Sometimes the stars align and you see the perfect movie.

This doesn't necessarily mean that the movie in question is beyond reproach.

It just means that it speaks to who you are at that moment in your life and takes you on a special emotional journey.

For me, at this moment, it turns out that the perfect movie is The Motorcycle Diaries.

And I have a hunch it'll speak to many of you, as well.

Diaries is a road movie of sorts that chronicles the journey of medical student Ernesto "Che" Guevara (the guy on all those T-shirts) along with his pharmacist friend Alberto Granado across the continent of South America.

Like many of us upperclassmen, these two do not feel ready to settle down yet and burn with the existential urge to explore the possibilities in the world around them.

One of the incredible achievements of the film -- directed by Walter Salles, based on Guevara's diaries and Granado's own book -- is the way the characters evolve as the story likewise changes shape.

A funny road movie about a pair of lusty slackers eventually blossoms into an exposé of the exploitation of South America's indigenous population and the humanitarian measures the aspiring medical practitioners undertake to assuage some of that suffering.

Their palpable transformation is expertly conveyed by actors Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo De la Serna.

This is nothing short of inspirational to those of us unsure whether we too will find our niches and learn to live for something bigger than ourselves.

-- by Nicholas Norcia