Hi {{name | friend}},
We often spend our lives moving forward, focused on what is next. But there usually comes a point where we have to look back at the people who were there from the beginning.
Family can be complicated and messy, yet those bonds are often the most resilient ones we have. This week, I wanted to focus on the quiet strength it takes to show up for the people we love, even when a lot of time has passed.
The three films below follow different journeys, but they all share a common heart. They remind us that it is never too late to bridge a gap or offer a bit of grace to those who raised us.
Issue #04 | The Weekend Watchlist
For when you need to remember that the longest journey is worth it for the people you love
The Straight Story (1999)
Director: David Lynch
Description: Based on a true story, an elderly man named Alvin Straight learns his estranged brother has had a stroke. Unable to drive a car and refusing a bus, he travels 240 miles across the American Midwest on a lawnmower to make amends.
Why it’s worth your time? This is a G-rated, sincere film. It ignores the rush of modern life, moves at the speed of a lawnmower, giving you time to appreciate the landscapes and the people the main character meets along the way.
Trivia: Richard Farnsworth, who played Alvin, was actually terminally ill with cancer during filming. His performance was fueled by real-life courage, and he became the oldest person ever nominated for a Best Actor Oscar at the time.
Being alone isn't the same as being lonely
Lucky (2017)
Director: John Carroll Lynch
Description: A 90-year-old atheist veteran living in a tiny desert town spends his days practicing yoga, walking to his local diner, and contemplating the "nothingness" of the end. When a fall shakes his routine, he begins a final spiritual journey.
Why it’s worth your time? It is a final love letter to character actor Harry Dean Stanton. In a touching role reversal from The Straight Story—where Stanton played the brother at the end of the road—David Lynch appears here in a wonderful supporting role as a man mourning his lost 100-year-old tortoise, "President Roosevelt."
Trivia: Much of the film’s dialogue was taken from Harry Dean Stanton’s real-life philosophies and stories. He died just shortly before the film was released, making it a true final farewell.
For when you want to see the complicated, messy, but beautiful bond between a father and son
Nebraska (2013)
Director: Alexander Payne
Description: Woody, an aging father who thinks he’s won a million-dollar sweepstakes, insists on walking from Montana to Nebraska to claim it. His skeptical son, David, agrees to drive him—not because he believes in the prize, but because he wants to spend time with the man he’s never truly known.
Why it’s worth your time? Filmed in beautiful black and white, it finds humor and heart in the "ordinary" Midwest. It’s a story about giving someone dignity, even when their goal seems foolish to the rest of the world.
Trivia: The studio originally pushed for the movie to be shot in color and with a bigger star like Jack Nicholson. Director Alexander Payne fought for years to keep it in black and white and cast Bruce Dern, because he felt it was the only way to capture the "honest" feeling of the plains.
Have you seen this?
I posted a video on the page recently about the moment you realize your parents are getting older. It seemed to hit home for many of you because it is something we all eventually face.
If you missed it, you can watch the reel here, click on the preview.
Enjoying the vibe?
I spend hours looking for these stories because I believe movies are the best way to remind us of what truly matters. If these weekly notes bring you value or make you think, I would love for you to share this newsletter with one person you care about.
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Your support means the world.
One quick question: What is a movie that always makes you think of your parents? Hit reply and tell me the title. I love hearing your personal favorites.