so cute and the music is iconic.
The Penguin That Hated The Cold by Barbara Brenner
This is a children’s book that I used to read constantly at my grandparent’s house. We used to have a white wicker basket of books in our bedroom and my grandmother used to read to us before bed. We went through many books. We read the Boxcar Children series and even the first Harry Potter book. This book is pretty easy to figure out from the title. It’s about a penguin that hates the cold. The illustrations are engrained in my brain and it’s another cute story that cheers me up.
My Love, if I die and you don’t– by Pablo Neruda
This is a poem that I first read when I was about 13. It was included in a book that I had bought from Barnes and Noble. This is pretty standard, except I didn’t buy a poetry book. It was a YA romance book that I only bought because I liked the cover. This poem was the first page of the book and the first time I read it I knew that it would always stick out to me. It’s a devastatingly sad poem with the narrator speaking to their significant other. The narrator tells their love that they shouldn’t fall into the grief that the death of the narrator would cause. He insists that their love will live on. Something about this depressing poem was instantly seared into my brain.
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
This is a YA romance book. It’s cheesy and wonderful. I love it with my whole heart. It’s not literary genius but it brings me joy whenever I have time to re-read it. It’s about a girl who works at her mom’s doll store and her story after she meets a handsome, very rich, guy and they strike up an odd friendship. I LOVE IT! Give it a read if you need a quick easy read and let me know how you feel.