March 31, 2003 Why Forrest? Because he represents (to me) what I want to talk about today. Other life things to mention as well, but first, a rant. I *hate* it when people critique a movie negatively when they have not seen it. I'm not talking about some who says they don't think they'd like a particular movie or just aren't into war flicks. I'm talking about those who will bash a movie sight unseen. At the time of my divorce in 1996 (2 years after it hit the theater), my ex-husband was still slamming Forrest Gump and he'd never seen it. "That movie sucks." I thought it was great; extremely entertaining. My current husband has done the same thing with "Man in the Moon." I've told him it's a really great, realyl interesting moving and he refuses to see it. "I don't like Andy Kaufman." He loves biographies and documentaries, so I asked him what he knew of Andy Kauffman. He only knew him as "Latka" on "Taxi." He'd never seen him off camera. Never heard anything about him. So what he doesn't like is Latka. I told him that Andy Kauffman has an extremely fascinating story as a biography and that I really, really thought he should watch it with me. "I don't like Andy Kaufman." I just don't get it. >:< To demonstrate my own superiority (and hence, my blanket right to pass judgment on those who behave in a lesser manner - ahem), I don't like chick movies. I watched "Steel Magnolias" and hated it. Watched "Thelma and Louise" and hated it. Watched "Waiting to Exhale" and hated it. I tried. Really, I did. I pulled up every ounce of estrogen my poor little ovaries had to offer and still, the whole genre, particularly the "Man-Bad, Woman-Oppressed" movies really hit me wrong. Reluctantly, I went to see "How Stella Got her Groove Back" (friend wanted to see it) and it was great. Same for "Eric Brockovich." Same for "Princess Diaries." Same for "Ya Ya Sisterhood." Same for "Maid in Manhattan." Suddenly, I think I might like SOME chick movies. I think that if we're going to have any fun at all, we have to stay open to new experiences, even outside of our comfort zone. I would have HATED to have missed "Pulp Fiction" because I don't like violent movies. I didn't. Then after that, I saw "Reservoir Dogs, " then "Donnie Brasco," then "Carlito's Way" then I went on a mafia movie binge. I hated horror flicks. Then once I got to a safe place in my life, I loved them. Sometimes I wonder what I *did* watch way back then and it was almost solely family movies and comedies. That was it. I can't imagine being that limited now. I'd had maybe 10-12 people tell me NOT to see "Shallow Hal" under any circumstances. They told me how, as a fat woman, I'd be tremendously offended. I read the premise of the movie, saw where that could be the case and shied away from it, even though I like Jack Black, who stars in it and I've never had any problem with Gwyneth Paltrow. The other night, I was working on a soap column and the movie came on HBO. There was nothing else on, so I decided to give it a try. I thought it was wonderful. In cast you aren't familiar with the premise, Jack plays a guy named Hal who is focused on women based on looks alone and is frustrated by the lack of depth he finds in his relationships. He gets stuck in an elevator with motivational speaker and HSN guru, Anthony Robbins, who ends up giving him a hypnotic suggestion that he will only see the beauty within a person (basically). Suddenly, everywhere he looks there are beautiful women and he's having a blast. Of course, his friends think he's gone nuts because to the non-hypnotized eye, these women are anything but gorgeous by society's standards. The one he falls for looks like Gwyneth to him, but weighs about 300 pounds. She also happens (although he doesn't know it when he meets her) to be the daughter of his boss. He ends up promoting through the company and people at the company begin to think that he's only with Rosemary (the girl) to move through the ranks. I won't spoil the ending, but the main point of the movie is that we see Gwyneth (for the most part as her usual actress self) being treated by society in the ways that fat people are routinely treated without question. They are having lunch and the usual cracks are heard ("Wonder if there is any food left."). Typical stuff that fat people deal with constantly. The absurdity of it being said around slim Gwyneth only serves to illustrate how cruel and ridiculous it is. That's what I took from the movie anyway and the ending is extremely satisfying. I loved it. I'm ashamed that I would have missed it just because a few people who didn't seem to get even the point of the movie were convinced I shouldn't see it. I almost caved to it and I'm grateful nothing was on and I took a chance on it. Not so with the movie, "Powder." done by Victor Salva, a convicted child molester. I wanted to be open minded for "the art" even though Joe said, "Don't see it because if you see it knowing he likes little boys, you're going to wretch." I shut off my brain and watched the movie and saw where if I didn't know what I knew, it could be a decent movie. I loved the ending where he kind of exploded into the ether and was everywhere at once. I've experienced that feeling upon the passing of a loved one and it sounded a strong chord in me. Talked to Joe about it and realized I could enjoy the movie... if I didn't know. Jeremy (Powder) is an albino boy who is hairless and has no experience in the world. He's a teenager, a big deal is made about him not having pubic hair and there are gratuitous young men shower scenes. >:< Yeah, that's one I'd prefer to have missed, even though I had that one good moment in it. Overall: ew. So yeah, step outside of your comfort zone and if someone who knows you well is saying, "No kidding, you're going to really like it," take a chance and maybe you'll enjoy something you might have otherwise missed. (I REALLY hope Paul has either seen Forrest by now or shut his mouth.)
