This month we’re talking about love. I want to use these selections to think about the different ways love can manifest. How do we give love and receive it? Can we always see the difference between love, lust, and romance? I think love can take many forms, whether it is between strangers, family, or finding love for yourself. I hope these recommendations give you new ways to think about love and its possibilities. Enjoy!
MOVIES
“The Banshees of Inisherin” dir. Marin McDonagh
This is not exactly the romantic comedy of the decade, but it explores the ways in which love can manifest on an isolated island. Mainly and most obviously, the complicated love between Padraic and Colm. After years of being best friends, Colm abruptly ends their relationship, leading to disaster for the friends and the town. At the same time, the film explores the love between siblings, as Padraic and Siobhan consistently hide their true feelings not to hurt the other. There is also and perhaps most importantly, love for oneself. Being so far from the rest of the world, the inhabitants of Inisherin must navigate how to find self-love and grow in such a confined space. This film is great proof of the different ways we interact with love and its consequences.
“Brooklyn” dir. John Crowley
This is one of my favourite movies. Its a love story, but more importantly its a story of transformation. Eilis (played by Saoirse Ronan) immigrated from Ireland to the United States on her own. She leaves behind her mother, her sister, and her way of life. She settles into life in New York until she is called back to Ireland, and new opportunities arise for her. This is not just the love story between and Irish immigrant and an Italian-American, it’s the story of girl who falls in love with the opportunities presented in a new life. She doubts every choice she makes, feeling guilty for moving or letting her family down. Ultimately, she asserts herself in her convictions and pursues her life as she pleases. This is not the most complex movie ever made, but it’s a wonderful depiction of love and finding happiness where you least expect it.
BOOKS
“The Lost Daughter” by Elena Ferrante
This book explores the extremes of love. As in many of Ferrante’s novels, the characters feel so strongly that their morals become skewed. In The Lost Daughter the relationship between mothers and daughters is complicated. It is not presented classically in any sense, rather, it is love at its most ugly. A woman so strongly missing her own daughters and their childhood is driven to commit acts that put another family in a dire situation. This was a book I thought would be a light read, but lead me to think for a long time about the things love leads us to do. The writing is snappy and the characters are seldom likeable, but it’s a presentation of vulnerability that’s strongly tied to love.
“Les Inséparables ” by Simone de Beauvoir
This novella was written in 1954 but was not published until 2020. This makes me feel very bad for the people, including the author herself, who did not have a chance to read this epic love story in its published form. This is the story of two best friends, who meet as children in school and are inseparable for the rest of their lives. It’s succinct but pulls at the heartstrings of its readers. This book proves there is no greater love than that of friends, while also exploring the ways we make room for multiple loves in our lifetime. Simone de Beauvoir called this book too intimate, but that’s what makes it so special.
“Giovanni’s Room ” by James Baldwin
This book paints love as a tragedy. Without spoiling its ending, this book left me feeling helpless after reading it. Perhaps it is the atmosphere of the Parisian setting, where its characters can’t help but live in deep poverty and intoxicate themselves to no end. Or, it was the desperation I felt as a reader, hoping so badly for a happy ending I knew would not be possible for a gay man in France in the 1950’s. At its core this book is about love, and how its fleeting and complicated. Love in this case is made complicated by society and the individuals, since they are not accepted for being gay while also suffering relationship turmoil. Baldwin reminds his readers that nothing is ever simple, no matter how badly we want it to be.
MUSIC
“Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor
Sinead O’Connor has the voice of an angel. This song in particular is sung with such passion and devotion to music that puts the listener into a trance. Nothing Compares 2 U is a dream filled with lyrics that echoe the longing that comes with being in love. Even without ever having felt the things the song alludes to, I shed a tear each time I listen to it. Sinead allows her listeners to empathize with her lyrics and create an inviting atmosphere through her music. This song invites listeners to join Sinead on a journey through heartbreak and the love that lingers.
“Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell
At 80 years old, Joni Mitchell performed Both Sides Now at the 2024 Grammy Awards, marking her first Grammy performance ever. Although I’ve always loved this song, this particular rendition, sung by a woman who has lived through so much, left me in tears. This song is all about transformation and seeing things differently. Looking at love from both sides. Singing the song again five decades after its original release proves just how differently we see things with time. This song reminds me of the ever-evolving nature of love and how perceptions are so easily swayed by life itself.
“Fortissimo” by Rita Pavone
I’ve always been upset about how short this song is, but in the end it is two-minutes of powerful music and poetic lyrics. I also recently discovered this song was co-written by Lina Wertmuller, one of my favorite directors (Seven Beauties,The Seduction of Mimi). Rita Pavone has a voice as delicate as the above photo suggests. In this song she sings about how she is in love and it makes her want to shout it from the rooftops. Love is something she has to speak softly of, but all she wants to do is scream. This song makes me blush because it feels like she’s reading from her diary I happened to overhear. Its wonderful because it evokes the giddiness that comes with being in love.
Intersections 