So Greg (friend, former neighbor, father of Ruby) calls us on Saturday with cabin fever. “Let’s go out. Wanna see a movie or something?”
I’m at a friend’s, getting my first introduction to Pilates (how can I move so little and still feel my muscles so much) and picking up the files from five years of the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, now relocating to my house. Matt scrambles to find a decent kids’ movie and settles on Tangled as our only real option.
This is to be Simon’s first movie. Turns out, it’s Ruby’s first movie, too. Before the lights go down, Greg tells Ruby, “Now Ruby. This is just like The Nutcracker. You have to sit still and be quiet.” We’re not that cultured, so I tell Simon: “This is like watching a movie at home, but you cannot get up or talk out loud.”
I was a tad nervous that the movie might not hold Simon’s interest, being a Rapunzel retelling and all. You read all the time that boys will not go see movies with girls in the lead. Thankfully, Simon missed that memo and was captivated enough by the action and the beauty of several scenes to stick with it. There was one wobbly moment where he looked over at me and said, “Mommy, I’m sick of this now,” but moments later the action picked up and he was sitting on his feet giggling and whooping (appropriately) out loud. And of course, action aside, there was popcorn to be had.
Ultimately, the experience left me with three good laughs:
1. Simon’s first glimpse at our anti-hero Flyn/Eugene: “Is he like Han Solo?” A little, in fact. I was amused that he recognized the archetype so quickly.
2. Ruby asks Simon in the car: “Simon, what would you do if I grew my hair all the way down to the ground?” Simon replies, “I would die.” Our antihero turned hero does “die” for a moment, but I’m not sure if that’s the answer Ruby was looking for.
3. Then there was me. I spent an inordinate amount of time looking at the head villain, Mother Gothel, and thinking, “When I’m 50% gray, would her hair work for me?”
I think the answer is yes, but not at the same length. Gothel and I have the same curl pattern, but her hair looks thicker than mine. What does it say that I’m taking style cues from Disney villains? And for that matter, what does it say that, yet again, the villain is the most ethnic looking character in the entire cast?
You’d look fantastic. I plan to go grey and be proud–of course, so far I’ve only had like two grey hairs. The only thing is what color grey you have–I’d think you’d get that lovely white/silvery color given your coloring, but if you’re unlucky enough to get the yellow grey you might need to rethink.
Have you seen Cruella da Ville?
I have. (Disney ’60s version, not the modern one). So here’s the question? Should I be more amused by the fact that she’s the most stylish one in the movie, or appalled that the only brunette/vague ethnic type is also the one who wants a puppy coat?