24-May-2005 Uncategorized

early in the morning

This past weekend I saw three films: REVENGE OF THE SITH, ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, and MONSTER-IN-LAW. I couldn’t find anyone willing to see SITH with me on opening day (something I’ve done ever since EMPIRE STRIKES BACK came out in 1980). Here’s the blog entry I wrote with my Blackberry while I was sitting in the theater waiting for the show to start. If you’ve got ’em, smoke ’em.

I’m sitting on the first row if the sdtadium seating at the Plymouth Meeting 12 theater — the same place I saw ATTACK OF THE CLONES in 2002. This will be the last Star Wars movie I ever see. Woo — that’s kind of a cool thought. I believe I’ve seen all of the films on opening day except the first film. I need to check with the parents about an estimation of when that happened. I bought tickets for the 9 o’clock show but I am sitting in the 7:45 auditorium. Is that bad? There was no giant line to get in although it is filling up. I have managed to keep the plot of SITH somewhat unknown other than what is obvious and what’s been in the commercials. A guy I work with in Houston is the absolute master at keeping himself in the dark and avoiding spoilers whenever possible. I don’t have that kind of willpower. Oh!
The video previews are going now. I talked to my dad before getting in to the show. He’ll be seeing SITH tomorrow. It really is getting packed. Hmmm. That’s the way I like it. Movie Watcher Network pre-show countdown is on. Holy crap! In the last 45 seconds an enormous number Last Possible Minute people have poured in. This is gonna be one of those shout at the screen movies, I believe. I guess I’ll put my blackberry away now and will report back later with my customary short but sweet and to the point review.

As far as my review of SITH? I loved it. It wasn’t perfect — especially some of the terrible dialog — but you can’t beat the action! Lucas has it down to a science. Tension? Thrills? Excitement? All there. Jar Jar Binks doesn’t speak. Nice touch. Maybe he invented Jar Jar just so he wouldn’t be able to talk in this film. The contrast between Episode I and Episode III is quite stark if you hold them side by side. I believe Lucas was doing some on the job training when he started directing again. SITH is his senior thesis. I would like to see Darth Vader do more talking and killing, but I digress. Go see it. Go to Burger King and buy a Star Wars kids meal, and wonder why they sell toys for a PG-13 film that are designed for little kids ages 3 to 5.


As far as reviews of the other films I saw… ENRON was a dry yet entertaining documentary about the rise and fall of a local Houston energy giant. After viewing the film, however, you’ll probably view the company as a bunch of lying criminals — I do. Some of the things they did in order to create artificial demand for things stinks of bad form. Ken Lay and his cronies deserve all the jail time they can get, IMHO. Geez. And on the other side of the fence, MONSTER-IN-LAW is a chick-flick friendly comedy starring J.Fo and J.Lo. I have had a crush on Jane Fonda ever since I first laid eyes on her. My dad owned the soundtrack for BARBARELLA on LP and she was lookin’ good on the cover. Mmmm. The supporting cast of MONSTER was great and I felt that all their performances were well in line for the type of movie I was expecting. I saw ENRON and The Ritz Bourse (the arty theater). I saw MONSTER at The Bridge, the New York Prices theater. I had two martinis before the show started which, I’m sure, helped me get over the fact that I was seeing my third movie alone in four days. I bonded with the girl serving hot dogs for three minutes. Good enough for me.