I am wondering if I would have enjoyed this movie more if I had not watched the documentary ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor’.
While advertised as a movie being about Mr. Rogers, it really is about a cynical journalist learning to love again. Lloyd Vogel is tasked with writing a profile piece on Fred Rogers for Esquire magazine’s “Heroes” issue. Vogel, a man with a rough childhood and a lot of anger built up inside towards father figures, is not in the mood for Rogers’ brand of kindness. Based on a true story, Vogel’s time with Rogers begins to make him rethink his approach to life.
Sound kind of cheesy? Yeah, it is, but the cast pulls it all together and makes it an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half.
Hanks’ Fred Rogers impersonation is strong but because we only see him in bits and pieces, it really doesn’t quite drive home how Rogers really was – it feels like the act that Vogel says it is. Mathew Rhys as Vogel does a great job of looking SO FREAKING TIRED ALL THE TIME. How does he do it? I don’t know, but I am ready to see this talented actor in a role where he gets to be well-rested and smile for a bit. Anyway, these two had a great dynamic and the best parts of the movie were their interactions.
This movie assumes you know and admire Fred Rogers before you start watching – I’d like to talk to someone who didn’t grow up with Mr. Rogers and know what they thought of the movie, which tries to frame itself like an episode of the show, starting out with Rogers doing his intro song and talking to us through the camera, outside the cities of Pittsburgh and New York are rendered in the same miniatures as neighborhood itself. If you have no frame of reference for the series, does any of this make sense? Does it feel avante garde? Or just confusing?
If you enjoyed this movie at all, I would HIGHLY recommend picking up ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor’ for a more rounded view of Fred Rogers – he was a very private man, but the documentary gives you more of his story and the impact of his work on ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ which I think is kind of glossed over in the movie beyond the adults reacting to his presence.
Star Wars and The Beatles. It’s weird to lump these two together. To an outsider, they have very little in common, apart from being major forces in shaping popular culture forever. But you probably wouldn’t think of the two in the same moment unless you were taking part in some kind of quiz show.
But for me, they are two of the BIGGEST obsessions I ever had in my youth. I memorized actor’s names in Star Wars and I knew the stories behind every Beatles song. And every time I think I’m done with them, that maybe I’m over them. They PULL ME BACK IN!
Case in point, this “not a trailer” released by Disney and Peter Jackson two weeks ago (that I am just seeing now??):
At first I was like “Huh, okay, Beatles thing, I guess I will watch this, it’s only 5 minutes.”
But then the images of the four of them, so clear, in color…the audio as clean as if it was recorded today…I could feel my heart swell and the 13 year old fangirl inside me began to jump up and down and slowly freak out with every new sequence – every snarky comment from John, every smile from Paul, George’s quiet presence (yet somehow judging us all) and Ringo’s antics.
If all 56 hours were remastered, I would watch all 56 hours so it is probably for the best that Jackson is going through and editing this down to a more reasonable amount of time.
It was the same feeling I had when the ‘Force Awakens’ trailer dropped. The cynic in me sat down to watch, but when it ended, I was fully on board with it. I will probably listen to The Beatles in my car tomorrow and hang on to that energy that they bring me.
I have a bootleg copy of ‘Let It Be’, the 1969 film that most of this footage originated from. I watched it once and I don’t think I can ever watch it again. It was painful to see these four friendships crumble under the pressure of the past ten years. So what did Jackson find in that “lost” footage that compelled them to create this new documentary? Will he manage to craft a happier story? Or at least a more realistic picture of what was going on inside and outside the studio at the time?
Does the world need another Beatles documentary? Probably not. Am I going to enjoy this and get emotional about four men I have never met? Without a doubt.
Jackson – don’t let me down.
But for me, they are two of the BIGGEST obsessions I ever had in my youth. I memorized actor’s names in Star Wars and I knew the stories behind every Beatles song. And every time I think I’m done with them, that maybe I’m over them. They PULL ME BACK IN!
Case in point, this “not a trailer” released by Disney and Peter Jackson two weeks ago (that I am just seeing now??):
At first I was like “Huh, okay, Beatles thing, I guess I will watch this, it’s only 5 minutes.”
But then the images of the four of them, so clear, in color…the audio as clean as if it was recorded today…I could feel my heart swell and the 13 year old fangirl inside me began to jump up and down and slowly freak out with every new sequence – every snarky comment from John, every smile from Paul, George’s quiet presence (yet somehow judging us all) and Ringo’s antics.
If all 56 hours were remastered, I would watch all 56 hours so it is probably for the best that Jackson is going through and editing this down to a more reasonable amount of time.
It was the same feeling I had when the ‘Force Awakens’ trailer dropped. The cynic in me sat down to watch, but when it ended, I was fully on board with it. I will probably listen to The Beatles in my car tomorrow and hang on to that energy that they bring me.
I have a bootleg copy of ‘Let It Be’, the 1969 film that most of this footage originated from. I watched it once and I don’t think I can ever watch it again. It was painful to see these four friendships crumble under the pressure of the past ten years. So what did Jackson find in that “lost” footage that compelled them to create this new documentary? Will he manage to craft a happier story? Or at least a more realistic picture of what was going on inside and outside the studio at the time?
Does the world need another Beatles documentary? Probably not. Am I going to enjoy this and get emotional about four men I have never met? Without a doubt.
Jackson – don’t let me down.
Rewatch: Hunchback of Notre Dame
Apr. 24th, 2020 12:33 amOh a random whim (because it somehow came up in conversation last night and I don't remember how) I decided to watch Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Yes, it was a problematic adaptation and a strange story for Disney to turn into an animated feature, but I have always loved it. The hand-drawn animation is still gorgeous. But it is the soundtrack that somehow manages to both lift me up and break my heart at the same time.
From the opening song, where Clopin, the head of the gypsies, gives us Quasimodo's backstory, I get goosebumps and my chest tightens. When the choir goes from a quiet moan to almost a screech while Frollo dangles the baby over the well, I can't breath and I get tears in my eyes. The raw EMOTION of that music is just something you never heard before and I don't think we have heard again in a Disney movie.
And then Quasimodo's "wanting" song, a key moment in every Disney movie, Tom Hulce's voice sounds so fragile as Quasi carefully runs around the top of the cathedral, looking down at Paris, dreaming and wishing...
