Movie Night: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Sunday dinner is a thing in our apartment, and I have to say, it's easily my favorite part of having roommates again. That sense of having a family, even if we annoy each other or disagree about things sometimes, is part of what has made moving here such a smooth transition. I couldn't have imagined living alone! And our Sunday dinners have normally been followed (and also preceded) by some serious work on the apartment in the form of painting, shelf-hanging, art placing, decision making and the occasional decorating tiff...but this week we took a break, sat on our beloved, extremely comfortable sectional and watched a movie. And the movie was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Two of my roommates read the book recently, so I tried my best not to annoy them with questions or audible reactions, but what can I say? I am pretty annoying to watch TV with. It's kind of a problem...But with the exception of that, most of the noise coming from that living room was the sound of TEARS. And sniffles. And more tears from all of us. In other words, this movie was sad, people. Very sad. It tells the story of Oskar Schell, a socially awkward and too-smart-for-his-own-good boy, living in Manhattan, and his struggle to come to accept to circumstances of his father's death in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th. I knew that it would be hard to watch this movie, no matter where you live, because that day certainly affected us all in a unique way...but to live in the city now and partially identify as a New Yorker, it really shook me up. I can't believe that more than ten years later, with how distant that memory feels to me now, how truly horrific and terrifying those events must have been to people walking to my right and left every single day. And to experience, through the film, the emotional effect that day had on the protagonist, his mother, and each stranger he met on his incredibly complex journey of discovery, it made me feel even more fiercely loyal to this magical place I now call home. It was beautifully shot, and I'm told the screenplay's adaptation did an even better job of creating a rounded arc for these characters than the book. I highly recommend the movie if you need a good cry. Just bring your tissues, and NOT your boyfriend, unless you're lucky enough to not be an ugly crier...I don't personally fare as well.

Oskar had an extremely close bond with his father, played by Tom Hanks

He struggles, throughout, with accepting and dealing with the events of 9/11

His search, throughout the movie, keeps the memory of his father close to him