The Dust Factory (2004)

Hayden Panettiere: Melanie Lewis

Quotes 

• Melanie Lewis : You know, I can still do everything better than you can. Faster - always will.

  Ryan Flynn : You can't always win.

  Melanie Lewis : I'll always beat *you*.

  Ryan Flynn : And I won't mind... I'll never forget you, Mel.

  Melanie Lewis : ...you will.

  Ryan Flynn : No, I won't. See ya later.

  Melanie Lewis : Not later. Just see you.

• Ryan Flynn : I never saw the Fair Footed Flekk.

  Melanie Lewis : Do you know what she looks like?

  Ryan Flynn : No.

  Melanie Lewis : Then how do you know you haven't already met her?

• Melanie Lewis : Make me a promise?

  Ryan Flynn : Sure.

  Melanie Lewis : If you decide you want the four seasons again...

  Ryan Flynn : That mean jumping at the big top. Forget it. I'm never going home.

  Melanie Lewis : But if you change your mind, promise me you'll tell me first?

  Ryan Flynn : Why?

  Melanie Lewis : I might consider going is all.

• Melanie Lewis : [to Ryan]  Do you dance?

  Grandpa Randolph : Of course he does.

  Melanie Lewis : You know, tangos and waltzes?

  Ryan Flynn : Of course not. I'm a guy?

  Melanie Lewis : Oh, lame-o excuse!

  Grandpa Randolph : [starts singing and dancing with Melanie]  Dancing is the most exhilarating, glorificating, fantazilating. Just let your toes go tapping heels kerplanking. It's the essence of life. And if you think you are too fancy, too grandiancy, just let your feet explore the floor. They'll know the layout, forget yourself and play out. 'Cause there is no substitute. And now for the romp-stompinest, skip-alonginest kind of fun around. Heck, it's the essence of... Heck, it's the essence of...

  Melanie Lewis : Life!

  Grandpa Randolph : Life.

  Melanie Lewis : What do you say Ryan?

  Ryan Flynn : I guess.

  Melanie Lewis : [exhilarated]  WHOO!

• Melanie Lewis : [she just caught him with his pants down, so of course, she's gotta make fun of him]  You wear butt-huggers?

  Ryan Flynn : Briefs. They're cotton briefs

  Melanie Lewis : You should wear boxers. They're way cooler than butt-huggers.

• Melanie Lewis : Did you know that Galileo thought that oceans made up the face of the man in the moon?

  Ryan Flynn : Actually, they're lava flows.

  Melanie Lewis : I know. They're called maria. Do you know the name of the biggest, nearest crater to the Apolo 11 landing?

  Ryan Flynn : Julius Caesar. Know when Apollo 11 landed?

  Melanie Lewis : Summer of '69. Which hemisphere?

  Ryan Flynn : West. Can you name an eastern landing?

  Melanie Lewis : Apollo 15, summer of '71. Name another west?

  Ryan Flynn : 17, winter of '72. Name a landing near Copernicus crater.

  Melanie Lewis : Apollo 12, summer of '69. And 16 landed in spring of '72

  Ryan Flynn : And 14 in winter of '71!

  Melanie Lewis : [smiles]  We're all out of missions.

• Grandpa Randolph : Your grandma wore a dress just like that the first time I fell in love with her.

  Ryan Flynn : You fell in love with her more than once?

  Grandpa Randolph : Of course.

  Melanie Lewis : How old were you?

  Grandpa Randolph : Sixth grade. What a romance. It lasted a week, then my family moved and I didn't see her again till I went away to college.

  Melanie Lewis : Did she remember you?

  Grandpa Randolph : No, not a bit. But we fell in love all over again.

  Melanie Lewis : That is so romantic.

  Grandpa Randolph : Yes, my beautiful wife.

• Grandpa Randolph : [to Ryan]  My grandfather told me when a leaf floats past you it means somewhere someone is thinking of you.

  Melanie Lewis : Oh, please.

  Grandpa Randolph : What? You don't think anyone thinks about you? Oh, Melanie. You have to believe.

  Melanie Lewis : [after Ryan leaves]  I know what you're up to. It's not fair.