Of course, there is the beautiful centerpiece that is Esmerelda's God Help the Outcasts which is just underrated and it is a crime. First, the animation as she walks through Notre Dame is just stunning. The sequence with the candles and, of course, that final moment in the window's reflection on the ground.
But it is the lyrics. I can't even imagine this movie coming out today, I wonder if people were upset with the religious elements. I mean, it's not attacking religion, but the privileged people that pray for their privilege to increase rather than helping others.
The lyric "I ask for love...I can posses" hits it all home - not just love or to love or be loved, but to turn love into a THING that can be OWNED.
Speaking of lyrics and imagery, I can't NOT mention Hellfire, another song that I doubt would ever appear in a Disney movie today, with Frollo lusting after Esmerelda, claiming she is sent by the devil, vowing to burn her alive. Yeah, wow, Disney makes KIDS movies, right?
And it's downright FREAKY! Her outline dancing in the flames, the way he caresses the scarf, the Judges appearing around him chanting "Mea Culpa" and that final scene as the flames envelope him and swirl back into the fireplace. IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIFYING.
This really was a Broadway production that just happened to get turned into a Disney movie. Searching for the videos, I found several clips from a production that exists now, but when the movie came out, I remember thinking it was the least expensive way to see a Broadway show. The musical production values, the themes, the mature story hiding underneath the Gargoyle's goofball humor.
A part of me wishes that Disney would see this niche of making Broadway cartoons and return to it. 1997's Hercules had a fun gospel/pop song style. Mulan felt more like a musical but after that we go into the Tarzan era of pop stars hired to write pop music. Again, I like Phil Collins (I have two ears and a heart, don't I?) but "Strangers Like Me" is not "Heaven's Light". I enjoyed the music from Frozen, but compared to this, it feels watered down. (I haven't seen Frozen 2 yet, but I'm doubting there are any moments Hellfire dark in there).
Anyway, that was me rambling about a twenty year old cartoon. If you have Disney+, give it a watch, it's only 90 minutes and it flies by. (Kevin Kline as Phoebus is an extra bonus for me since I've had a soft spot for him because of Pirates of Penzance...but that's another musical story).
Yes, it was a problematic adaptation and a strange story for Disney to turn into an animated feature, but I have always loved it. The hand-drawn animation is still gorgeous. But it is the soundtrack that somehow manages to both lift me up and break my heart at the same time.
From the opening song, where Clopin, the head of the gypsies, gives us Quasimodo's backstory, I get goosebumps and my chest tightens. When the choir goes from a quiet moan to almost a screech while Frollo dangles the baby over the well, I can't breath and I get tears in my eyes. The raw EMOTION of that music is just something you never heard before and I don't think we have heard again in a Disney movie.
And then Quasimodo's "wanting" song, a key moment in every Disney movie, Tom Hulce's voice sounds so fragile as Quasi carefully runs around the top of the cathedral, looking down at Paris, dreaming and wishing...
Of course, there is the beautiful centerpiece that is Esmerelda's God Help the Outcasts which is just underrated and it is a crime. First, the animation as she walks through Notre Dame is just stunning. The sequence with the candles and, of course, that final moment in the window's reflection on the ground.
But it is the lyrics. I can't even imagine this movie coming out today, I wonder if people were upset with the religious elements. I mean, it's not attacking religion, but the privileged people that pray for their privilege to increase rather than helping others.
The lyric "I ask for love...I can posses" hits it all home - not just love or to love or be loved, but to turn love into a THING that can be OWNED.
Speaking of lyrics and imagery, I can't NOT mention Hellfire, another song that I doubt would ever appear in a Disney movie today, with Frollo lusting after Esmerelda, claiming she is sent by the devil, vowing to burn her alive. Yeah, wow, Disney makes KIDS movies, right?
And it's downright FREAKY! Her outline dancing in the flames, the way he caresses the scarf, the Judges appearing around him chanting "Mea Culpa" and that final scene as the flames envelope him and swirl back into the fireplace. IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIFYING.
This really was a Broadway production that just happened to get turned into a Disney movie. Searching for the videos, I found several clips from a production that exists now, but when the movie came out, I remember thinking it was the least expensive way to see a Broadway show. The musical production values, the themes, the mature story hiding underneath the Gargoyle's goofball humor.
A part of me wishes that Disney would see this niche of making Broadway cartoons and return to it. 1997's Hercules had a fun gospel/pop song style. Mulan felt more like a musical but after that we go into the Tarzan era of pop stars hired to write pop music. Again, I like Phil Collins (I have two ears and a heart, don't I?) but "Strangers Like Me" is not "Heaven's Light". I enjoyed the music from Frozen, but compared to this, it feels watered down. (I haven't seen Frozen 2 yet, but I'm doubting there are any moments Hellfire dark in there).
Anyway, that was me rambling about a twenty year old cartoon. If you have Disney+, give it a watch, it's only 90 minutes and it flies by. (Kevin Kline as Phoebus is an extra bonus for me since I've had a soft spot for him because of Pirates of Penzance...but that's another musical story).
my movie thoughts on 'Outlaw King'
Jan. 19th, 2020 11:35 am
Most of this movie, I just kept thinking "Yeah but...why Chris Pine?"
I just never found myself able to suspend my disbelief that Captain Kirk was now a Scottish Lord. Or that someone so pretty was a war hero in such a rough time. Robert the Bruce should have looked more weathered, more of the world. And he must have had better hair!
There was also a half second of me thinking "yeah but...why full frontal Chris Pine?" because was it really necessary to show him bathing in a river naked? Was this supposed to make me feel like he was one with the land? Because, again, I was more concerned with doing something about that awful hair.
Thank goodness for Florence Pugh, who elevates every movie she is in by a whole star rating. I'm starting to obsess over her. I am giving this movie 3 stars on Letterboxd because of her. Every moment she wasn't on screen was a missed opportunity, her character was far more fascinating than Bruce or the rest of the men - though this is probably the writer's trying to stay within what is known about the history and I'm going to guess (though I have no proof) that her life story probably is not so heavily documented so they felt they had more wiggle room while they needed to stay true to the history for Robert (if their Wikipedia articles are anything to go by, this is true)
Side note: Having seen 'Midsommar' last year, when, in 'Outlaw King' Pugh said the line "Alas we are but king and queen of the May", and then later on she slips a flower crown onto Robert's head, I couldn't help but giggle at this unintentional meta-joke for Pugh fans.
