If only they could dance

Once again while riding on an airplane I found myself completely emotionally unprepared for what the in-flight media had to offer. The first time was when I was flying to Romania and foolishly and totally ignorantly watched A Beautiful Mind. It didn’t turn out well, I was hiding in the bathroom bawling my eyes out at least twice during the movie. At that time I was traveling with a friend who wasn’t really a close enough friend for me to feel totally at ease with blubbering over a movie, especially when in hindsight the movie didn’t justify all the blubbering I did. I think it was because I was emotionally compromised by the stress of travel, and to make matters worse I was pregnant at the time, and didn’t know it.

This time was only slightly different. I was traveling with people I did know very well and who wouldn’t mind my blubbering over the death of a ladybug, never mind a movie. Those people, the ones of which I speak, were unfortunately checked out (i.e. sleeping), and so I was left bawling with the cold strangers of the plane. Interestingly, I think I was the only one bawling. I find that sad and strange.

The In-flight movie this time was Happy Feet. I have been known to blather on and on about how stupid I thought this movie was (after my oh-so-educated viewing of about the first 10 minutes). To my credit, however, I must say that it is the victim of really poor marketing. Also, a slight flaw in the high level plan of “take really cute animated penguins singing lots of music and add an adult theme with zero to little young child plot” kind of killed it for a lot of folks and their young children.

This time, Nikolai was fast asleep sprawled across the three seats, and I was able to watch it in peace (wow…what a concept), and take it for what it was worth. It turns out it was really worth a hell of a lot more than the credit I had previously given it. It had a drawn out story that spanned about 4 plots, which kept you at least interested to the end (unless you’re like me and were spouting tears at the meaningful climactic moments for each plot, in which case you were several notches above “at least interested”). By the end I think I was in tears at least 8 times, and my fellow plane-mates will just have to think I’m a blubbering idiot. I’m ok with that.

It’s truly tragic that penguins can’t dance. Maybe we might take them, and other creatures suffering from our inconsideration, seriously. How else will they get our attention? The truth is they won’t.

If you haven’t seen this movie, DO. If you didn’t enjoy it the first time, think about why you didn’t enjoy it and watch it a second time without preconceived notions or expectations about what it should have been. Take it for what it is and see if you don’t think seriously about the ramifications of every move of your everyday life.

Also, buy the soundtrack. I know I will.