Personally, it's been a peaceful few days. :) I do so appreciate the times when nothing's really going on and it's just mellllooowww. A few interesting things happened, but nothing overly traumatic. First, I was working on this column and Nathan came tearing into my office to inform that there was a curdo in the back yard. When I expressed confusion, he was kind enough to speak more loudly and slowly and tell me that there was a CURD-O in the back yard. When still I looked blankly at him, he led me outside and showed me this curdo:
Since we live right on a busy thoroughfare, I thought fast, went into my garage (God, I L*O*V*E being a packrat! Stupid naysaying husbands!), unearthed the ten gallon aquarium my poor huge aquatics were confined to after Nathan (aged 9 months at the time) put a chair through their gargantuan tank. A dear friend felt mercy on them and found a bigger tank for them at a yard sale. Threw some play sand into the tank for emergency turtle rescuing purposes and in went Mr Curdo. We aren't sure if he's indigenous or a pet that escaped or what. I sure didn't want him hitting the road and getting squished or mangled by a dog or something. Guess we'll put up some signs about him. Yes, I am well aware that he is not a wienie dog named Elvis (painfully aware, *sigh*), but I cannot deny a humanitarian call to arms. The kids have already named him Vlad. He does not want to eat his romaine, but he's had a big day. THEN about an hour ago two very nice lady policepeople came to my door, much to our confusion and said they were investigating a complaint lodged by our next door neighbor, Janice. Since our only next door neighbor is named Gwen, we were puzzled, but it turns out Gwen (a very, very lovely older - than me - lady), with whom we share a very friendly, unobtrusive neighbor relationship, has a woman staying with her named Janice. As it turns out, Janice is under the distinct impression that Eric and I (who she specifically named) were outside between the houses in the "middle of the night" plotting against her, damaging her car (which was in Gwen's garage) and saying nefarious things like, "That'll teach her, heh heh heh." Hmmm. They also informed us that Janice is schizophrenic. So now schizophrenic woman I don't know thinks I'm busy planning her undoing, with Eric, my cohort. Whoa. The thing is, is, I was awake in my office until around 11pm, which is on the side of the house where our yards connect and I did hear someone walking around out there, crunching the leaves. I'm not sure if it was her pair of evildoers or perhaps her looking for her evildoers. I did not hear any voices. I did, however, close my curtains a little more snugly. I figured it was someone walking around in THEIR yard and the sound was really carrying. I had to wonder if, since my window was open, she'd heard my TV from the office. Anyway, so my neighbor thinks I'm going to kill her. Strange. Fortunately, the police are not under that impression. I'm glad I'm not a drama queen or I could really pinnng about this.
And with that, my dear friends, it is called "a day." Time to go rustle up some chicken stir fry (very nearly carb-less!) and settle down for the evening. Hope yours is pleasant!
Love,
Good God, She's Verbose! There's More!
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