less pixels more paper

I watched Amelie again last night in bed on my laptop (which is my new favorite way to watch movies these days). I actually bought this movie a long time ago because I loved it so much and hadn't watched it since. It's such a wonderful movie, it makes you feel good and want to fall in love. But actually more importantly to me is it's the stress it plays on the tactile. Throughout the movie we are given very personal insight into each character and their likes and dislikes. These are often the almost comfortingly mundane little things of life like cleaning out a toolbox or the feeling of a sinking your hand into a basket of dried beans. This really could be construed as the true theme of the movie if you ask me. It is so present in every aspect of it, the glass man who cannot touch anything that is not padded, Lucien the handicapped boy at the fruit stand that like to touch each piece of fruit, Amelie's love interest that works at a sex shop, and Amelie herself who is constantly collecting stones for skipping on the water.

I guess the reason this is so great to me is because we live in such a detached and digital world where everything is disposable. I just love the idea of Amelie's world where everything is to be touched, and cherished. I love the polaroids, photo booths, letters, and boxes of cherished nothings. It also sparks in me my desire to collect something. I think as a child I was very apt to do this, but mostly ended up collecting junk like action figures and baseball cards with the disillusioned hope of one day cashing in my collection and making big money.

I know I'm not the first person to realize the value of the tactile in our ever-more digital world, but it does do a bit of good to remind yourself every now and then.