When Cloverfield Hit, my story

Nearly a year ago, I think, Middle started talking about Cloverfield. It was in production and he was intrigued by it. I have no idea how he heard about it, I can only say that it became one of those topics that floats around the house for months.
Middle would report about things he read on the internet about the production, the director, the special effects being used. It was a regular dinner table topic.
I knew, from him, that it was a movie about a monster attacking New York.
I was never terribly interested - this is the stuff 16 year old boys tend to flock to and I never had any desire to see the movie.
But the months passed and Middle joined a couple of online communities where he discussed the film work he was doing and the making of Cloverfield. And he continued to keep us all informed as the production moved along.

All this time, whilst becoming infatuated with every aspect of this movie and how it was made, Middle was diligently becoming the film guy he is now. He was taking classes here and in the city, he was shooting all kinds of things all the time, and he was completely engrossed in digital video and editing.
Screenplays littered his floor...along with iced tea bottles and dirty socks.
Many conversations were interrupted so that he could discuss certain effects with K or keep us posted on some detail.
You get the picture.

One day, last summer, Middle got information about some location shooting for the movie and begged to be allowed to bust the set. (That's how we talk around here.)
The shoot was scheduled from midnight until four in the morning. (Which we ALL know means until AT LEAST four am.) And that's how K found himself in Central Park at two in the morning. And that's how Middle was lucky enough to stealthily shoot the makers of Cloverfield shooting the very last scene in the movie.

This did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm.
He and K made a date to see Cloverfield on opening day (1.18.08) and he continued to immerse himself in all things film. Or video. Or cameras.

He saw the movie at one minute past midnight, or some such, he saw it two more times with his girlfriend. And because he is Middle, he did not come home and talk about the gore or the monster or the effects. He came home and talked about the plot. He talked about "going back for Beth." And I'm sorry if I ruin the plot for any of you with the whole "going back for Beth" thing, but it points to Middle's character. HE might go back for Beth. That's what kind of guy he is - to watch 180 minutes of creepy movie and be left thinking about human relations.

A couple of months ago, when he told us about the contest, I cringed. He's not competitive. He never has been. He is quiet and non-confrontational and cautious. He's the kind of kid who will worry about the kid being bullied. I could go on and on about what kind of kid he is but I think I've painted a very clear picture of Middle here and I think you understand him as well as you can without really knowing him.
My point is: this was a huge hurdle.
All I can think of is how to protect him if he loses. Of course all mothers think that way all the time but this is the first time I've had to do it for Middle.

He made his movie.
It is clearly the film of someone interested in special effects.
It is a showcase of his skill, which is still naive and rough.
But he did it and was brave enough to submit it and people like it.

I had never seen Cloverfield. Youngest loves it and it is the kind of movie I would not, under different circumstances, let Youngest see. K liked it as much as any other science fiction movie.
A couple of weeks ago, Middle and Youngest sat me on the couch and made me watch it with them.
I have not seen a scary movie in ten or fifteen years.
It took a lot for me to sit there - but they helped me through it.
I cannot watch violence in movies without getting emotionally involved, and I did get emotionally involved.
The attack, in the beginning, is so reminiscent of September 11th, that I was very uncomfortable. My kids have never seen images of that day and I'm not going to discuss my experience of that day. I don't think the filmmakers were disrespectful of the memory of September 11th but they certainly used that emotional content to make their point.
The story of Rob and Beth is wrenching.
The plot is completely simple.
The gore is not as bad as I thought it would be.
But when I was done watching, and even now, I cannot think about the movie without thinking of Middle.
I have emotionally tied a teenage horror movie to his maturity and independence and growth.
It's a stupid thing, really and I'm not doing especially well in my attempt to explain it.
The making of this movie has coincided with the making of Middle, the discovery of his path.

Middle claims to not care if he wins. Half of me hopes it's true and half of me doesn't believe him.
I want it to be the next step in his career. Or the first step.
I want so much for him and, for the first time, I see what he wants for himself.
This is no small thing.

And now, I am weepy. I have made a mountain out of something small. Again.
But you are here for it and I thought I'd try to explain.
Vote today. The site is back up.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude.