Beginning of April... Slow going.

Could Have Done Without The T-Rex

Popping Out Of The Screen

    Since entry #1 over a week ago, there really hasn’t been anything at the movies that I wanted to see (Evil Dead… thanks, but no thanks). So I opted out of the new releases and saw the re-release of Jurassic Park in 3D. Last year I saw a 35MM print screening of it. It was outside at Republic Park in downtown Austin, as part of Alamo Drafthouse’s Rolling Roadshow series. The Drafthouse will do these shows at least once or twice a month during spring, summer, and fall. That’s basically February through November here in Texas… sorry Ohio.

 

     When I saw it last summer, it was probably the first time in 10 years that I watched it. I loved every moment of it… including the annoying kids’ story arc. I remembered the movie as it was, but I didn’t realize that I still felt something for it until that music started up (you know what song I mean)... at that point, queue up goose bumps on my arms and a smirk on my face. It was like I was transported back to when Nate and I would put the VHS in and just get pulled into the movie. Looking around during the movie, there were people my age and older having that same nostalgic look. I saw younger kids seeing it for the first time (probably) being scared of the T-Rex and Raptors… I get that. 

     So when I went this last weekend, I had the same experience at the 3D showing, right?

Umm… well, I guess kind of but no. 

     It was still the same great movie. Still had that score that can get to you. Still had the bass turned up for the T-Rex “footstep thing”. It still had Sam Jackson advising, “Hold on to your butts.” I still got some of the goose bumps and smiled at times. To be fair, I did smile at a lot more scenes, but that’s because I also saw a Master Pancake riff of Jurassic Park in the fall and remembered the jokes… but that’s a different story altogether. 

     I guess my problem was, why? Why the 3D? For me, it really didn’t enhance my experience of the film. I’m not going to get into the aspect of “It’s all about money.”… Which it felt like was the case here, but anyways. I get the idea of re-releasing movies like this back into theaters… not only get it, but totally support it. There are movies that I wish I could see in the theater that never got a chance to, or like this, would like to re-see in a theater. But adding the 3D… I don’t like it, didn’t get it. Like I mentioned, it didn’t add or enhance anything for me. It basically made me watch a movie I already like with some annoying glasses. 

     I will see some movies in 3D, some I will refuse to see in 3D. If someone tells me, you have to see it in 3D, or it’s made to be watched in 3D, then I really don’t want to see it (especially in 3D… This was my problem with Avatar). If your film is dependent on people sporting some Buddy Holly looking glasses to make your film work, then you’re film might be flawed to begin with and the 3D won’t help cover up a crappy movie. 

     Like I said, I will see 3D movies but it’s not my preferred choice.  Saw the new G.I. Joe movie in 2D, and I’m glad I didn’t spend the extra few bucks… it’s wouldn’t have made that movie any better.  The Hobbit…  I saw both ways and didn’t like the 3D one (but that was also the High Frame Rate… boo!). The second time I saw The Avengers in theater, I saw it in 3D. First time (and only times I saw in theater) Wreck-It Ralph and Brave, I saw with 3D. I enjoyed these and thought the 3D made it a little better, but I would have loved them anyways. Same with the new Spider-Man… I saw it one way by myself and saw it the other way when Zach was down here for work (can’t remember which show was which). Both ways were great. There are movies that were marketed as 3D features that should have just stuck with 2D and not push the 3D (Frankenweenie)…  

     As I started writing this, and going back and reading what I put down, I didn’t know which way to attack this subject. At one point, it looks like I’m for it… another point, against it. I guess it boils down to this… I’m on the fence for this (I know, what an amazing stance on this or any subject). I’m not sold in either direction. The purist in me hates it… the optimist thinks this is something cool that might enhance the movie. The only thing I ask… Leave the classics alone. They were great then, they stood the test of time, they don’t need the addition of breaking the 3^rd wall. I could get into this more, but I will leave it at that. Maybe as I see more 3D, I’ll come back to it for those specific movies. 

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     The last couple of weeks, I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to watch on Netflix. So I would pull up my instant queue, close my eyes, and press the arrows on my remote for a little bit. Whatever movie it landed on, that’s what I watched. It worked out alright… the fates were fair.  So other than the last on the list, all these were on Netflix… like I said, it’s a slow theater time for me.

• Let It Ride
• Pretty In Pink
• Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead
• Hick
• Crooked Arrows
• The Hi-Lo Country
• The Substitute
• Handsome Harry
• Ordinary People
• Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
• Conception
• The Sapphires *                   

  * Currently in Theaters

     It surprised me I haven’t seen Pretty In Pink until now… I’m sure I was in the minority of people who haven’t seen it, but if you were like me, watch it… it might be embarrassing telling someone you haven’t seen it. Easily the best scene is the following:

 

     Conception was just a good movie. It follows 9 different couples with different aspects of “baby making process”. There were a 2 or 3 story lines that were dumb/boring, but the rest were cute, interesting, even funny. I enjoyed it… worth watching. I don’t have kids (right?), but I would imagine out of the 9 different story lines, people w/ kids will probably be able to relate to one of them.

     

       The Sapphires – GREAT MOVIE! This is probably my front runner for my favorite movie of 2013 so far. It takes place during the Vietnam War and follows a group of singers (a Supremes-type group) of Aborigines and their Irish manager as they sing for the troops. It was a good story, good to OK acting over all… but specifically great acting by the manager. There was a few times where I was getting choked up. Other times, I was cracking up… basically any scene with the manager. Chris O’Dowd (from Bridesmaids) is great and is climbing my list for favorite comedic actors… he makes it seem so easy and real. He just needs a few more roles like this to get him in the spotlight for more people to really take notice. There were times in this movie that you wanted to get choked up (OK, let’s call it what it is, cry), but you were still laughing just because of the way his character was in the film. Maybe not a great explanation (withholding possible spoilers), but when you see the scene, you’ll understand. This is a must see in my opinion.

    Those are the three movies that I would suggest. The others were “throw-away-films”…  Hey, they can’t all be first round picks. The big surprise was Ordinary People. This movie won best picture... BEST PICTURE!! IT WAS CRAP!!!! So corny and cheesy. Other than that, if you choose to watch the others, the choice is all on you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Well, I guess this is the end of part 2. Again, if you made it this far, thanks for reading. Let me know if you have seen any of these movie and what you thought of them. Until next time.