The four tween girls blocking the theater door, giggling, and dancing over the threshold in some weird game that only makes sense to tween girls should have been my omen: I had made the choice that was bound to make me the most uncomfortable.
Earlier in the day I had announced my boredom with Holocaust movies and asked which of Twilight or Bolt was less creepy to see by myself. Replies were mixed, but definitely skewed toward seeing Bolt.
I should have listened to this slight majority.
But no, instead I "excuse me'd" past the girls and walked up the stairs to the back row of the theater and settled in for the "clueless kid meets another kid, an "other", a foil, with unhealthily pale skin and messed up teeth and together they challenge the oppressive blond enemy and teach him a lesson" flick.
Oy.
Oy?
Surprisingly, I found their fantastical relationship really believable. I didn't expect to. There were a lot of ways the director and the actors could have failed, and they just didn't. Every detail, like the pale kid's obsession with his food, made everyone seem more human, not less. It worked. I bought it all. And I was really, really invested in their relationship, and affected by the stress their being together brought into not only their own lives but into the lives of those around them. As I said, it was the uncomfortable choice.
Holocaust movies always are.
P.S. As I was watching it I kept thinking "this is really a movie that ought to be watched in conjunction with Pan's Labyrinth." And there are a lot of reasons why that is the case, and I thought about writing this post as a compare/contrast/argument review of both movies. But this was more fun.
23 comments:
Okay, you need to write that Pan's Labyrinth comparison post, because I am REALLY INTERESTED, for seriously.
second!
mock, mock, mockity, mock... oh wait.. you said DON'T mock you.. oops.
wow... pan's labyrinth? really?? maybe i should see this movie...
I second for the Pan's Labyrinth comparison.... although I don't think I will be seeing Twilight. At least not in the theater. I would like to see your take on Pan's Labyrinth. I don't quite know what to make of that movie, even after I have talked with my husband at length about it and all the significance/imagery. In the end, even though the concept is interesting.... it is still creepy.
I've been meaning to see this movie for a while....
am stilled wanting to, even after I read your review. Oh, I loooooved Pan's Labyrinth.
I miss the movies. I have not seen a movie since The Dark Knight. Think I would even go see Twilight.
maybe you need to see The Devils Backbone and compare THAT to Pan's Labyrinth...apparently its the strong boy story in similar circumstances...darn is Zip.ca ever going to send that movie to me!
I HATED Pan's Labyrinth.
Of course, this could be due to the fact that I was under the impression it was going to be a "Whimsical, fluffy, fairy tale" of a movie and was also on my period and in a REALLY bad mood.
Yeah.
You know what is also good? That the book this movie is based on is also a kabillion times better than that crappy "Twilight" book.
(Oh, yes, I fully intend to beat my hatred of that book into the ground...where it would, of course, rise again, because frickin' vampires do that, dammit...)
If I get your sarcasm and sense of ironic juxtaposition - I'll say you went to see the Holocaust movie...right?
did you read the book? i reviewed it last year for a possible read aloud for 6th grade (boring and work related...please ignore that part) and loved it. i'm nervous that the movie doesn't hold up. but, you recommend?
Holding my breath for the Pan's Labyrinth comparison.
I loved the book.
I loved Pan's Labyrinth.
Bring out that hammer of knowledge you like to toss about and do the comparison post.
Seriously. I mean, you have nothing better to do with your time, right?
Wink.
So did you read the book?
I loved Pan's Labyrinth, have yet to see or read Twilight. Thanks for the heads up!
Don't know much about Twilight, but I do know how much I hearted Pan's Labyrinth. Which was a lot.
The Dark Knight was your last movie DC Urban Dad? My last trip to the theatre was to see Knocked Up, and then OUR baby showed up and that was the end of leaving the house!!!
I'm totally jealous ...
I've been meaning to see Pan's Labryinth. I think I'd like it. I think.
Last movie I was in the theater was Madagascar 2. It was surprisingly funny.
oh man. You Need to live my life with the endless runonsentencethatismyoldergirltalkingendlesslyaboutTwilight.
Saw Bolt on Sunday night. It was great! Um, I think I am the only person on this blog who hasn't seen Pan's Labryinth... In fact I hadn't ever heard of it before this moment. Off to Wiki!
OMG I LOVED this book. But I still can't imagine how they made it into a movie. Part of the charm of the book was the young boy's ignorance as to what was happening around him. And his basic language misses like calling the fuhrer: the fury.
Now I have to see it. Damn.
I have been so curious about this movie, now it's confirmed. I must see it.
Ooo I loved Pan's Labyrinth!
Totally didn't get it (mainly because I was wathcing it from behind my fingers in parts) but I thought it was beautiful.
Hey there, am visiting from, err, not quite sure actually.
Oh Urban Dad's (he's the fitness convert and I'm guessing you don't need to be if you're walking around all day with your daughter on your back!)
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