Now Showing: "Stupid is as stupid does"

"Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

I remember my mentor Ms. Josephine Bonsol saying that if you've not yet watched Forrest Gump, you've already missed half of your life. Indeed, the movie (1994, directed by Robert Zemeckis) taught me a lot about life, and its surprising simplicity.

Pro football player. Outstanding American hero. Famed pingpong player. The stupid guy. While not very smart, Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) has been invited to the White House a dozen times, sent to Vietnam and awarded with the Congressional Medal of Honor and to China to represent the All-Americal Pingpong Team, and became a gazillionaire.

For all these huge achievements, he only did the simplest things. He bore in mind what his momma (Sally Field) always told him, followed what his best friend and true love Jenny Curran (Robin Wright) said to just run, did whatever the drill army sergeant told him, kept his "best good friend" Bubba's (Mykelti Williamson) promise, and didn't care about anything else at all.

Hands down, the screenplay was simply outstanding and very inspiring especially the lines of Mrs. Gump to young Forrest when he still had braces on his legs.Forrest also had witty answers to questions we tend to take too seriously.

The cinematography of Forrest Gump was equally laudable, as I always remember the movie starting with a feather being blown away in different places, before finally landing to where Forrest was, the camera first panned at his shoes with the feather beside them, up to his face, then picking it up and tucking it in his storybook, which was also the ending scene of the movie.

Witty and inspiring quotes from Forrest Gump:

Lt. Dan: Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?

Forrest: I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir.

Forrest: My momma always said 'Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.'

Mrs. Gump: You have to do the best with what God gave you.

Forrest: I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I think maybe it's both.

Jenny: Do you ever dream, Forrest, about who you're gonna be?

Forrest: Aren't, aren't I gonna be me?

Mrs. Gump: If God meant for all of us to be the same, we'd all have braces on our legs.