I watched Empire of Light and thought, hey, that was a fine movie.

Then I came home and thought about the movie again while in the shower and started laugh-crying. Full-on face in hands sort of thing. A collision of too many moments and it took over and I had to go away for a bit.

Just now, reading various critiques about the movie’s scattered or mundane narrative, I took it personally. They didn’t get it. They didn’t get why I laugh-cried. If they don’t feel that the world is hard and miserable and designed to keep you afraid and alone, then they didn’t get it.

But I’m glad I did.