Cat On a Hot Tin Roof

So I think I'm going to part-time as a movie reviewer. I'm going to start with a movie I saw for the first time ever the other night.

It was Cat on a Hot Tin Roof from 1958. I know...I'm not always current on the latest releases, but I'm not getting paid for this, so deal with it.

From what I got of the movie, there were main characters names Brick, Big Daddy, Big Mama, and Gooper.  Seriously?  I think that was the first problem. My mind had a hard time paying attention to a movie that doesn't care any more than that about naming its characters.

Maybe they'll make up for the lack of imagination in naming with great lines.

"WHY DON'T YOU GO UP THERE AND DRINK WITH BRICK IF THE CONQUERIN' HERO HASN'T PASSED OUT ALREADY? HE MAY HAVE TO PASS UP THE SUGAR BOWL THIS YEAR OR WAS IT THE ROSE BOWL HE MADE HIS FAMOUS RUN IN?"

"IT WAS THE PUNCH BOWL, HONEY, THE CUT-GLASS PUNCH BOWL."

"WHAT'S THAT SMELL IN THIS ROOM? DIDN'T YOU NOTICE IT, BRICK? DIDN'T YOU NOTICE A POWERFUL AND OBNOXIOUS ODOR OF MENDACITY IN THIS ROOM?"

If the caps are obnoxious, that's what I got from the movie. I think the only time no one was yelling was when I dozed off. How can I sleep through all that yelling? That's the problem. When everyone is yelling through the entire thing, it all just becomes background noise, and my brain tunes it out.

What a shame. I bet Brick, Gooper and Big Daddy could have been marvelous conversationalists.

And "mendacity"? My wife had to look it up for me. I don't remember now what she told me it means. I'd look it up again, but I don't really care.

Overall, I was less than impressed with "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", in case my review up to this point hasn't made that clear.

Oh, and by the way, I know I dozed through some of it, but I never even saw a cat. And I don't think they ever showed the roof, so if it was up there, I didn’t see it. And it was raining through a lot of the film, so I don't think the roof was very hot at all. And if the cat were up there, I'm thinking he's not very happy.

Maybe that's why everyone was yelling.

All You Need Is Twenty Seconds Of Insane Courage...

So I was thinking about some movies I’ve seen in the last few years that I have learned something from.  Most movies are mindless entertainment; an escape if you will.  Every once in a while, I see something that sticks with me.  For instance, in 2011, Matt Damon starred in “We Bought a Zoo”.  Based on a true story, whatever that really means, it was not only entertaining, it made me feel good.  And I came away with a lesson learned. 

I remember where he was telling his kids about the twenty seconds of insane courage.  "You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it."

 

For him, it was walking by a café, seeing a pretty lady, and deciding it was worth risking the 20 seconds to meet her.  So he walked in, and talked to her.  Later, they married, and she made his life so much better. 

And I started thinking about the times in my life when I sold out because I was afraid of what might happen.  Scared of potential consequences, I refused to risk even 20 seconds of insane courage. 

So the other day, I decided to take a risk.  It took several moments of convincing myself that I could do it.  I could see her across the room.  She glanced my way, and smiled.  I knew it was about to happen.  After a moment, she started my way.  I felt my skin grow clammy, and my heart race.  “20 seconds of insane courage,” I repeated in my head. 

Suddenly, she was at my table, and there was no backing out.  She began the small talk.  Once the initial pleasantries had been exchanged, I knew it was time.  With my stomach knotting, I asked myself, “What is the worst that could happen”?  She could say no?  Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat, and looked up into her smiling face.

“Sprite, please.”

WHEW!  I had done it.  No rejection.  She actually seemed happy I had asked.

Thank you Matt Damon for convincing me 20 seconds of insane courage really is all it takes.