"American Beauty (1999)"

Last night I watched the 1999 film, "American Beauty" on DVD. Possibly one of the most depressing movies I've ever seen, but it had moments of clever humor. It won 5 Oscars, not to mention 82 other wins and 66 nominations. Perhaps the reason it was such a hit was that you could really identify with at least one character in that movie...though you may deny it initially. I posted some memorable quotes from that movie in my "Favorite Quotes" sidebar, but the movie's epilogue merited a post all on its own.

Lester Burnham: [narrating] I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... And Janie... And Janie... And... Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.