On your recommendation I’ll see my third theater movie this year (MI7, F1).
I agree about the ads. My thinking is show whatever ads you want pre-showtime, but start the movie on time! Anything else is lying to your customers at best, fraud at worst.
I think it is to accommdate imbecile customers who do not know how to tell time and to hawk more popcorn and soda.
Nothing demonstrates the current state of going to a theater like paying $15 for a ticket for the pleasure of 1) hearing idiots behind you talking during the movie, 2) hearing an hour long grinding of molars from same while they try to digest a five-gallon bucket of popcorn, or 3) hearing these nitwits as they slurp soda into their maws, with an intense and sustained effort which would have made Marilyn Chambers proud.
I'm dying for movie / TV / entertainment content from a non-leftist perspective. I used to have three or four sites I'd visit regularly to read commentary and/or engage in conversation. All of them are so hateful now. Every other post is about some *conservative* person or issue they detest. If you disagree even slightly with their perspective, other commentators will dog pile on you, accuse you of being a fascist, pedophile, or worse. It's all anonymous, of course, but it's still upsetting. Visiting those sites used to make me feel good, now it makes me feel like shit. Funny how that works, isn't it? I can't imagine the people who comment at the AV Club, for example, are having a good time freaking out about how they hate Gina Carano, either.
Anyway, AV Club was the last holdout, but now they are the worst. If you want to see just how bad check out the comments on this post (or don't give the AV Club the clicks--short story, the comments section hates Gina Carano for no other reason that she has been labeled "conservative")
I miss the time when we could have intelligent discussions about entertainment and art. I miss the time when someone would say, I disagree with your point of view instead of calling you a fascist.
Maybe you should start a site of your own, and work with a few other writers to create non-partisan content.
*conservative in this case means anyone who doesn't agree with far-left politics. "Centrist" is now an insult these people use. Insanity.
I think about this a lot, Vernon. When you could totally disagree with someone’s point of view, but you could discuss it as adults, and not argue, and certainly not hurl insults. I think the only way we can get back to that is by modeling that behavior ourselves. Just let them always be the crazies, the screamers and the ragers.
I try to do that! Glad there are others. It's weird, the more polite you try to be the worse they get. They cannot accept someone who is level headed and wants to have a discussion.
Yep. I’ve had lots of practice bc I have an activist sister. Way way left & thinks she’s reasonable and moderate. It’s part of the Woke Left’s purity spiral. You can’t disagree with even one tiny point or they’ll all scream and hurl insults. And so the most extreme views rule them bc the purity and virtue signaling are critical to their self worth and self esteem.
The last movie I tried to watch was Flower Moon bc I like DiCaprio & it was before DeNiro made an ass of himself before the world. So I settle in with my drink & popcorn all ready, like I used to do every Saturday before Covid wreaked everything. So I look around & see that I’m the only person in the theater. No problem, I think. After about 10 minutes I realize my fingers feel kinda frozen on my drink and I’m wishing I had a sweater. No, a coat. It becomes so cold I start to shake. Forget the movie, I have to get out! By the time I stumble to the front of the theater to ask for a refund, I am crying. Feels like I have frost bite! I haven’t returned since. So I would love to see Weapons but I’ll have to wait for it to arrive on TV. So “the movies” in “the theater” have lost a life long customer.
I stopped going to movie theaters years ago, not just due to the content, but the clientele. Talking, moving around, making noise, and ignoring their children's behavior are just a few of the irritants. Add loud obnoxious commercials and loud obnoxious trailers for almost an hour before the feature, and it's simply not worth my time and effort, let alone the exorbinate ticket price.
Thanks for the suggestion, Stone. I will check it out.
BTW, back when they first started showing commercials in movie theaters, most of us used to stand up and boo the shit out of the them. Some threw popcorn, Milk Duds and licorice whips (red).
She was Fantastic in Ozark. Too bad the series left us hanging. An older but excellent series is Hell on Wheels. It’s a fantastic post civil war story with excellent storytelling & acting.
To be honest, the trailer for WEAPONS was wildly intriguing. Haven't seen it yet but it's on the queue.
