This post has nothing to do with Christmas. Just wanted to give you that “heads-up.” Years ago, I remember being blown away by a movie I’d never heard of. I can’t even remember now how I came across it. Best guess: the amazing folks at Video Fan in Richmond. Such a cool place, and the people there are all of what you hear championed about indie bookstores — staff who know their stuff and help you find what you love but would never otherwise know where to look.
Anyhoo, I watched it again last week. And again, blown away. Off the Map is brilliant: funny, heartwarming (ugh, too schmaltzy a word), thought-provoking, poetic, surprising, beautiful, and did I say funny? (nevermind that I cry, quietly!, through a lot of it). 
I’m not usually one for picking favorites and always get a little sweaty-palmed when queried for such — favorite book, favorite band, favorite planet… you know. But this, I’m actually ready to say that it may be my favorite. Joan Ackermann, I don’t know you, but I love you. You wrote an amazing story. And Campbell Scott, cast and crew — wow — way to tell it. As for the rest of you, treat yourself sometime to quite possibly my favorite movie ever.
