Birthday Hiatus

I've been back from my vacation for almost a week now and I'm still not fully functioning yet. All I can think about is the next time I can take an extended amount of time off from work. Mostly so I can have free time to go to the movies. I've been three times since my last post.

FIRST UP
On it's opening weekend, I saw Fifty Shades Freed. I went on a Saturday after my book club with Kelly. It was my treat. It's been tradition for us to see the films together. We always go opening week and we always go to the same theater. I didn't get the VIP seats this time since they were already sold out. We snuck in a bottle of wine and found our seats (middle row, seated towards the right side of the screen). I had so much fun. The majority of the audience were drinking and/or drunk already. It really helped make this a memorable experience. As for the actual movie, it was good. I felt that the actors were so happy this was the last one that they just went for it. The leads' chemistry was at an all time high in the finale. I'll definitely be watching it on cable.


THEN CAME THE JUGGERNAUT
This is obviously the highlight of my film going experiences these past few weeks. I almost dedicated a whole post just to Black Panther, but decided to do a short retelling since I plan on seeing it again with the boyfriend. I saw it on the Friday that it opened. I went to a matinee showing with a fellow book club member, Shanti. It was the first time we'd been to the movies together with just us. We had seats towards the back, leaning left on the screen. I can't talk enough about how fucking epic the film was. I kept grabbing Shanti's arm and squealed multiple times. If I cared, I'm sure I would have been completely embarrassed. The next viewing I had was that Sunday with a coworker of mine, Monica. we thought we were doing something by getting there 40 mins early but all the good center seats were already taken. So we grabbed two seats on the left side of the theater towards the back. I was not trying to fight anyone for the middle ones. Again, the film fucking owned my whole life and I can't wait to see it a third time.


AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST
I had a solo outing to see the Oscar nominated short films. I only saw the animated ones. I was the only black person in the theater which usually puts me on edge but it didn't bother me too much this time. I guess because I had been waiting for the right time to see these films so I could give a rat's ass about my own discomfort. I nabbed a seat in the second to last row towards the right side of the screen. The films were shorter than I thought they'd be. Not a one went over 15 mins, I think. In fact, they were so short, they also showed the "honorable mentions" after the nominees. My pick for the win is Negative Space. It just hit me the hardest in terms of the story and the animation was great. I'm a sucker for stop motion.

Coco

Instead of watching the Superbowl, I went to the movies with my mom. Sunday was not an ideal day to leave the house. It was raining something terrible outside. All I wanted was to be warm and snuggly in my bed. But I couldn't resist going out since I've wanted to see this film since it was released.

I got my mom to agree to pick me up by offering to buy her ticket and some popcorn. The theater was practically empty. It seemed that everyone had decided to stay home. We picked our seats which were middle seats closer to the back of the theater. There were two other groups of families in there with us so it was all very cozy. The film started and I was swept away in a magical adventure. Disney has not been holding back their punches with their latest releases. I felt like I was on an emotional roller-coaster. The ending had me in tears. I was literally holing back sobs.

I will be shocked if this doesn't win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. It deserves every award its nominated for.




                           

The Post

I have been desperate for another movie outing. After my doctor's appointment yesterday morning, I found myself wandering over to the movie theater in the area. There were two movies starting up in time: Jumanji and The Post. I sent a quick text to my boyfriend, leaving the choice to him. He picked The Post so here we are.

It was in one of the smaller rooms, no more than 50 seats total. I walked in right as the lights started to go out and I saw that I was the only black person and under 50. But with the reserved seating, it felt like I was alone once I sat down. I sat right in the middle for the best view. The trailers were all boring except for Tully. I really wanna see that when it comes out. Finally, the movie starts and...

I was not let down. It reminded me of Spotlight with its tone and pacing but it wasn't executed as well. Still, I enjoyed the film very much. Meryl Streep can do no wrong in my eyes. Her acting is always on point. She had great chemistry with Tom Hanks. He was a son of a bitch that you couldn't help rooting for. The ending was cheeky and fun but had a tonal shift that I found abrupt. It mostly made me awkward laugh than genuinely laugh.

