A Big Film Weekend (Dre's take)
Here's my movie watching weekend.
I went to see Clerks II (it not being at Celebrity Theatre in Ruston) I drove, like I did in "the old days", (about a month ago) to Monroe. So in Monroe, there are 2 places to see movies, 1) Tinseltown (the local multi-plex) and 2) The Mall, (the crappy mall) the good thing about the mall though is, they have slightly different choices there than at Tinseltown, but more importantly they have 2 dollar, movies if you see the movie before 6PM! I might have chosen to see this movie at the multi-plex but I had a buddy with me and he wanted to see it at the mall for the money we could save, (and since I was driving he didn't lose money by having to buy gas...). Anyhoo, there's a theory that I now subscribe to, seeing a movie at the mall is alright, if you don't actually want to see it for more money, IE- It's okay to see "When a Stranger Calls" or "Stick It" at the mall, because if it's a crappy movie it's alright because you've only spent 2 bucks, and if it ends up being pretty good you feel like you got a deal out of it. However, if there's a movie you actually want to see, DON'T SEE IT AT THE MALL! (The reason being, because the little things that don't bother you when you're seeing The Benchwarmers, do when it's a movie you REALLY CARE ABOUT SEEING!) I didn't see the importance of this rule until this weekend, which is why my Clerks II experience, was horrible.
The movie itself is really good, and funny. It's a delight to Kevin Smith fans, (though I'm not sure it's reach is anything beyond that, it's not very accessible to "new fans".) and to all of us who want to see Dante and Randal again. So the movie was good. I liked Rosario Dawson, and Trevor Fehrman (who played Elias (possibly my fave character) I thought the "new and improved Jay and Silent Bob" were hilarious and fun, really adding texture and breadth to the cast of characters. The overarching point of the movie was the depth of friendship, and the lengths friends would go to sacrifice for the other. This is evident in the friendships between Randal and Dante as well as Jay and Silent Bob. Silent Bob is willing to put up with Jay's crazy dances and even enables him, by providing a boom box, the reason being, without dancing Jay could relapse and fall off the wagon, and begin using the dope he’s merely pushing. The "cameos" by Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Wanda Sykes, and Marshall from Alias (Kevin Weisman) also served to add a refreshing palate of characters to the movie. I also want to say (in a spoiler free way) I’ve never enjoyed The Jackson Five more than in this movie, that and Pillow Pants are the two most remarkably hilarious points in the movie. Not to mention that Smith proves he can be touching, sweet and sentimental without being crass during the Jackson 5 scene. Not that I would know, because I saw it at the mall!
The jokers at the mall played about 2/3rds of the movie in Pulp Fiction style, as in non-chronological order. Some of the events occurred out of order, and I couldn't tell if it was intentional (on Smith's part) or if it was an error on the mall's part. (Incidentally I just called the Mall and manager was a very nice guy, and offered to give me some free passes next time I came in, and he said it "WAS a BIG deal" after I insisted it wasn't (That I get my money back). Anyway, if I were alone I would have gone immediately to the multiplex to re-watch the movie, but I didn't (because I wasn't alone). (But I did re-watch the movie at Tinseltown on Sunday...)
On Saturday I watched two three hour movies. I watched the HBO mini-series Empire Falls and Sergio Leone's excellent film Once Upon a Time in the West. Both were excellent and worthy your and my time.
On Sunday I went again to watch Clerks II (in the right order this time) and I watched M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, as well. I was blown away, this is my fave of his movies (yes, even more than Unbreakable which lots didn't enjoy and I did because of the Comic Book geek in me...) it's also interesting to see how Clerks II and Lady in the Water are similar, in theme. (Though they both go about things in an entirely different way...) both tell the tales of people not reaching their full potential, and finding a place in their respective worlds, by embracing those around them. I don't recommend seeing these movies back to back, but if you were to do so, I'd be interested in seeing if my analysis holds up.
Shyamalan delivers in this not 100% well received bed time story. I'm not quite sure why the critics are down on the movie, it's a deliciously brilliant film. People may reject it because it's not like the other of his movies; (though you might be fooled into thinking it is from the trailers...) Bryce Dallas Howard, delights as she did in The Village, and so does Paul Giamatti (in everything he's in...). The story and movie are much less complex than previous Shyamalan projects, and it's that detail that draws me to the film. It's just a treat for the film lover and the lover of good storytelling. (This may be odd since I just discussed how much I liked Clerks II but), I found it refreshing that the movie didn't have any dirty language or nudity, it's a movie I didn't shudder to see kids in the audience of, (both times I saw Clerks II there were kids 12 years and younger in the audience and I felt a bit uncomfortable in the midst of them.)
When I came back from my double feature I watched The Sting. That too was an enjoyable film, starring two of the most beautiful men who’ve ever lived. The movie is stylized in a grittier Post-Godfather world, but a really intriguing movie none the less. All in all, I don't regret movies I saw this weekend, I just regret doing it at the mall.
