5 Life Lessons From High School Movies

For all those getting ready once again to brave the school halls (the system is completely different here in Australia - we start in January, and finish in December), here are some words of wisdom from a handful of the best high school movies (need to update my DVD collection to include all of these), along with the lessons that can be learned from each one...

The Breakfast Club (1985)
"We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all" - Andrew Clark.

High school tends to force people to fit into a mold. Some kids are branded "cool," most are not. But underneath the labels, everyone has their own quirks. And it took being trapped together in Saturday detention for the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal of "The Breakfast Club" to see how much they had in common.

Heathers (1989)

"If you were happy every day of your life, you wouldn't be a human being. You'd be a game show host." - Veronica Sawyer.

People always say, "High school is the greatest time of your life." But everyone who's actually in it knows better. There is the constant pressure to succeed, to fit in, and to think about the future. So it's okay if you don't feel like high school is so great. But you definitely shouldn't follow any other examples from the murderous characters in this movie.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

"Just because you're beautiful, doesn't mean you can treat people like they don't matter." - Cameron James.

Popularity determines the pecking order of high school, naturally. And attractiveness plays its part in deciding who sits on top of the totem pole. But being the center of attention doesn't give you the right to disrespect others. You never know what sort of person any of your classmates will grow up to be, or where you might run into them again after graduation.

Mean Girls (2004)

"Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter... All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you." - Cady Heron.

Name-calling. Whispered gossip. Betrayed trust. They're all standard features of high school discussions. But what does it really get you? Gaining one friend by turning on another usually insures you end up with none at all. There's enough naturally occurring drama in high school interactions; it's best not to manufacture more.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.

Yes, high school is important. Grades, exam scores, and extracurricular activities all factor in to university applications and setting the course for your life. But it's not so important that you shouldn't allow yourself to have some fun now and again. That's not to say that skipping school is a good idea (especially not nine times in a semester), just keep things in perspective and every so often watch a movie.

What are some lessons you've learned from high school?



Romany

[photos courtesy of davidsdawson.com, timeoutny.com, moviepicturedb.com, thecia.com.au and billsmovieemporium.wordpress.com]

The Curve

Nouka
photographed by David Lynch for Fetish, 2007

I think from now on, it would be more fitting to celebrate diversity rather than just one body ideal. While The Curve will probably still prominently feature just that, curves (being a curvy girl myself, I'm naturally drawn to this body shape also, and feel the need to celebrate it as a means of self-reasurrance), all body types are welcome from now! I'd like to draw attention to a wonderful comment left by Death Wears Diamond Jewellery on the weekly recap post, who loved 'that they are pushing the 'diverse' body image thing instead of the 'real women have curves' angle. which i hate. real women can be stick thin too'. This is so incredibly true, the fashion industry seems to be caught up with either pushing the 'unrealistic' stick thin body type, or the 'realistic' curvy type. In actual reality, these are both 'real' figures, as well as many more out there, because every body is different. It should be about acceptance. I know the industry has a long way to go, but it does seem like they're making positive steps forward, these days. Let's hope that continues...

Before I share my exciting news, I'd just like to take a moment to expand on the tiny little note I wrote about the movie Remember Me in the recap. I managed to see this last week, and I honestly have not been able to stop thinking about it since. I'm not going to bother retyping the synopsis because, to be honest, the less you know about the movie going in, the better. Steer clear of reviews, they will most likely be full of information you don't want to know until you find it out for yourself in the cinema. Go in blind - no information, no expectations. Anyone with the view that this is some sort of extension of Twilight just because of Robert Pattinson's leading role, couldn't be more mistaken. This is an emotionally intense romantic drama, that stays with you long after you leave the cinema. There is hardly a weak performance from any member of the cast, especially from Pattinson who really shows his remarkable potential in this role.
While I'm reluctant to say much about the content, I will say this: the romance is not the sole focus of the story, it's really more of a character study, and I think it would be a real shame if the film didn't reach its full intended audience, including the male demographic, simply because they thought it would be a chick flick. The movie is not perfect. Movies rarely are. But it is definitely well-worth seeing, as the message is profound and will leave you thinking.

And to end this rather randomly focused post, I have received my first award, from the gorgeous Trop Rouge.

The rules...
1. post the logo on my blog.
2. pass it on to 15 other blogs.

And so I pass the torch onto...
Aus Style
Eight
Fashion Lolita
Lolita
Miss Whoever You Are
Stole My Name
The Photodiarist
Pomegranate and Patchouli
With a Wink and a Smile
Bruises
Dolly Daydreams Dress Domicile
Death Wears Diamond Jewellery
Chic on the Cheap
Fashion in My Eyes
Fashionaina

Enjoy to all those listed, and I'm so sorry to all those who I couldn't tag.
Once again, thank you to all of you who comment and/or follow or even just visit the robins. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it.

Romany

[photo courtesy of wallpaper.com]

Virgin...

I'd heard it was supposed to be good, but I wasn't expecting such effortlessly dream-like visual beauty. Let your imagination allow the soothing sounds of French electronic (and my personal favourite) band Air to be the soundtrack to this pictorial appreciation of the subtle and beautiful film...

...The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Some favourite films?

Romany

[photos courtesy of fanpop.com]