#1 - We Can Be Heroes, Just for One Day

1 – THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER: Another timely release for me personally, as I am not far removed from graduating college.  This left me reflecting a great deal on my life so far, and left me appreciating just how important my time in high school was.  It has also been a period of transition, and the main character Charlie is undergoing a huge one as he begins his 9^th grade journey.  Charlie is utterly alone, with some serious emotional distance between himself and others around him after his best friend committed suicide.  This loneliness leads him to befriend an enthusiastic slacker senior Patrick and his friend Sam (Emma Watson).  They decide to take Charlie under their wing, and suddenly he has a life worth living, partly through his deep infatuation with Sam. (continues after the jump)

Much of the movie’s focus is on how the characters cope with the demons of their past, and how our friends help us endure things that might break us without their support.  The cast meshes superbly, and the bond they form is so powerful.  This one will leave you thinking about those you’d go to hell and back for, and who you know would return the favor.  There are dozens of awesome scenes: painful ones, awkward ones, exciting ones, and hilarious ones.  It also has one of the best proverbs I’ve heard courtesy of Charlie (minor spoilers) :  
Somber yet hopeful, the tone follows Charlie through ups and downs, disappointments and new experiences.  The director was also the author of the acclaimed novel, and he includes many of the songs discussed in the book in the film to great effect.  If you enjoy stories about high school or the growth of self-identity, be sure to see this, it was my favorite time at the cinema this year.  Shoutout to Lizzi, without whom I would never have made it to the theater in time to see this before it went to DVD, cheers!