I've been told this was more faithful to the real history than 'Braveheart'. My husband loves this time period so he wanted to watch it but we both felt it suffered from having to cover TOO much in such a short time. I wish there had been some dates, a map, or anything to help us non-Scottish history experts to keep up with the timeline and troop movement. Just one simple cut away where it is a map and a finger and someone saying "Here we are and here they are". It just would have helped with understand the urgency of things, like hearing that the English troops are marching to battle, I thought "OH NO HERE THEY ARE" but really it was going to take them days, maybe longer, to get to where Bruce and his men were hiding. Especially with the King's son running around a lot, I could not figure out exactly how far away things were from each other.
By the end of the movie, I wanted to rewatch 'Last Kingdom' because for epic historical stories, I think the serial format is better than movie. You can only do so much in 2 hours. Cramming years of war and struggle into a few hours is not just a bad idea but really in injustice to the stories behind the scenes that make it all make sense.
But the biggest question I was left with is: Are there no Scottish actors?? So far we've had two very famous movies about Scottish heroes played by an Australian and an American. Why is this??
I feel like if you look up "There's a lot to unpack here" in the dictionary, this movie's poster should be used as the image. Because whoa.
It wants to be a lot of things:
It's part documentary about these kids that saw 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' in the 80s and decided they were going to remake it themselves and spent the next 7 years working on it on and off between school and life and such.
It's also part documentary about 3 of these kids as adults and how their relationships changed as they got older, how their dreams changed.
And IT IS ALSO a documentary about 2 of these guys attempting to get the final scene of the movie filmed 30 years later at great personal expense.
AND ONE MORE! It is also a documentary about the cult following their fan film got in the underground film community years later.
I'm not sure the movie set out to do what the guys involved intended it to do, but it is definitely an interesting study in obsession? Or perhaps also this weird issue with filling fulfilled and how people define themselves? It definitely got painful near the end when the one guy's past started to become more apparent with the abusive father and drug habit and the abuse towards his friend...
But when the climatic moment happened, all I could think was "What the hell are you guys doing anyway?"
And when that final note came on screen that said the one guy had quit his job and joined up with the other guy to start a film studio I was like "nooooooooo!!!" because that just seemed to be a really irresponsible thing to do with his family and kids and what not. It felt like the other guy convinced him to do it and we really had NO background on what he had done with his life, except he was unhappy.
Yeah, that's a lot. And I don't think it actually succeeds at any one of these things. BUT it does become an interesting artifact about real relationships and dynamics in groups. It becomes a story about obsession and adults trying to recapture some part of their youth. It is about how so many of us that grow up loving movies use them to fill a certain part of our life, even if we don't quite know what that part is.
I don't think the guys that put this together saw how this was going to reflect back on them. As the credits started rolling, I wasn't sure any of what happened in 2015 was a good idea.
Have you watched 'Raiders!' - what did you think?
(no subject)
Jan. 11th, 2020 07:06 pmYou know, some people might not like their Mom to follow them on Twitter but it comes in handy when you have a crap memory and there is some kind of cute meme going around. Today the question on Twitter was "What was the first movie you cried at?" so I retweeted @ my Mom and got this this answer:
you're welcome.
If you mean we had to take you out of the theatre, it was Excalibur. You cried when all the action stopped. If you mean overcome by emotion, it would have to be E.T. Grandma took you when you were 2.
— BravoZulu13 (@BravoZulu13) January 11, 2020
you're welcome.
movie thoughts: The Report (2019)
Dec. 15th, 2019 10:37 pmI'm not sure why I thought a fun thing to watch on my Saturday morning would be a movie about the Congressional investigation in the CIA's "enhanced interrogation techniques" but I'm going to blame Adam Driver, who I just really like and trust when it comes to choosing interesting roles.
The Report is an Amazon Studios film that chronicles the investigation, lead by Daniel Jones (Driver), into the CIA's torture of prisoners of war after the 9/11 attacks.
For a film that was 75% Adam Driver looking concerned/upset/frustrated, it was engrossing, probably because I only have a vague memory of these discussions happening around me when they actually happened. And I never did a deep dive into what was really going on. And I think I tend to think of the entire world of American politics flipping over every 4 years but the reality is, while the President and Congress might change, a lot of the people that run the big organizations stay in it because they are not appointed or elected, they just have their jobs.
And I always knew that different government departments didn't get along - my Dad worked for DOD for a long time - but I guess I didn't realize to what extent the animosity goes.
I doubt many people read Jones' 700 page report, but the fact that he could fill 700 pages says a lot. Everyone in this movie was fantastic and from what I can tell, it is relatively faithful to the facts. In the end, all we can do is own up to these mistakes but it is scary how easy they are to make and how LONG it can take for the truth to come out.
If you like political movies based on real events, where the tension and drama comes from putting the pieces together, I really recommend this one. Driver is fantastic, but so is Annette Bening as Senator Feinstein. Plus we see Jon Hamm, Jennifer Morrison, Michael C. Hall and other faces you'll recognize even if you don't know the actors names.
And if you have Prime, you can watch it streaming right now.
The Report is an Amazon Studios film that chronicles the investigation, lead by Daniel Jones (Driver), into the CIA's torture of prisoners of war after the 9/11 attacks.
For a film that was 75% Adam Driver looking concerned/upset/frustrated, it was engrossing, probably because I only have a vague memory of these discussions happening around me when they actually happened. And I never did a deep dive into what was really going on. And I think I tend to think of the entire world of American politics flipping over every 4 years but the reality is, while the President and Congress might change, a lot of the people that run the big organizations stay in it because they are not appointed or elected, they just have their jobs.
And I always knew that different government departments didn't get along - my Dad worked for DOD for a long time - but I guess I didn't realize to what extent the animosity goes.
I doubt many people read Jones' 700 page report, but the fact that he could fill 700 pages says a lot. Everyone in this movie was fantastic and from what I can tell, it is relatively faithful to the facts. In the end, all we can do is own up to these mistakes but it is scary how easy they are to make and how LONG it can take for the truth to come out.
If you like political movies based on real events, where the tension and drama comes from putting the pieces together, I really recommend this one. Driver is fantastic, but so is Annette Bening as Senator Feinstein. Plus we see Jon Hamm, Jennifer Morrison, Michael C. Hall and other faces you'll recognize even if you don't know the actors names.
And if you have Prime, you can watch it streaming right now.
