Notes App Shenanigans

Hello, hello, my dearests! 

I was going through the Notes App on my phone, today. I fell into a digital rabbit hole and went back years ago. I found some consistencies in my entries, grocery lists, things not to forget before a trip, poems (lots and lots), movie ideas, and so many (God, so many) unsent letters.

But there was one thing that stood out to me the most, quotes! Quotes from movies/series that resonated so deeply with me that I felt the need to write them down, to immortalize them. Thought I’d share some random ones here with you. 

1- “Probably best not to tell anyone about this.” 

“Right, no one. I mean, I’ll tell myself sometimes. But don’t worry, I won’t believe it” from the movie Notting Hill.  

This scene to me captures the essence of keeping certain experiences alive. It also reflects the complexity of human emotions and the need for introspection. AND it is so romantic in the way where William is expressing to Anna the absurdity of the situation, he’s so happy it feels like a dream that even he himself wouldn’t believe happened. Speculated reason for saving this quote: swooning. To me, this scene is a whisper of intimacy, a secret shared between two souls dancing on the edge of disbelief and joy. It’s a moment captured in the hush of realization, where the absurdity of happiness is almost too much to bear. *dances happily in her place*

2- “Every man I ever loved has hurt me, mamma. And I’m not you… I can’t forgive and forget, I tried, but… and I don’t wanna let anyone else in. I just wanna be alone.”

“How in the hell are you alone when I’m here?” 

“Because you’re packing up to go home and I’m gonna be left here to do what? Save everyone else even if it kills me? What about me saving myself?”

“Only by saving everyone else, can you save you. Loving your daddy was not for him it was for me, because that love fills me up. Just like my love for you fills me up. And god almighty, I wish you knew what it was like for a mamma to love her child, but you gotta take what you got and all you got right now is Nathaniel.”

“What about me loving myself, mamma? Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“You’ll never love yourself if you hurt people, Anna Mae.” from How to Get Away with Murder

Reading this transported me back to that exact scene, even though I watched this in 2019. I can still visualize it so vividly and feel the same emotions that stirred within me back then. Annalise Keating was struggling with loneliness, self-preservation, love, forgiveness and guilt. All in one scene. Annalise is having this conversation with her mother, who visited her for a few days and is about to leave. Not only does Annalise (a powerful and overly independent woman) admit she needs her mom, but she also admits the need to be saved. It’s a dagger of truth piercing through the armor of self-deception, forcing us to confront the consequences of our every-day actions. This scene was as raw as it could’ve ever been. Viola Davis, I raise my hat to you once again. 

3- “You know the beginning of Moby Dick when the narrator says that when he finds himself ‘growing grim about the mouth’ and wanting to knock people’s hats off he takes to the sea? Well, I feel like knocking people’s hats off.”

“So, I guess we got to take to the sea.” – from Gilmore Girls

Another incredibly romantic moment for me was when Rory Gilmore expressed her frustration to her lover, Logan Huntsberger, and his response came so naturally and without flinching. He saw her pain in a second, and took her to steal a boat that evening, only to spend the night in jail. But did they ever regret it? NOPE. This scene captures the sense of wanting to flee and seek refuge in a new place, and Rory decides to do so with her boyfriend who she knows will happily help her. It represents the desire for change and the idea of seeking refuge in unfamiliar territory while remaining in the company of the most familiar person. It explores the notion that even if I despise everything and everyone around me, I will still hate everything with you. How many times have we wished to be alone… but with someone specific only? Ah… romance. 

4- “I love you Dexter, I just don’t like you anymore” from One Day 

Another scene that I still think about at least once a month, after Emma expresses her frustration with the changing of her “best friend’s”(wink wink) behavior, and after he begs her to forgive him, this is the line she says right before she leaves him. We think she turns around to forgive him, but no, she gives him a long tight hug… we see him smile in comfort, then Boom! She says this line and runs off. This single sentence holds so many conflicting emotions, so much time, so many restless nights, and crying oneself to sleep. Emma found the perfect words to sum up all the hurt she’s been feeling, a sentence enough to crumble Dexter’s heart. To make him understand the depth of his actions and Emma’s worth. She loves him… she just doesn’t like him anymore. We all got our hearts broken with this line, a punch in the form of a final verdict on the fragility of human connection and the inevitability of change. Powerful.

5- “There was this soul that I used to torture back in hell and like a good masochist, he’d call the shots. 

‘Burn me, freeze me, hurt me’ 

so I did. 

This went on for centuries until one day for some reason he missed his daily punishment and when I returned, he was crying 

‘Please, my king’ he said ‘Don’t ever forget me again, I promise I’ll be good’

It was then that I realized he was so full of self-loathing, void of any self-respect, that no matter the depth of my cruelty, whatever minuscule attention I paid… gave meaning… to his pointless existence” from Lucifer

This digs into the psychology of human behavior, as well as power dynamics and control. It explores the complexity of deception, self-destructive tendencies, and the desire for approval. How desperate we can be to be noticed, to get attention, to feel seen. Even if it meant that the other person was merely there to torture us, they at least acknowledged our presence. It also delves into guilt and the sense of deserved punishment. Self-destruction is one of the most intense manifestations of self-loathing. It’s a terrifying reminder of the depths to which we’ll go in our search for recognition.

These scenes are not just words on a screen; they are windows into ourselves. This is one of the many reasons why I am deeply in love with this industry. The power of dialogue has the ability to transcend the page/screen and touch the depths of our being. Reminding us of our shared humanity and our collective journey through this beautiful beautiful life.

Movies/TV shows are not just for entertainment, they are profound teachers. May we never stop being captivated by the magic of storytelling, for it holds the potential to shape our lives, challenge our perspectives, and remind us of the boundless beauty of being silly little humans.

Shall I share more scenes with you? Let me know! and share your favorites too, please!

With love and a head shake at absurdity, (and a smile),

FFB