I had two people say that Sammy reminded them a lot of me, my friend Gordon and my boyfriend’s mom. Watching The Fabelmans, I wasn’t thinking much of it and was more invested in Sammy’s character. But after the film ended I went to use the bathroom, and facing myself in the mirror minutes after leaving the theater the whole film flashed in front of my eyes, and I felt like flying. Within me I saw Sammy, I saw someone influenced by art (maternally) and craft (paternally). I saw my mother who gave me her creative fluidity and I saw my father who gave me my drive and work ethic. I saw within Sammy’s fascination of capturing the train crash me making up scenarios in the living room and having my mother record on our camcorder, always wanting the monitor to face me. I saw Sammy in Los Angeles as I saw myself at home going to community college, lost in time, until I got the right kick in the ass (unfortunately not by John Ford nor David Lynch) to prove to myself that what I want to accomplish in my life is valid. My upbringing, my family, my passion, my life. The story is not the same, but the emotions are. Spielberg show us his heart and I got a glimpse of it. And that last shot, if Spielberg ended his career there it would say everything he’s been wanting to say, and has said in his art, since he left Ford’s office that day.

Happy Hanukkah everyone!