Sunday, May 21, 2006

Unnecessary "Napoleon Dynamite" post

I am the last person on this planet to see "Napoleon Dynamite." And I was prepared to be underwhelmed and bored by this awkward movie about some of the dorkiest people you'll ever meet.

It wasn't hilarious but I liked its particular mix of cutting caricature and sincere affection for its characters.

I suppose the popular kids like the movie because they enjoyed laughing at all the dorks. And an uber dork like me, I laugh because I see myself in them. I don't know why the rest of you foo's liked it.

Napoleon and his friends and family are afforded only small scraps of dignity in a hard world but they hold on to them fiercely and when they can't, they fake it. 'Cause y'know, what else are you going to do. They bounce back from beatings, disappointment, rejection, and humiliation and put their best front forward.

1)
"I see you're drinking 1%. Is that cause you think you're fat? Cause you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted."

2)
(Me being me) I dig the killer dance sequence which has been broken down into easy to learn steps here.

3)
Deb is, like, the coolest flippin' female character in the recent history of film. I respect her. Something that I have not felt about a woman in film for years. Yes, she wears a fanny pack. Sure, she's not an world class hottie. Sure, she's shy and mousey. So what. Eye contact is way overrated. Our culture puts too much emphasis on the sticky eyeball.

She doesn't let any of that stop her from pursuing her dreams. She is entrepreneurial, a prolific crafter, a gifted glamour photographer, a fashion visionary, a good friend. She stands up for herself and she rocks the side ponytail like no one else.

Add to that, she's not too stuck up for a good game of tether ball.

4)
Alphaville and When in Rome? Be still my cholesterol clogged ancient heart!

5)
Even better was the instrumental music. Delish.

6)
I would love to have someone build me a cake on which they declare their love.

7)
It makes me slightly less afraid of the state of Idaho.

8)
"Everyone's a fucking Napoleon" - Ani DiFranco

9)
I don't understand Napoleon or his friends any better at the end of the movie than I did at the beginning. But he did grow on me. Even if he doesn't really have ninja skills or computer hacker skills. I cut him some slack 'cause my ninja skills are pretty rusty and it took decades to develop and then lose them.

*********add***********

10)
Politics would be much more lively and popular if you could hit a pinata shaped like your opponent.

5 comments:

MomVee said...

I didn't like it too much when I saw it--it might have been built up too much. But I agree about Deb. And I am thrilled to have the dance instruction link. And we do quote the skills line around here constantly.

ergo said...

You and me have a date on the dance floor in 2007 to do a little napole-ation. *wink*

searchingforMrDarcy said...

I still haven't seen it.

BeckyBumbleFuck said...

I used to wear side ponytails and play tether ball.
I'm just sayin'
;)

ergo said...

sfmd: I'm not sure it's your kind of movie but I'd be real curious to know what you think of it.

bbfk: If you were in the movies you'd be the second coolest flippin' female in film.

fishlamp: Maybe Shel will let you try it out on her sometime. =)
I know what you mean. That movie grew on me like ... er ... something that grows quickly on people ... (ew, sorry)