A Mov(ie)(ing) Story
Most years I disdain the Oscars. They are not the kind of movies that I like to watch. "Life is Beautiful" is the example I usually give people. I HATE that movie. Hate it. It is manipulative and annoying. Kind of like the Oscars.
This year I was quite taken by the Best Picture nominees and needed to see just a few more to have seen them all. And as my kids get older they are able to see more adult-themed movies with me, which I love. Anna, for example, was my companion at Toy Story I at the age of 3 and also my companion at Toy Story III at the age of 16. She will see anything with me, and we've seen most of the Best Pictures together this year. We went to and discussed "Black Swan" and "Winter's Bone" and "The Kids are Alright." (There are a few she refuses to see - like "True Grit," but I have Bill to see "True Grit" with, so it's all good.) The kids have been quite obsessed with "The Social Network," which they watch over and over again.
Frank and Anna went with me to a late showing of "The King's Speech." We were all three rendered quite speechless by it. As the credits rolled, Frank spoke first. "That was really good." "I liked it too," Anna said. "Me too, and I didn't expect to like it," I said. The conversation continued as we walked to the van. We talked about characters and history and costumes and I thought again, for about the millionth time, how brilliant it is to make little people with your own DNA and someone's DNA that you choose, and then expose them to all the things that you want to expose people to, and then you end up with these younger adults who are like you but not like you and I know that it is not psychologically good to be your kids' friend, but when it comes to stuff like movies, it is not only good, it is great. I have raised children who appreciate movies and stories and want to talk about their experiences, and I love it.
"I wanted to name you Wallis," I said to Anna as we walked.
"Really?!" she said incredulously.
"Yes. I have always been fascinated by that story and think it's kind of a cool name," I explained.
"Why didn't you?" she asked.
"Your dad wouldn't let me," I said.
Her laugh rang through the street.
"What did you want to name me?" Frank asked.
"Well, I thought you were Henry until I met you and then I knew you were Franklin," I said, telling him a story he already knew.
"But what did you want to name me that Dad didn't like?" he asked with a cute little wicked grin.
"Sebastian," I said, knowing that Frank would know where the name came from.
"Se-BASTIAN?!" Anna howled.
"I would have liked that," said Frank. And as he said that I thought of the summer that Frank and I watched the "Brideshead Revisited" miniseries together. The other kids were not interested, and in fact made fun of the show, but Frank loved it as I always have. Frank knew immediately that I was referring to the character from Brideshead.
"I am glad I am Anna," Anna said as she put her arm around my waist.
"And I am glad that I am Frank," Frank said as he put his arm around my waist on the other side.
I am speechless.
This year I was quite taken by the Best Picture nominees and needed to see just a few more to have seen them all. And as my kids get older they are able to see more adult-themed movies with me, which I love. Anna, for example, was my companion at Toy Story I at the age of 3 and also my companion at Toy Story III at the age of 16. She will see anything with me, and we've seen most of the Best Pictures together this year. We went to and discussed "Black Swan" and "Winter's Bone" and "The Kids are Alright." (There are a few she refuses to see - like "True Grit," but I have Bill to see "True Grit" with, so it's all good.) The kids have been quite obsessed with "The Social Network," which they watch over and over again.
Frank and Anna went with me to a late showing of "The King's Speech." We were all three rendered quite speechless by it. As the credits rolled, Frank spoke first. "That was really good." "I liked it too," Anna said. "Me too, and I didn't expect to like it," I said. The conversation continued as we walked to the van. We talked about characters and history and costumes and I thought again, for about the millionth time, how brilliant it is to make little people with your own DNA and someone's DNA that you choose, and then expose them to all the things that you want to expose people to, and then you end up with these younger adults who are like you but not like you and I know that it is not psychologically good to be your kids' friend, but when it comes to stuff like movies, it is not only good, it is great. I have raised children who appreciate movies and stories and want to talk about their experiences, and I love it.
"I wanted to name you Wallis," I said to Anna as we walked.
"Really?!" she said incredulously.
"Yes. I have always been fascinated by that story and think it's kind of a cool name," I explained.
"Why didn't you?" she asked.
"Your dad wouldn't let me," I said.
Her laugh rang through the street.
"What did you want to name me?" Frank asked.
"Well, I thought you were Henry until I met you and then I knew you were Franklin," I said, telling him a story he already knew.
"But what did you want to name me that Dad didn't like?" he asked with a cute little wicked grin.
"Sebastian," I said, knowing that Frank would know where the name came from.
"Se-BASTIAN?!" Anna howled.
"I would have liked that," said Frank. And as he said that I thought of the summer that Frank and I watched the "Brideshead Revisited" miniseries together. The other kids were not interested, and in fact made fun of the show, but Frank loved it as I always have. Frank knew immediately that I was referring to the character from Brideshead.
"I am glad I am Anna," Anna said as she put her arm around my waist.
"And I am glad that I am Frank," Frank said as he put his arm around my waist on the other side.
I am speechless.
posted by Lea at 11:16 AM
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