by Maria Olsen

Created on: August 17, 2008

Have you ever walked out of a movie theater into the brilliance of the world, and thought, "Wow...that movie may have just changed my life!" Whether it's the feeling of relief you find when you get out of the movie and realize the world isn't crawling with extraterrestrial five-story-tall arachnids, or that warm, fuzzy feeling after a good romance that you now somehow understand love better, movies do something to us. The good ones, anyways.

We've read reviews. We've heard the confident claims that this movie or that movie is the "best movie of the year!" This movie's gotten two thumbs up, five stars, and critics raving...but so what? What impression did it make on you?

As a close friend of people in the box office, I've had the pleasure-and in some cases displeasure-of seeing many movies over the last several years. Some of them were hits, some were flukes, and some were just so damn funny it didn't matter. But here are the four movies that made a lasting impression on me and for that reason deserve at least some sort of mention.

1) Bruce Almighty

Yes, it's a crazy comedy with Jim Carey. And while he definitely delivers the zaniness we've come to expect, there's a much deeper message in the movie. It speaks to any person who's ever felt wronged by the cosmos when horrible things happen, or good things just don't happen. Or anyone who thinks "God could fix this in five minutes if He wanted to". If I say anything more, I'll probably give it away. But it gives a good overall message, to "Be the miracle". And if you're not religious, heck, you can just go to watch Carey part a bowl of tomato soup like the red sea.

2) Accepted

In a world that places so much emphasis on the chronological trap consisting of high school, college, job, in that order, this movie is very refreshing. It's always seemed that people are busting their tails in high school taking all sorts of extra-curriculars to get into a good college so they can adhere to a strict course schedule and get out in the typical four years. We all know that doesn't always happen...right? Anyhow, this movie delivers the age-old "do what makes you happy" message, but more aimed at the younger, college-bound crowd. It also shows that learning can take place in any environment and any class, regardless of whether it's what you're aiming to major in. And for those of us (like me) who have bounced around to a few different colleges and changed majors like changing underwear, it makes you feel a little less like a wind-blown

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