Saturday night boyfriend shares that his parents got "us" (well really him, but I think they may have said "here, take JJ") a $100 gift card to AMC theaters. And while this seems ridiculously large, it really will only cover about 2 and half movies if we get snacks. And I have to get movie popcorn. It's like a drug. A wonderfully salty drug.
Anyway, we start discussing what movies we should go see and he says he really wants to see Frost/Nixon. I have absolutely no interest in this movie. Not to say that I don't think it will probably be interesting, I just am personally not interested. And we spend about 20 minutes with me trying to explain that. But since I can't really come up with anything other than "I'm sure it is interesting, I'm just not interested" we didn't get very far except to decide that he was more than welcome to go see it without me.
We did move on to decide though that we were going to try and see a different movie Sunday night. He works downtown (close enough to River East to walk) and had a possibility of getting done as early as 4. He gave me free reign to pick the movie and so I jotted down some movie times of what I thought we should see (Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, The Spirit, Benjamin Button, etc.) and headed down to surprise him around 3.
4 o'clock came and it looked like he wasn't going anywhere till closer to 8. I was all ready to pack up and head home when he flies around the corner and says they cut him early- let's go!
Excited we start the windy walk to the theater and I come up with the brilliant plan that I think he should let me pick the movie and let it be a surprise. He is very hesitant about this, I think it was the walking through the movie theater with his eyes closed that he was nervous about, but eventually he conceded. So I stood in line alone and bought the tickets, and when we got upstairs he stared at the carpet as I gently lead him to the theater. He was a great sport.
We got in to the theater and it was ridiculously small and almost all the way filled. We didn't get the exact seats we wanted but I think that's okay. I waited nervously for the movie to start, to see his reaction when he figured out what we were going to see (I kept teasing him that it was Twilight - a movie and book series we are both really against). The previews ended and the show began. Here was the moment to see if my plan of having this be a surprise would be worth it. Before we even got to the name of the director a smile came over his face and he leaned in to whisper thank you in my ear. Yup, in case you hadn't guessed already, we saw Frost/Nixon last night.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Shall we play a game?
25 years ago a brilliant movie was released. I watched this movie countless times as a kid - on TV, on beta max, on VHS. Yesterday that brought that movie back for one night to the big screen all over the country. That movie was War Games. If you are not familiar with this film than I highly recommend you go out and rent it - trust me, it's the best 114 minutes you will spend this weekend.
The basic idea of the movie is that a high school kid hacks into the back end of a military computer and starts a worldwide nuclear war, though he thinks he's just playing a game. This was before personal computers were common place in the American household. There were no laptops in every coffee shop, no such thing as the internet. It was the forefront of what was soon to be possible. It was also released at a time when the threat of an all out nuclear war was something that still hung in the minds of most individuals as one of the scariest things imaginable (not to say that this is not something that is still pretty freaking scary today).
My family loved this movie. So yesterday my mom drove to Harvard, IL and took a Metra into the city. My brother jumped on the Metro in DC and headed out to Virginia (he originally wanted to go to NY but by the time he got in touch with his friend, they were sold out). And even though we were separated by time zones and many miles we all settled into watch this long time favorite on the big screen together.
It aired at 7:30 p.m. regardless of where you were so my brother actually got a jump start on the viewing pleasure. Here in Chicago we got to the theater probably about the time he was starting (so basically ridiculously early) and settled into wait. The show began with nice never before seen interviews and history of the film, a really crappy preview for the sequel they are making and eventually the originally story began. The audience was pretty decent, some loud laughter at moments, especially during the old technology scenes, but overall not too chatty. Then two thirds of the way through it happened.
The scene is at night and the two kids have decided not to give up hope and are trying to find a way back to the mainland (watch the movie and this will all make sense), when the screen goes dark. Yup. Dark. Movie stopped, no idea what has happened. The whole audience audibly groans. People start to get fidgety and complain. Then we all burst out laughing. Because there in the corner of the screen, faint and almost ghost like is the image of a "start" button from a computer screen. That's right. A start menu button. In the middle of the movie about a computer who learns and takes over military nuclear warheads. It was great. Almost as good was when I pulled out my phone to see what time it was and saw I had a text message from my brother. It read - "Hope ur movie went ok. Ours crashed towards the end. Computer problem. The irony is great."
Halfway across the country the movie crashed in the same damn place. He was right, and the irony was just getting better. Our film eventually started back up and we got to go to the glorious end. Turns out they never got the east coast up and running again - guess being an hour behind isn't such a bad thing some days.
The basic idea of the movie is that a high school kid hacks into the back end of a military computer and starts a worldwide nuclear war, though he thinks he's just playing a game. This was before personal computers were common place in the American household. There were no laptops in every coffee shop, no such thing as the internet. It was the forefront of what was soon to be possible. It was also released at a time when the threat of an all out nuclear war was something that still hung in the minds of most individuals as one of the scariest things imaginable (not to say that this is not something that is still pretty freaking scary today).
