Is it just me... or is Hollywood not living up to hype lately?
I'm not talking about the latest news on Paris Hilton, although I hear she's "really growing" while sitting in the ol' grey bar hotel. I'm talking about movies. Those summertime blockbusters that are supposed to have us all flocking to our local cine-plex. I'm feeling a little let down, to be honest...
Here's an example: Ocean's 13. I checked it out over the weekend at the Gateway. The trailers looked slick. Flashy. You just can't go wrong with Clooney and company. Or so I thought. Half-way through the movie, I'm looking at my watch (never a good sign) and wondering what that big booming noise was coming from the theatre next door. Maybe I should have gone to that one instead. Maybe I should have visited the local video store instead. Ocean's 13 was ok... just ok. Barely worth the $7.50 to get in the door.
So, what about the other so-called block-busters? Shrek the Third? Not interested in jokes about bodily functions. Pirates? Eh.... I was totally let down by the second one. I'm almost afraid to speculate about the new Simpsons movie. I'll be in line for that one... but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Maybe that's my problem...
I set the bar too high. Erika Edberg tells me I'm too hard to please.
Not true... Clint Eastwood does it. His "Letters from Iwo-Jima" had me in a puddle of tears at the end. Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle do it. "Reign Over Me" was phenominal! I couldn't stop talking about that one.
Fine then. Guess I'll keep shelling out bucks (or scrounging around the station for free movie passes), hoping Hollywood will give me a good enough reason to keep patronizing Larry Miller's establishments.
In the meantime... here's a movie tip from ol' McKay. "Harold & Maude"... 1970. Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort (the guy who played Radar in the original M*A*S*H movie). Great story.... great music,courtesy of Cat Stevens... back before he became Yusaf Islam. And that's another story... for another time.
Until next time....
MM
