turn the pigs up to 11

My friend Kim and I went to the Angelika to see whatever movie happened to be playing at the time, and we ended up seeing the "totally original but rather nasty mockumentary" (as the NY post put it) Mail Order Wife.

Amusingly, neither of us were aware that the film was a mockumentary going in, so it took me a few scenes to be sure that it wasn't for real. (No comment on how long it took Kim, just in case she's reading ;)

What was kind of funny about the movie was that it felt so very culturally bound (sub-culturally bound?) in the sense that this was "Spinal Tap" for people who've already seen "Waiting for Guffman" or "Best in Show" after seeing "Spinal Tap." It's like "Not Another Scary Movie" being referential not only to classic horror films, but intermediately to "Scream."

One absolutely priceless exchange in the film occurred when Lichi, the titular mail order wife, is being questioned by her husband about her penchant for purchasing (dozens and dozens of) pig figurines. It went something like this:

Lichi: Piglets are cutest animal!
Andrew: What about dogs?
Lichi: Pigs cuter than dogs.
Andrew: Well ... what about puppies?
Lichi: Oh... (thinks). Puppies cuter than pigs.... But piglets cuter than puppies!

Anyway, it turned out Kim and I were at the NY premier and didn't even know it until the film ended, the lights came on, and the actors from the movie were standing up front, ready to answer questions. I seem to remember this being somehow related to why I moved to New York.