The media we consume is reflective of our interests, our values, and our personalities, leading to disparities in film critique and judgement. But this relationship is not one-sided: the media we consume also shapes all these aspects of us as individuals, too.

   A handful of movies shaped an important aspect of myself: my standards for movies themselves. Watching Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will be Blood and Director Sam Mendes’ 1917, in particular, I could feel the gears turning in my head, realigning to create a new personal film rubric for myself. These movies imparted a priority for substantive plot, engaging cinematography, and impressive sound design unto me. More than these criteria, these films showed me how much I adore cinema, something that has grown to become one of my defining interests.

   Such striking movies set the standards for how I judge and interpret cinema, but others have affected me outside of the theater. With clever comedy, and impeccable writing all around, Director Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride influenced my sense of humor tremendously; I recite lines such as “Unemployed… in Greenland!” and “Inconceivable!” perhaps too often. Besides just ripping off lines, The Princess Bride truly gave me a soft spot for irreverent but witty comedy. 

   While Director Jonathan Lynn’s Clue greatly influenced my impeccable sense of humor as well, it mostly imparted a sense of curiosity unto me. From the inherent mystery of the story, to the alternative endings, to the vibrant characters, growing up on Clue gave me an inquisitive nature and a reverence for the unorthodox. In these movies, I see my favorite aspects of film, but also narratives and aspects of characters that I have incorporated into my identity.

   There are some movies where I saw pieces of who I wanted to be. Watching Clarise reach her ambitions in Director Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs, I saw how she was driven and focused, but simultaneously sensitive toward the gravity of her tasks and empathetic towards the victims. Similarly, San’s rigid moral compass and unwavering loyalty and in Director Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke struck me — I wanted her fortitude, her reserve, and her devotion. 

   Both these fictional women inspired me to be stronger, but the entire cast of Director Mike Mill’s Twentieth Century Women showed me the beauty in personal defects. There was something imperfect about each character, but they were all still so self-possessed and true to themselves. These movies gave me aspirations and role models that I wouldn’t be the same without.

   Life experience and character influence how a viewer perceives a movie. But great films influence how the viewer approaches reality. Each aspect of a film that resonates with viewers becomes embedded in them, and these movies make up so much of me.