The Magic Bus

The Rurals - I See Through You ft. Lady Bird

Although there may be countless others, three films come to mind when I think of the term "magic bus". "Into the Wild" is the first. It's a film that I enjoyed very much and could perhaps associate with the lead character in some ways. Next is "Ghost World", a personal favourite of mine. It was playing when I used to work at a cinema and I would go in during down-time to "memorise" quotes or just feel the atmosphere of the film. Lastly, "My Neighbour Totoro / Tonari No Totoro". I'm not particularly into Ghibli movies, however the significance of the "cat bus" sticks in my mind.

Sometimes there are ups and downs, probably because I'm tired and a little sick (too much eating in Malaysia). However, I'm sure everyone has those moments where they want to escape, either from the mundane or from the extraordinary. Whether or not a problem is either relies heavily on your own individual constraints and measurements. The mundane for some will be like a mountain for others and vice versa. In my case I believe there is something extraordinary, but it's most likely the lack of quality sleep.

Back to the "magic bus". The symbolism of it in these particular films is quite important. It's like a metaphorical mode of transportation into an idealised state, escaping from things that don't seem to fit the criteria of the protagonist. I don't want to get into specifics, but if you've seen all three you might agree with me. The idea of transcendence is prevalent in an incredible amount of films, but I'm always fascinated when filmmakers try to symbolise it. It goes down a bit easier and makes me curious.

Here's my "magic bus". (Taking me to a more agreeable temperature) :P