janeowit's Journal: Four Eyed Monsters- an eternal two eyed monsters take

So as you heard, I went with my best girl Some Woman to see the Minneapolis premier (and only showing) of the independent film, Four Eyed Monsters. If 150 people in your area say they will go see it, the filmmakers will schedule a showing, and I felt bad because there were probably only 30 people there. And I know at least two of us didn't request it. More on that later, I promise.

So what is this movie about? Well, I'll tell you*. At worst it is a love story about two of the craziest self-centered people in the world, with some really funny parts. At best it is a pseudo-documentary about our inability to communicate clearly and honestly with the people that mean the most to us, with some really funny parts.

So here's the set-up. In New York City, there's a lonely artist, Arin, who is filming people's weddings to pay the bills. He hasn't had much luck with the ladies, and he tries to find someone, anyone on the internet. And all he gets is one half-assed response from Susan, an artist, who works as a waitress to pay the bills. It's really hard to imagine this relationship getting off the ground, but being that they are the two craziest people ever, they somehow end up emailing each other (and not getting another restraining order). They both are dissatisfied with their inability to create art, so they mutually agree on challenging themselves, by not speaking.

You heard me. Or should I say, you read that right. The rule was no speaking. They could communicate through any other form of media, except speech. They would sit next to each other, and pass back paper and a pen, choosing questions and answers carefully. She drew him pictures, and he played his guitar. Later they began sending video recordings through the mail.

We watch as they face the same problems as average couples, sex, trust, and love issues, but they are compounded by the fact that Arin and Susan won't speak. We watch as they decide if the relationship should remain a challenge. When do they have to change to stay together? How do you live an art project?

Did I mentioned that this is based on the filmmakers' real-life? It is.

I thought it was a great movie, something I never would have thought of thinking about. So if you get the chance to see Four Eyed Monsters, written, directed, and starring Susan Buice and Arin Crumley, go. Even if it doesn't move you, there are funny, funny, scenes, lines, and characters.

So what did I have to say? Yes, I remember now. The title refers to the ideal of a couple that Arin really resents because he's never been a part of; the four eyed monster, with two mouths, and eight limbs wrapped around itself. He really had bad luck with the ladies.

So SW said I found out about the movie "in my continued stalking of Kid Dakota", and I'd like to defend that statement, a little. I'm going to guess that the stalking is also a reference to the movie, because much fun was made out of that. But this movie has got me thinking, and I sort of want to explain the stalking.

Ninety-two percent of the time I am confident and comfortable that I am going to be alone for the rest of my life. It's not so bad because I really dislike people, in general. Then there's that little part of me that every once in a while, sighs, and says, but wouldn't it be nice if...

Perhaps because ninety-two percent of me is logical to the point of absurdity, the rest of me is equally foolish in its flights of fancy. I know the facts, I heard it on Oprah, and the more things that you have in common with someone, the better relationship you have. And at this point in my life, music is still such a huge part of my identity. Laugh all you want, I'll wait. But that eight percent has thought for about the past year that we're going to have Kid Dakota in common. Because there is something important about the way his music makes me feel, that I would very much like to have someone understand, without having to communicate it. Seriously. You can stop laughing now.

So yes, I only heard about the movie because I was trying to figure out what the "afterparty" Kid Dakota was playing for, but in the end, I am really glad I went. And I can't wait to go the Varsity Theater again; great ginger ale, great chairs, great sofas, great cookies (I made them), great acoustics, great venue. Regina Spektor is there later this month... any takers?

*Kate, you'll know this. Where is saying "I'll tell you" in a funny voice from? It's from a movie we liked. The Crow, maybe? FunCon January 2007?

Maybe I should try this

[nizo]

I can explain myself so much better in writing than I ever could speaking; I stammer, my brain gets in a jumble about things, and I end up getting sidetracked by the words and caught up in the nebulous world of emotions. This is of course assuming I have managed to figure out exactly how I may feel, which isn't always the case either. But at least with writing I have a fighting change of making another human being understand me. This has put a serious damper on my plans for world domination, but maybe I can

I don't know who Regina is...

[Some Woman]

But I am always up for the Varsity Theater. You know, as of last Friday.

ME!!!!

[cousinkate]

ME ME ME! Are you KIDDING me? All I want in life is to see Regina Spektor. Have you heard anything off of "Begin to Hope"? I am so in love with it (even though Leah thinks its too "produced"). Have you heard the song 20 Years of Snow? Love it- there is a part where she says "mappy maps" and it really reminds me of you. Sounds like something you'd say. So, I'm in. What's next?

Re: FunCon 2007

[cousinkate]

I am so in. Where do I send my registration? Is there a room block or something I should mention when I call the hotel?

Re:

[janeowit]

Hotel schmotel. Funcon= matressess on the floor and vcr. So it's your place or mine.
I was thinking that the slogan could be "this time the apartment buzzers are real".

Do you remember what "I'll tell you" is about? Or is it something that I picked up from my years on the streets.
 

Re:

[cousinkate]

OK... I am thinking your place so Maddie can join in, but my place might work- there is already a matress on the floor! And I think it is from the Crow. It sounds right.

Re:

[addle_wit]

Not to invite myself to Funcon or anything, but only last week I was thinking it would be fun to get the cousins together to watch Help, Yellow Submarine, and Magical Mystery Tour, just like old times, only now we could be drunk.

Also, Hello cousinkate, this is your cousin. No, the other one. No, not Garrett either. That's right. This is the name I use when I post on janeowit's blog, when I post on your's I use another.

addle-wit

Re:

[janeowit]

CANDLESHOE! CANDLESHOE! CANDLESHOE!
Remember when Jodie Foster trys to mail that bannana peel? That was the best.

CousinKate has a blog? The TWO I knew about haven't been updated since June.

Re:

[addle_wit]

Those are the two I am talking about. When they were current I posted some comments which were odd but amused me pesonally, on her vacation blog about, strangly enough, Candleshoe. This is an attempt to make sure she gets inside the joke. Another great part of said movie is David Niven using funny voices and costumes to play different menials. And wasn't there a part were Jodie Foster had to memorize all the names of the lost granddaughter's stuffed animals? Awesome.

addle-wit

Dating services

[Marxist Hacker 42]

IF you can get the money together (the best ones aren't cheap) you should try a dating service, or at least take the Meyers-Briggs Personality Profile; not so much to get dates as to figure out what you want. Best $3000 I ever spent- and ended in meeting Shannon and 5 years later, having Christopher join our family....

Re:

[Some Woman]

Why did you need to spend $3000 for that?

Re:

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Because like Janeowit- I'm a serious introvert. Probably much worse. INFP is my Meyers-Brigs pigeonhole; and every time I take a related test, my I score gets worse. Probably something to do with the Asperger's. I knew I had to find a complement to my personality- somebody who, decades from now, could be my interface to the world when I'm fed up with the rest of the human race- when I'm the proverbial grumpy old man. What I didn't know is what kind of person to look for; Together of Oregon provided me

Re:

[janeowit]

I think you missed something. I don't like people. And 92% of the time I want to be alone for the rest of my life.

Why would I want to go and spend a lot of money because every once in a while I get a little lonely and wistful?

 

Re:

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Here's my reason- to have one single friend I can count on when the rest of the world fails me utterly. Eventually, Shannon will be my last friend- my firewall interface to the rest of the world that I can't stand to interact with.