Introduction

Here we are again. First, it was the movies of my childhood; that nostalgic trip down memory lane. Then we went forward in time to the 1990’s, where it was all about the movies of my teens – whatever! Now, it’s time to look at the Naughties, in particular the years 2002 to 2012, which saw me experience the fast-moving, life-changing twenties.

At the start of the decade, mobile phones were breaking ground as the new communication revolution, but the iPhone was still six years away. The world had just witnessed 9/11 and the aftermath of that was felt for many years to come. In these dark times, a Bush became US President again, and the Dumb Era of Leadership was in full swing. Gay people were still the source of jokes (not kidding) and the movies went into Remake overhaul. Yeah, the early 2000’s and my twenties were a funny old time, occupied mostly with travel for me, finding my feet in the working world, and getting serious about life. And through it all, the movies were there for me yet again.

My viewing tastes developed even more, and the movies I watched reflected a more mature, socially aware and curious Brian who wanted to really start understanding human nature, in all its many forms. Early on, I was taking a strong interest in personal development, even from the age of 20 and thinking about big goals for the future. I knew early enough in this new age, I would walk to the beat of my own drum, and went against the norm in many respects. As I saw people my age around me focus on further education, full time work and saving for house deposits, I was working in a bar, planning a trip around the world and figuring out what kind of writer I wanted to be. Those were my values at the time, and ultimately the cause of my own challenges, as some big learning’s emerged about how thoughts translated into actions, and the different places that could take you.

Friendships evolved, some ended and new ones were born. Relationships came; either as one night hook ups in a city nightclub, overseas romances and the first serious type. Having fun was still important, but so was getting more serious about life. Trying to retain some connection to the teens, whether it be the friends I made or the dreams I dreamt waiting eagerly for school to end, were tested by the realities of “The Real World”, which proved to be far more challenging than I could have expected. Sure, the new found freedom of being over 18, with my own car, a job that paid for my weekends and a hell of a lot independence was great and I felt like my life was my own, but new people appeared in my life from all directions, to either offer me opportunities, or take them away.

The first job I got in high school, at the stinky, slimy Fish Pier, was abandoned at age 19 to take up a hospitality traineeship, where I saw in my 20^th birthday. Once that ended, I had a nice payout for completing my Certificate III in Hospitality and a desire to travel. But before then, my interest in movies became a possible career pathway, as I got heavily involved in local video productions and had a brush or two with the film industry. Then just days before my 21^st birthday, I finally went to America for the first time, kick starting the 12 month epic trip I would go on to call “My Year Away”. You’ll hear snippets of that mentioned in several of the film reviews coming up.

Returning from that trip and turning 22, I decided it was time to finally return to education, and my pathway into Youth Work began. I went to TAFE, finding it was my kind of place, and got my first Youth Work job in a high school. Being back in high school, but seeing it from the other side was a very insightful experience and I gained a new appreciation for the teaching profession, which I certainly didn’t acknowledge when I was in high school. More travel was the focus in the mid 2000’s taking me up to my mid twenties, and by then I thought I was done (but would return once more in my late 20’s). But before that final big trip, I would complete my study and start working full time. And that’s when life really started to change…

Full time work was more demanding than I could have ever imagined, and my first job out the gate as a Youth Worker was a tough gig. I jumped in the deep end straight away and had to learn how to tread water before I could swim, and then I got the hang of it. Life Coaching became a more serious staple in my life around this time when I took the step and studied the field, which then sent me on a whole new trajectory where my professional and personal development would merge into one.

Each year of my twenties was like a story on its own, and as I entered the later years of this decade, I had come far, learnt some valuable lessons, and prepared for the next chapter of life – the 30’s. But I’m only halfway through that era, so don’t expect the Movies of my 30’s reviews for some time yet. For now, kick back and come with me to rediscover, or discover for the first time, a very diverse mix of movies, all of which spoke volumes in terms of where I was at over these ten years; in my mind, and in the world. From Australia to America, to the UK and everywhere in between, from big nights out and long days in bed, from bar work to Youth Work to NO work, and putting pen to paper on a regular basis to document it all in a never ending series of journal entries.

I’m now of the age where I can start to look back on my twenties. It didn’t feel that long ago when I was in that age, but somehow it’s already been five years since it ended. Time flies, and the years seem to get shorter, which is why I’m going back to the early years of this 21^st century to relive the movies, reconnect with the times which they were very much a changing, and bring to you a bit more insight into the Life of Brian.

Read on, if you’re curious…

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An Aussie Goes Hollywood - Movies of my 20's

Introduction

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