Vacation Part 2

During my vacation, my boyfriend surprised me with a day trip to Pennsylvania. We were on our way to get breakfast and he randomly asked me did I wanna go out of town. Our original plan was to hit up this diner that I really wanted to try. I had been to another location in North Carolina and wanted to try this one out since it's the closest one to me. So he drove us to York, PA and we ended up seeing two movies and going to the library instead. I think that was the better experience. The seats were AWESOME! They're the new ones that recline and sit your feet up. I almost expected it to give me a massage as well. First one up was...


The Lego Batman Movie

It was so good. I wasn't a huge fan of The Lego Movie but this film had me excited. If I had known we were going to see it, I would have worn my Lego Batman t-shirt. We drank our hot beverages (coffee for him, hot chocolate for me) and split an order of cinnamon bites. Even the food was good. I was being spoiled rotten by this movie theater. The jokes int he movie were hilarious and plentiful. I'm sure I missed a few of them because the delivery was nonstop. If you love plot-less stories with an overabundance of references, this is the movie for you. And since it's Lego Batman, it's perfect for kids. They won't really understand what's going on but they'll still enjoy themselves. We stayed until the very end just in case there was a end credits teaser. There isn't one, but I was excited to see a trailer for another Lego movie. The next one is about ninjas and that's all I needed to know to be sold on the idea. I'll definitely be seeing that one.








So after this was the trip to the local library, which was gorgeous. We ended up eating at Quaker Lube (hahahaahaha luuuube) and went back for movie number two...


John Wick Chapter 2

I will shout this from the roof tops. I loooooooooved the first John Wick. I didn't see it in theaters and I regret that decision. I saw it on HBO and was blown away by the fight/shoot out sequences. The stunt choreography was beautiful. And I genuinely adore Keanu Reeves so that was a plus. I had very high hopes for this film. We both did. Sadly, we left disappointed. It was just more of the same old same old. There is only so much this franchise can do with his character and motives. This chapter failed to make much sense to me or make me care about the outcome. A highlight was Ruby Rose's character. The sign language and suits exasperated my sexual attraction to her. After the movie, we went back home and talked about how the ending was so annoying. It doesn't make me eager to see a third possible chapter. The love I have is strictly for the first film now.









Part 3 will be out soon and that should have me all caught up on my cinema outings.

Vacation Part 1

I've been on vacation for a few days and I've seen a handful (or two) of movies. I'm gonna split up the posts because I'm lazy and genuinely don't want to write all of these reviews as once. It's tedious, trying to remember exactly what my experience was at that time and how I felt before, during, and after. I'm gonna try though so here goes.

#1- Fifty Shades Darker

 I saw this opening weekend with my best movie going buddy, Kelly. It was the day after my actual birthday so I considered this a treat. We had saw the first film together with a group of friends and it was hilarious. So we were looking for a repeat experience with just the two of us. I got there first and held the seats for us. It wasn't as crowded as I imagined it being but  I'm still glad I was one of the first people in so I could grab the center seats. The movie itself was funny without meaning to be and way better than the first one. The end credits had a teaser trailer for the last film, Fifty Shades Freed. Kelly and I made plans to finish the trilogy next year on a high note. And by high note, I mean alcohol will be involved. I had a coupon for a free small popcorn that I used after the movie was over and also bought a Lego Batman t-shirt from the kiosk near the concessions stand. I was off to a good start with my movie marathon.







#2- Oscar Nominated Short Films: Animated


Charles theater to the rescue. I've always wanted to screen the short films nominated for the Oscars but never could find a theater close enough to me to go see them. So I was beyond ecstatic to find that Charles was playing both live action and animated. I went solo, braving the cold bitter wind to catch the bus. I was a little late so by the time I walked in the auditorium, it was pitch black. I literally stumbled to find a seat. I ended up taking refuge in a corner seat, a few aisles up from the door. The first film was Borrowed Time, a dark and depressing look at regret. I felt it was too heavy handed with the feels so I didn't like it too much. Next was Pearl (I think), a cute but emotional story about a father and daughter. I really liked this one and found myself humming along to the music. Blind Vaysha came after that. This was my favorite and my pick to win the Oscar. It's about a girl named Vaysha who can see the past with one and see the future with the other. The people in her village call her blind since she cannot see what is actually right in front of her. It was very interesting and my recommendation from the whole lot. Piper takes the screen and my little heart with it. Pixar has some of the best animations out there and this is up high on the list. Piper is a little bird who's trying to figure out how to get food on his own. It's the cutest damn thing you'll ever see and it was kind of funny. Finally, we have Pear Cider and Cigarettes. It's the longest film to be nominated and the one with the warning for children to leave the theater. I kid you not, the screen said parents should remove small children because of the film's mature content. It's about a man retelling the chaotic life of his alcoholic best friend. It had a unique animation style that I really liked but I wasn't that invested in the story. After the showing was over, I took my ass straight back home and chilled for the rest of the day.



And this is where I'll end the blog. I have about 4 more film adventures to recap. Stay tuned for more to come.

I Am Not Your Negro

The title of this blog isn't a political statement about the film I saw recently. It's the actual title of the documentary based on James Baldwin's writings and speeches. The film is nominated for Best Documentary and it's the only film I've seen in the category. So my completely biased opinion is that it should win.

I first heard about the movie from a review in Entertainment Weekly. I assumed it wouldn't be showing in any theaters around me so I made note to watch it once it was released on DVD. A few days later I get an invitation from Kelly to go see it at the Charles Theater. Good ol' Charles theater, always playing the socially conscious and hard to find films. I immediately said yes and just barely made it in time to see it. Thankfully the place was mostly empty since it was a late showing and the Super Bowl was on. We sat dead center, a bit closer to the screen than I'm used to. But since there weren't any actions scenes or loud sounds, the seating suited me just fine.

About the movie itself, all I can say is go see it. Black, white, young, old. It honestly doesn't matter. It shows you that the same thing has been going on for years and that self reflection and facing reality is the only way things will change. The movie inspired and saddened the audience with its brutal honesty. The director, Raoul Peck, holds nothing back. He seamlessly puts together footage from the civil rights movement to today's black lives matter movement. Same message, different day.



                     

Revival of Moonrise Kingdom

Thank God for smaller independent theaters. When I heard that one of my favorite movies was coming back in theaters for a week, I knew I couldn't miss it. I didn't see the film in the first time it was released. I waited for my library get it on DVD so I wouldn't have to pay. I can now say it's worth it to pay for a movie ticket.

Moonrise Kingdom is a love story told by Wes Anderson, a beautifully talented director. His films are more like art to me. The whole crew is amazing, especially the editor and cinematographer. The pacing is like reading a really good book. It leaves you wanting more. I invited my mom to come with me since I wanted to share the joy of watching the movie. Our taste usually differ when it comes to film but I feel that Anderson is universal in likability.

My worse movie pet peeve came true this past Sunday. We were late for the showing. BY 8 MINS! In my world, that is beyond unacceptable. Granted, my mother had a good reason. She had left her phone at home and had to go back and get it. I mean, shit happens. But I was secretly fuming until we picked our seats out in the dark. We were forced to seek refuge in the back left of the theater, since all of the center seats were occupied. Once we were comfortable, I left out to get us popcorn and use my coupon for a free drink. Having seen this movie over 15 times, I realized how silly I was being with my anger and decided to just enjoy myself.

She loved it. She laughed at the dry humor, complemented the child actors, and thanked me for treating her. I would call this outing a complete success and am  resolved on buying the movie on DVD. It's something I should own so I don't have to depend on Netflix or theater revival series to watch it.