A breath of fresh air

Lately, it seems rare that I come across a movie that I feel I have to rave about. That's not to say there aren't good films, it just seems they are few and far between nowadays. Yesterday is truly what the title of this blog describes. It didn't take long for me to realize I'd been wasting my time with other films.  In fact, all it took was seeing Danny Boyle listed as the director for me to realize that I would love this film. I can remember when Trainspotting first came out. There was this buzz about this new director whose talents went beyond what others were doing at the time. Boyle uses so many skills to tell an amazing story.  He finds incredible stories to tell. Often they are adaptations of great books like the aforementioned Trainspotting, The Beach, or Slumdog Millionaire. Sometimes, they are original stories like 28 Days Later, Sunshine, and this gem Yesterday. All of his films are visually stunning, even when they are somewhat disturbing as in the toilet scene in Trainspotting. He also knows the importance of a strong soundtrack in storytelling. 

And Yesterday blends all of these elements with a strong cast to present a simply wonderful film. The movie tells the story of Jack Malik, a struggling musician who wakes from an accident to discover that he is the only person who has heard of The Beatles. He quickly realizes the goldmine that has been given to him. I found this premise to be fascinating. What would a world be like if The Beatles' music never existed? And would you capitalize on someone else's talent, even if no one knew it wasn't your own? And most important, could you remember the lyrics to all the songs? Think about that. You can't play a cd or google it. You have to recall it all cold, with no help. This was a hilarious part of the plot, especially Malik's struggle with the song, Eleanor Rigby. I never realized how crazy those lyrics really are until they showed how hard it was for him to recall them.

You may think you know where this movie is going, but I can almost guarantee you will be surprised. I know I was. I watched it last night and it has been lingering with me all day. It made me smile, laugh, and literally sob at one point. Why is that a good thing, you ask? I can't say anything more without giving too much away. This film was exactly what I needed right now.  It was such a (insert blog title here!)