My family loved this movie. So yesterday my mom drove to Harvard, IL and took a Metra into the city. My brother jumped on the Metro in DC and headed out to Virginia (he originally wanted to go to NY but by the time he got in touch with his friend, they were sold out). And even though we were separated by time zones and many miles we all settled into watch this long time favorite on the big screen together.
It aired at 7:30 p.m. regardless of where you were so my brother actually got a jump start on the viewing pleasure. Here in Chicago we got to the theater probably about the time he was starting (so basically ridiculously early) and settled into wait. The show began with nice never before seen interviews and history of the film, a really crappy preview for the sequel they are making and eventually the originally story began. The audience was pretty decent, some loud laughter at moments, especially during the old technology scenes, but overall not too chatty. Then two thirds of the way through it happened.
The scene is at night and the two kids have decided not to give up hope and are trying to find a way back to the mainland (watch the movie and this will all make sense), when the screen goes dark. Yup. Dark. Movie stopped, no idea what has happened. The whole audience audibly groans. People start to get fidgety and complain. Then we all burst out laughing. Because there in the corner of the screen, faint and almost ghost like is the image of a "start" button from a computer screen. That's right. A start menu button. In the middle of the movie about a computer who learns and takes over military nuclear warheads. It was great. Almost as good was when I pulled out my phone to see what time it was and saw I had a text message from my brother. It read - "Hope ur movie went ok. Ours crashed towards the end. Computer problem. The irony is great."
Halfway across the country the movie crashed in the same damn place. He was right, and the irony was just getting better. Our film eventually started back up and we got to go to the glorious end. Turns out they never got the east coast up and running again - guess being an hour behind isn't such a bad thing some days.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
3...2....1....
This week (and last) are really really busy so I don't have much time for a full fledged update or rant. So far this summer I've seen Feist at Ravinia, Public Enemy at Pitchfork, Hulk and Hancock. I'm going to War Games tomorrow and hopefully will get to see the newest Batman sometime soon. Also coming up is a trip to a horse race track (first time for me!), my birthday with possible festivities, and a visit from my brother as he swings his way around the country before jettisoning off to a tropical island to live and play.
But today I saw something I just had to share. The newest gadgetry found at Staples. DVD's that will self destruct in 48 hours. Okay, so maybe they don't actually blow up (my coworker wouldn't let me use the company credit card to find out) - but how else would this work? I could read the webpage, but that's no fun. Instead I like to believe that after two days of activation they have a James Bondian demise.
But today I saw something I just had to share. The newest gadgetry found at Staples. DVD's that will self destruct in 48 hours. Okay, so maybe they don't actually blow up (my coworker wouldn't let me use the company credit card to find out) - but how else would this work? I could read the webpage, but that's no fun. Instead I like to believe that after two days of activation they have a James Bondian demise.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Wanted
I've had a little pent up aggression lately so this morning I decided that while finding the studs in my ceiling and installing my own punching bag in the computer room was tempting, I'd better find another way to let go of some anger (apparently a full hand of PBR didn't do it). So, since I was up early anyway, I decided to take care of it the old fashioned way. I got my ass on a bus and went to see a nice, violent movie.
I love violent movies, sometimes too much, but when I'm cranky they are just what I need. So I figured Wanted was right up my alley. It was relatively crowded for an 11:50 am showing, but hey it did only open yesterday. I settled in with my breakfast of popcorn and Coke and got ready for two hours of mindless violence topped off with Angelina in full tattooed glory. It was exactly what I needed. Hell, it's a movie about assassins for christs sake. One of my favorite parts? Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don't want to hear about the details. When James McAvoy demolishes a computer keyboard against the face of his supposed best friend resulting in a slow motion shot of the keys flying apart and forming "Fuck You" in the air with the second "u" being the guys tooth. I love this stuff.
Throughout the movie I kept hearing this odd sound that I couldn't place. But just as I would get close to figuring it out the machine guns would start up or the mysteriously fast El train (it was shot in Chicago) would rumble by and I would get sucked back in. By the end of the movie though I was truly confounded on what was making that extra, not out of the fancy speaker system noise. It just didn't fit. Then the credits began to roll and the lights were brought up and it all became clear. The veil was lifted and I figured it out. There it was in the middle of the aisle between the stadium seats and those crappy flat floor front rows. In all its horrific glory. A stroller. There for the past two hours. There for all the fuck you's and the bullets to the head. There amongst the splattered blood and the flying teeth was a child. Someone thought it was a good idea to bring a child somewhere between birth and I'm guessing 4 years old to an R rated film about assassins. All the pent up aggression that had slowly seeped out of me for the past two hours came flying back and settled in with an icy chill.
