Category: Movies

“It’s just an empty cup.”

From: Lightning McQueen

Genre: Movies, Cartoons

Who said it?: Cars 

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Disney/Pixar film from 2006, Cars. This was a huge hit for the company and launched a franchise.

The quote comes near the end of the movie. Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is about to win the Piston Cup, which was his long-time dream. One of his rivals, Chick Hicks is about to take third place, coming behind McQueen and veteran racer Strip “The King” Weathers. Not wanting to lose, Hicks rams into Weathers, causing the grizzled veteran to crash. McQueen, just a few lengths from the finish line, sees the crash and remembers Doc Hudson (voiced by the late Paul Newman), who he befriended during his stay at Radiator Springs. Not wanting Weathers’ career to end as tragically as Doc’s, stops and goes to help Weathers.

Weathers questions McQueen’s decision as he was about to win the Piston Cup. Recalling Doc’s disdain for the Cups he’d won, McQueen delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: We live in a world where we crave material things as well as fame and glory. In the grand scheme of things, these are just superficial wants and there is more to life than just those goals. Life is much bigger than that but the problem is we can be clouded into thinking that those are the only reason to life as those are just fleeting. Try to get more meaningful goals in life and you’ll end up feeling more fulfilled in the long run.

“It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.”

From: The Fault in Our Stars

Genre: Movies/Books

Who said it?: Augustus Waters

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from The Fault in Our Stars. The book was written by John Green and it was adapted into a feature film in 2014. The film is about Hazel Grace Lancaster (played by Shailene Woodley), a terminally ill cancer patient who falls in love with Augustus Waters (played by Ansel Elgort), a bone cancer survivor and amputee.

The quote comes fairly early in the film. Hazel is attracted to Agustus and the feeling is mutual. However, as she knows she’s going to die because of the cancer, she tries to keep him at arms distance because she doesn’t want him to feel depressed when she eventually passes. This is when Augustus delivers the quote.

 

Geek wisdom: Falling in love and being with that person is taking risk since there is no guarantee the love you feel now will last forever. But the feeling of being with the person you love, even if it’s just for a little while, is worth it.

“You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome.”

From: Patch Adams

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the 1998 comedy-drama Patch Adams. The film is loosely based on the real Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams. He is portrayed in the film by the late Robin Williams.

The quote comes late in the film. Patch Adams is called into a hearing for practicing medicine out of his home without a license; at this point, Patch had not graduated yet. The school threatens to expel him for this. Patch Adams rebukes the idea that a doctor should be treated with extreme reverence and that doctors are too focused on trying to cure the sickness and ignoring the human element. He then delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: We, not just doctors, have to learn to be more compassionate with others. It has become so easy to be unfeeling and detached with other people but this is the reason why there is so much suffering out there. Try to build and rebuild your connections with others so that we can understand them, not just ignore them. Because that’s what we would want others to do for us.

“You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

From: Winnie the Pooh (specifically, Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin)

Genre: Movies, Cartoons

Who said it?: Christopher Robin

The story behind the quote: This quote comes from the Disney direct-to-video movie, Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin. The plot has Winnie the Pooh and his friends go on an adventure to find Christopher Robin, who they have determined to have been captured by the so-called Skullasaurus.

The quote comes early in the movie. Christopher Robin tries to have a heart-to-heart talk with Winnie the Pooh as he is going to be gone for a while. Pooh just can’t understand and tells Christopher Robin that he’s helpless without him. This is when Christopher Robin delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: When we feel down on our luck, we can feel helpless. But you’re only helpless until you really try to help yourself. While there’s nothing wrong with asking for the help from others, we should also try to rely on ourselves as well.

“People just might need ‘a little old fashioned.'”

From: Marvel’s The Avengers

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Phil Coulson

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the first Avengers movie. This film was a geek’s dream come true as it assembled Marvel’s and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in one film. After seeing the likes of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America in their own standalone films, it was almost unimaginable that we would get an Avengers film before. But this movie made those dreams come true.

The quote comes near the start of the movie. Steve Rogers AKA Captain America (played by Chris Evans) is being brought to a SHIELD Helicarrier with Agent Phil Coulson. Phil gushes over Captain America and even mentions that he helped redesign the uniform. Steve remarks that the trademark American flag motif seems a little outdated. Phil replies that things are about to go bad before delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: It’s so easy to fall into dismay these days as life has become complicated. Sometimes we have to be reminded of a simpler time when we did things, not for our benefit, but for when it was the right thing to do.

“I play the orchestra. And you’re a good musician.”

