The Well Read Read Well

Tonight I had the pleasure of viewing The Painted Veil at my local indie movie theater; The Grand. It's an awesome little movie theater, with limited seating and flickering screens. You don't get that enjoyment anymore, these huge screens suck you in and you forget you're even at the movies. Which, i suppose, is probably the point for some people.

As for me, I like to be reminded I am at the movies. I like cushy red seats, and curling movie posters stapled to walls. I like when the pictures flicker up and down, and I like to watch people during sad parts. Everyone cries differently. A woman next to me the other night got very red and wrinkled, pursing her lips until it looked like she was physically in pain. Men in the theater will cough loudly and look downward. I look upward and let tears roll down my cheeks. I think it is a tribute to the movie when you let it make you cry.

(Spoiler Alert.)
The Painted Veil was gorgeous. The scenery was literally breathtaking. Have you ever had those moments, where you actually gasp, or your eyes widen involuntarily? This was one of those movies for me. Of course, the biggest gasps came from the sweeping camera views of the hospital, where the patients were stricken with cholora. Nothing like a movie about infectious diseases to make you hate touching things. My hands are dry from washing them so many times in the bathroom afterwords. Edward Norton constantly moves up on my list of amazing actors. He is so composed and almost weak looking, it is a shock to watch him change into something different. The best thing about this movie was the heroine. I detest those movies with the stereotypical plot line of he-cheated-on-her-and-now-she's-getting-over-it-yay, where the guy is always, well...a dick. It was almost refreshing to see this woman, (whom you almost love to hate in the beginning) get what she really deserved, and learn from it. It was a beautiful movie, one that finally made me think. We don't get a lot of those around here these days. The Oscars were pretty cry this year. Except for Pan's Labyrinth. Aka, the love of my most loved films.