Into the Wild

“And now I walk Into the Wild.” Those were the written words of Christopher McCandless as he walked into the Alaskan wilderness on his great adventure.

Into the Wild is a movie based on a book based on the true life story of Christopher McCandless, a twenty something middle class American kid that felt the need to rid his life from every obligation and all possessions to find his ‘true’ existence on this earth.

Into the Wild tops the list for me when it comes to best book, movie and soundtrack. I feel like I’m always talking about this story or sending people songs from the soundtrack. I can’t get enough of it myself.

Emile Hirsch played the role of Christopher MacCandles (A.K.A. Alexander Supertramp) in this movie and his performance blew me away. Honestly, I’m pissed that he didn’t get more recognition than he did. He put his heart and soul into this performance and you can truly see it in the real life transformation he went through to look like a man dying of starvation. It’s shocking to see him and unbelievable that someone would do that to themselves just to make the story feel that much more real for us.

Some people watch this movie and they don’t get it. They don’t understand why this kid would leave everything behind, nearly getting killed dozens of times, then walk into the Alaskan wilderness without a map. I don’t understand how people don’t get this story.

It’s not about a spoiled kid looking for freedom from his parents. It’s about a human trying to find his place in this word. Trying to prove to himself that you don’t need all of this ‘stuff’ to be happy. Every time I watch this movie it makes me want to be a better person. It’s so easy to get wrapped up with everything going on in life, especially at this time of year. We all run out to the malls walking around for hours and hours trying to buy the ones close to that perfect gift. The one thing that shows them how much we love them, care about them, think about them. Money can’t buy what that represents. All the money in the world can never truly show how much you love your children, parents, spouses. And since we can never find that one thing we end up sending each other sweaters, tools, baking dishes…you get sick and tired of searching and just end up settling for something, anything. When it comes down to it time is the best gift you can give anyone. Time together because as Christopher McCandless realized too late in his life is that Happiness is only real when shared.

Seriously people, this story is epic. Please watch this movie or read the book. It will change your life.

And can we take a minute to appreciate the awesomeness that is Eddie Vedder. The front man for Pearl Jam did the entire soundtrack. The lyrics and overall delivery of the sound, placed in the perfect moments of the movie, will shoot a bolt of emotion through your heart which will break it and filled it up all at the same time. I don’t know how that’s possible, it just is.

Here is the link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LAuzT_x8Ek

Here is the link to one of the songs, ‘Hard Sun’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpkeJWXY4ZA

Christopher McCandless once read somewhere how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions and that if you want something in life, reach out and grab it. That was his great Alaskan adventure.

Let this movie inspire you.