Uhoh

Guy just accused me of being depressed because the movie I wanted to watch isn't out on dvd yet. This is not strictly true.

There are lots of other reasons I'm feeling a little bummed right now. I'm bummed because it's February. I'm bummed because I've spent the last two weeks knitting socks and will be knitting socks for the forseeable future and that pretty much sucks for me. I'm bummed because I will be alone for the three-day weekend because Guy is going to Massachusetts and I'm not. (On the other hand, I'm jubilant about that one because driving to Massachusetts with the kids inevitably involves vomiting, crying, tantruming, and many repeated listenings of Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk and My Sharona. We hope the kids aren't really listening to the lyrics of the songs they're so obsessed with).

So last night, before watching The Departed, we saw a preview for The Painted Veil. And for whatever reason, rational or otherwise, I decided that was the movie I had to watch while Guy was gone. Period. I'd read a positive Manohla Dargis review of it, and we all know that never happens so I paid attention. And my mom mentioned something about wanting to see it and it just looked sexy and grand and adventurous and predictable and all the things that I wanted to be able to enjoy without looking sideways at Guy and thinking "is he bored? does he think this is lame? etc."

And yes, it's not out on dvd yet. Because it's still in theaters. Or, I should say, theater--at 2nd Ave and 12th. Now, I technically could--and probably will--go to Teany and go see the movie and be very happy and never mind how it's freaking cold here, it'll be getting me out of the house and that can only be a good thing, plus yay! Teany! But somehow that's just not enough.

This has happened to me before. The first time was when I saw Vacation From Marriage on Turner Classic Movies. Good movie, starring Robert Donat and Deborah Kerr, but there's a reason it's not in print--it's not great. But I didn't really get that. I saw it once, and needed to see it again. Immediately. The not-in-print thing was kind of a problem. I tracked down a service that provides all movies ever to directors and screenwriters and really nobody else and paid $50 for a vhs. Plus shipping and handling.

I think I've watched it once since then.

The second time was with Pirates of the Caribbean, when I saw it in theaters eleven times and bought one of those copies from the ladies on the subway so I could watch it even more times before I bought the non-camcordered-from-the-audience edition. This was an especially bad case, made worse by me deciding that Pirates of the Caribbean was the only thing that made me forget about the fact that I'd been dumped. And really, under those circumstances, wouldn't you spend just as much time and money watching it?

The third time was with Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! Yes, the exclamation point is part of the title. In my defense, I hated everything about that movie except for Topher Grace and the Liz Phair song. (Okay, that second part may not be so defensible.) I saw it twice in theaters, and bought it when it came out, and this time the obsession lasted past dvd-ownership and I watched it three or four times in a week.

I've tried watching it again now, and it's just about unwatchable. Except for this one scene where Topher Grace lip synchs Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe. That's still pretty cool.

The common denominator here is urgency. And repeated watchings. I get the sense that after seeing The Painted Veil, I won't be going to Teany, I'll be going back in to watch The Painted Veil.

Wouldn't you be depressed?