All in all, I'm happy that I gave this film a chance. I don't see it winning an Oscars though. Though Streep was amazing, I think the win will go to someone else. And as far as best picture goes, it's nowhere close in my running. I'm surprised it was nominated at all.

The Shape of Water

I'm halfway through the first month of 2018 and I've only seen ONE new film in theaters. To be far, I did see Justice League again on New Year's Day. My mom still hadn't seen it and she wanted a date. We went to the discount theater and she treated me. The experience was nice. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and declared her love of all DC films. So suck on that, critics!

My first true outing was this past Sunday though. Kelly took me to my first film of 2017 so I guess we decided to make this a tradition. We had been trying to coordinate this date for weeks, since The Shape of Water was initially released in December. Life, as its known to do, kept us apart until one fateful Sunday when we were both working. We went to dinner before the movie and had delicious food. 

It was finally time and Kelly treated me to some delicious popcorn. She's seriously the best. We had sent out an invite to two other friends but the lights had dimmed and we expected it to just be us. ALAS, Maria arrives 40 mins into the film. Just her company made us 10x happier. 

The film itself was good. The acting by the leads, Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins, took my breath away. Their chemistry was decadent and their love was so pure (and weird as fuck). The highlight of this film was the cinematography. If it doesn't win at the Oscars in this category, know that they were robbed. I mean, just look at that movie poster. If it doesn't make you swoon then you haven't a romantic bone in your body.

Art Imitating Art

Before I saw The Last Jedi, I made it a priority to see another film. I dragged my boyfriend with me to see The Disaster Artist. I had been excited about the film since the very first bit of news that it was being made. Having James Franco direct and star in it was genius to me. He can match Tommy Wiseau’s manic energy note for note. I wasn’t sure about Dave Franco playing Greg, Tommy’s best friend and partner in crime. He just seemed like a pity hire for the role. I didn’t need to be worried though. The Franco brothers work well off each other. The film was as awkward to watch as I originally thought, which is a testament to who well-acted the movie was.

I was adamant about seeing it opening weekend so we made a plan to catch a matinee on Sunday. We got there and bought some nachos since I was starving. We had seats right in the middle of the theater, middle row and middle seats. We snuggled in and waited for the magic to happen. I already talked about how well done the film was above but the audience’s response was just as good. We were feeding off of each other’s enthusiasm. We clapped at the end of the film, which I rarely do. It was obvious we had all seen The Room before so we could appreciate the film all the more.

I don’t normally follow the Oscars but I’d be surprised if James Franco doesn’t get nominated for best actor. Mostly so that Tommy Wiseau can finally get an invitation to the ceremony and this whole thing can come full circle. 

Fan Event for Star Wars

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

I bought these tickets back in October. Once I received an email about special showings for super fans. I knew I had to get it for the boyfriend. But as we tried to find a theater we liked and that was close by, they quickly sold out of seats right before my eyes. It was infuriating to see them slip away while we tried to finalize our plans. I was forced to settle on a theater that I hadn't been to in years. But they had the seats and I had the money so I bought two.

Months go by and we're finally at the day of the opening. It was on a Thursday at 6 so we both left work for this. We show up at the theater wayyyyy too early; so early that we couldn't even sit in the auditorium. So we slink on back to the car and the boyfriend insists on watching a Star Wars lore video on YouTube about everything that's happened in the past 10,000 years of this space opera. The video was incredible. There was just so much stuff I didn't know that I needed to know. Click HERE to watch it for yourself. Even if you're a casual fan, it's very well done and held my interest the whole time.

We finish that and head back into the theater. With the special viewing came Star Wars trading cards and a free popcorn. We collect the goods but skip on the food. We go in and find our seats, which hadn't been updated since the 90s. I realize that I've been spoiled with the newly renovated movie chains and their recliner seats but come on. These seats were just sad looking but not totally uncomfortable. The very few trailers play and then...

