see this movie

I went and saw Into the Wild yesterday afternoon. It is an amazing film. One of the most compelling and visually interesting movies I have seen in a really long time. I am not a huge fan of Sean Penn (he wrote the screenplay & directed), but he makes really great movies. He did a wonderful job with this story. You could tell that he cared and that his heart was in it.
There were only 6 people in the theater and I felt safe to let me emotions flow. This story is so so tragic. There is much controversy about whether Chris McCandless went to Alaska to die, but I don't believe that is the case. Near the end, he realized that happiness is best when it is shared and he wanted to head back into the civilization. He just couldn't make it. He died there, all alone. But in his short life, he lived more than most people ever will.
I still cannot makes sense of my attachment to this story and what its message means in my life. I am still trying to put that all together. I don't just get attached like this for no reason. I was hoping the movie would help shed some light. It didn't really, but it allowed me to have a much larger picture of the story than just the book. Seeing the movie also allowed me to release the sadness I felt for this guy's story. Not his life, but his death. I cried and cried. I had to stay for all the credits to compose myself to even drive home.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone. Just be prepared to be touched by the story in a way that you might not be able to explain either.

Ok, enough with the deep thoughts. You must be wondering who I am and what happened to Laura? Well, of course I have my stupid superficial reasons for liking the movie! Emile Hirsch is a little cutie and Vince Vaughn makes me smile like no other!

edited to add: Totally forgot to mention that the music was amazing also! Eddie Vedder wrote most of the songs. This is my favorite song of the moment:

Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder from the motion picture, Into the Wild