Lazy Saturday
Nov. 16th, 2019 10:24 pmFinally saw Booksmart tonight. Unfortunately, I think the hype machine might have oversold it to me. I was hoping for some laugh out loud funny. BUT I did love the story and the relationships and the conclusion it all came to about how everyone in high school is an actual person and not just some stereotype. And I like that the ultimate goal was to just go to a party, not get drunk or do drugs or have sex, it was to just experience a party.
As someone who was a nerd and was never invited to parties (I mean, up until a few years ago, I just assumed that no one partied at my high school LOLOLOL), this movie hit me hard because I too have had those moments of "did I do it right?" Of course, the answer is yes because I did my best, enjoyed myself, made memories and then got the hell out and grew up. **looks at Star Wars toys** well, grew up enough.
Anyway, yes, really sweet movie. Plus I love both of the leads, even if I have not learned their names yet, I've seen them in enough stuff at this point to know they are both going to be around for awhile.
Right after that, I watched another episode of Glow. I'm about halfway through season 2 and it was an emotional episode ("Nothing Shattered" for anyone else watching) and after watching the movie and then that episode, I was ready to just cry for all of the female friendships I never had. I wish I had a friendship as close as these characters. Just never really happened. And now it is really hard because so many of the women in my life have kids so we don't spend that quality time together that you need to bond, ya know?
This was a very lazy Saturday. It was cold and windy and miserable outside and our friends that were supposed to come hang out go sick so they had to cancel. So we literally played video games all day then watched the movie. I did ride the exercise bike while I watched Glow so that was my activity for the day, at least it was something!
Hope everyone else is having a good weekend!
As someone who was a nerd and was never invited to parties (I mean, up until a few years ago, I just assumed that no one partied at my high school LOLOLOL), this movie hit me hard because I too have had those moments of "did I do it right?" Of course, the answer is yes because I did my best, enjoyed myself, made memories and then got the hell out and grew up. **looks at Star Wars toys** well, grew up enough.
Anyway, yes, really sweet movie. Plus I love both of the leads, even if I have not learned their names yet, I've seen them in enough stuff at this point to know they are both going to be around for awhile.
Right after that, I watched another episode of Glow. I'm about halfway through season 2 and it was an emotional episode ("Nothing Shattered" for anyone else watching) and after watching the movie and then that episode, I was ready to just cry for all of the female friendships I never had. I wish I had a friendship as close as these characters. Just never really happened. And now it is really hard because so many of the women in my life have kids so we don't spend that quality time together that you need to bond, ya know?
This was a very lazy Saturday. It was cold and windy and miserable outside and our friends that were supposed to come hang out go sick so they had to cancel. So we literally played video games all day then watched the movie. I did ride the exercise bike while I watched Glow so that was my activity for the day, at least it was something!
Hope everyone else is having a good weekend!
(no subject)
Nov. 12th, 2019 11:11 pm(Thanks for your supportive comments on my previous post. I'll come back and comment on them soon.)
We saw the KONOSUBA movie tonight, it was a special event at the theaters. The anime is ridiculous, about a jerk guy who dies on his way home after buying a video game and ends up being resurrected by a crap goddess and living in a world that is pretty much a JRPG. The other two members of his party are a mage whose main spell renders her unconscious or unable to move after casting and a crusader/warrior who is a bit of a sadist and gets turned on by really random stuff during battle. So, it was already sort of stupid/edgy/overtly sexual humor. But I felt like the movie had one too many rape or at least lack-of-consent jokes. At first I thought maybe it was just me, but when we got in the car to drive home, Tim said "That might have been one too many rape jokes". Just...why Japan, why??? But the other bits were funny and we had a good time. It was fun to watch it with a room full of people laughing. I just wish they hadn't laughed at those bits...
And I couldn't resist getting a picture with the Rise of Skywalker display:
Little over a month until the premiere! OMG gonna cry so hard. Have managed to avoid the new trailer so far. Had a moment of panic in the theater tonight when I wondered if they would show trailers but thankfully they did not.
How is it only Tuesday? Ugh this week is already long. Anyway, need to get to bed because I am tired and also my laptop just popped up to tell me the battery is about to die so I guess it needs to get to bed too! TTYL!
We saw the KONOSUBA movie tonight, it was a special event at the theaters. The anime is ridiculous, about a jerk guy who dies on his way home after buying a video game and ends up being resurrected by a crap goddess and living in a world that is pretty much a JRPG. The other two members of his party are a mage whose main spell renders her unconscious or unable to move after casting and a crusader/warrior who is a bit of a sadist and gets turned on by really random stuff during battle. So, it was already sort of stupid/edgy/overtly sexual humor. But I felt like the movie had one too many rape or at least lack-of-consent jokes. At first I thought maybe it was just me, but when we got in the car to drive home, Tim said "That might have been one too many rape jokes". Just...why Japan, why??? But the other bits were funny and we had a good time. It was fun to watch it with a room full of people laughing. I just wish they hadn't laughed at those bits...
And I couldn't resist getting a picture with the Rise of Skywalker display:
Little over a month until the premiere! OMG gonna cry so hard. Have managed to avoid the new trailer so far. Had a moment of panic in the theater tonight when I wondered if they would show trailers but thankfully they did not.
How is it only Tuesday? Ugh this week is already long. Anyway, need to get to bed because I am tired and also my laptop just popped up to tell me the battery is about to die so I guess it needs to get to bed too! TTYL!
GOT MY STAR WARS TICKETS
Oct. 22nd, 2019 11:36 amStar Wars: Rise of Skywalker - Thursday, December 19 8:45PM
w00t w00t!
Late enough to get home from work and get dinner; early enough to not be exhausted on Friday morning.
And it was all just LUCK because the powers had hinted they would go on sale at half time but they LIED! I went to check to make sure my movie theater app was logged in so I would be ready for on-sale time and saw the "BUY NOW". Was able to get seats in the perfect center of the theater (I am not a Big Bang Theory fan, but I still refer to these seats as the "Sheldon Cooper seats" because I did see the episode where he goes to the movies.)
Anyway - YAAAAAAAY! I get to see the movie before we head out to Wisconsin LOL. I mean, if anyone there wants to go see it, I will go again, but at least I don't have to worry about dodging spoilers. Plus, seeing a Star Wars movie with a room full of other crazy fans is the only way to go.
