Into the Wild

In a completely unrelated Valentine's note, I have a new movie on my list of favorites: Into the Wild. Based on the work of nonfiction of the same name by John Krakauer, it chronicles the journey of Christopher McCandless, aka "Alexander Supertramp", as he roughs it for a year and a half across America after his graduation from Emory University and his trip to his final destination of the wilds of Alaska. I read the book Into Thin Air by Krakauer when I was in college, so I had high hopes for this movie, and I was not let down. The scenery is breathtaking, and though sometimes the motives that Alex had for his travels left me skeptical, I had to admire him for his determination to give up society and go back to nature to live a pure and simple life. The soundtrack for this movie is spectacular as well. I've always had a lukewarm relationship to Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam (I like them and find them talented, but I never gave them the massive fan following that my husband did), but after hearing Eddie in this movie (he wrote the songs for the soundtrack) I feel I might have to reevaluate my opinions of his skills. It was amazing. (Listen to "Hard Sun". It's been in my head all day.) All in all, this movie HAS IT ALL: good plot, great characters, beautiful music, and a message that will make you think about what it is to be human and a part of this world.