From: Steve Jobs (2015 film)

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Steve Jobs

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Steve Jobs, the 2015 biopic. The film is actually based on Steve Jobs’ autobiography and the screenplay was written by Aaron Sorkin. The film doesn’t really focus on Jobs’ entire life but mostly during the backstage events of some of his reveals.

The quote comes from the middle of the film. Steve Jobs (played by Michael Fassbender) has been removed from Apple and has founded a new company called NeXT. Jobs is about to reveal the NeXT computer and meets with Steve Wozniak (played by Seth Rogen). Wozniak confronts Jobs about his supposed “genius” label as Jobs doesn’t actually do anything. This is when Steve Job delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Some people are just visionaries and are able to get things done, despite not having the knowledge to actually do it. These are the people that recognize others’ potential, can draw the best out of them and putting everything together to make the individual parts greater than their sum.

While these same people may seem like leeches who only use others, a lot of what we have in society wouldn’t be possible without these imaginative people.

“Oh, Christmas isn’t just a day. It’s a frame of mind.”

From: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Santa Claus

The story behind the quote: As this is the holiday season, this week’s quote comes from the seminal Christmas film, Miracle on 34th Street, specifically, the original one that was released on 1947. The film is about a department store Santa who believes he is the real Santa Claus/Kris Kringle. Believe it or not, this film was actually released in June of that year and not during the holiday season.

The quote comes from the middle of the film. Believing that Kris Kringle (played by Edmund Glenn) is delusional for thinking, Macy’s event director Doris Walker (played by Maureen O’Hara) calls him to her office to inform him that Mr. Kringle will be taking a psychological exam. Before she is able to tell Mr. Kringle, he states that he relishes being a department store Santa because it’s his chance to remind people about the true meaning of Christmas. Doris states that the holidays are still the same despite people wanting more stuff during the season. This is when Santa Claus delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom:  Most people have forgotten that Christmas isn’t just a time, it’s actually a feeling. The feeling of spreading good cheer towards your fellow man. It’s also sad that we tend to only “feel” the Christmas spirit, the spirit of giving, during the holidays. It would be so much better if we remember this feeling, not only during this time period, but throughout the year as well.

“I’ve been running up and down these steps for twenty years, and I never knew there was valuable pictures in this building.”

From: Rocky V

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Rocky Balboa

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the much maligned fifth entry in the Rocky series. Rocky V has Rocky Balboa losing all of his money and, unable to compete in boxing due to various injuries, is forced to return to his old neighborhood in Philadelphia. He attempts to train Tommy Gunn, an up and coming boxer, but an unscrupulous agents named George Washington Duke turns Gunn against Rocky.

The quote comes from the very end of the film. Rocky (played once again by Sylvester Stallone) and his son (played by his real life son, Sage) climb the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rocky reminisces that he’s always used those steps for training for fights and this is when he delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: We can sometimes go through life and simply not notice the beauty in the world because we don’t pay attention. It’s always a good idea to stop and slow down and take a moment to look around. Life may be passing you by and you might not even know it.

“The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.”

From: Star Wars (specifically, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Qui-Gon Jinn

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the first of the Star Wars prequels, Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The film was released in 1999 and was highly anticipated as this was George Lucas returning to the Star Wars franchise that he launched way back in 1977. However, this film, as well as the next two, were set before the original trilogy, making them prequels.

The quote comes early in the film. After Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, two Jedis Knights, escape from a Trade Federation ambush. They get separated in Naboo. As the Trade Federation tanks destroy the land, Qui-Gon runs across and saves the Gungan Jar-Jar Binks, who was just standing around instead of trying to find cover. Qui-Gon is annoyed as Jar-Jar was essentially a deer in the headlights and calls him brainless. When Jar-Jar retorts that he can’t be brainless as he knows how to speak, the Jedi Master delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Always take the time to think before you speak. A wise person will only speak when he needs to. A dumb person will just blurt out anything that comes to mind without thinking if it’s even worth talking about.

“Clever girl.”

From: Jurassic Park

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Robert Muldoon

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the first Jurassic Park film. Based on Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name, the film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg, is all about a theme park that’s filled with real, living dinosaurs but, prior to the park’s grand opening, things go south when the attractions get out.

The quote comes from the near the end of the film. As the power has gone out from the Park, game warden Robert Muldoon (played by Bob Peck) tries to secure the area as vicious velociraptors are on the loose. Muldoon does spot one of the velociraptors and he goes in to get a clear shot. He realizes too late that the raptor he spotted was just a decoy so another raptor can close in on him without him noticing. Seeing the raptor, he delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Never underestimate anything. There are times when you think victory is at hand and it’s a sure thing. But your victory can be snatched away because you failed to notice the things around you or you may actually be playing right into its hands.