Since Hollywood went woke, a weird thing happens when I see a good trailer. First, I get all excited, but then tiny little irritants pop up, questions about what message might be hidden in the plot. It breeds a fear of being disappointed, or worse, being preached to.
You nailed it with the "lower your expectations" line of encouragement. Certainly helps to go in with care.
Have you or your readers seen 28 YEARS LATER? Wow. It could very well be the making of the best trilogy I've ever seen.
Recently watched Barbarian and though not a horror movie fan, it held my interest despite the many holes in the story. Horror movies are all about setting the mood and shocking the viewer, not so much about the narrative and whether the story line falls apart. Most fans of the genre don't care about the narrative holding up, but being a detective story fan I care about the narrative so weak story line or plot holes that never get patched get noticed. Still, I enjoyed Barbarian, though it doesn't compare to a classic like The Shining.
I just saw the movie EDDINGTON - with the brilliant Joaquin Phoenix and the very, very "Meh" Pedro Pascal. For the first 50-60 minutes - I thought I was watching a masterpiece - a societal commentary on the covid bioweapon and the havoc it wrought -with one smart and plucky small-town Sheriff trying to sound the alarm of deeper evil at play than an "escaped virus".
I was excited to write a review about it (I'm a writer-director - and while I never had the privilege of collaborating with Joaquin Phoenix - I've worked with PP - who was average 10 years ago - but held on like a gritty barnacle and is now praised for everything he does - which is baffling)...
In any event - the last 50 minutes was so disjointed, bizarre, and seemingly a reversal of character for Joaquin - and, it became this incredibly WOKE film - mid-stream. But not coherently, almost as disjointed and zig-zagging as wokeism itself.!
I sat in the movie theatre for a few minutes after the credits rolled - trying to hear what people's comments were as they walked out. I was wondering, did I miss a few things? Did this go over my head? I was HOPING that to be the case. But the snippets of conversation I did here - and the blank looks on people's faces - reinforced what I felt - this was a big, messy, nothing burger - that initially felt like it was going to be a steak dinner.
I’d watch Julia Garner read the phone book - so I’m looking forward to seeing this film - thanks for the nudge…
I’m traveling for work lately and when I can I’ll catch a movie rather than stay locked up in my hotel room at night. I mention that because it means I’m in theaters other than my local.
A few weeks back I saw F1 at a Cinemark. Seating, screen, audio were all fine. Concessions were fine, although buttered popcorn and bags are a horrible combination (tubs, people, tubs!).
But it was 34 minutes until the movie actually started. 34 minutes. And I’m not saying that’s when the movie proper kicked in, that’s when we started seeing the production company logos (a topic in itself).
It is so bad. But I’ve wondered if this isn’t a required financial stream? My husband and I are big movie lovers and used to go every weekend at least, back in the day. But our theaters stayed open during covid and somehow didn’t go under and we like to support them, and so now we’re fully back. I think they’re bound to need as money to stay afloat?
I'm busy editing a novel. Stories invented by others are not welcome in my head right now. It is, however, good to know that somebody, somewhere is creating original material.
I had read several good reviews about Weapons and gave it a go. I also was tempted by the fact that Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men ),was in the cast.
Without spoilers,the director conjures up an atmosphere of foreboding and dread. I also liked how the story was told from 6 points of view. That being said, at the end of the movie you’re left with a lot of unanswered questions. Being a retired teacher I want a story or film to answer all of the 5 W’s and one H.
Final grade = B-.
I’d be interested in Sasha’s or her online community’s take on Superman. That one definitely was a C- or D +.. My wife dragged me to that one and was also greatly disappointed. The 1978 original with Christopher Reeves still rules.
“just make sure you lower your expectations and you will come out of it satisfied.”
LOL!
Sasha, that was the best one-liner I’ve heard in a long time.
That sentence can describe so much of life & expectations.
Brilliant.
On your recommendation I’ll see my third theater movie this year (MI7, F1).
I agree about the ads. My thinking is show whatever ads you want pre-showtime, but start the movie on time! Anything else is lying to your customers at best, fraud at worst.
I think it is to accommdate imbecile customers who do not know how to tell time and to hawk more popcorn and soda.