I went to see Clerks II (it not being at Celebrity Theatre in Ruston) I drove, like I did in "the old days", (about a month ago) to Monroe. So in Monroe, there are 2 places to see movies, 1) Tinseltown (the local multi-plex) and 2) The Mall, (the crappy mall) the good thing about the mall though is, they have slightly different choices there than at Tinseltown, but more importantly they have 2 dollar, movies if you see the movie before 6PM! I might have chosen to see this movie at the multi-plex but I had a buddy with me and he wanted to see it at the mall for the money we could save, (and since I was driving he didn't lose money by having to buy gas...). Anyhoo, there's a theory that I now subscribe to, seeing a movie at the mall is alright, if you don't actually want to see it for more money, IE- It's okay to see "When a Stranger Calls" or "Stick It" at the mall, because if it's a crappy movie it's alright because you've only spent 2 bucks, and if it ends up being pretty good you feel like you got a deal out of it. However, if there's a movie you actually want to see, DON'T SEE IT AT THE MALL! (The reason being, because the little things that don't bother you when you're seeing The Benchwarmers, do when it's a movie you REALLY CARE ABOUT SEEING!) I didn't see the importance of this rule until this weekend, which is why my Clerks II experience, was horrible.
The movie itself is really good, and funny. It's a delight to Kevin Smith fans, (though I'm not sure it's reach is anything beyond that, it's not very accessible to "new fans".) and to all of us who want to see Dante and Randal again. So the movie was good. I liked Rosario Dawson, and Trevor Fehrman (who played Elias (possibly my fave character) I thought the "new and improved Jay and Silent Bob" were hilarious and fun, really adding texture and breadth to the cast of characters. The overarching point of the movie was the depth of friendship, and the lengths friends would go to sacrifice for the other. This is evident in the friendships between Randal and Dante as well as Jay and Silent Bob. Silent Bob is willing to put up with Jay's crazy dances and even enables him, by providing a boom box, the reason being, without dancing Jay could relapse and fall off the wagon, and begin using the dope he’s merely pushing. The "cameos" by Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Wanda Sykes, and Marshall from Alias (Kevin Weisman) also served to add a refreshing palate of characters to the movie. I also want to say (in a spoiler free way) I’ve never enjoyed The Jackson Five more than in this movie, that and Pillow Pants are the two most remarkably hilarious points in the movie. Not to mention that Smith proves he can be touching, sweet and sentimental without being crass during the Jackson 5 scene. Not that I would know, because I saw it at the mall!
The jokers at the mall played about 2/3rds of the movie in Pulp Fiction style, as in non-chronological order. Some of the events occurred out of order, and I couldn't tell if it was intentional (on Smith's part) or if it was an error on the mall's part. (Incidentally I just called the Mall and manager was a very nice guy, and offered to give me some free passes next time I came in, and he said it "WAS a BIG deal" after I insisted it wasn't (That I get my money back). Anyway, if I were alone I would have gone immediately to the multiplex to re-watch the movie, but I didn't (because I wasn't alone). (But I did re-watch the movie at Tinseltown on Sunday...)
On Saturday I watched two three hour movies. I watched the HBO mini-series Empire Falls and Sergio Leone's excellent film Once Upon a Time in the West. Both were excellent and worthy your and my time.
On Sunday I went again to watch Clerks II (in the right order this time) and I watched M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, as well. I was blown away, this is my fave of his movies (yes, even more than Unbreakable which lots didn't enjoy and I did because of the Comic Book geek in me...) it's also interesting to see how Clerks II and Lady in the Water are similar, in theme. (Though they both go about things in an entirely different way...) both tell the tales of people not reaching their full potential, and finding a place in their respective worlds, by embracing those around them. I don't recommend seeing these movies back to back, but if you were to do so, I'd be interested in seeing if my analysis holds up.
Shyamalan delivers in this not 100% well received bed time story. I'm not quite sure why the critics are down on the movie, it's a deliciously brilliant film. People may reject it because it's not like the other of his movies; (though you might be fooled into thinking it is from the trailers...) Bryce Dallas Howard, delights as she did in The Village, and so does Paul Giamatti (in everything he's in...). The story and movie are much less complex than previous Shyamalan projects, and it's that detail that draws me to the film. It's just a treat for the film lover and the lover of good storytelling. (This may be odd since I just discussed how much I liked Clerks II but), I found it refreshing that the movie didn't have any dirty language or nudity, it's a movie I didn't shudder to see kids in the audience of, (both times I saw Clerks II there were kids 12 years and younger in the audience and I felt a bit uncomfortable in the midst of them.)
When I came back from my double feature I watched The Sting. That too was an enjoyable film, starring two of the most beautiful men who’ve ever lived. The movie is stylized in a grittier Post-Godfather world, but a really intriguing movie none the less. All in all, I don't regret movies I saw this weekend, I just regret doing it at the mall.
posted by The Dre at 1:25 PM
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