So there’s a scene in the first Sonic movie that I find underrated.
My opinion on this movie is a little different than what you might expect
from someone who is a fan of the games. I like it not just because it has Sonic in it,
but because it has a story that can stand on its own, and has some relatable moments,
such as Sonic falling into depression after contemplating the fact that he has no friends.
This feeling of loneliness isn't a very pleasant feeling to have.
Sonic literally tries to run away from that feeling in this movie, and for good reason. Socializing with others,
connecting with others, sharing your experiences with others feels very nice and exciting
when they’re the right people you’re hanging around. And I know, from my experience,
how tricky it is to find people that resonate with your specific personality, and lifestyle.
For some reason, Sonic trusts Donut Lord to be
“that guy” for him. He believes that Tom’s going to be that person who fills that hole
in his heart. So, the specific scene that I want to talk about
is the one where Sonic curiously checks out a bar to see what it’s about. He’s never been
to one so it makes sense. Tom marches in and gets upset that Sonic gave into his temptation,
since he specifically told him to wait in the car. Hilariously, Sonic doesn’t give a crap about Donut
Lord’s impatience. Though, he does ask him a question about a phrase he’s never heard of.
Unless they build some kind of technology in the future that guarantees immortality for humans, the
reality is we’re all going to die one day. Some of us may be busy with school work, with projects,
with stressful work in general, so we rarely ever get the chance to think about what it is we really
want to do in our lives if there literally was nothing holding us back whatsoever. Well, a bucket
list removes all the excuses we have, all the doubts, all the obstacles, and gets to the damn
point. “If you could do anything you want, what would you do? Who would you be?” If you haven’t
made one already, I want you to literally pause this video, get a piece of paper out, and write
down your personal bucket list.
Though, my advice is to try not to write something so out of your control,
and predictable like “winning the lottery” or “becoming famous.” Those things can happen, yes,
but instead of success goals, I recommend writing down goals that are more in your control. You
might need a little help to get to those goals, but that’s okay.
Okay, so I’m assuming by now you’ve written down your own bucket list. You can see Sonic
jotting down his, but then he gets sad once he realizes how much he hasn’t experienced.
What I find inspiring about this scene is instead of pouting about lost time,
the two decide to make the most out of what they have around them,
and tackle every goal they possibly can in that very bar. And then they have this scene
where we can see them having a great time, enjoying their epic life moment.
In the span of an hour, Sonic is able to experience dancing, darts, arcade basketball,
machine bull riding, and a bar fight. I… seriously hope you didn’t write down “get into a bar fight”
on your bucket list. The point is, Sonic was able to satisfy most of his curiosity cravings
by just doing them. Shoutout to that legendary Shia LaBeouf video, “Just Do It”.
Nobody says “YOLO” anymore, but that acronym applies for this video. You only live once.
Now, that doesn’t mean be reckless with your decision making, but when opportunities
present themselves, see where it goes, see what you learn, see if you even like it
in the first place. Get disappointed even, it’s fine. At least you can say you've experienced it.
Another example in this movie is the scene where the blue devil and donut lord chill in a motel.
Sonic gets creative with not much around him.
Shortly after, Sonic falls asleep, then Tom looks over Sonic’s list,
and notices that they got most of his goals done, which is an impressive achievement. However, what
is perhaps his greatest desire, “making a real friend” hasn't been crossed out yet. The good news
is if you’ve watched this movie, you would know that he accomplishes this goal as well by the end of the
story. He does it simply by trusting in Tom, that he would be “that guy” for him. Optimism, trust,
and faith is what he needed, and is what anybody needs to get that greatest desire crossed out on
their bucket list.
With all that being said, I guess there’s only one question left.