AWESOMENESS ENSUES. I was gasping and screaming and applauding and crying and completely exhausted by the end of the film. I usually stick to just the experience and not review the film itself but I will say that despite all my geeking out, it could have been better. The movie holds up to the last episode and is well acted but the pacing was a bit off in places and there were times I wish I had a fast forward button.

But I have no complaints. I plan on seeing it again very soon. I just hope it holds up to my expectations.

Opening Weekends

I have seen two films in their opening weekends and I forgot how fun it is to see movies with a large audience who are also seeing it for the first time. It's exhilarating when we're all excited and eager to see what will happen. But if lots of people aren't your thing (which they sometimes aren't for me), it can be exhausting instead.

Last weekend, I saw two films with my boyfriend. We were already a week late in seeing Thor so we decided to see that one first. It was AWESOME. I can say it's the best Thor movie out of the trilogy and was funny as hell. It's easily the second funniest Marvel movie. I thought the shift in tone was well needed and well executed. The color schemes caught and held my attention the entire time. The end credit scenes were a little less fun. The first one left me confused and the second one was kinda funny. It was just a good time all around.

But the good times couldn't last. Next, we went to see Murder on the Orient Express. The crowd was mostly older white people. I'm sure they were fans of the book as I was. My hopes were extremely high after the amazing listening experience. It started off well. The changes felt organic and seamless. Then the third act happened. IT WAS A FUCKING MESS. I'm glad I was away from the rest of the crown, sequestered off in the back row, because I was huffing and puffing the whole time. I'm still fuming about it. The director and writer and whoever was responsible needs to send me a personal apology.

Fast forward to this past weekend and I'm hoping my boyfriend will ditch cleaning the house for an early matinee of Justice League. He gives in and go see the 10:00 showing. And that was awesome. Even better than I could have hoped for. This was a great followup to Wonder Woman. I don't understand why the critics are giving it bad reviews but if you wanna see it, see it in Dolby theaters or XD or IMAX. It's worth the extra cost.

I think this is the most active I've been with going to the theaters on the weekend. I usually try and go during the week. But this was a nice change.

Superhero Kink?

That's how someone asked me if that's what this movie was about. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is so much more than that. At its core, it's a love story. The twist is that it's between 3 people. Poly relationships usually get a bad rap in media by this real life story tugs at the heart strings. These are just people who met and all fell in love with each other. Now don't get me wrong, there are some steamy scenes and had me crossing and uncrossing my legs multiple times. But mostly, I was just rooting for this couple to stay together and raise their family in peace.

This film had been on my radar for a while now. I saw the trailer online and prayed that a local theater would play it once it was released. Luckily, my historic theater came through and had it on opening day. I was finally able to see it this past weekend and i dragged the boyfriend along. I tried to go with Kelly and the gang but they weren't available. He was no eager to go at all. He thought he'd be bored. I'm happy to say he was thoroughly entertained. It opened up a discussion about dominance and submission and what we thought those things meant in our own relationship. This movie is definitely thought provoking and can be a nice way to start an exploration in sexual preferences and kinks.

Anyone looking for a cheap thrill should look elsewhere. I look for those too from time to time but this film is just too pure for that.

Behind the Times

I have been going through a movie slump again. I just haven't been motivated to leave the house for the theater. I'd much rather wait for my local library to get the DVD and I'll just watch it that way. But I've recently made the effort to go out and about.

The first outing was with my little cousin. I hadn't done anything with him in a long time, just the two of us. I was summoned over to babysit at the lat minute and decided that staying in the house with him would have resulted in someone getting choked. So we hopped on the bus and saw a matinee showing of The LEGO Ninjago Movie. It was playing in one of the small auditoriums to the side. It was maybe 6 of us in there. I had no high expectations for this film but it sucked.
I thought the pacing and jokes and overall story fell completely flat. My cousin, on the other hand, loved it. He laughed at all the (un)funny parts, wowed at the action scenes, and tried to start a slow clap during the credits. No one joined him but I appreciated his enthusiasm.

