Leaving Normal and Returning to a Favorite Film
Although I found the story line of Leaving Normal to not be as strong as many of the other films we have watched in class, I like the message I received from it. I have noticed from my own experiences traveling that the journey often begins because of a feeling of needing to leave the everyday routine and doing something different, but then it ends with a feeling of wanting to return and a sense of comfort. Leaving Normal reminded me of how the road can often provide appreciate for the things that we have and for who we are, which I think has been represented in each film that we have watched in some way.
One of my favorite films that we watched in class was The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert because I think that it is one film I would have ever been exposed to had I not taken this course. I like how it incorporates diverse personalities and perspectives with the road being what brings them together. I also find the film to be very forward thinking in the way they depict family and what some people would call alternative life styles. The way in which each individual experiences the road is different along with what they gain from, which I find to be a very realistic interpretation and allows viewers to learn about how the word affects others like and unlike themselves.