So, I went out to see Pirates of the Caribbean. Fun movie. Maybe not quite as good as the first one, but a lot of fun, anyway. Unfortunately, the movie-going experience itself was not fun.
See, here's the thing. I watched the first movie on DVD, and the entire way through I kept thinking, "Oh, man, I wish I'd caught this in the theater. This would have looked so cool on a big screen." So I made a point of seeing the second one in a theater. But it was damned hard to enjoy those scenes of nifty big-screen action, given how distracted I was by my feelings of seething hatred for the guy down the row from me who seemed to think that a movie theater was a perfectly acceptable place to hold a cell phone conversation.
Honestly, every time I go to the movies these days, there always seems to be a jerk with a cell phone, or a noisy kid, or, more often, both. This time there were both, plus I swear I could hear what sounded like someone popping bubble gum. And you know what? Screw it. Just... screw it. Size isn't everything. From now on, it's DVD all the way for me, I think. Because I just can't enjoy a movie, no matter how good it is or how impressive it looks, if I have to sit in a room with assholes to watch it.
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Start dating someone big and get them to shut people up for you.
ReplyDeleteManners have taken a turn for the worst.
I'm not normally someone who goes around complaining that nobody has any manners any more and Western civilization is going down the toilet, and yadda yadda yadda. I think a lot of things that people -- particularly older people -- complain about as lack of manners are simply changing customs and changing ideas of what constitutes politeness. I had a woman my mother's age go off on a rant to me once about people not taking their hats off in buildings any more, and how rude and disrespectful that is, and it just seemed bizarre to me.
ReplyDeleteBut then, of course, every time I go to the movies, I find myself rethinking that attitude and wondering if people really are getting demonstrably ruder, in ways that have nothing to do with when to say "please" and "thank you" and rules about headgear, but rather in terms of not giving a shit about their impact on the people around them. And maybe they are.
I've heard it speculated that part of the problem in movie theaters is that people are so used to watching movies at home now that when they go out to the movies, they still act like they're in their own living room. That might be part of it, I don't know.
Personally, I blace a lot of the blame on cell phones, and on the place they've taken up in our culture. But I could rant about that for ages, and I think I've done so here in the past. Suffice it to say that I believe they constitute far, far too much of a good thing.
"Size isn't everything."
ReplyDeleteOr, as I say, "More is not always better." (Men around the world are now e-mailing your comment to numerous other people, saying, "See? She gets it!"
It does surprise me that someone your mom's age mentioned the hat thing. Now MY mom, on the other hand, sure. I even had a professor (note: older than my parents) who wouldn't start class until all the men removed their baseball caps and cowboy hats.
Its all because of the media. Manners or lack of, I mean. Every sunday, at least one phone goes off. The newspapers and TV advertise that we cant do without them. Even tho I have a cellphone, I know when I should have it off. At least put them on vibrate and check your messages later. Chances are its just someone who wants to chat, and they know you are in church. Dont ever call me on Sunday morning, at a movie, at dinner or in bed. Think about that one. Sorry Betty., couldnt resist
ReplyDeleteI don't get it Dad what that some kind of sexual inuendo?
ReplyDeletemake that read "was" that some kind of sexual inuendo
ReplyDeleteWhatever is in your mind ,o daughter of mine. Dont come out of your room while you are here. You might hear or see something you might not like. You know, we are not dead, almost, but not completly
ReplyDeleteI am so not listening to any of this. :)
ReplyDeleteI am sitting here reading this and my jaw dropped to the floor :)
ReplyDeleteOk is this the real "Your Pop". Although, the "o daughter of mine" is very Dad phrase.
I want to see Pirates but I've just shelled out money to see, Cars, Superman and for some unknown reason The Davinci Code, which was even harder to follow when half of the screen was black for a good 5 minutes during the important parts, I don't think it would have made a huge difference however :) But Tom Hanks is cool. However, since Johnny Depp is cooler logic would suggest that I must see Pirates. And why are we calling a 40 year old man "Johnny", like on one of my favorite whos "The Dead Zone", the main character is called Johnny? What are they 8? Sorry I am rambling and making no sense.
What's wrong with "Johnny?" Johnny Carson's, like... ancient.
ReplyDeleteIt is, however, utterly impossible to dispute your Johnny Depp vs. Tom Hanks logic.
So The Dead Zone's good? I recently read the book and I could see how it might be adapted into an interested series, so I was figuring on watching that sometime.
Ahem. An interesting series. :)
ReplyDeleteRead the book many years ago. Nothing like the series. Although, I do like the series somewhat. When we come to visit you, I hope our room is private. HAH! I AM the real Your Pop.
ReplyDeleteWell, given the end of the book, it would have to be somewhat different.
ReplyDeleteAs for the rest. *sticks fingers in ears* La, la, I can't hear you!
Oh, crap. That doesn't work. *puts hands over eyes* There, that's better.
Stupid text-on-a-screen. :)
Well I've never read the book. But I had the misfortune of seeing the movie starting none other than Mr. creepy himself Christopher Walken. The whole stopping the evil politician from ending the world theme is woven throughout the episodes. I think Anthony Michael Hall does a great job, however watching him makes me feel old as I still see him as the cheeky brat pack kid from like Pretty in Pink.
ReplyDeleteRead "staring" and "geeky"
ReplyDeleteI kind of like the special effects in Dead Zone. Hall seems like comedy could come natural to him. Kathy, I agree Walken has always been creepy and scary at times.. The only brat pack I knew was Sinatra, Martin, Harris, and the kind after them.
ReplyDeleteWalken is always creepy. Walken is creepy if he's asking someone to pass the salt. :)
ReplyDeleteWalken is so creepy, he didn't really even need makeup when he played the headless horsemen in "Sleepy Hollow". :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Dad, that was the Rat Pack. They decided to be cutesy and call all the 80's people the "brat" pack.
Oh.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Depp is so cool, I think he should be the next incarnation of the Doctor, whenever David Tennant decides that he doesn't want to do it any more. Of course, whether the BBC could afford the going rate for Mr Depp's services is another matter.
ReplyDeleteI could just see him with Rosie!
ReplyDelete"What's wrong with "Johnny?" Johnny Carson's, like... ancient."
ReplyDeleteHe's also Dead....
Johnny Depp playing The Doctor hmmmmm............
Johnny Carson was ancient before he was dead, is my point.
ReplyDeleteAnd, much as I love Johnny Depp, as even though I suppose he might be able to pull it off, I vote an emphatic "no" for him for the Doctor, and not just because it'd eat up all of the BBCs budget and they'd have to go back to cardboard sets. Doctor Who just isn't a "star vehicle," you know? And I like it that way. :)