My sister  has an awesome tumblr - I love it, though the concept of tumblr kinda escapes me. I had to steal this, because it's Little Women.  Not only am I absolutely in love with that movie, but I'm in love with all the elements that make Little Women special. For each individual, this might be different. For me, it's specialness is this: it's setting (though yes, the movie was filmed elsewhere) - I'm from Massachusetts and love Concord, and love the transcendentalists that called the Concord area home in Jo and her parent's time, I love the coziness of the winter scenes and the green vibrance of the spring and summer. I love the bond between the sisters, I love Jo's rejection of what is "expected" of her, of what is "proper." I love that Amy grows up before our eyes. I love Beth's quiet fearlessness, Marmie's strength, and Meg's practicality, which she set aside for John (I love their wedding scene so much that I chose "For the Beauty of the Earth" for the bridesmaid's processional at our wedding!). I love that Jo sets out for New York on her own, in a time when that probably wasn't common, or maybe even frowned upon for a single woman! Oh, and that scene with Friederich at the opera? Oh my.

Little Women is filled with several fresh starts and second chances (as well as love, life, death, humor, and happiness). It feels like the right way to start off the new year on this blog. I'm so looking forward to a new start this 2011, since 2010 ended a bit oddly and abruptly. I know the "new year" feeling is mostly in my head, but I love the thought of a fresh start.

Marmee March: Oh, Jo. Jo, you have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to lead an ordinary life? You're ready to go out and - and find a good use for your talent. Tho' I don't know what I shall do without my Jo. Go, and embrace your liberty. And see what wonderful things come of it. 

Photo

CHIB: So someone awesome decided to do their Top 100 Movies and well, I couldn’t let this one slide.  So for the next 100-ish days (I know I’ll be skipping here and there) I present my Top 100 Movies (in absolutely no order because after the top 3 or so, I can’t decide).

100.  Little Women

“Change will come as surely as the seasons and twice as quick.  We make our peace with it as best we can.  Or as Amy once said when she was still a little girl, ‘We’ll all grow up someday.  We might as well know what we want.’”