My most recent outing was to see Happy Death Day on opening weekend. Kelly, Maria, and I met up of a Friday matinee showing. The theater had just added those recliner chairs so I was in heaven. I really enjoyed the movie. I thought it was well acted and genuinely funny. The ending lost its momentum though. The reasoning behind the killing was stupid. It kind of brought down the overall quality of the story. We had a great time though. Te movie was followed with lunch and then I crashed at home.

I'm hoping to see a bunch of movies before the year is out but honestly, I might just wait to watch them at home.

Kellibration Obligations

I was NOT planning on see the theatrical release of It. I was a fan of the miniseries, which I barely remember and I had never read the mammoth of the book. I knew about it because everyone knows about It. It's pop culture candy and everyone has had a piece. So only someone I loved could convince me to go see this movie. And who did this to me??? It was Kelly! September is her birthday month and she celebrates all month long. With this being a horror movie, I knew she was planning on seeing it. She loves watching scary movies. I honestly don't know why I allow myself to be dragged along to these scream fests. But I caved and I was there opening weekend.

It was a small group of us, Kelly and three of her friends. I was running late (damn public transportation!) so Kelly held the seats for us. I was sure that the theater would be packed but there were still plenty of empty seats left over. I'm guessing it was because it was a Sunday afternoon. We brought our own snacks and shook with anticipation and fear. I already told Kelly's friend that I would be grabbing onto him for support and he said likewise. But...the movie never delivered the scares I thought were coming. There were definitely moments that had me cringing and spooked me. But I wasn't SCARED scared. Honestly, I found the movie to be more funny than anything. The child actors knocked it out of the park. I especially loved Richie and Eddie, played by Finn Wolfhard and Jack Grazer respectively. They were the comedic reliefs and they did not disappoint. 

With how long the book was, obviously the movie could only show so much. It ends with them defeating It and vowing to come back if there town is attacked again. The credits scroll across the screen and it closes with it declaring this was only chapter one. I can't say I'm too excited for the sequel but I know I'll end up seeing it. If only because I'm curious who will play the adult counterparts to the child actors. 

P.S. - We had dead center seats. Kelly did good with holding them from other movie goers lol

Better late than never

THREE MONTHS!!! It has literally been over 90 days since Spider-man: Homecoming was released and I just saw it for the first time yesterday. I made a promise to my boyfriend that I would only see it with him and we finally had time and opportunity yesterday to go see it.

We had the whole afternoon free so we went out and ventured to a new theater. It was the ArcLight out in Bethesda. A coworker of the BF had recommended we go there and so we did. When you first walk in, there is a wall of movie posters that was very cool to look at. I very quickly declared which ones I wanted to see. After gawking at that, we went to go buy the tickets. They cost $30 FUCKING DOLLARS. It was a Friday afternoon! There were no matinee prices to speak of. You know how much I love a cheap movie ticket. But we forged ahead. I wasn't turning back now that we were actually going to see Spider-man. I had waited long enough.

We had center seats and the theater to ourselves. I would have been completely surprised if someone else showed up to watch it. This theater doesn't play ads so it went straight to the previews and then the movie started. It was amazing. I had never laughed so hard at a Marvel movie. I see now why everyone thinks Tom Holland is the best Peter Parker. He looked the age and acted just like a teenager would. I believed every second of his performance. As a part of the MCU, I felt like it jelled together rather well. I loved Tony Stark as the father figure/mentor to Peter. If Robert Downey Jr ever leaves the franchise, I hope he pops up every now and then. He's the perfect grumpy snark to tell everyone how much they're screwing up and then immediately leave after.

So after the looooooong wait, I'd say it was worth it. I'm glad I saw it in the theaters and with the boyfriend. Watching it on my TV would not have done the experience justice.

Atomic Dud

I really wanted to like this movie. The trailers were epic, it was based on a graphic novel, and it was starring Charlize Theron whom I enjoy. But I felt that the pacing was to slow and the action sequences placed too far apart. They were amazing, I was blown away by the fight choreography. It just didn't do much to capture and hold my attention.