I AM NOT WATCHING THE TRAILER. I am now in the AVOIDING ALL SPOILERS stage - I don't want to know ANYTHING. The joy of both TFA and TLJ was going in blind and watching it all unfold. So, please, be kind and careful with screenshots etc. on your blogs. I'm already side-eyeing Twitter which immediately forced the trailer into my feed as "Promoted".
w00t w00t!
Late enough to get home from work and get dinner; early enough to not be exhausted on Friday morning.
And it was all just LUCK because the powers had hinted they would go on sale at half time but they LIED! I went to check to make sure my movie theater app was logged in so I would be ready for on-sale time and saw the "BUY NOW". Was able to get seats in the perfect center of the theater (I am not a Big Bang Theory fan, but I still refer to these seats as the "Sheldon Cooper seats" because I did see the episode where he goes to the movies.)
Anyway - YAAAAAAAY! I get to see the movie before we head out to Wisconsin LOL. I mean, if anyone there wants to go see it, I will go again, but at least I don't have to worry about dodging spoilers. Plus, seeing a Star Wars movie with a room full of other crazy fans is the only way to go.
I AM NOT WATCHING THE TRAILER. I am now in the AVOIDING ALL SPOILERS stage - I don't want to know ANYTHING. The joy of both TFA and TLJ was going in blind and watching it all unfold. So, please, be kind and careful with screenshots etc. on your blogs. I'm already side-eyeing Twitter which immediately forced the trailer into my feed as "Promoted".
movie thoughts: Fantastic Beasts 2 (2018)
Oct. 13th, 2019 09:29 pmSo, this happened today.
I sat down to watch Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald. I steeled myself because I knew the reviews for this were all over the place. But something about it bugged me right off the bat and I ended up sort of live-tweeting my viewing:
Yeah, I signed on for the misadventures of Newt Scamander, but instead it turns out this was just a Album Dumbeldore story.
( spoilers )
TL;DR if you skipped this one, you made the right choice. The more I think about ti, the more frustrated I get with what a huge, wasted opportunity this was.
I sat down to watch Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald. I steeled myself because I knew the reviews for this were all over the place. But something about it bugged me right off the bat and I ended up sort of live-tweeting my viewing:
Why do storytellers who have created well-loved worlds have so little faith in them to bring the audience in? ‘Fantastic Beasts’ went from a new story to a prequel by bringing in Dumbledore, even for a matter of minutes.
— orangerful (@orangerful) October 13, 2019
Yeah, I signed on for the misadventures of Newt Scamander, but instead it turns out this was just a Album Dumbeldore story.
( spoilers )
TL;DR if you skipped this one, you made the right choice. The more I think about ti, the more frustrated I get with what a huge, wasted opportunity this was.
I had no intention of watching Fantastic Beasts. I had fallen out of love with the HP fandom after the 7th book. When it was announced it would be a 5-film series, I decided I wasn't interested in committing to yet another story set in Rowling's magical world. But then ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rogueslayer452 linked to Pop Culture Detective and I started watching the videos on that channel and stumbled upon this one:
So I picked up the DVD at work on Friday and watched it over the weekend.
side note: my new movie watching strategy is to pretend everything is a limited run Netflix series and just watch them in hour chunks. This idea used to bother me, felt like I was doing a disservice to the film maker's not watching their entire work in one sitting. But now I've decided that maybe their film makers and their editors are doing me the disservice because I don't have time for 2+ hour movies on a regular basis.
ANYWAY! I watched the movie and I did enjoy it!
Have some bullet points:
( spoilers )
Overall, despite my nitpicks, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I would but I would still only say 3 stars. I did put the sequel on hold to see if Redmayne's performance was altered at all. Hopefully I will have that for this coming weekend's breakfast viewing.
Did you see Fantastic Beasts? Has anyone seen any interviews with Redmayne or Yates or Rowling about this character of Newt Scamander and his portrayal in the movie? I'm wondering if this was all in JK's script or Yates' interpretation or just Redmayne's take on it.
rogueslayer452 linked to Pop Culture Detective and I started watching the videos on that channel and stumbled upon this one:So I picked up the DVD at work on Friday and watched it over the weekend.
side note: my new movie watching strategy is to pretend everything is a limited run Netflix series and just watch them in hour chunks. This idea used to bother me, felt like I was doing a disservice to the film maker's not watching their entire work in one sitting. But now I've decided that maybe their film makers and their editors are doing me the disservice because I don't have time for 2+ hour movies on a regular basis.
ANYWAY! I watched the movie and I did enjoy it!
Have some bullet points:
( spoilers )
Overall, despite my nitpicks, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I would but I would still only say 3 stars. I did put the sequel on hold to see if Redmayne's performance was altered at all. Hopefully I will have that for this coming weekend's breakfast viewing.
Did you see Fantastic Beasts? Has anyone seen any interviews with Redmayne or Yates or Rowling about this character of Newt Scamander and his portrayal in the movie? I'm wondering if this was all in JK's script or Yates' interpretation or just Redmayne's take on it.
77 emails in my inbox from you lot. SEVENTY SEVEN. LJ/DW is dead, clearly. Only took me 90 minutes to speed read through them. I apologize for incoherent or missing comments.
This month has flown by, but not for the most fun reasons. I was pretty distracted with some health issues at the start and that should all be wrapping up tomorrow with a final blood test. Short version is that my body punked me and I got two periods for the price of one. Finally felt back to normal this past weekend.
I saw It: Chapter Two the weekend it came out. My friend Mathew and I saw the first one in the theater and I have a soft spot for this Stephen King story so I wanted to see part II on the big screen. Without spoiling anything, if you've read the book, the movie suffers from a lot of the same problems as the book. Except in the book, the adult and kids stories are intertwined, distracting you from the weaknesses but with this movie, they tried to focus on the adult stories more (though the kids are still heavily featured) but the adult story is just kind of boring. It wasn't bad, it just was kind of...it was a thing that happened. And I really was in the mood for something scary and this just wasn't. Kind of bummed, waste of a great cast. They were acting their asses off but, in the end, the script failed them.
Speaking of King, I've got his newest book The Institute from the library which is another reason I haven't been online much this week as I have been going to bed early to spend quality time with this book. I only have 3 weeks to read it because I'm sure it has a wait list because Stephen King. Usually I have a lunch book and a bedtime book, but I'm lugging this one all around with me, trying to sneak in a few pages every day. I'm really enjoying it so far but one thing I find distracting (that no one else will) is that it remind me of an X-Files story that I wrote in middle school. Perhaps these are tropes I wasn't even aware of...anyway, I don't want to spoil anything.
