A quick movie review

[xiphias]

Lis and I just saw Juno, a movie that Roger Ebert considers the best movie of the year. He's seen it three times and loves it.

Short review: it is, actually, that good.

You know, I almost regret how much I knew about it going in; I wonder what it would be like going in with no idea what it was about.

Just to give you genre: it's about a teenage girl and her family, and it's funny and interesting, and the entire family is intelligent and you LIKE them.

No main characters are stupid, there are no "idiot plots", the plot doesn't have misunderstandings or stupidity. The whole family genuinely loves and supports each other. All the main characters are basically decent people.

I'd use the word "heartwarming", except that I HATE heartwarming movies. It's not treacly or sappy or stupid -- it just works.

I'd love to see it again.

Except that would mean going back to a movie theater.

I'd forgotten just how much I HATE movie theaters, now that they have ads before every movie. I mean, okay, I've gotten used to the slide show while you're waiting which includes stupid movie trivia and ads for the local car dealership. I can deal with that. I CAN'T deal with actual, y'know, ADS, playing for the entire time you're sitting there waiting, and then for a good ten minutes after the start time of the movie. AFTER the lights went down, there were maybe a half-dozen ads -- and two trailers. I like trailers. I hate ads.

I mean, we paid ten bucks a ticket, and then MORE money to buy nachos and soda (the popcorn looked really gross -- they pre-bag it) -- and if I'm paying money to get in, I don't want to see ads. Okay, I can deal with little ads in the playbill, a list of sponsors in the back of the playbill, and maybe a quick verbal "thank you to our main sponsor this evening, Corporation X/Dr and Mr Jane Smith/The Foundation for Basketball in Ballet" or whatever. But not actual COMMERCIALS. That's just over a line. I can't point exactly to where the line is, but "thanks to our sponsor" is clearly on one side of it, and a three minute commercial for a brand of soda is clearly on the other.

So, I WOULD go back, except I don't want to deal with a theater. The second-run theaters around here are a lot more tolerable about that stuff: I can usually deal with them, so I may wait until second-run. Or buy the DVD when THAT comes out.

Comments

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

I wonder if anybody in the movie industry has linked the drop-off in revenue to the increase in adds.

You know, you can charge me, or you can make me sit through commercials.

Pick one.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

The *AA will bleat that it's due to piracy for as long as there's a movie theater still in business. It's not that the movies are crap, it's not that the ticket prices are outrageous, it's not that the behavior of movie theater patrons (chatting,cell hones, etc.) has gotten obnoxious, it's not the ads. According to them, it's teh intartubes and piracy.

I personally am done going to movie theaters for myself. Ads were the last straw for me too. At this point I go only because browngirl, my SO, thinks that movie theaters are a fun outing and I want to take her out to an activity she'll enjoy. Screw it, I'll watch the DVD.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

I saw one movie in a theatre this year.

So not worth the effort.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

See, for me, the annoying thing is that I LIKE seeing movies in theaters. I like seeing it with an audience, I like the big screen and the surround sound, I like the community aspect.

But movie theaters have managed to make the rest of the experience horrid enough that they're managing to overshadow the "movie" part.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Yup.

Back when I used to work a day job, back in Delaware, I got out at 4:00pm most days. That was early enough for me to catch a bargain matinee at a local theater, and I did so quite often. Back then, I enjoyed the experience. Not so much any more.

[ron_newman]

I know the manager of the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. He'd be interested in hearing what is wrong with "the rest of the experience" there, since I know he wants people to feel comfortable and happy going to his theatre.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Most of the second-run and arthouse theaters are a HELL of a lot better than the first-run places. I can deal with Hollywood Hits in Danvers, the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, and the Somemrville Theatre. And, of course, the Brattle.

Basically: like people were saying -- it feels like a downright slap in the face to have ads. To pay for watching ads. That's the biggest thing. So theaters that don't do that get a HUGE boost in my likelihood to patronize them.

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

The Lexington Flick. West Newton Cinema. The Embassy in Waltham. Some of my favorites. Although the last two would probably be considered art houses rather than second-run theatres, I guess.

[cheshyre]

Another aspect is that I think the presence of ads contributes to worsening audience behavior (which further worsens the movigoing experience and makes us less worth the money).

I mean, I *purposely* talked thru the commercials we were sitting thru during the 15 or so minutes we were seated in the theater before showtime began, in order to avoid paying them more attention than they deserved. And others were conversing as well. But when the trailers started (I *do* like trailers), people didn't all hush up.

[gilmoure.livejournal.com]

Heh. I used to work at a theater and it was magic. 'Course, was a mom-n-pop art theater above a coffee shop but was so cool.

That was 20 years ago. I haven't been to a movie since catching Kung Fu Hustle in an almost empty theater.

Juno sounds pretty good. Can't wait until it hits cable.

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

I loved "Juno". Also loved "Enchanted". These are the only "commercial" movies I've seen this year. I tend to rent or go to the art houses. If I go to the larger first-run movie houses, I tend to go for the early shows when everyone else is working. Practically have the theatre to myself. And I always bring my earplugs - too loud! too loud!!