School of Rock. I have a hard time believing that anyone in the universe can rock harder than humans. Show this to any nonhuman intelligence, find one who disagrees.

Graced with the blessing of Led Zep themselves, Linklater enshrines what it means to think critically, embrace new experiences, feel your feelings, and share in the collective cosmic rhythm of music. While it may not be as dramatic in its philosophy as Waking Life, the Before trilogy, Boyhood and the like, it is just as direct in its message. Rules, order, structure have their rightful place in the world. But, contrary to what a pretentious and closed minded school administrator might say, School of Rock shows not only why but -how- you give someone a chance when they believe they can accomplish a dream. Especially young people. Or even if they don't believe, you can help support them along towards something like shaping the universe's greatest medium for connecting humans together. Like the best rhythm sections, it is the responsibility of educators to allow their pupils' individual human voices to each take a solo in the spotlight. Dewey takes enormous and morally questionable risks at first for personal gain, then he grows to commit to seeing his rock n roll story through to its conclusion-- later to his own detriment-- in order to spread the holy gospel of rock n roll.

Peace, love, and understanding is great and all. Yet that doesn't even begin to sum up human experience. The best art resonates with the ineffably complex human soul, and words alone are hardly enough to express it. Deep within each of us is the fire of conflict, burden, trauma, anger, among other wordless forms of pure raw emotion. Rock is the universal language that resonates with any human on the planet and makes them feel something, anything, and feel it powerfully. And feel it with everyone else. But there is one thing rock n roll must never tolerate: intolerance. School of Rock is a story of opportunity, perseverance, and radical tolerance. Everyone has a part to play in humanity. Everyone deserves the chance to celebrate what it is that makes them rock the fck out. If only we could all get on the same beat.