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People share the most 'unexpectedly profound' quote they've ever heard in a movie

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane."

Photo Credit: Canva

A group of friends enjoys a funny movie at the theater.

There are certain movies that simply command your attention. For some, it's all about the sound designer, who may create explosive car chases that are loud and fiery. For others, it might be the work of the cinematographer, framing green, rolling hills below a buttery sunset. For me, and many others, what brings the most magic to film is the words brought to us by the screenwriters. Obviously, a masterful director—and brilliant actors—pull all of these elements together to create a near-perfect cinematic experience.

Some dialogue from screenplays just hits like a ton of bricks. And if it hits at the right time, it might just stay embedded in your mind forever, possibly even transforming your life. One that I've carried with me is from the 1950s film Harvey starring Jimmy Stewart. "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years, I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

-Jimmy Stewart in the film Harvey. www.youtube.com, Bhana Prasad M, Universal Pictures

Oftentimes, the movie itself doesn’t have to be an A+ for the line to be stellar. A lesser James L. Brooks film, How Do You Know, gave us another profound favorite movie line, delivered by Paul Rudd: "We are all just one small adjustment away from making our lives work." I think about that quote nearly every day.

The art of writing screenplays is a delicate and nuanced endeavor. In fact, just recently, writer Ken Miyamoto listed "15 Movies Screenwriters Should Watch to Study Dialogue," in an article for ScreenRant in which he insists there are no real secrets. It either works or it doesn't, and it mostly depends on how relatable it is. A few of the movies he lists include Annie Hall, The Social Network, Good Will Hunting, and Glengarry Glen Ross. (Three of those screenwriters—Woody Allen, Aaron Sorkin, and David Mamet—are also playwrights, which could offer a clue as to why their work is so reliant on dialogue, alone.)

On a Reddit post, someone asked, "What's the most unexpectedly profound quote you've ever heard in a movie?" The OP adds, "I was watching a movie the other day, and a line of dialogue just hit me harder than I expected. It got me thinking about how certain quotes from films can stick with you for years. What’s a quote from a movie that really resonated with you or made you think differently about something?"

The question got over one thousand replies. They varied in tone from deeply meaningful and thought-provoking to just plain funny. Here are a few that stood out, mixed in with a few favorites of my own.

PROFOUND:

"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you are uncool." – Almost Famous

"It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you." – Batman Begins

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane." -- Ran (Kurosawa)

"We just don’t recognize life’s most significant moments while they’re happening. Back then I thought, 'Well, there’ll be other days.' I didn’t realize that that was the only day." – Field of Dreams

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." – Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

"Make the money, don't let the money make you." -- The Players Club

"It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything." – Fight Club

"I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it" -- The Color Purple"

"Life is pain, highness. Anyone that tells you otherwise is selling something." – The Princess Bride

"Life is pain" scene from the film The Princess Bride www.youtube.com, JM Lam, 20th Century Fox


HUMOROUS:

"Look up idiot in the dictionary, you know what you'll find?" "A picture of me?" "No, the definition of the word idiot, which you f-ing are." – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere." – Van Wilder

"Nervous?" "Yes." "First time?" "No, I've been nervous lots of times." – Airplane

"That is one nutty hospital." – Tootsie

"You're never too old to go to space camp." – Stranger Than Fiction

"It must be nice always thinking you know better, to think you’re the smartest person in the room." "No, it's awful." – Broadcast News

Holly Hunter in Broadcast News. www.youtube.com, 20th Century Fox, Michael Stevenson

SCI-FI:

"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain" - Blade Runner

"Watch the skies, everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies." -- The Thing from Another World

“I just try to live every day as if I’ve deliberately come back to this one day to enjoy it as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life.” - About Time"

"Do or do not. There is no try." – The Empire Strikes Back

- YouTube www.youtube.com, Empire Fan Productions


CLASSIC:

"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." – Rocky Balboa (2006)

"Get busy living, or get busy dying." – The Shawshank Redemption

"I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen." – Say Anything

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." __ When Harry Met Sally

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


Matthew Broderick stars as Ferris Bueller. www.youtube.com, Paramount Pictures, Maximus Operandi



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An open letter to JK Rowling from a transgender woman

Katie Neeves (L) photo by Jayne Walsh, JK Rowling (R) photo by Sjhill, CC BY-SA 3.0

Dear JK Rowling,

I am writing this letter to say a big thank you to you. You may think it strange that a gobby trans woman such as me would wish to thank you after all your recent transphobic outpourings, but let me explain…

I certainly don't thank you for your lengthy essay last month where you describe the abuse you have suffered (for which you have my sympathy) and in which you stated that you do not hate trans people, while at the same time peddling even more anti-trans mis-information. Sadly, your diatribe directly caused some trans children to self-harm and other to attempt suicide.

I certainly don't thank you for your latest book in which I am told (as I have no intention of buying a copy) that a central character is a man who dresses up as a woman in order to abuse women. Apparently, at one point he talks about being "pre-op", a term that would be used for transgender people, not crossdressers.Either way, your key message in the story is that crossdressers or trans people are dangerous people, which in reality, couldn't be further from the truth!We are not a threat to anyone.We just want to live our best lives in peace.

What I do thank you for is for the inspiration that you give me, as every time I see a transphobic message from you, it spurs me on with my mission to reach out to other trans people to let them know that it's OK to be trans and also to educate as many non-trans people as I can to show them that trans people are just ordinary people who want to be safe, loved and happy – just like everyone else.

