Or is it just me? 😅 I don’t usually have time to watch the full movie, but I’ll get an hour or so into it while I’m getting ready in the morning or at night, then I finish the next day. It’s my nightly ritual now.
I’ve never watched a movie this many times. There’s just something about it that’s like a warm hug.
Having a story with two main characters who are platonic soulmates—with absolutely no romance or sex—changed my life. It’s quite rare to see this type of representation in mainstream movies and books. There always has to be romance shoehorned into every story in media. Not this one, and it’s such a breath of fresh air.
I’ve known since I was a teenager that I was on the asexual spectrum somewhere. People in my life told me I’d change my mind when I met the right person. Part of me hoped they were right with how hyped up romance is. So I kept dating and waiting for something to change. I always ended things quickly when it inevitably became clear I didn’t have feelings, attraction, or the desire to build a life together the way the other person did. Then I’d eventually try again hoping the next person would be different. The more I dated, the more broken I felt. I should have listened to myself sooner, but we’re surrounded by constant messaging that being in a romantic/sexual relationship is the ultimate form of happiness.
Enter PHM.
We have two main characters who are asexual-spectrum coded. (Rocky has a mate, but we know Eridians don’t have sex the way humans do.)
The movie ends with >!Grace happy, fulfilled, and not in a romantic relationship. He has his platonic soulmate, and that’s enough for him. He even has kids in a way, or at least is contributing to the next generation.!< Seeing this helped me finally accept that being who I am and loving platonically like I do is also enough.
I’ve read the book and watched the movie several times in theatres and a dozen or more at home, and I don’t think I’ll stop anytime soon.
Are there any other aro/ace-spec PHM fans who feel seen in the same way with this movie/book?
I just saw the movie a few days ago. Going in, I knew nothing of the plot or even what the movie was about. My dad (who had read the book) just started playing it and said, “This is going to be really good.” I was immediately intrigued from the first frame, but the moment that bass synth hits when Grace wakes up and sees the stars, I was completely hooked. I’ve already rewatched it twice. Now I’m about to watch it again, and I ordered a hard copy of the book. I may even make the trip to watch it in a theater while it’s still playing.
I don’t know what it is about this film that tickles my (autistic) brain in just the right way, but I can’t stop watching and rewatching it. I think there’s something about seeing hopeful space Sci-fi and the friendship of Rocky and Grace that really hits…
As a fan of classic Trek (TNG, DS9, etc.), which tends to be more “serious,” I wasn’t as sold on Dr. Grace and how unserious he was at first, but now I love it. It’s actually refreshing to see a hero who really didn’t want to be a hero at all.
Every time I rewatch, I see or hear something new and interesting. I feel like everyone involved in the film really knocked it out of the park. I hope some Oscars come from it.
Anyway, this is just an appreciation post! Thumbs down if you can’t stop watching it, either. 👎
For those that waited until Level 5 or 6 before speaking, how many hours did it take for you to get comfortable with output?
I was able to talk to a friend in Spanish for a long time the other day about a variety of subjects without reverting to English vocabulary very often. This was my first extended conversation in Spanish in over a decade.
However, I still mix up the genders of words sometimes or don’t make the adjectives and nouns agree. Other times, I’ll start to say something and realize I have to think a bit to figure out how to finish the thought. I’m often surprised at the vocabulary I can find somewhere in my brain… and then I’ll realize there’s some common word I’ve suddenly forgotten.
I’m wondering how many hours of speech practice it will take for speaking to feel more fluid. What has been your experience if you waited until at least a few hundred hours in?
I’m at around 900 hours, but I had some Spanish immersion experiences when I was a teenager and took two years of college Spanish. Then I went ten years without using it. It only took me 50 hours to go from Beginner to Advanced videos.
The question is how long will it take to regain my confidence with speaking…