As Zimm told you, we saw "The Orphanage" last night. And also as he told you, it was absolutely fantastic. I find no fault with it. It was scary in the way that a movie is supposed to be scary. It doesn't gross you out, it doesn't exploit violence or cruelty, but it gives you something to be scared of, and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I think it might also have been the first time I've seen a foreign language movie in the theater, oddly enough. I'm certainly not averse to seeing movies with subtitles, as this was the third Spanish-speaking movie from Guillermo del Toro that I've seen. "The Devi's Backbone" and "Pan's Labyrinth" were also awesome, so I'm officially a fan. On the way to the theater, though, there was a fun exchange with the girl working the ticket counter. It went as follows:
We join our heroes as they enter the movie theater, already running a bit late for El Orfanato, the movie they plan on seeing on that particular night. It's late in Fort Wayne, and there are no patrons ahead of Zimm and Tha Docta as they approach Girl at the Ticket Counter.
Zimm: I'd like one for El Orfanato.
Girl at the Ticket Counter: What?
Zimm: The 10:00 El Orfanato.
Girl: (stares blankly)
Tha Docta: The Orphanage.
Girl: Oh! Okay.
Zimm: Thanks.
Tha Docta: Also one for The Orphanage.
Girl: Here you go. (pauses) Ohh! You were speaking Spanish! That movie's in Spanish, right? I only took like one year of Spanish. The second year was way too hard. I don't know Spanish.
Zimm and Tha Docta take their turn to stare blankly.
Girl (to Zimm): So there's subtitles, right?
Zimm: Um...yeah.
Girl: But you won't even need them, huh? You understand what's going on, right? Because you speak Spanish?
Zimm: Sure...yeah, I can pretty much follow it.
Girl: Ha! Spanish was way too hard for me after the first year.
Zimm and Tha Docta move slowly toward the theater, leaving Girl at the Ticket Counter still talking.
Tha Docta: What just happened?
Zimm: I don't know.
End scene.
Good times, my friends.
10 years ago
