Movies on ¬ just serendipity 🍀

★ Project Hail Mary

serendipity@perrotta.dev (Thiago Perrotta) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:41:24 +0200

♠ Book: 5/5 stars. One of my favorites of 2022 (Sci-Fi):

Amaze. You my friend.

(This was my review in goodreads back then.)

Fast-forward 3.5 years (»):

Movie: 10/10.

Excellent adaptation. 🇨🇦

Sorry, I don’t know how to write reviews.

I’ll leave that to others:

[…] It was the same great experience as with The Martian ten years ago, as I couldn’t stop reading it. And plot twists genuinely surprised me. The movie adapts the book perfectly but also adds some human touch to one of the main characters as she needed it.

She is more likeable in the movie than in the book (There is only one she).

Even though I’m not a big fan of changing book covers with movie posters, Ryan Gosling portrayed the main character, Dr. Ryland Grace, perfectly.

I love the original cover, AND I think Ryan Gosling did great in the movie. There’s no wrong choice here.

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★ Bravery

serendipity@perrotta.dev (Thiago Perrotta) — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:31:57 +0100

♠ After reading the book Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters by Chesley “Sully” B. Sullenberger III, to which I gave 5 stars:

Now a major motion picture from Clint Eastwood, starring Tom Hanks — the inspirational autobiography by one of the most captivating American heroes of our time, Capt. ‘Sully’ Sullenberger — the pilot who miraculously landed a crippled US Airways Flight 1549 in New York’s Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 passengers and crew.

…I finally had the opportunity to listen to the cockpit recording (alt) of the US Airways 1549 flight ordeal.

Goodness, I have no words to describe how amazing and miraculous everything was! It feels shocking and unlikely, because it is. And yet, after reading the book, after learning about Capt. Sully’s upbringing, perspective / viewpoint, experience and, most importantly, his skill set and aptitude, it’s simply magical: everything makes sense, all pieces just fit, wisdom flows.

I find this story deeply inspiring.

There’s a movie (2016) about it as well, starring Tom Hanks. I am looking forward to watching it. I find that watching a movie is way more enjoyable after reading its corresponding book.

Here is an interview with Captain Sully.

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★ 500 days of Summer (2009)

serendipity@perrotta.dev (Thiago Perrotta) — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:49:32 +0100

♠ Recently I had to opportunity to watch this classic during a flight.

It’s such a great movie¹.

It was the second time I watched it. The first one was during my teenage years, probably around 15-16.

Many years later, with a few bits of wisdom and experience by the means of romances, heartbreaks, and situationships, it feels so natural (and perhaps dangerously familiar) to empathize with both protagonists.

In the old days I could only empathize with Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). I’d get frustrated at Summer (Zooey Deschanel). Like, why, just whyyyyy do you act like this?

Today, suddenly, Summer’s perspective totally resonates with me. Even though it is seemingly irrational (you don’t want a boyfriend, but then all of a sudden you marry someone else right after breaking up with me? WTH?!).

And the most interesting part, perhaps, is to reach the conclusion that there is no ultimate right or wrong side. Moral is subjective. Each character is equally beautiful in their own way, with their own desires and insecurities, with their own definition of happiness, their own emotions and pragmatism, and their own way of shielding out from unknowns.

The soundtrack is relaxing and satisfying. It hasn’t aged at all. You make my dreams come true 🎶. Each and every day <3.

Vivid experience makes you easily recognize attachment styles in each character. The avoidant is afraid of closeness and love. The anxious is afraid of rejection.

Is it fair to always label the avoidant as the villain, or is that just another perfectly acceptable way of l{o,i}ving? Is it fair to always label the anxious as a (the) victim, to judge that they should know better?

Aren’t we always picturing ourselves in the perfect scenario, constantly juggling expectations versus reality? The happy path user journey is often just an illusion, a simplified model that doesn’t match reality in any universe known to mankind, except in imaginary mathematical land. The real word is beautifully complex².

I love the direction of the movie. The narration. The flashbacks. This is not a love story³.

Is is true? Do you like me?

Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are peak charisma.

It’s a masterpiece.

7.6 / 10 ⭐️ on IMDB is underrated. ↩︎
Which is sometimes annoying to us Engineers. But can’t complain, that justifies the raison d’être™ of the profession. ↩︎
“You have been warned”, but who does RTFM? ↩︎

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