With a newborn, heightened emotions, and some unexpected downtime, Travis M. Andrews embarks on a bleary-eyed movie marathon. Watching with his daughter sleeping on his chest, he starts to find small epiphanies in the unlikeliest of films—from Final Destination to The Hustle. In this funny and tender essay, Andrews shows how welcoming a new life can quietly alter the way you see the world.
You learn about the power of headspace when watching something. If you are, say, rating every movie immediately upon completion, you may rate the experience with it more so than the actual quality of the film. This is how the genuinely funny but ultimately fine “Babes” (11/28, when sleep deprivation made everything 10x funnier) received the same distinguished four-star rating as the stunning “Tár” (11/30), which was just long enough to invite restlessly while waiting for that iconic closing shot. Maestro Lydia would be ashamed.
You learn that a lot of movies wouldn’t exist if the characters would just, like, talk to each other in Act 1. You realize you can use this fact to teach your daughter about the power of communication.
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The Boy Who Came Back: The Near-Death, and Changed Life, of My Son Max
“It was, we were told, a case of sudden infant death syndrome interrupted. What followed would transform my understanding of parenting, disability and the breadth of what makes a meaningful life.”
The Gospel of Change
“Traveling in an RV empowers a seeker to make peace with an ever-evolving world.”
The Making of Dwyane Wade
“The Hall of Famer reached the highest heights of the basketball world. Now he’s figuring out the type of man and father he wants to be.”
When My Father Talked About Larry Bird
“The Boston Celtics legend was the north star of my youth, present in every debate and stretch of silence with my dad. This was true on the night when my world stopped, leaving me on a sidewalk seeing stars.”
