i don’t see all the award-winning films, i don’t consider myself any kind of connoisseur of films, or really of anything at all. all i know is that tonight, in the heart of times square in the only city that i’ve ever been able to call home, i sat in a movie theatre next to one of my best friends and watched a movie that hit close to home based on a book that hit even closer. extremely loud and incredibly close as a novel has been criticized as a piece exploiting a national tragedy and maybe i’m one of the few, as a new yorker, who feels that the novel just put a lot of what most of us were feeling down on paper. i don’t know what it’s like to lose my father in the world trade center attacks but i know what it’s like to be scared and helpless and confused and worried because i was on that day. i was only 20 miles away when it happened. it connects us all. and i didn’t write this to write up the novel, that’s not what i’m here for. i didn’t see george clooney in the descendants and i haven’t seen the artist and i didn’t see tinker tailer soldier spy (oldman!!!) or any of the other movies with nominees for best leading actor oscars. all i know is max von sydow put on one of the best performances. am i biased because of what a great character jonathan safran foer was able to write up? perhaps. but he conveyed an amazing amount of emotion with no words. not one single word for the entire movie but i felt an entire range of emotions, more emotions than i have felt from tons of actors and actresses who make millions and win awards all the time. i felt so much. i cried so hard. the movie lacked so much of the entire history between the grandma and the renter, the entire dresden story is left out and, god, it’s so gorgeous and perfect. but what was left? it was beautiful. i recommend. i do, i do.