I went with Maria and Kelly on an evening movie date. I was there first so I grabbed a beer and sipped while watching the previews. We had good seats, towards the middle. It was a packed theater. It was opening weekend and I feel like the crowd was eager to see something new.

From the very beginning, I wasn't that into it. I just felt bored. All the action scenes were in the trailer so I knew what was going to happen before the movie wanted me to. The only exception was the staircase fight scene towards the end of the film. That had me beyond excited. But that elation quickly faded and I was pissed that I had paid full price for my ticket.

Overall, this movie can be viewed in your home and you wouldn't be missing out on anything.

p.s.- The soundtrack was everything and I was rocking out to 80s music the rest of the night.

Third time's the charm

Baby Driver; a ridiculous title for an awesome movie. I have seen it THREE FUCKING TIMES. The cursing is not because I'm mad about that fact. It just that I've never seen any film that many times while it was still in theaters. It held up with each viewing though. Once you know everything that's going to happen, it becomes easier to notice the small details and inside jokes that were well hidden the first time.

#1
I was spending a whole day out and about by myself when I impulsively decided to see a movie. My local historic theater was playing it so I caught the bus and bought my ticket for the first afternoon show of the day. Since Wonder Woman was still showing, I thought Baby Driver would be in one of the smaller theaters. But since it was opening weekend, I was able to see it in the main theater. I was dead center with only a handful of  other people in there with me. I curled up with my popcorn and loved every second of it. I haven't been the biggest fan of Ansel Elgort but he's amazing as Baby. He totally made me fall in love with him.

#2
Kelly and I were long overdue for a movie matinee date so we went out on 4th of July. It was crazy packed in the theater but I was able to snag two seats while Kelly went out to get something to eat. The movie was even better the second time. The crowd really made watching it much more enjoyable. We all laughed and gasped and cheered all at the same time. It was epic. This time, I was more interested in the soundtrack. It really is its own character.

#3
Despite the fact that I really want to see Spider-man: Homecoming, there was no way in hell I was seeing it opening night on a Friday. So the boyfriend and I decide to see Baby Driver. It had finally been moved to the smaller theater on the side. It had a larger crowd than I expected but again, it added to the experience in a positive way. My boyfriend could hardly contain his joy at all the car chasing scenes. He loved it and I loved watching his excitement and joy.

I definitely think that this is one of Edgar Wright's best films. It's right behind Scott Pilgrim vs the World for me. When it becomes available to own, I am going to buy my own copy. But until then, I don't even wanna think about watching this movie again.

FINALLY

I have been waiting for this movie forever. WONDER WOMAN IS HERE. Did I read the comics? No. Have I seen the classic tv show? Also no. Nor have I consumed any DC comics animated movies or shows. But I like Gal Gadot and the DCEU franchise. This movie came guns blazing and did not leave me disappointed.

The boyfriend and I made an impromptu outing for this movie. I thought we'd have to wait weeks until we saw it together but the stars aligned and we were able to go opening weekend. It was an afternoon showing at our local historic theater. I got there first and dashed for two seats in the middle towards the back. There were already people there, a nice little crowd of adults. Once the boyfriend go there (just as the lights went out and the previews came on) my excitement skyrocketed. I had been looking forward to this film for months. The trailers had done an excellent job of getting my attention and keeping it.I was ready to see Wonder Woman kick some ass.

And that she did. The action in this movie was unbelievable, exceeding my expectations. Gadot was a natural on screen, holding her own just like she did in BvS. Chris Pine was a great love interest, never once feeling like he was just added on to look pretty (even though the film definitely poked fun at the role reversal of damsel in distress). This film deserves all the love and praise it's getting. For me, BvS is still the best outing for the franchise. This is a very close second though.

Gut and Heart Punch

I have been two for two with seeing good films my last couple of outings. One was an indie and the other a teen flick. These movies are on complete opposite ends of my interests but I loved them both. I felt they accomplished what they were trying to portray and engaged the audience throughout the whole showing.  

