Friday, December 23, 2005

Behind the Times

Being in China for only 4 months does things to you.

First, for someone like me, it makes you way behind when it comes to movies. My knowledge of what's out there consists of Narnia, King Kong, and Harry Potter. I had no idea their was a sequel to Cheaper By The Dozen, another end of the year movie by director Ang Lee, nor did I ever even hear of Jim Carrey's latest "See Dick and Jane Run" or whatever it's called.

Second, which is related to the first, it makes me feel like I'm behind and there's no use even trying to catch up. It's not everyday that my sister Tiffany is talking on and on about all these indie films she saw in L.A. while I'm sitting there listening to her thinking "I've never even heard of that movie! But it sounds so good!" I can't remember the last time where she---or anyone in my family really---saw an indie, arsty-fartsy movie before me. It's disconcerting for someone who sees the last 6 or 7 years of their life through the lens and grid of what has happened in the world of cinema (i.e., 1999 was the year of "The Matrix," "Magnolia," "American Beauty," and my senior year of high school; and 2002 was the year of "About Schmidt" and "Punch-Drunk Love," and the best Fall semester I ever experienced at Taylor---you get the picture). And so now, it makes me feel like I have little to offer people now when it comes to movies.

Maybe I didn't realize how much my useless movie knowledge was the springboard for half of my conversations but I'm realizing this is true. And so, I've resorted to something else I feel I can talk on for hours---boring people to death---and that is China. So for those of you who haven't been around me in person lately...watch out. Because my "In China..." stories are shooting out of me like slippery watermelons.

What a pretty sight, huh?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's nice to know there are other people in this world who gauge their life events by the films that came out that year.

"What year did I get married?...Oh yeah, it was 2002, because that's the year HABLE CON ELLA and THE PIANIST came out!"