Maddie Burke

I always profoundly admire people that devote themselves in their quirky pastimes, yet struggle to explain my absolute adoration for my favorite films in a manner that does not sound snobby, obsessive or weird. I cannot start a conversation about movies without sparking a verbal competition of cinema expertise. What this says about my personality, I do not know: do I fit the characteristics of a quintessential know-it-all, or do I just not know how to share my passions with other people without getting far too invested? More importantly, how do I share such an important aspect of my life with someone I hardly know, but want so desperately to impress? With every milestone of my youth, I associate a particular film or set of films; the works of Rob Reiner, Mike Nichols, John Hughes and more decorate my most cherished memories. How do I explain the euphoria I experienced when Gordie Lachance and his gang realized that, like me at the time, growing up would challenge them more than any peril they faced on their journey would in Stand by Me? Can I put into words the empathetic heartache I felt for Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything… as he watches the one thing he felt assured of, his relationship with the flawless valedictorian Dianne Court, crumble before his eyes? What logical reason could I give for sobbing until my eyes hurt during the resolution of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, when Ferris and his friends discover their impact on each other? The films that parallel my most cherished life experiences serve as my most vivid keepsakes, like photo albums I could easily remove from the shelf and glance over one last time.