I also started listening to Tan France's book Naturally Tan which is read by Tan so it is like I am driving to work and Tan is sitting next to me, rambling about his life and I AM HERE FOR IT. I love it. He is cracking me up. I also find it amusing how much less taboo the word "fuck" seems to be in the UK and also the fact that Tan says "fuck" all the time but also says "gosh". He's adorable.
BASTILLE CONCERT THIS SATURDAY! I'm really excited about this. I'm taking my Mom because she is also a fan. It's at a new venue in DC that I have never been to, so we're going to make a day out of it. It is also Mom's birthday weekend, so I'm going to treat her to dinner along with the concert. It's this whole new part of DC that is all fancy and I guess on the water? It all opened up a few years ago so this will be an adventure for both of us.
We've got one more episode of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Atlanta and Killjoys left. I'm sad about the Killjoys finale because it is the series finale and I'm going to miss that show. It just had a great sense of humor and fun and action and I wish I had found it sooner.
Season 2 of Atlanta has just been all over the place, but in a good way. Every episode is a roller coaster of emotions. Donald Glover is a national treasure. I really look forward to his work as time goes on. This show is so good, but I feel like he is working up to something mind-blowing one day. Like, a whole other level.
Dark Crystal has been interesting. Oddly enough, I was surprised at how DARK it was LOL. I mean, I should have known, it is a prequel to the movie and I know how the movie STARTS so I know where this story will eventually END. But still. Damn. I am enjoying all the voices. Totally identified Mark Hamill right away, if only because he sounded like The Joker from his Batman days LOL. Deet is my favorite, but I think part of that is her character and part of that is her big dilated pupils give her that cute anime look.
The final season of Schitt's Creek will appear on Netflix October 5th. Talk about emotions. I'm ready though, it will be good to have that show back in my life.
And now it is 11pm so I need to get into bed and READ!
TTFN
This month has flown by, but not for the most fun reasons. I was pretty distracted with some health issues at the start and that should all be wrapping up tomorrow with a final blood test. Short version is that my body punked me and I got two periods for the price of one. Finally felt back to normal this past weekend.
I saw It: Chapter Two the weekend it came out. My friend Mathew and I saw the first one in the theater and I have a soft spot for this Stephen King story so I wanted to see part II on the big screen. Without spoiling anything, if you've read the book, the movie suffers from a lot of the same problems as the book. Except in the book, the adult and kids stories are intertwined, distracting you from the weaknesses but with this movie, they tried to focus on the adult stories more (though the kids are still heavily featured) but the adult story is just kind of boring. It wasn't bad, it just was kind of...it was a thing that happened. And I really was in the mood for something scary and this just wasn't. Kind of bummed, waste of a great cast. They were acting their asses off but, in the end, the script failed them.
Speaking of King, I've got his newest book The Institute from the library which is another reason I haven't been online much this week as I have been going to bed early to spend quality time with this book. I only have 3 weeks to read it because I'm sure it has a wait list because Stephen King. Usually I have a lunch book and a bedtime book, but I'm lugging this one all around with me, trying to sneak in a few pages every day. I'm really enjoying it so far but one thing I find distracting (that no one else will) is that it remind me of an X-Files story that I wrote in middle school. Perhaps these are tropes I wasn't even aware of...anyway, I don't want to spoil anything.
I also started listening to Tan France's book Naturally Tan which is read by Tan so it is like I am driving to work and Tan is sitting next to me, rambling about his life and I AM HERE FOR IT. I love it. He is cracking me up. I also find it amusing how much less taboo the word "fuck" seems to be in the UK and also the fact that Tan says "fuck" all the time but also says "gosh". He's adorable.
BASTILLE CONCERT THIS SATURDAY! I'm really excited about this. I'm taking my Mom because she is also a fan. It's at a new venue in DC that I have never been to, so we're going to make a day out of it. It is also Mom's birthday weekend, so I'm going to treat her to dinner along with the concert. It's this whole new part of DC that is all fancy and I guess on the water? It all opened up a few years ago so this will be an adventure for both of us.
We've got one more episode of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Atlanta and Killjoys left. I'm sad about the Killjoys finale because it is the series finale and I'm going to miss that show. It just had a great sense of humor and fun and action and I wish I had found it sooner.
Season 2 of Atlanta has just been all over the place, but in a good way. Every episode is a roller coaster of emotions. Donald Glover is a national treasure. I really look forward to his work as time goes on. This show is so good, but I feel like he is working up to something mind-blowing one day. Like, a whole other level.
Dark Crystal has been interesting. Oddly enough, I was surprised at how DARK it was LOL. I mean, I should have known, it is a prequel to the movie and I know how the movie STARTS so I know where this story will eventually END. But still. Damn. I am enjoying all the voices. Totally identified Mark Hamill right away, if only because he sounded like The Joker from his Batman days LOL. Deet is my favorite, but I think part of that is her character and part of that is her big dilated pupils give her that cute anime look.
The final season of Schitt's Creek will appear on Netflix October 5th. Talk about emotions. I'm ready though, it will be good to have that show back in my life.
And now it is 11pm so I need to get into bed and READ!
TTFN
JOJO RABBIT trailer
Sep. 7th, 2019 05:09 pmThis popped up in my twitter feed and my interest is piqued. It just seems ridiculous enough to work. The poster has the tagline "An Anti-Hate Satire".
Fandoms as relationships meme
Aug. 24th, 2019 12:03 pm![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thenewbuzzwuzz posted this meme and I had to play too, mostly because I already talk about X-Files and Buffy this way.The one who seduced you, screwed you over, broke your heart in a million pieces, and laughed about it:
The X-Files, for sure. I devoted so much to that show in the early years. So many Friday nights at home in high school because I couldn't miss an episode. Wrote my first fan-fic, got into the fandom community. But the mythology was a mess and promises were broken over and over. And I may still be bitter.
Honorable mention goes to Game of Thrones. And everyone knows why.
