Friday Night at the Movies

Dinka and I treated ourselves to a movie on Friday night after it didn't work out during our Christmas vacation in Pennsylvania (what a sinfully extravagant year 2008 is turning out to be!). The lobby was packed with teenagers, noisily joking in that teenager-group way that makes everyone around them a little nervous, rushing to get a ticket for Juno. We waded past them and into our theater, ten minutes early, and took our seats for The Savages, average age of audience member: 58. Young people? Warm-hearted indie comedy about teenage pregnancy. Souzeks? Middle-aged brother and sister unite to deal with caring for their estranged father recently diagnosed with Parkinson's. I made a "this is who we are now" joke but Dinka quickly reminded me that this is who we've always been, for the most part (see: opera, driving cap). I liked the film quite a bit, filled with a couple of excellent performances (let's just say Philip Seymour Souzek has been thrown out there in our ongoing baby names discussion) and more layers than expected.

After a wonderfully quiet weekend at home, the first in a long time, I can recommend two more things without reservation: Paris, je t'aime and spending task-free time with children. Both will remind you of the fullness of life and send you beaming into the night.