Happiness and peace can only come from within and I found both 2.5 years ago when I admitted to myself that I am a transgender woman, after living for 48 years as a man and living with gender dysphoria since the age of 3.I only hope that you may one day find the same inner peace and happiness that I have found by finally being able to live my truth and that you will no longer feel the need to cause harm to a group of people who you clearly do not understand.Even though there is a small minority of very noisy anti-trans campaigners who feel the same way as you, thankfully, the vast majority of people in the UK are hugely supportive of trans people and for that, I am extremely grateful.

Love from,

Katie x


This article originally appeared on Cool2bTrans. You can read it here. Katie Neeves is a writer and activist. You can read her full bio here. You can find more from Katie via the links below:

Website: www.cool2btrans.co.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-neeves-trans-ambassador-43626814/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cool2btransTwitter: @cool2btrans

Instagram: cool2btrans

TikTok: @cool2btrans

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Cool2BTrans

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Jude Law finally opened up about Dumbledore's sexuality — kind of.

Albus Dumbledore is gay.

Although his sexual orientation was never addressed outright in the "Harry Potter" book series, author J.K. Rowling confirmed to fans back in 2007 that the Hogwarts' headmaster is, indeed, queer.

Over a decade later, actor Jude Law will play Dumbledore in the "Fantastic Beasts" film sequel set to release in November. But now his character's on-screen queerness — or lack thereof — is ruffling Phoenix feathers around the world.

Photo by Phil Moore/AFP/Getty Images.

The film's storyline follows Dumbledore's conflicted past with evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald. The two, according to Rowling, had fallen in love as young men — but you wouldn't know it just from watching Hollywood's take.

The sequel's director, David Yates, told curious fans earlier this year that the film doesn't "explicitly" depict Dumbledore as being gay, leaving many fans feeling understandably frustrated.

Now, Jude Law is finally speaking out about the controversy roiling his character.

"Jo Rowling revealed some years back that Dumbledore was gay," he told Entertainment Weekly. "That was a question I actually asked Jo and she said, 'Yes, he's gay. But as with humans, your sexuality doesn't necessarily define you; he's multifaceted.'"

The actor continued (emphasis added):

"I suppose the question is: How is Dumbledore's sexuality depicted in this film? What you've got to remember this is only the second 'Fantastic Beasts' film in a series and what’s brilliant about Jo's writing is how she reveals her characters, peels them to the heart over time. You're just getting to know Albus in this film, and there’s obviously a lot more to come."

Maybe Dumbledore will get his gay on later in the film series after all.

Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images.

But regardless of how the upcoming films depict Dumbledore's sexuality, the controversy has already highlighted how Hollywood continues to fail LGBTQ people and our stories.

We need more LGBTQ characters on screen, especially when it comes to film and TV for teens — and, yes, young children too.

The LGBTQ community is still underrepresented — and misrepresented — in the movies and TV shows we watch. This isn't great, but it's especially discouraging when these failings affect the media that's accessible to kids.

There's nothing inherently "adult" or sexually explicit about LGBTQ people or our stories, but we're often viewed that way. It's why YouTube made a mess for itself by restricting queer-themed videos that were perfectly innocent in nature. It's why films with a gay kiss are more likely to get an "R" rating, preventing teens from watching without being accompanied by an adult. It's why some parents will get up in arms when a film for their child features an LGBTQ character.

"Let kids be kids!" they argue. "Stop trying to force an agenda on them!"

But it's not about making a political statement or pushing some vicious, immoral "agenda." Creating authentic Hollywood narratives representative of the real world means including LGBTQ characters in those stories — and keeping them queer when those stories are put on the big screen.

The creators behind the "Fantastic Beasts" series have a great opportunity to buck this damaging trend and give Dumbledore the gay portrayal he so rightfully deserves. After all, queer little Muggles will be watching at home — and they deserve to see themselves in the world of magic too.

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'Keep that Patronus powerful': J.K. Rowling's magical reply to a struggling fan.

J.K. Rowling gets many, many messages from fans. But a particularly personal one got her attention on March 19.

"Dragging myself through another bout of severe depression and re-reading the 'Harry Potter' series to strengthen my Patronus," the fan wrote on Twitter, referencing the mystical, protective force that plays a key role in the series. "A million thanks to J.K. Rowling for the magical escape that's always there when it's needed."

Rowling, who often enjoys engaging readers online, was moved to reply.

Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images.

"Those stories saved their author, too," Rowling wrote. "Nothing makes me happier than to think that they went out into the world to do the same for other people. Keep that Patronus powerful."

A few minutes later, the author responded to another fan asking what other books Rowling has turned to when times get tough. "To tell you the truth," Rowling answered. "When I'm really stressed or overwhelmed I turn to biographies of people who've led turbulent lives. I find it soothing and inspiring to read about people who've endured and overcome."

Since living in the public eye, Rowling's been candid about her own struggles with mental illness.

In the years leading up to her "Harry Potter" success, a recently divorced Rowling was on the verge of homelessness, desperately trying to make ends meet for her and her young daughter. She felt like a failure.

"It’s difficult to describe to someone who’s never been there because [depression is] not sadness," Rowling once explained to Oprah Winfrey. "Sadness is not a bad thing — to cry and to feel. Depression is that really hollowed out feeling. And it was because of my daughter that I got help."

Rowling said her experiences with depression inspired the idea of Dementors in the "Harry Potter" series — dark, soul-sucking beings that drain their victims of all hope.

J.K. Rowling at a book signing in 1999. Photo by Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images.

Finding personalized ways to combat depression is key for many people living with the mental illness.

Self care is critical. And whether it's reading "Harry Potter" or biographies — or any other method to help you prioritize your own mental health — it matters.  

You deserve to keep your own Patronus powerful, too.

"I have never been remotely ashamed of having been depressed — never," Rowling once told a student journalist. "What’s there to be ashamed of?"

If you need help, don't suffer in silence. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or visit their website for more information.

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