I remember it so clearly, as if it were yesterday.  Standing up at my desk, red in the face, gasping for breaths between my my sentences as I couldn't get my points out fast enough.  I was in my film and politics class at Pitt and arguing as to why Forrest Gump is one of the best political films ever made.

You could say I was pretty spunky and opinionated in College.  I at times naively and blindly defended my side of arguments in those days. But after much thought this is one belief I still hold true. Robert Zemeckis genius directing and Tom Hanks portrayal of this 'dumb' and simple man brings Winston Groom's book to life and makes for one of the most entertaining ways to take a look at our Nations sordid past.

Alright guys and gals, I'm bringing back 'throwback thursday' with bang! First, I did it with some classic music videos feat. (tlc, lfo, backstreet, 'Nsync) which you can search for on the site. But with my love of movies I thought it'd be a blast to do the same thing with movie trailers. So I'm kicking it off with Clueless.  And if you think I'm just going to tell you the all same stuff you've already heard before about the film 'as if'!

With an opening scene that's sure to go down in movie history, Out of the Furnace grabs your attention and holds tight with an iron-clad grip.  The movie's acting and dynamic tone don't letting you out of their grasp until the very end despite you gasping, even pleading, for air. Director Scott Cooper's (Crazy Heart) dark and gritty vision of small town's gone awry and family conflict is highlighted beautifully in his followup film.  The city Pittsburgh also adds quite the backdrop to this intense drama.

Out of the Furnace focuses on the relationship between brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) and Russell (Christian Bale) Baze and their struggles to overcome their individual obstacles and try to unite as a family again, especially after the loss of their parents.

Rodney, a military vet who has returned from his third tour in Iraq begins coping with his PTSD by getting involved in an underground fighting ring lead by the deplorable Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson) and it is up to Russell to save his brother from a tragic fate.

Although the contents of this film are dark and certainly not what one wants over the Holiday Season it just ma be what one needs to grasp reality and realize that it is the struggle we face in our lives and overcome that makes living life so beautiful and so worthwhile. I give Out of the Furnace a solid B+ for being a riveting piece of film art with maybe a few loose ends that could have been tied up better and made more clear.

In Kristen Bell's new film The Lifeguard her character Leigh quits her great job as a reporter in New York to come back to her hometown and save lives as the lifeguard at the community pool, when in reality she's really the one that needs the saving.

I think I'm so drawn to this film because I really relate and I don't think I'm the only almost thirty-something out there that feels like Bell's character. I mean, here I am a few years out of College and putting my writing and film degrees to use working at a gym. Don't get me wrong, I dig my my job and love fitness however, I'm still doing a lot of soul searching and figuring out how to do what I want to do in life (write for a living) and just figuring out how to grow up in general.

I think our generation, thrown out into this world after College with a failing economy were really forced to find our way and for some of us the economy wasn't even a factor.  Just having a career goal that is hard to obtain is an obstacle in itself.  With so many of us out there being lost and confused with which direction our lives are going in this film comes at a perfect time.  No wonder Sundance made it one of its official selections.  I'm looking forward to watching Bell navigate this difficult path laid before here and hopefully finds some answers for my own journey as well.