Movies

One of my favorite things to do is go to the movies. When I was a kid, many, many, years ago, our family went to the movies every Friday night. (This was during World War II) It didn’t matter what was playing, we went. It was always a double feature. The first movie was always a big name movies with famous starts, then an intermission with a game called Keno where prizes were given like a set of dishes. (The only prize I can remember.)Then there was a cartoon followed by news–we saw all the war news this way–scary stuff for little kids–and last, a B movie. We saw a lot of really bad and gory movies about gangsters.

I suspect there were also previews, I just don’t remember. Previews are my favorite today, so I suspect I liked them back then too.

Things haven’t changed much, I still love to go to the movies–or watch them on DVD. When we go to the theater we always go early. Sometimes we’re the only ones there for that showing. Today we went at 10 a.m. to see the new Batman flick, The Dark Knight. Not really my favorite kind of movie, but my great-grandkids stood in line to watch it at midnight when it first came out. They told me it was fantastic and I had to see it. Though I can’t say it was the best movie I’ve ever seen, it kept my attention all the way through–though a couple of times I thought, “This is really a long movie.” My hubby didn’t fall asleep and that’s also a good sign. The special effects were wonderful! The Joker was spectacular. Sad to realize that young man won’t be making anymore movies. This wasn’t as campy as the previous Batmans. My one criticism might be that they tried to hard to give a message. Sometimes “messages” are irritating in movies. I go to movies to be entertained, not preached to.

We watched Sweeny Todd on DVD. This one was mesmerizing–a musical with gushing blood-letting. Way over the top, this one was definitely campy. Johnny Depp may be one of the best actors alive today–and he certainly doesn’t mind playing strange and eccentric characters.

Frankly, I like most any movie, and I’m sure that’s because I grew up on them. My least favorites sometimes are the ones that one Academy Awards. Why? Though the acting may be wonderful, sometimes the main characters have no redeeming qualities as in There Will Be Blood. I’m not fond of movies that are so realistic that they cease to be entertaining. Like reading mysteries, I want to be caught up in another world. I want to be able to identify with the main characters and cheer them on. And if there’s a bad guy, I want him to get his just desserts in the end.

The one thing that’s changed since my childhood movie-going days is I no longer have nightmares from scary movies. I still have some pretty scary dreams, but they don’t seem to have any connections to movies I’ve watched.

Because it costs so much to go to the movies these days, I can’t go as often as I'd like. And I try to decide which ones I can wait to see when they come out on DVD.

Have you seen any good movies lately?

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Comments

BillieJohn said…
I LOVE movies, but don't get to go as often as I'd like. However, I did make the trip to Springfield to see SEX AND THE CITY when it came there. Since moving back to IL, I have become a slavish fan of SATC, a fact that has puzzled me since I am not a fashionista, and my idea of a romantic experience is a few hours in my garden. After much pondering, it dawned on me that my fascination with these four ladies was based in the way their characters interact with each other...the way they support each other in bad times, cheer each other's successes and more. What it really comes down to is excellent writing, especially in the character development area...reinforcing my frequent comment that it is character that keeps us turning the pages, or buying tickets at the movies..character is the element that lives on and keeps an audience coming back.
Melanie Atkins said…
I loved the SATC movie. Haven't seen The Dark Knight yet, but I plan to go soon. I enjoy most movies, but generally seem to go when it's either really hot, like now, or really cold.

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