First up is Colossal. I invited Kelly out for a late night showing at our local historic theater. We were both tired from work and could barely keep our eyes open as we looked to find seats (to the right and towards the top). It was just us and another couple in there that seemed lost. The film opened with a short film that showed the less appealing aspects of technology. It was hilarious. I wish I could remember what it was called and I'm too lazy to look it up. 

After that, the film started and it completely blew me away. I was expecting a funny slapstick monster movie comedy. Instead, I got a heartfelt, slightly uncomfortable view of an abusive relationship. I won't say how or why but it was handled in such a unique way. Anne Hathaway is such a great actress and she owned that role. I wanted to go back and see it again but it had already left the theater before I had the chance to.  

The latest movie I've seen was Everything Everything. Again, Kelly and I made our way to the cinema. We went on discount Tuesday and smuggled in food from Brown Rice. To make up for our deception, I also bought popcorn and hot dogs for myself. We found seats right in the center and laid back in the recliner seats. There was a good crowd for the early evening showing. As an audience, we were pretty talkative but it improved my movie going experience. The film was so darn cute. I loved the two lead actors. They had amazing chemistry. I really liked the movie but the soundtrack was the real star. I was damn near dancing in my seat while the film was trying to make me feel things. I'm happy I didn't wait for the DVD like I had originally planned to do. This is the feel good movie of the year so far.

Epic Space Superhero Action Comedy Vol 2

Those are the exact words I used to describe Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 to someone who avoids superhero films. I agree with the observation that there are so many of them and it's difficult to tell them apart. But I absolutely loved the first film and it's still holding up as my favorite Marvel movie so far. I was hoping the second out of the Guardians would take the torch but I failed to really connect with this movie.

My boyfriend and I went to a local theater that's under some construction. They had just put in new recliner seats, which are becoming a great bonus of seeing movies. It was discount Tuesday (thank God for discount Tuesday) and we went to a late night showing. By late night, I mean after nine when I am usually in pajamas and zoning out on YouTube videos. It was mostly empty which I was surprised at. I think I was hoping for a more audience driven experience. In retrospect, it would have helped me get more excited and lost in the film. Because it was just my boyfriend and I, we were left to pick apart the film and roll our eyes at allllll theeeeee speechesssssss.

It was too sentimental and sappy for me. I sighed out loud and said, "Really?" under my breath too many times to count. I get it, they are no a family. Just don't beat me over the head with it. I did love all the post credit scenes. There are five total, so unless you don't care don't leave the film until the very end. They don't really play into how the Guardians will fold into the Avengers story line in an obvious way. They seemed like little funny clips to amuse, not intrigue.

The next film up is Thor: Ragnarok and that one has me a little hype. I just hope it doesn't disappoint me like this one did.

New theater

I used to live on the opposite side of town where there was this little movie theater and no one seemed to want to go to. They knew it was there but it seemed abandoned and run down. And it was, just a little. But it was always empty and the prices were decent. If you were looking for a secluded movie experience, this was the one to go to.

I hadn't been out there in 2 years and since then, they've completely renovated it. It's awesome inside. They have a small lounge area near the concession stand. The theaters vary in size but none are teeny tiny. And the seats...they recline. I love this new feature theaters have been putting in. It's so damn relaxing. It almost makes me forget I'm there to see a film and take a nap.

But I didn't this past Tuesday. I got my boyfriend out on a date. Another bonus: Tuesdays have discount prices all day. So I only paid $12 for the both of us. We were a little early but still decided to check out our seats instead of sitting in the lounge. We sat in the middle towards the left of the screen. After the repetitive commercials and the less than exciting previews, the movie began.

By the way, we went to go see Sleight. The actual cinematic outing overshadowed the film. I still really liked it though. It's about a street magician who sells drugs to support himself and his little sister. When she's kidnapped, he does everything it takes to get her back. The actors were believable and lifelike. I just wish they were either more or less backstory for the main characters. It just fell a little flat and didn't fully capture my attention. The ambiguous ending left me confused on the point of it. I didn't stay through the end credits to see if it was explored further either. I enjoyed the movie but it's not something I'd recommend for a theater experience. You can appreciate it just as much on your home T.V.