Nothing demonstrates the current state of going to a theater like paying $15 for a ticket for the pleasure of 1) hearing idiots behind you talking during the movie, 2) hearing an hour long grinding of molars from same while they try to digest a five-gallon bucket of popcorn, or 3) hearing these nitwits as they slurp soda into their maws, with an intense and sustained effort which would have made Marilyn Chambers proud.
Hahaha!!
More of these please!
I'm dying for movie / TV / entertainment content from a non-leftist perspective. I used to have three or four sites I'd visit regularly to read commentary and/or engage in conversation. All of them are so hateful now. Every other post is about some *conservative* person or issue they detest. If you disagree even slightly with their perspective, other commentators will dog pile on you, accuse you of being a fascist, pedophile, or worse. It's all anonymous, of course, but it's still upsetting. Visiting those sites used to make me feel good, now it makes me feel like shit. Funny how that works, isn't it? I can't imagine the people who comment at the AV Club, for example, are having a good time freaking out about how they hate Gina Carano, either.
Anyway, AV Club was the last holdout, but now they are the worst. If you want to see just how bad check out the comments on this post (or don't give the AV Club the clicks--short story, the comments section hates Gina Carano for no other reason that she has been labeled "conservative")
https://www.avclub.com/disney-gina-carano-mandalorian-lawsuit-settled
I miss the time when we could have intelligent discussions about entertainment and art. I miss the time when someone would say, I disagree with your point of view instead of calling you a fascist.
Maybe you should start a site of your own, and work with a few other writers to create non-partisan content.
*conservative in this case means anyone who doesn't agree with far-left politics. "Centrist" is now an insult these people use. Insanity.
I think about this a lot, Vernon. When you could totally disagree with someone’s point of view, but you could discuss it as adults, and not argue, and certainly not hurl insults. I think the only way we can get back to that is by modeling that behavior ourselves. Just let them always be the crazies, the screamers and the ragers.
I try to do that! Glad there are others. It's weird, the more polite you try to be the worse they get. They cannot accept someone who is level headed and wants to have a discussion.
Yep. I’ve had lots of practice bc I have an activist sister. Way way left & thinks she’s reasonable and moderate. It’s part of the Woke Left’s purity spiral. You can’t disagree with even one tiny point or they’ll all scream and hurl insults. And so the most extreme views rule them bc the purity and virtue signaling are critical to their self worth and self esteem.
I'm sorry you're going through that with your sister. Very frustrating.
The last movie I tried to watch was Flower Moon bc I like DiCaprio & it was before DeNiro made an ass of himself before the world. So I settle in with my drink & popcorn all ready, like I used to do every Saturday before Covid wreaked everything. So I look around & see that I’m the only person in the theater. No problem, I think. After about 10 minutes I realize my fingers feel kinda frozen on my drink and I’m wishing I had a sweater. No, a coat. It becomes so cold I start to shake. Forget the movie, I have to get out! By the time I stumble to the front of the theater to ask for a refund, I am crying. Feels like I have frost bite! I haven’t returned since. So I would love to see Weapons but I’ll have to wait for it to arrive on TV. So “the movies” in “the theater” have lost a life long customer.
They have no clue or care.
I always bring a sweater to the movies in the summer!
I agree, the blasting ac is ridiculous!
I stopped going to movie theaters years ago, not just due to the content, but the clientele. Talking, moving around, making noise, and ignoring their children's behavior are just a few of the irritants. Add loud obnoxious commercials and loud obnoxious trailers for almost an hour before the feature, and it's simply not worth my time and effort, let alone the exorbinate ticket price.
Thanks for the suggestion, Stone. I will check it out.
BTW, back when they first started showing commercials in movie theaters, most of us used to stand up and boo the shit out of the them. Some threw popcorn, Milk Duds and licorice whips (red).
My, how times have changed.
Love Julia Garner ever since Ozark!
I’m not a big fan of horror though.
Thanks for your insights into the film - maybe there’s hope for Hollywood yet?? One can only hope.
She was Fantastic in Ozark. Too bad the series left us hanging. An older but excellent series is Hell on Wheels. It’s a fantastic post civil war story with excellent storytelling & acting.