The old flame you don't see very often any more but whom you still really enjoy getting together with for a few drinks and maybe a pleasant nostalgic romp:
Whedonverse, but specifically Buffy. When I broke up with X-Files, Buffy was there to show me what a series where the writers actually tracked the mythology and stories looked like. I see them every day, in the sense that I have all the DVDs, figures, and books on display but I watched it SO MUCH at the start that I don't even need to rewatch them anymore, I can just close my eyes and see the scenes LOL. But every now and then, I need to watch Buffy, Angel, or Firefly and remember when these were shows on regular TV.
The mysterious dark one whom you used to sit up with talking until 3 AM at weird coffee houses and with whom you were quite smitten until you realized they really were fucking creepy:
Riverdale. That first season was so much fun. It was self-aware and turned the squeaky clean comic world of Archie upside down. The mystery was twisty enough to keep me guessing. And the characters were just quirky enough to pull me in. But the second and third season got into a zone of ridiculous I could no longer take. It was never realistic, but you can only push it so far before it becomes unwatchable for me.
The one you spent a whole weekend in bed with and who drank up all your liquor and whom you'd still really like to get with again, although you're relieved they don't actually live in town:
"Dark", the German Netflix sci-fi show. I binged that second season hard and I want to know what happens next but I'm okay waiting because it has time travel and I'm so confused about who was where when what how now?
The steady:
I debated between my two big fandoms here, but in the end, it's gotta be Star Wars. I've been a fan since birth and it is the happy place I go back to when I need to escape all reality.
The alluring stranger whom you've flirted with at parties but have never gotten really serious with:
American Gods. We've watched the show but I'm not compelled to go beyond it in any way.
The one you hang out with and have vague fantasies about maybe having a thing with, but ultimately you're just good buddies:
Attack on Titan. I watch the show but I'm not hardcore enough to read the manga. But when it is on, I'm ready to talk about it and rewatch the whole series, until we are caught up and another show takes its place.
The one your friends keep introducing you to and who seems like a hell of a cool person except it's never really gone anywhere:
Star Trek Discovery. I keep meaning to watch it, I see little conversations about it all over the place on blogs but I've never made the time for it, mostly because the only way for me to watch is DVD from the library. CBS All Access is a stupid business model.
The one who's slept with all your friends, and you keep looking at them and thinking, "How the hell did they land all these cool people?"
Marvel stuff. I mean, I get it, I was there at the start and saw the movies but at this point, I'm amazed how many people are still there for it all.
thenewbuzzwuzz mentioned Supernatural in hers and I agree with that too. The one who gave you the best damned summer of your life and against whom you measure all other potential partners:
Hannibal. I can't even remember how I ended up watching this show, a series that should not have appealed to me - its crime, its gore. But it was also REALLY clever and smart and kept me guessing. I hadn't been so enraptured with a show in such a long time when I stumbled into this one.
The one you recently met at a party and would like to get to know better:
Mindhunter. I watched the first season when it came out and loved it, just finished the second and LOVED IT. But they were both binges and I need to go back and really give each episode the attention it deserves.
The old flame that you wouldn't totally object to hooking up with again for a one night romp if only they'd clean up a bit:
If it hadn't been for the lousy 4th season, I would say Veronica Mars.
Maybe I will say Stranger Things here. I didn't hate the latest season, I was just unimpressed with most of it. I'd be there for another season IF things get tightened up a bit and the characters are less obnoxious.
Your hot new flame:
The EXPANSE!!!!!!!! Three seasons and I still feel like we're in the honeymoon phase.
and Schitt's Creek, which I also randomly show up and tell people to watch without them asking. Right now that show is perfect to me.
The one who stole your significant other:
Tim really isn't in to TV shows, but I know when he likes one because he will ask for it after it airs. Right now, it is 'Killjoys'. But beyond tv and movies, he's hardcore into Star Citizen, a game that is still in testing. Pretty sure he was up until 2am flying his ship around last night.
movie quote meme
Aug. 16th, 2019 12:46 pmThis meme is driving me crazy if only because every quote sounds so familiar and I can see the scene in my mind but I can't remember the title.
So, naturally, I decided I would participate to get my revenge!!! :P
sidenote: does anyone else have a notebook on their desk where they write down favorite quotes?
Instructions:
1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search or other search functions.
6. GUESS AWAY! ♥
1. A kiss may not be the truth, but it is what we wish were true.
2. There's nothing more exhilarating then pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?
3. Hey lady, it's against the rules to throw other people's heads!
4. When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.
5. They don't know what it is to be a fan, y'know? To truly love some silly piece of music or some band so much that it hurts.
6. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are.
7. Charlie, you wanna insult me, fine, but you can't envy me at the same time.
8. Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
9. You have wings? I don't have wings!
10. Never run from anything immortal; it only attracts their attention.
11. Po-tay-toes! Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.Even you couldn't say no to that.
12. Listen, you're Kylie. You're an unbelievably nice guy. Your job is really, just to... be available, I think. I don't know your Latin name. I doubt they even had opossums in Ancient Rome.
13. It's only an island if you look at it from the water.
14. Everyone's lost but me.
15. I got your promise. Not a scratch.
So, naturally, I decided I would participate to get my revenge!!! :P
sidenote: does anyone else have a notebook on their desk where they write down favorite quotes?
Instructions:
1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search or other search functions.
6. GUESS AWAY! ♥
1. A kiss may not be the truth, but it is what we wish were true.
2. There's nothing more exhilarating then pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?
3. Hey lady, it's against the rules to throw other people's heads!
4. When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.
5. They don't know what it is to be a fan, y'know? To truly love some silly piece of music or some band so much that it hurts.
6. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are.
7. Charlie, you wanna insult me, fine, but you can't envy me at the same time.
8. Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
9. You have wings? I don't have wings!
10. Never run from anything immortal; it only attracts their attention.
11. Po-tay-toes! Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.Even you couldn't say no to that.
12. Listen, you're Kylie. You're an unbelievably nice guy. Your job is really, just to... be available, I think. I don't know your Latin name. I doubt they even had opossums in Ancient Rome.
13. It's only an island if you look at it from the water.
14. Everyone's lost but me.
15. I got your promise. Not a scratch.
Selfie catch up, part II
Jun. 18th, 2019 10:02 pmWhoops! So, who got sucked into playing Horizon: Zero Dawn this weekend and neglected her friends list in favor of fighting giant robot monsters? THIS NERD!