Childhood Disappointments

This movie.....sucked. I couldn't believe how uninteresting the story was and how long it dragged on and how bored I was. I went with my aunt and little cousins. The movie choices were either Power Ranges or Boss Baby. We should have seen the latter. There were some enjoyable parts and funny one liners but not enough to save this film.

We got their early enough to get choice seats, allllll the way in the back. We were literally in the last row, hidden away from other movie goers. I'd already seen all the trailers so there was nothing new there. Then the movie started and I was let down. I wanted to leave and walk out but it was a family outing and that's frowned upon. One of my younger cousins even fell asleep during the movie! I am not kidding. He was snoring an curled up in the seat, missing all the awful acting and lack of action sequences. The only part of the movie I liked was the blue Ranger. He was hilarious and refreshing and believable.

After the end credits, we all agreed that the movie was not good. It didn't make us feel better when Boss Baby was let out and everyone had smiles on their smug little faces.

Note to self: Wait for the $3 theater to watch all remakes, re-imaginings, and reboots from my childhood. I won't feel as shafted as i did with this movie.

Disney Remake

I'd like to make a confession: I have never seen the 1991 version of Beauty and the Beast. I know, I KNOW! It keeps me up at night and leaves me feeling ashamed...

Actually I don't give a rat's ass and you wanna know something else? I've never seen The Little Mermaid either. Stick that in your judgmental Disney pipe and smoke it. I got hooked on Lion Kind and Hercules and Pocahontas growing up. I had no more room for the other classics, even to this day. But I love Emma Watson and have a huge crush on Dan Stevens so I was obligated to see this film. I waited two(?) weeks after it was released to watch it. Kelly invited me for a matinee pre-brunch movie and I happily accepted. We were in a smaller theater and sat in seats on the right towards the middle of the theater. None of the trailers really grabbed my attention. Finally, the movie started and it was great the whole way through. I don't know if anything was severely changed or kept exactly the same. I just know I loved it. The songs were beautifully sung and the acting was cute; cute definitely being a compliment in this case.

The CGI was iffy in some parts but I was mostly able to lose myself in the story. I cried...twice. I have no control over my emotions and this film was tugging at my fragile heartstrings. There wasn't an end credit scene (according to the employee cleaning up the theater) so we didn't stick around. This movie is great for all ages. It did fail on making me interested in seeing the original though. I'm completely happy with this being my only reference to the title.

Mindless Action and Thoughtful Satire

I haven't been to the movies in a full week and it actually feels weird. I think I've been to see something at least once a week since the new year. These experiences have been from the week before last. I saw them relatively close together.

I saw Kong: Skull Island first. The boyfriend and I went together. I was excited about this one because it's the establishing film for the upcoming Kong vs Godzilla movie. Just saying that gives me goosebumps. This is just a fun movie. The acting wasn't anything special, except Samuel L. Jackson. He was hilarious as a twisted soldier determined to get revenge. After seeing him as the good guy in Legend of Tarzan, it was fun to see him play a villain. He does it so well. The death scenes in this movie were awesome, as drab as that sounds. Kong was kicking all kinds of ass and taking all the names. The last scene was surprisingly heart warming and was a great way to end the nonstop action and fight scenes. We didn't stay to see if there was an end credits scene so I hope we didn't miss anything.

Next up was Idiocracy. The local historic theater was showing this in their revival series. My boyfriend has been recommending this film to me since we've been dating so we had to go see it. We went to the premiere at night. The theater wasn't very full but full enough that we couldn't sit dead center. We were still in the middle, the best seating area. The film started and it was so funny and sad. Funny because everyone in the film were acting like idiots. And sad because our present looks a bit too familiar to the film's future being portrayed. I can see why this is a cult classic but it's not my favorite revival film. I'm glad I was able to experience it with an audience that obviously loved the movie. And there is a funny, stupid end credits scene. So if you watch this on DVD, see it through until the end.