Freud wrote that love involves the undervaluation of reality and the overvaluation of the desired object. While the correct valuation of a person is an odd, if not impossible idea, we might say Freud meant something like this: for various reasons, ma...
Before the magisterial mess of Trevor Thomas's house, the orderly houses that most of us live in seem meagre and lifeless -- as, in the same way, the narratives called biographies pale and shrink in the face of the disorderly actuality that is a life...
...“Maybe it’s like this, Max--you know how, when you are working on a long and ordered piece, all sorts of bright and lovely ideas and images intrude. They have no place in what you are writing, and so if you are young, you write them in a noteb...
[Women's magazines]ignore older women or pretend that they don’t exist; magazines try to avoid photographs of older women, and when they feature celebrities who are over sixty, ‘retouching artists’ conspire to ‘help’ beautiful women look mo...
People are more willing to support the exercise of authority over themselves when they believe it to be an objective, neutral feature of the natural world. This was the idea behind the concept of the divine right of kings. By making the king appear t...
Francine Parker: Stephen, I'm afraid. You're hypnotized by this place. All of you! You don't see that it's not a sanctuary, it's a prison! Let's just take what we need and get out of here! Stephen: Do you have any idea how many times we would have to...
Baker: Here, this is for you. You did a good job for me. Worth five hundred dollars, [hands over a purse] Angel Eyes: Oh I almost forgot. He gave me a thousand. I think his idea was that I kill you. [they both laugh] Angel Eyes: But you know the pity...
Major Dieter Hellstrom: [Hellstrom is trying to guess the famous person on his forehead, which is King Kong] [in German; subtitled] Major Dieter Hellstrom: I'll start, give you the idea. Am I German? Bridget von Hammersmark: [in German] No. Major Die...
Arthur: What about his security? It's gonna get worse as we go deeper. Cobb: I think we run with Mr. Charles. Arthur: No. Eames: Who's Mr. Charles? Arthur: Bad idea. Cobb: The second we get in that hotel with Fischer, his security is gonna be all ove...
Dave Lizewski: Even with my metal plates and my fucked up nerve endings, I gotta tell you, that hurt! But not half as much as the idea of leaving everything behind. Katie, my dad, Todd and Marty... and all the things I'd never do. Like learn to drive...
Mrs. Pell: It's not good for you to be here. Agent Anderson: Why? Mrs. Pell: It's ugly. This whole thing is so ugly. Have you any idea what it's like to live with all this? People look at us and only see bigots and racists. Hatred isn't something you...
Sulley: [Sulley and Mike have just been banished to the Himalayas on Earth - Sulley opens the door to find nothing beyond it] BOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Sulley: [Opens and closes door, pushes frame, nothing happens] No, no! No, no, no, no, NO! Mike: It's too la...
Harvey Milk: If we had someone in the government who saw things the way we see them, the way the black community has black leaders who look out for their interests... Scott Smith: You're gonna run for Supervisor, is that the idea? Harvey Milk: I coul...
[Calvera has just captured the Seven] Calvera: What I don't understand is why a man like you took the job in the first place, hmm? Why, huh? Chris: I wonder myself. Calvera: No, come on, come on, tell me why. Vin: It's like a fellow I once knew in El...
Mayor: Have I told you that I was acquainted with your father, Captain? Capitán Vidal: No. I had no idea. Mayor: In Morocco. I knew him only briefly, but he left a great impression. Capitán Vidal: An excellent soldier. Mayor: The men in his battali...
Della Bea Robinson: The only thing that can help you is God, Ray! Ray Charles: Don't you talk about God! You have any idea how it feels to go blind and still be afraid of the dark? And every day, you stand and pray just for a little light, and you do...
Tiffany: You know what, forget I offered to help you. Forget the entire fucking idea, because that must have been fucking crazy, because I'm so much CRAZIER than you! Pat: [Indifferent] Keep your voice down. Tiffany: I'm just the crazy slut with a de...
Xerxes: But I am a generous god. I can make you rich beyond all measure. I will make you warlord of all Greece. You will carry my battle standard to the heart of Europa. Your Athenian rivals will kneel at your feet if you will but kneel at mine. King...
[Alvy is asked to try cocaine] Alvy Singer: I don't want to put a wad of white powder in my nose. There's the nasal membrane... Annie Hall: You never want to try anything new, Alvy. Alvy Singer: How can you say that? Whose idea was it? I said that yo...
Mortimer Brewster: [on the telephone] Yes, operator, I'd like the Happy Dale Sanatorium, Happy Dale, New York. Come on, operator, what's taking so long? They're just across the river. I could swim it faster! No, I don't want the Happy Dale Laundry. I...
Emma: I was big on Sartre in high school. Adèle: Really? Emma: It did me good. Especially in affirming my freedom and my own values. And the rigorousness of his commitments. I agree with it. Adèle: Sort of like Bob Marley. Almost. Emma: [laughs] I'...