Needing a break from Church of England stuff, after I dropped my granddaughter off at her friend's house, my grandson and I headed for the theater to see "Despicable Me". GS wanted to see "The Last Airbender", but when I checked the reviews for the two movies, "Despicable Me" was highly recommended, but the reviewers panned "The Last Airbender". Since GS likes the TV show, I had to do quite a bit of talking to get him to agree to see my preference.
Before the movie, GS and I had our little contretemps at the concession stand, because he wanted the LARGE box of candy, and I insisted on the regular size candy. GS is a sugar-junkie, and when he ODs on the sweets, he goes into orbit. In the end, I prevailed, because I had the money. When the attendant handed GS the Icee which he had ordered, he said, "That's not what I wanted. I wanted a small." The worker said, "That IS a small." In truth, there are no longer any small sizes at concession stands in movie theaters. The server said she would take the drink back, but she had already put the charge on my credit card, and she didn't know how to make a change and would need to call the manager. I told GS, "Keep the drink, please. The movie is about to start," which he did, and the girl at the stand gave us extra popcorn. For what? As a consolation prize to GS who did not get exactly what he wanted? Actually, she may have thought I was mean not to let GS have his LARGE box of candy.
In the end, both of us thoroughly enjoyed the film. The story was delightful and funny. There was enough suspense, gadgetry, and cartoon-type fighting, in which no one gets really hurt, to please a 10 year old and enough humor for grown-ups, which passed right over the kids' heads, to keep me laughing and entertained - altogether a pleasure, and we both left the theater smiling. I recommend the movie for all ages. "Despicable Me" is not a movie that adults must endure for the sake of the children.
Mimi, I do find your stories about taking your grandkids to the movies entertaining, because the dramas surrounding getting inside the cinema with the popcorn etc always sound at least as good as the film.
ReplyDeleteGood on ya Grandmere. --tell GS that he can come visit me, and I will take him to see Airbender (which I thoroughly enjoyed) AND I will suffer to buy him a large box of candy, if he will share it with me....
ReplyDeleteI am no help at all.
Cathy, I could put the stories together and make a book.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I'm calling FedEx in the morning to see if they ship 10 year old boys.
The kids and I went to see Toy Story 3 the other day. Glad to know that there is another good "family" movie out there...
ReplyDeleteI got around the popcorn/candy issue by taking them to Chik-Fil-A right before the movie. ;-)
Cheers,
Doxy
I feel your grandson's pain. I'm a terrible sugar junky. However the days when I could wash down M&Ms with an Icee are long over.
ReplyDeleteDoxy, we saw Toy Story 3 week before last, but we missed the very end, because the theater lost power during a thunderstorm. We loved it. I found someone to tell me the end, and I'll get the video when it comes out so I can SEE it.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is that we got in free yesterday with our rain checks.
Counterlight, I love sweets, too, but I can't eat them as I once did. At the movie I indulged in a bag of chewy Fruit Snacks, which, as you may or may not know, are not fruit.
Mimi,
ReplyDeleteLast Airbender is not a bad film, and I'm a huuuuge fan of the show - which adults will get stuff out of that kids may not; I'm always depressed that people call that and anime "just cartoons."
If GS wants to see it, just warn him from me that Shyamalan tried to cram way too much into one film - it's the entire first season in an hour and a half, two hours. Lots is left out - the Kyoshi Warriors, King Bumi, Jeong-jeong, Jet - and the fight scenes, while beautifully-coreographed, are really slowed down by slow-motion; in the show, there's the martial arts stance and build-up, then bambambam - not here. Sets are beautiful, costumes are beautiful, acting is generally very good - especially Dev Patel as Prince Zuko - Aang, Katara and Sokka just don't have enough time to develop their characters, but all three actors convey what they are supposed to well - I was especially pleased by Noah Ringer as Aang, as he's an unknown with a complex character, and he does it well.
Oh, and the damn narration - honestly, Gabrielle Seychelle and Jackson Rathbone as Yue and Sokka have this intense, awkward teenagey-smiley first meeting, and immediately Katara starts narrating: "Sokka and Princess Yue hit it off immediately." Really?! No!!! The only way it could've been visually clearer is if they had panned down to the tent in Sokka's pants. And they do this with everything! Let them act Shayamalan! That's what you're paying them for. We'll figure it out, promise!
So, that's my take.
The strengths of Despicable Me lie within veins commonly found in animated features, but his entry simply utilizes them extremely effectively. Along with jumping on the 3-D bandwagon (my theatre was screening it in normal dimensions) Despicable Me boasts an impressive voice cast, a ploy first used with Robin Williams way back in the days of traditional days of animation with Aladdin, superbly executed slapstick and what I will call the sidekick factor.
ReplyDeleteMimi, when I was about GS's age, there were two movie theaters in Thibodaux, the Grand near the courthouse and jail in the downtown area, and the Baby Grand on Jackson near St. John's. When I first started going (on Saturdays, natch) it cost a nickel. My favorite movie was "They Died with Their Boots On," about Custer and his ill-fated cavalry, and for several years I was a Custer junkie.
ReplyDeleteMark, I admit that my wanting to see DM was selfish. I thought I may be bored with Airbender. Maybe in two weeks if the movie is still showing....
ReplyDeleteDanish, the theater near me did not show the 3D version of DM. I didn't think the 3D effects added much to Toy Story 3, so I was not too disappointed.
Ormonde, I attended movies at the Grand Theater. It was a sad day when the building was torn down, for it was sturdy with good bones. I don't remember the Baby Grand. I suppose it was already gone when we moved here 40 years ago.
If it was "Toy Story Three" or "DM", how would you chose? I have a decision to make.
ReplyDeleteLapin, that's difficult. I believe I'd give the edge to DM, but TS3 is a delight, too, so try to see both eventually.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was GS's age, I did not attend movie theaters with my grandmother because if Jesus should return while we were there, we would surely be left behind. Of course, I would not have yet been of the arbitrarily set Age of Accountability, so I might have been raptured, but it would seem rude to leave Grandma in the theater by herself.
ReplyDeleteNice, KJ.
ReplyDeletePoor little KJ. I grew up at the movies those many years ago. We went three times a week, Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon - after church, of course. But we could not see movies that were CONDEMNED!
ReplyDeleteit would seem rude to leave Grandma in the theater by herself
ReplyDeleteAt least she could have enjoyed the rest of the movie without having to put up with rustling plastic packets and coughing.
Does it mean Jesus would not have raptured anyone who was in a crowded enclosed place though, KJ? ... I can't see why He would have arbitrarily ignored just movie theatres.
wv - blingles - if that's not a brand of movie theatre snacks, it ought to be.
Mimi,
ReplyDeleteYou would be bored, I'm afraid.
It's a great story, and Shyamalan just didn't commit to getting it told - he's just too much of an egotist to think that maybe writing the screenplay and directing is a little beyond him. I think, though, you would enjoy the animated series, and that might give something you and GS could do on an afternoon at home. The boxed sets have been re-released, and aren't (for box dvd sets) terribly expensive.
The DVD set is a good idea, Mark. I'll pass on the picture, then.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I was waiting for KJ to weigh in on his experience growing up in an evangelical fundamentalist church, but he seems to have disappeared. Of course, KJ has a lot on his plate at the moment.
ReplyDeleteChurch members were not allowed to go to the movies in many cases, not even clean movies. When the kids grew older, no dancing or drinking was permitted.
Church members were not allowed to go to the movies in many cases, not even clean movies.
ReplyDeleteReally??! That's pretty heavy going.
Cathy, it's kind of hard on the kids. I don't know if the rules still apply for children today.
ReplyDelete