The Eye of the Beholder

Getting Movie recommendations from others is aways slightly risky at best. Unless the person watches movies the way you do, or experiences life the way you do, you are never sure what you are going to get, like Forrest Gump's "box of chocolates". I have realized that I watch movies very differently than many of my family members. When I read a book, watch a movie, or even a show, I become part of the story, I'm there with the family through the trials and tribulations. My ex-husband(see previous posts) watched movies very differently than I do. He was a spectator, watching for the sheer voyarism of watching someone else do something. I will never forget when my youngest son was coming down with chickenpox (from his kindergarten teacher). He was running a high fever, and my ex and I were watching "Dances with Wolves". It was too emotional, and I totally identified with the female main character. That, on top of a sick child, I just couldn't watch the show. He was mad because I wasn't paying attention to the movie. I couldn't, it hurt too much.

My present husband is much better at understanding my plight (and why I always ask for a comedy if anyone is picking up a movie at the video store). He has even been known to get a little teary at times, and has been a great sport about watching the "chick flicks" and not making me watch too many historic battle-field movies. As I always tell him, all of the soldiers are someone's son--the mother in me gets too empathetic.

So, it was interesting to see what my daughter would pick out for me yesterday when she went to the video store. She got "The Family Stone". (If you haven't seen it yet, stop reading here, because I will talk about the ending).

She thought it was funny and entertaining. And it was, until it comes out that the Mom is dying of breast cancer. She has all of her children and their accompanying players at her home for Christmas. Her children are about as diverse and full of angst as mine, and I identified with her and her wish that her children find happiness. So, when the next Christmas comes, and they all come back together, many of their foes vanquished, she is not there to be with them. I couldn't help but cry to the point of red eyes and a stuffy nose.

I told my daughter the next morning how sad I thought the movie was. She didn't see it that way. She saw that the family came together, resolved their differences, and were happy--therefore a happy ending. I was still hung up on "The Mom Died!"-what more could I see.

So, hence the title. We are all on very different wavelenghts, different places in our lives, trying to keep it all sane. I have figured out for me, in general, I like keeping it simple, happy, and funny even in my movie watching--it can have a little moment, where maybe a single tear gets swept away surriptitiously, but no cloudburst movies for me. Guess I need to pick out my own movies next time.

Still Hot in Atlanta

Nancy