07 April 2012

Movie time

It is rare that I go to the movies anymore.  With 4000 channels on cable, Netflix and streaming movies, why go pay $7-10 to watch a big screen?  Normally, I wait the 4-6 months afterwards for it to hit Netflix.  The last one I saw in the big house was the last Harry Potter movie.  I've followed that series (both in book and on screen) since my son got hooked on it years ago and kind of had to watch the last movie to wrap up the saga.  I was going to go see the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in the theaters, but I just waited until it was available from Netflix.  I read the books and even watched the original movies that were made in Sweden (with subtitles).  The Swedish movies were a good rendition of the books and I wanted to see how Hollywood did.  Not sure I would have cast Daniel Craig in the Mikael Blomkvist role, but he kinda makes it believable.  As you might surmise, I like to read the stories before I watch a movie.  I prefer to understand the story before it gets boiled down into a 2.5 hour visual saga.  Sometimes it helps explain the gaps, or gives more details than the story provides, but some times it turns out disappointing.  To me, it is a crap shoot going to see a movie when you've read the book  - not how I would have imagined the story to unfold or they leave out key subplots or they cast some big name actor who in no way looks or sounds like the main characters or, even worse, they change the ending.  


With those thoughts in mind, I fell in line for the latest movie trend - I went to Hunger Games.  I've been reading all the hoopla building up to the release and the stories of the characters.  Heck, with as much press as this one's been getting, you almost don't even have to go to the movies to see it, you almost get the whole story.  Still, I wanted to invest 2.5 hours of my life to see how this plays out on the big screen.  Before I went, I decided to get the book at plow through it.  Since I don't have a Kindle or iPad, I typically buy a paperback version and start reading.  Usually, I reserve these reads for when I am traveling and get stuck in the airport or on a long flight.  This one was a fairly easy/simple read.  Good narrative, good character development, nice plot lines.  Hooks the reader early and keeps a fast pace.  I have not been a Suzanne Collins fan, but I might have to look up some of her books for future reads.  The movie was, IMHO, an excellent representation    of the book.  They pretty much stuck to the story line with some minor omissions left out for time.  I found it interesting that they did add some subplots or stories that were not in the book that complimented the story.  Some might say they did it to explain points to the audience who hadn't read the book, but I thought it was OK.  Definitely will have to how the next two books/movies pan out.  


Oh, and BTW, one of the reasons I DON'T typically go to the theaters before (aside of cost), is all the previews shown before the main movie.  Movie time was listed at 1040 yesterday and I was running late and did not get to my seat until 1045.  They showed 20 minutes of trailers/ads before the movie kicked off at 1100.  One trailer caught my eye and had me laughing, or to apply the overused Internet phrase ROFLMAO.  You thought you knew your Civil War history?  Coming this summer to a movie theater near you: 




5 comments:

ShadowRun300 said...

I would much prefer to watch movies while tucked in my little corner of the couch, covered under a blanket with a big bowl of ice cream. I rarely go to the theater for the same reasons you mentioned: the cost and the time. The previews are ridiculously long.
My kids have read the Hunger Game series and LOVED them! I have yet to read them, but plan to - you know, in all my free time. Maybe by that time the movie will be out on Netflix and I can watch it while on my couch.
Is that seriously a new movie coming out?? Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? Were you ROFLMAO because it's funny, or because it looks ridiculous?

agg79 said...

Watch the trailer and you'll see why I was ROLFMAO. Somehow I never pictured good old Ab as a Vampire Hunter.

Abby said...

I think this is the first post of yours where you've talked about books and/or movies you've read and seen - another side of you.

I am also currently reading "Hunger Games", mostly out of peer pressure. With all the hype about the movie out there, plus all of the kids have read it and liked it. Magnum got it from the library and read it in a couple of days, so now I'm reading it before his loan period is up.

I typically avoid theaters too, for the same reasons you mention.

meleah rebeccah said...

I might be the ONLY person ON THE PLANET that has not read and/or seen the movie The Hunger Games. However, I might go see that movie. Eventually.

Much like you I usually wait for movies to come on at home as it is ridiculously expensive to go to the theater. And I can't "pause" to smoke or pee!

Although, I did take my son to see the movie "21 Jump Street" last week [while on Spring Break] and it was HILARIOUS.

I also saw that Abraham Lincoln trailer and was like.....WTF??!

terri said...

I tend to avoid movies in the theater. For years it was because we were raising kids on a budget and the movie theater experience is not good for a budget.

I recently went to the theater and saw a couple of flicks - The Help and Footloose. I had forgotten what a sensory experience the movie theater can be. It really takes you out of real life for a couple of hours and immerses you in the movie.

I didn't read the Hunger Games books, but like you, with all this hoopla, I think I'm going to have to read 'em. I like to see the movie only after reading the book too.