Hey {{name | my friend}},
I missed sending this out yesterday. Looking at my schedule this past week, I simply could not find the time to finish it, which is a clear sign that I need to step back and adjust my workload.
As I mentioned last week, I am taking a pause from the newsletter after Issue #19 on Friday, July 31. I do not have a return date set yet, but I hope whenever Issue #20 arrives in your inbox, you will still be here to welcome it.
We still have two issues left before the break, starting with this one. Here is this weekend's watchlist that I’m feeling happy to share with you.
Issue #18 | The Weekend Watchlist
Won the Audience Award at the 2019 South by Southwest Film Festival.
/ When you stop letting other people define your limits, you finally find where you belong /
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Director: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
The Story: A young man with Down syndrome escapes his care facility to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Along his journey down the coast, he meets an outlaw fisherman on the run who agrees to travel with him and help him navigate the river.
Why it’s worth your time: Watching two outsiders choose to look out for each other gives the story a warm, grounded feel. Their friendship builds naturally through small, everyday conversations along the river, never forcing the emotion or rushing the pace.
Trivia: Screenwriters Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz wrote the lead role specifically for Zack Gottsagen after meeting him at an acting camp for disabled artists, spending months building the project around his personal dream of starring in a movie.
/ Family is found in the people who stand by you when everything falls apart /
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Director: Taika Waititi
The Story: A rebellious foster kid and his grumpy uncle end up stranded in the New Zealand bush together. When a nationwide misunderstanding triggers a massive police search, the duo is forced to put aside their personal differences to navigate the wild terrain.
The highest-grossing domestic film in New Zealand history upon its initial theatrical release.
Why it’s worth your time: Following our reflection on the late Sam Neill, this role showcases his talent for bringing steady warmth to a crusty character. The story balances offbeat humor with an honest look at how lonely people build trust when they have nowhere else to go.
Trivia: Before shooting began, lead actor Julian Dennison and director Taika Waititi spent time hiking through the actual New Zealand bushland so the young actor could get comfortable navigating the rugged environment on camera.
Premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and became one of the year's top indie hits.
/ Finding one safe space where you feel seen can completely change how you carry yourself in the world /
The Way, Way Back (2013)
Director: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
The Story: An awkward fourteen-year-old boy dragged on a beach vacation by his mother and her overbearing boyfriend secretly takes a job at a local water park. There, he forms an unexpected bond with the park's easygoing manager, who helps him build self-confidence.
Why it’s worth your time: This story looks honestly at how lonely adolescence feels when you do not fit in at home. Instead of relying on big dramatic moments, the narrative focuses on the small, everyday kindnesses that help a young person build self-worth.
Trivia: Directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash drew heavily from their own teenage summer experiences when writing the script, including an opening scene based on a real conversation Faxon had with his own stepfather.
Wrap-up
Taken together, these three films show how disorienting it can feel when the life around you doesn’t quite fit. Each character spends much of the story unsure of where they belong or who is really on their side. What changes things isn’t a perfect plan or a neat fix, but the small, stubborn decision to keep reaching for connection anyway, and to trust the people who prove, little by little, that they’re staying.
Appreciate you reading to the end.
Let’s finish with a quote from The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) that I always love to recite
Friends are the family you choose.
Quick question: How has your week been?
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