To be honest, the trailer for WEAPONS was wildly intriguing. Haven't seen it yet but it's on the queue.
Since Hollywood went woke, a weird thing happens when I see a good trailer. First, I get all excited, but then tiny little irritants pop up, questions about what message might be hidden in the plot. It breeds a fear of being disappointed, or worse, being preached to.
You nailed it with the "lower your expectations" line of encouragement. Certainly helps to go in with care.
Have you or your readers seen 28 YEARS LATER? Wow. It could very well be the making of the best trilogy I've ever seen.
Thanks for your insight. For a kinda-sorta agoraphobe, movie theaters require a lot of courage on my part. I think I'll pass on this one.
I heard the opening of Barbarian is really something.
Recently watched Barbarian and though not a horror movie fan, it held my interest despite the many holes in the story. Horror movies are all about setting the mood and shocking the viewer, not so much about the narrative and whether the story line falls apart. Most fans of the genre don't care about the narrative holding up, but being a detective story fan I care about the narrative so weak story line or plot holes that never get patched get noticed. Still, I enjoyed Barbarian, though it doesn't compare to a classic like The Shining.
I just saw the movie EDDINGTON - with the brilliant Joaquin Phoenix and the very, very "Meh" Pedro Pascal. For the first 50-60 minutes - I thought I was watching a masterpiece - a societal commentary on the covid bioweapon and the havoc it wrought -with one smart and plucky small-town Sheriff trying to sound the alarm of deeper evil at play than an "escaped virus".
I was excited to write a review about it (I'm a writer-director - and while I never had the privilege of collaborating with Joaquin Phoenix - I've worked with PP - who was average 10 years ago - but held on like a gritty barnacle and is now praised for everything he does - which is baffling)...
In any event - the last 50 minutes was so disjointed, bizarre, and seemingly a reversal of character for Joaquin - and, it became this incredibly WOKE film - mid-stream. But not coherently, almost as disjointed and zig-zagging as wokeism itself.!
I sat in the movie theatre for a few minutes after the credits rolled - trying to hear what people's comments were as they walked out. I was wondering, did I miss a few things? Did this go over my head? I was HOPING that to be the case. But the snippets of conversation I did here - and the blank looks on people's faces - reinforced what I felt - this was a big, messy, nothing burger - that initially felt like it was going to be a steak dinner.
I’d watch Julia Garner read the phone book - so I’m looking forward to seeing this film - thanks for the nudge…
I’m traveling for work lately and when I can I’ll catch a movie rather than stay locked up in my hotel room at night. I mention that because it means I’m in theaters other than my local.
A few weeks back I saw F1 at a Cinemark. Seating, screen, audio were all fine. Concessions were fine, although buttered popcorn and bags are a horrible combination (tubs, people, tubs!).
But it was 34 minutes until the movie actually started. 34 minutes. And I’m not saying that’s when the movie proper kicked in, that’s when we started seeing the production company logos (a topic in itself).
34 minutes.
Just…no.
It is so bad. But I’ve wondered if this isn’t a required financial stream? My husband and I are big movie lovers and used to go every weekend at least, back in the day. But our theaters stayed open during covid and somehow didn’t go under and we like to support them, and so now we’re fully back. I think they’re bound to need as money to stay afloat?
Thanks for reminding me why I stopped going to the theater- 30 minutes of it all. Think I’ll pass.
I'm busy editing a novel. Stories invented by others are not welcome in my head right now. It is, however, good to know that somebody, somewhere is creating original material.
I had read several good reviews about Weapons and gave it a go. I also was tempted by the fact that Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men ),was in the cast.
Without spoilers,the director conjures up an atmosphere of foreboding and dread. I also liked how the story was told from 6 points of view. That being said, at the end of the movie you’re left with a lot of unanswered questions. Being a retired teacher I want a story or film to answer all of the 5 W’s and one H.
Final grade = B-.
I’d be interested in Sasha’s or her online community’s take on Superman. That one definitely was a C- or D +.. My wife dragged me to that one and was also greatly disappointed. The 1978 original with Christopher Reeves still rules.