But now I've come up against a Deathbringer and you can guess how much fun that boss battle is going to be so taking a break tonight so I don't go to sleep frustrated. Instead I will post the selfies from the last few days to catch you up! :D
Movie night - watched ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which felt like a whirlwind Queen 101 lesson and, of course, had a very bittersweet ending. And a meta-Mike Myers/Wayne’s World joke that I’m glad they couldn’t resist.
Sleepy selfie. Almost forgot to take a picture! I did that classic Sunday move where you wake up late and have breakfast at 11 and then by the time you’re hungry again it isn’t quite dinner time so you just decide to hold out but then when you do finally eat, you crash. At least, that is what happens to me! Doesn’t appear to be a problem for Tim. (My Dad was not feeling well today so we postponed father’s day shenanigans until a later date. Goodnight!
It’s a little blurry but that’s because I was waiting for him to smile! Caught him!
Y’all sick of my face yet? Over halfway through a month of selfies! I treated myself to ‘Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney’ to celebrate my promotion.farrantula raved about it on outsidexboxofficial and during the panel at #paxeast and I knew he wouldn’t steer me wrong. Completed the first case and giggled every time Phoenix shouted “OBJECTION!” Very different from anything else I’ve ever played but already lots of fun!
But now I've come up against a Deathbringer and you can guess how much fun that boss battle is going to be so taking a break tonight so I don't go to sleep frustrated. Instead I will post the selfies from the last few days to catch you up! :D
Movie night - watched ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which felt like a whirlwind Queen 101 lesson and, of course, had a very bittersweet ending. And a meta-Mike Myers/Wayne’s World joke that I’m glad they couldn’t resist.
Sleepy selfie. Almost forgot to take a picture! I did that classic Sunday move where you wake up late and have breakfast at 11 and then by the time you’re hungry again it isn’t quite dinner time so you just decide to hold out but then when you do finally eat, you crash. At least, that is what happens to me! Doesn’t appear to be a problem for Tim. (My Dad was not feeling well today so we postponed father’s day shenanigans until a later date. Goodnight!
It’s a little blurry but that’s because I was waiting for him to smile! Caught him!
Y’all sick of my face yet? Over halfway through a month of selfies! I treated myself to ‘Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney’ to celebrate my promotion.
farrantula raved about it on outsidexboxofficial and during the panel at #paxeast and I knew he wouldn’t steer me wrong. Completed the first case and giggled every time Phoenix shouted “OBJECTION!” Very different from anything else I’ve ever played but already lots of fun!
There were lots of great taglines for ‘The Last Crusade’ but I think my favorite was “The Man with the hat is back. And this time, he’s bringing his Dad.”
‘Last Crusade’ was the first Indy movie I got to see in the theaters. I was 8 years old and already a hardcore Spielberg and Lucasfilm fan – I had all the Star Wars movies memorized, and knew most of ‘Temple of Doom’ by heart. ‘Raiders’, with it’s ghosts and melting Nazis, I had convinced myself, was too scary for me. (My theory is that the first ghost caught me off guard, sort of like the first ghost in ‘Ghostbusters’, which I didn’t watch from the very beginning for a LONG time because that memory of being scared kept me away).
I know we saw this in the theater. It wasn’t my first movie theater experience (I saw E.T. in the theater but have no memory of it except for things my Mom told me later), but I definitely don’t have the strong memories of seeing a movie with my whole family like I do with this one.
This was a world with no spoilers beyond the trailer, unless you searched for them. And by search, I don’t mean hopping on your computer. No, that Apple IIe did NOT have an internet connection just yet, or, at least, no world wide web to post your fan theories to. I’m sure I could have found some magazines with interviews and what not, but, again, 8. So I went into this movie just knowing that I loved Indiana Jones and had no idea what to expect beyond what Drew Struzan’s poster artwork told me.
So the opening sequence with a young Indy was a new idea. I didn’t really know who River Phoenix was so I didn’t see him as anything else but Young Indy. And then this happened:
Henry Jones Jr. gets his fedora and is magically turned into Indiana Jones.
Henry Jones Jr. gets his fedora and is magically turned into Indiana Jones.
and the movie really got started.
I don’t remember too much else about the viewing experience. Mostly just sitting in silence, probably munching on popcorn because how could you see an Indiana Jones movie without popcorn?
Yet, there is one moment, one scene, that I still remember, deep in my mind, deep in my gut, because of the reaction I had to it. When Donovan pulls the gun on Indy, threatening him to go in and find the Grail. Indy smirks and quips ” Shooting me won’t get you anywhere.” Donovan looks straight at him and says ” You know something, Dr. Jones? You’re absolutely right.” and then…
Donovan pivots ever so slightly and shoot Indy’s Dad.
Right – so I’m 8 years old here. I don’t know movie tropes. I don’t realize that Steven Spielberg doesn’t kill a Dad. I don’t understand that Indiana Jones movies are not going to go that dark. All I know is that Indy’s Dad just got shot. I remember feeling my guts squeeze, the heart stop, and my eyes just filling with tears. I remember my Mom leaning over, sort of giving me a rub on the back and perhaps whispering that it would be okay or not to worry or something along those lines. Something to calm me down so I didn’t lose it completely.
I believe once I saw that Henry was stable and talking, that Marcus was going to hold that little cloth over the wound, I calmed down, hopeful that Indy would save the day.
Of course, there was a happy ending (unless you were a Nazi, but then you don’t deserve one, do you?) and like all good stories, the heroes ride off into the sunset, laughing and smiling, with John Williams’ classic theme playing.
Since then, I have watched the movie many many times. I quote it constantly, especially the classic “No ticket.” line. I could probably act out entire scenes if I needed to. It is perfect from beginning to end. No downtime, no throwaway scenes, all of it important for the story.
I grew up in the 80s and 90s, straddling the Gen-X and Millenial line. I didn’t get to experience Star Wars or the first two Indiana Jones’ films in their initial theater releases, and I’d say this movie marks the end of that Lucas/Spielberg summer domination era in some ways. Speilberg went on to make some fantastic, but heavier, films. Lucas waited another ten years to go back to a galaxy far far away. I’m so glad I saw this in the theater and have this memory, even if it was a bit of a traumatic one. This was the last great summer romp before both creators matured and grew apart.
If you haven’t seen this movie in awhile, sit down and watch it again. Turn out all the lights, pop some corn and settle in. 30 years later, it is still a lot of fun keeping up with the Joneses.
What are your Indiana Jones memories? Please comment or link to your post! I’d love to chat with other Indy fans.
