Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Movies About Moving


"Away We Go" (2009) by Sam Mendes


There are quite a few movies where the plot is based on the fact that the main character relocates to a new place and the story begins so to say. Most people move because there are better opportunities waiting at the new destination: a more promising job, good schools, great recreational activities. Yet some people move simply to escape their past and start life over – a lot of movies are inspired by this idea of a new beginning in life.

Change of Address blog has come up with a list of Top 15 Movies About Moving with the oldest version of "Karate Kid" being #1. This movie is a great example of how moving affects children and all the challenges they are forced to deal with. So it’s a good idea for parents to watch this movie again if they are planning to relocate with their children: they might anticipate some of the potential problems and take a proactive approach to prevent them from happening. Watching it with kids is a good way to prepare them for the upcoming move.

There is another list of Top 9 Movies About Moving on http://listicles.thelmagazine.com . “Piano” is one of them and I personally consider it one of the best movies of all time. It’s about moving to a less civilized world than you are used to, where nothing is like home or will ever feel that way. Not every move can bring about positive changes: sometimes moving to a distant location can cause so much nostalgia and homesickness that a person is simply unable to adept to a new life. Moving back to where you belong and feel safe because this is your home is then the only solution.

There are many other great movies about moving and how it affects people’s lives. In “Mona Lisa Smile” Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) moves to Massachusetts because she believes she can make a change by teaching more progressive ideas to the girls-students of a conservative school. “Away We Go” is about finding a perfect place on Earth to raise a child. Moving from place to place becomes a lifestyle of Chris “Alexander Supertramp” in the movie “Into the Wild”.

What’s your favorite movie about moving?