I carried the rage with me out in to the sunshine of a pleasant Chicago afternoon. I brought it with me across the street to the bus stop. I sighed as I heaved it upon my shoulders and started heading north on foot. I figured it would be best to try and walk it off a bit before I jumped on the bus. So I walked. I walked and I walked and while the rage did slowly begin to subside it took me walking all the way home. From 2600 N. Western up to 4900 N. Western and then over 4 blocks to my apartment. 30 blocks. Anyone got a punching bag for sale?
I love violent movies, sometimes too much, but when I'm cranky they are just what I need. So I figured Wanted was right up my alley. It was relatively crowded for an 11:50 am showing, but hey it did only open yesterday. I settled in with my breakfast of popcorn and Coke and got ready for two hours of mindless violence topped off with Angelina in full tattooed glory. It was exactly what I needed. Hell, it's a movie about assassins for christs sake. One of my favorite parts? Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don't want to hear about the details. When James McAvoy demolishes a computer keyboard against the face of his supposed best friend resulting in a slow motion shot of the keys flying apart and forming "Fuck You" in the air with the second "u" being the guys tooth. I love this stuff.
Throughout the movie I kept hearing this odd sound that I couldn't place. But just as I would get close to figuring it out the machine guns would start up or the mysteriously fast El train (it was shot in Chicago) would rumble by and I would get sucked back in. By the end of the movie though I was truly confounded on what was making that extra, not out of the fancy speaker system noise. It just didn't fit. Then the credits began to roll and the lights were brought up and it all became clear. The veil was lifted and I figured it out. There it was in the middle of the aisle between the stadium seats and those crappy flat floor front rows. In all its horrific glory. A stroller. There for the past two hours. There for all the fuck you's and the bullets to the head. There amongst the splattered blood and the flying teeth was a child. Someone thought it was a good idea to bring a child somewhere between birth and I'm guessing 4 years old to an R rated film about assassins. All the pent up aggression that had slowly seeped out of me for the past two hours came flying back and settled in with an icy chill.
I carried the rage with me out in to the sunshine of a pleasant Chicago afternoon. I brought it with me across the street to the bus stop. I sighed as I heaved it upon my shoulders and started heading north on foot. I figured it would be best to try and walk it off a bit before I jumped on the bus. So I walked. I walked and I walked and while the rage did slowly begin to subside it took me walking all the way home. From 2600 N. Western up to 4900 N. Western and then over 4 blocks to my apartment. 30 blocks. Anyone got a punching bag for sale?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
From Caucus to Catalogue
And so it begins. Since it is now officially 2008 I can begin to pay attention to the insanity that surrounds presidential politics and start to really look at the contenders. In the earliest primary in my living/voting memory Iowa will start the nation on the roller coaster that is election season tonight. I have to admit I'm slightly intrigued by what will happen (though not intrigued enough to skip my dinner plans this evening) and am secretly harboring the feeling that it's all worthless since I live in Illinois, aka Obama Territory, and it kind of feels like no matter what I do I am throwing my vote out the window like a smoked to the filter cigarette. The dichotomy of this gives me a headache.
So to prepare (also known as avoid) for the upcoming 11 months of political subterfuge and dirty politicking I did the only thing I could imagine. I catalogued my movies. One must be prepared after all when one does not have cable and all that is on is loud mouth after loud mouth spouting off on how they and only they will make the country a better place. I got the idea from Robguy's blog yesterday and just had to try it for myself. Discovered some interesting things about myself via the movies I own....
The top three actors are Sandra Bullock in 7 of my movies and Johnny Depp and Ian McKellen tying at 6 for second place (Depp would of been tied for first if I had bought Edward Scissorhands this past weekend, Damn my frugalness!) It also makes entertains me that my second top sub genre is movies based on books or plays. For a full breakdown check out the full list here and please note that it is still very much a work in progress and half of those movies aren't even opened.
So to prepare (also known as avoid) for the upcoming 11 months of political subterfuge and dirty politicking I did the only thing I could imagine. I catalogued my movies. One must be prepared after all when one does not have cable and all that is on is loud mouth after loud mouth spouting off on how they and only they will make the country a better place. I got the idea from Robguy's blog yesterday and just had to try it for myself. Discovered some interesting things about myself via the movies I own....
The top three actors are Sandra Bullock in 7 of my movies and Johnny Depp and Ian McKellen tying at 6 for second place (Depp would of been tied for first if I had bought Edward Scissorhands this past weekend, Damn my frugalness!) It also makes entertains me that my second top sub genre is movies based on books or plays. For a full breakdown check out the full list here and please note that it is still very much a work in progress and half of those movies aren't even opened.
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