[b][Edit][/b] In case you hadn't noticed, us cheapasses get journal skins for a few days, and, as I like this journal, and I'm not likely to write a new one for a long time, I'm just tacking a whole bunch of stamps and this note onto it. (How many stamps, I ask you? These aren't even half of the ones in my favorites.)[b][/Edit][/b]

I have just seen the most profound movie ever. Bar none. And it's an anime.
I am not joking. It is brilliant, and you've probably never heard of it. It's called The Sky Crawlers, directed by Mamoru Ishii.

Here's the Wiki summary of the plot:

"The Sky Crawlers is set in an alternate history where, although the world is at peace, in order to ease the tension of a populace accustomed to war and aggression, private corporations contract fighter pilots to stage combat operations against each other for show. The film introduces a mystery involving characters called Kildren (キルドレ Kirudore?), humanoids genetically designed to live eternally in adolescence until shot down in air battles presented commercially for entertainment, after which they are reproduced."

It is, to my understanding, about several key points:

The purpose of war, or rather, the basis of peace.
One of the characters, Kusanagi says (admittedly, while drunk, but it still holds) that peace among civilians can only exist when war exists. Only when there is a present basis for comparison can it be appreciated and upheld.

Why one lives, or continues to do so.
The main character, Yuichi, makes a very powerful speech towards the end of the movie. I cannot remember the exact words, but it's something like "You can control which side of the road you walk down, even if it is still the same road. Even if you're walking on the same road, you can find something new." Another of the characters, Mitsuya (as well as Kusanagi) earlier brings up the question of "why do we bother". She gives an extremely powerful impassioned speech, but I cannot for the life of me remember even the gist of it.

It also touches on the concept of reincarnation, as the Kildren have idiosyncrasies, both visual and in their actions, and they hold through in their replacements.

But, yeah, go rent it or something, well worth it.
(Also, I think I'm gonna drop out of NaNoWriMo, sorry guys.)