  Grandpa Randolph : Oh, Melanie. Little lady.

• Ryan Flynn : [while dancing in the woods with Melanie]  I don't want this to ever end!

  Grandpa Randolph : Again with that word "end". It's a myth.

  Melanie Lewis : That's a lie!

  Grandpa Randolph : Don't be selfish, Melanie.

  Melanie Lewis : When you make the leap at the big top, time in the dust factory ends.

  Grandpa Randolph : Melanie.

  Melanie Lewis : Let Ryan decide!

• [Ryan is in a sudden death competition against the Ringmaster to save Melanie's life, when he finally scores...] 

  Ryan Flynn : Yes! Come on, Mel, let's go. We're outta here.

  [the Ringmaster doesn't let her go] 

  Ryan Flynn : What? I beat you. I scored! I'm ready to leave. I proved it!

  Ryan Flynn : [to Melanie]  What's wrong?

  Melanie Lewis : You won, Ryan. I didn't.

  Ryan Flynn : No! You just have to believe there's more to life than one long winter.

  Melanie Lewis : [crying]  You're asking me to risk everything! I've been here too long. I don't even remember where I came from. Where would I end up? I can't handle that kind of uncertainty.

  Ryan Flynn : Grandpa would tell you to turn all that doubt into trust. Take a chance, Mel! Do you trust me?

  [she nods] 

  Ryan Flynn : Do you trust yourself?

  [she doesn't say anything] 

  Ryan Flynn : Do you trust yourself? Say it, Mel! Come on, get off those toe-picks and skate. Skate now!

  Melanie Lewis : [thinks for a second, then says]  Meet me halfway, Ryan.

  [they skate towards each other and, before the Ringmaster can stop them, they disappear] 

• Melanie Lewis : [sadly]  I had an accident. In my head. They said it was an aneurysm.

  Ryan Flynn : [confused]  Oh. Is that bad?

  Melanie Lewis : [smiles her biggest and cutest smile]  Not anymore!

• Ryan Flynn : How long have you been here?

  Melanie Lewis : A while, I guess. Time is kinda unimportant here in the Dust Factory.

  Ryan Flynn : That's what you call this place, the Dust Factory?

  Melanie Lewis : YUP! Kinda a home away from home until you're ready to go back. Which I'm not!

• Melanie Lewis : It's called getting dusted. You see, when you decide to make the leap, you only get one chance to fly. So either you make it and move on, or get dusted and go back home.

  Ryan Flynn : That's the only way to go home? To jump and miss?

  Melanie Lewis : No one's getting me up there.

• Melanie Lewis : Hey, do you like to spin?

  Ryan Flynn : I don't know what you mean.

  Melanie Lewis : Spin... in circles till you get queasy and see double? Spin!

• Ryan Flynn : Doesn't this day ever end?

  Melanie Lewis : What do you mean?

  Ryan Flynn : Well, there's a beginning but no end.

  Melanie Lewis : How do you know it began?

  Ryan Flynn : Well, it had to, or it wouldn't be.

  Melanie Lewis : That's not true. It just is what it is. You know, light all the time. Maybe if we run away from the sun we'll find night.

• Melanie Lewis : Dust. I hate it. I don't wanna jump and I never will!

• Ryan Flynn : I wanna go home. Really go home.

  Melanie Lewis : I know. And I don't want you to. It was always my plan to leave too, you know. But I was just waiting for a sign. I figured there'd be this perfect moment where I'd just know it was right. I guess I'm just a dawdler.

• Melanie Lewis : I wish I had the courage to climb a mountain. All I have is this stupid lake! It's not winter, it's not winter, it's not winter! It's summer!

• Melanie Lewis : I don't like cold weather. Give me heat any day. There's this island called Tahiti. I'm going there when I grow up. No winter - just long, hot days.

  Ryan Flynn : I don't know. I kinda like fall and winter.

  Melanie Lewis : That's 'cause your parents told you winter makes you look forward to summer. Why wait nine months?

  Ryan Flynn : I suppose you're right. But I'd still miss the colors and the leaves.

  Melanie Lewis : Boy, someone snowed you over but good!