I went to see that new Disney/Pixar movie "Up!" last night, and if you haven't seen it yet, a) stop what you are doing and go watch it, and b) stop reading if you don't want to know anything about it before you go see it. It was wonderful. Surpassingly lovely, sweet and funny; it made me laugh, and it made me cry. In fact, for quite a while I couldn't stop crying, even though the movie was making an effort to make me laugh after the crying was supposed to be over. I cried buckets.
Hi, my name is Amazing Cheastypants and I cry at movies. While I don't exactly hide this information from people, neither do I go about broadcasting it (current moment excepted) because of exactly what happened last night.
There I am, totally wrapped in the moment when Carl loses Ellie, tears running down my face, throat aching, nose stuffing up, and thoroughly enjoying it. Not that I love crying, it's just that I love seeing a movie that so totally pulls me in that I can actually feel what the characters must be feeling. And then my date leans over and starts laughing and teasing me. "Hey, it's just a movie!" "What's wrong with you?" "Ha ha, I can't take you anywhere," and so on. I gamely laughed along with him, but here's what I think, world.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH CRYING AT MOVIES?! What's so funny and mockable about feelings?
I know that whole women's studies schtick about how we live in a patriarchal world, how men's skills are more valued than women's, etc. And, well, I guess it's true. I mean, why is crying at movies embarrassing? If we valued women's abilities more than men's, we'd all be sitting around bragging about how much we cried when we saw Beaches for the 45th time, not sheepishly admitting it. Our men would proclaim with pride that they choked up with tears of outrage when it looked like Brett Favre was about to sign with the Vikings. Well, I say enough. It's time to claim it. I am a crier. I emote, I empathize, I well up with tears. I cry at movies, and WHAT'S MORE, I love crying at movies. In fact, I challenge the world to a cry-off. Go ahead, let 'er rip, but I doubt you can defeat me. They don't call me "Buckets" for nothin'.
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7 comments:
A-MEN!
I am such a big girl when it comes to dealing with real live in-your-face trauma, but give me anything remotely resembling a tear-jerker, and I AM a blithering idiot.
In fact, I enjoy the release. It's liberating, cleansing. Plus, it keeps me sane. Kinda. :)
cheasty, please count this as one of the many things that make you amazing. i LOVE that you're a crier! while i have been known to make fun of people for crying at movies (ahem, Al) i love the criers and also enjoy a good, cleansing cry myself during a movie every once in a while. after all, (like jess o says) having to be all rock-like throughout the day to day gets TIRING.
nate wants to see Up! because there was a funny promo on TV where they scream "SQUIRRELS!" or something. wonder if the little guy is old enough to emote during a movie. i doubt it, but he is starting to ask stuff like, "mama, is that guy dead?" or "mama, is that guy real?" ahhhh, innocence.
oh, and re: the cry-off. you and my sister and Al would be in a dead heat for the gold. ;)
You shouldn't watch Marley & Me.... I balled like 4 different times.
I am the same way, except that I don't often cry buckets. I tear up at EVERYTHING...even things that don't merit tearing up. And then I try to hold them back and end up with a huge headache.
You want to see a crier? Andy's father whole body heaves every time he cries, which is all the time.
jessica o - rock on, sistah!
mofm - i would win gold. promise. and hooray that it makes you love me even more. as if that were even possible. huh. :) take nate to see it. he'll love it.
courtney - duly noted. thanks for the warning!
kate - oh, don't hold back. the joy is in the release! let's watch terms of endearment together.
Dear Buckets,
You are not the only one. UP is the true litmus test for identifying robots. When your companion/date does NOT cry while watching UP it is a clear indication you are hanging out with a robot. Be warned!
Cookie
I hadn't read this entry yet, because I haven't seen UP, yet (I still want to).
"Life is Beautiful" had me bawling like a baby.
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