Autumn’s Here: What I Learned on Summer Vacation

Good morning everybody.

My name is Ryan, and for my first day here in seventh year, I’d like to tell you about what I learned on my summer vacation…

I learned that wonderful human stories can be interwoven into cape-and-cowl movies, but can tragically lose their impact when the hero is pulled in too many directions.

I learned that eternal life is not nearly as glamorous as it seems, and that some casting agents should have their name up in lights

I learned that even the best writers have some very messy early scripts in their desk drawers.

I learned that a great note of tension can come from something as simple as the headlights of a car that isn’t supposed to be there.

I learned that I shouldn’t be so quick to write-off child stars, since they might yet have it in them to grow into someone with a keen sense of humour.

I learned that sometimes you can eat before the film, sometimes you can eat after, and sometimes you just. can’t win.

I learned that sometimes size does matter.

I learned that believing the people behind the X-Men movies will ever know what to do with Storm is foolhardy.

I learned that big studios can do a really terrible job at selling some really wonderful movies.

I learned that sometimes the best stories are the simplest ones.

I learned that there are still intelligent rom-com’s to be had, and that sometimes they can be the source of incredible introspection and honesty.

I learned that it’s okay for a children’s movie to frighten and sadden children, and that feelings of great joy and wonder can rise from the ashes of fear and sadness.

I learned that I need to stop giving certain directors a blind pass.

I learned that we all came to North America from somewhere, and that our ancestors had to make some pretty tough decisions to give us – their descendants – a better chance in life.

I learned no matter how many times you say “no guns”, someone will insist on bringing a gun…and that will cause a LOT of problems.

I learned that the label “video game movie” is not always a dig.

I learned that there are things in life – like love and God – that have to be believed in because they cannot be proven or disproven. I also learned that a middling effort from certain artists is still better than a top-tier effort from other artists.

I learned that some artists are told “no” for a reason.

I learned that we haven’t yet begun to understand how much we will miss certain talents, and that some truly incredible movies can be dumped with no fanfare into the middle of a busy summer.

And I learned that there are few things better than a fun night at the movies.