9363 - Saturday -

[scottobear]

Well, the drive-in was really something.

BHK and I had a wonderful time! Let's see... We got there at about 6:50 pm, and left at about 3:45 am. We got home at just about 5:15 am, to hear my alarm clock going off. That underlined the fact that I'd been awake for just a smidgen over 24 hours. (I left with BHK for the movies right from work yesterday.)

We bought an outside food permit for the car, but still hit the snack bar really hard. So much for a healthy diet this weekend. Between BHK and I, consumed were a bunch of egg rolls, a mega-tub o' corn, corn dogs, cream cheese & jalapeno poppers, fried cheese sticks, a home made chipwich ice cream sammich (likely my fave item). We brought 2-liters of home-mixed Arnold Palmers (made with blueberry iced tea) and an additional 2-liter of diet cherry Pepsi. Neither bottle survived, given the salty food we ate... fortunately the day's heat dissipated as the sun set.

Next time, I suspect we'll bring dagwoods, and just grab corn and ice cream at the snack bar... a little bit healthier, at least.

We waited until sundown for the movie to start - that was about 8:45 or so. The playground was cleared out once the movies started rolling.

Opened with the national anthem, and a promo to "Attend your house of worship regularly". First thoughts, the projectionist / owner really likes to gab and play with the audience. He went over the rules and regulations about turning off running lights, etc.... a real homey and comfortable family atmosphere.

Warner Brothers Cartoon - "Beanstalk Bunny" A classic, to be sure. This and all of the shorts had awesome cartoon elements, all featured things you can't show on TV anymore... smoking, violence on women and children, etc.

First feature - Kung Fu Panda. I enjoyed it, though the celebrity voices seemed pretty under-utilized. When it looked like the movie was winding down, I went to grab our popcorn... it was a good thing that I left when I did, as it took about 20 minutes in line to get corn and bring it back. I returned to the end credits, where folks were invited to flash headlights to the kung-fu fighting theme at the end. I liked the extra little movie-bit after the credits, too.

Then - Kit for Kat - Sylvester and Kitten stuck out in the cold, with Elmer taking them in. Not as great as Beanstalk bunny, but it was pretty dang funny, regardless.

There was no Watchmen Trailer on Batman! but we did get to see trailers for Ice Castles with (I can't remember the last time I heard the name Lynn-Holly Johnson - For Your Eyes Only, maybe?), a pause for a marriage proposal, and a preview of Mr. Quilp (a musical version of The Old Curiosity Shop ).

So... The Dark Knight. I liked it, but *really* didn't think it lived up to the hype. I feel that the movie was good, but maybe a 30-45 minutes too long. I think the ol' Two-face element was excellent, and would've worked better in a more developed movie of its own. The Joker was good, but certainly not an Oscar-worthy performance in my opinion... however.. I didn't much care for "No Country for Old Men" at all, and that won two Oscars last year. Heath Ledger did a good job, but he really isn't my idea of the Joker - I think more in terms of bright, surreal colors amongst the dark and gritty Gotham backdrop. This version was a good villain, and genuinely creepy... but not what I think of when I think "Joker". Bale's Batman was... more like scenery than an actor. He portrayed Bruce Wayne well enough, but his "bat-voice" grated on my nerves more than the one he used in the first movie. I liked the newer costume, and the motorcycle... the tech-sonar bit was OK, but it didn't jazz me like it did some. I certainly don't think it's my favorite Superhero movie... or even in my top 5. Probably my top 10, but then, how many good superhero movies are there?

After the Big BM passed... more intermission commercials for food... the snack bar closed at 1:30am, so it was pretty much a 10-minute warning.

Freaky Bic Shaver sponsored movie ad. very surreal.. "we're all disposable here" - I remembered seeing it at the midnight movie express, back when I went to the town center mall in Palm Beach. Very Nostalgic for me, and I wish I could find a copy of the video on the web, but it was about the same time as this one. also shown were all sorts of lobby animations for snacks.

Then - Three bears in "Bee-Deviled Bruin." I've always loved the 3 bears... the sawed-off runt of a father being a loudmouth and violent guy... but you can understand why, given his family life.

Last movie of the evening, starting at 1:30ish - Get Smart. Cute movie.. and loyal enough to the source material. I liked Hymie's cameo, but wasn't crazy about Smart's back story - however, it was good to seem him as semi-competent, as opposed to a complete bumbler.

All in all, I think that both BHK and I had a great time. We're going to try and lure the in-laws and Adam (and a date, if he wants to bring one) to the next show. I'm hoping it's the Wanted / Hellboy / Mummy 3 combo that was hinted at - I'll know on Wednesday, when they announce the lineup.

Anyhow - after we slept for about 4 hours, 9am came, and it was time to go get my shots - did and done, then headed to Trott's for corn... Adam's Birthday is tomorrow, and we've got to have the corn!

Vegged out and rested much of the day - The new Monk was sad to me, as it's a memorial episode... the mystery itself was no great shakes, but they gave the actor a nice mention and some due. Psych was maybe a bit too family-dramatic and less zany as usual, but I expect it'll be back on par come next week.

Last but not least, we finally caught Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - I liked it more than the 2nd one, which suffered a bit from "back to the future-bridge story" syndrome.

That Taco salad was mega-tasty... I 'm not sure why we did cheese crackers for dinner with that good stuff in the fridge... I'm too worn out to use the microwave, I suspect. Hitting the bricks early tonight... until later, dear journal.

---

1 year ago - Alan's Rug, NF upgrade, being a mobile landmark, friends base, panel van dream, clothes shopping, chore wars, lj counts

2 years ago - day moving fast, stop motion video, minimum wage variances, pumpernickel, 2-word meme, a-z meme, dvd decrypter, World Party - Ship Of Fools,

3 years ago - danny, bro, top40, riverwalk autostitched, farcry, sneak peak at Pirates of the Carib2: Davy Jones

4 years ago - Pictures, Newtcam, flipper, Miami population, picasa, alligator as weapon, flash, TMBG, Franco-Prussian war, TU, amber alert/web, php rant, meat hooking, ADP uppity

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7 years ago - carom, evil news, fave monopoly token poll, rude awakening, OTR, impressed with flash, and feelin' romantic

8 years ago - zoe's bday and loverlips adds

Comments

[eryx-uk.livejournal.com]

I'm not so sure about Dark Knight. From what I've seen I don't think Ledger has the Joker right for me. I'll go and see it before I fully commit to that but you can't beat either Jack Nicholson or that chap from the 1960's TV series.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

I agree with you - the guy in the movie was freaky, scary, and chaotic.. but he didn't feel... "jokery".

[missv.livejournal.com]

Growing up, my dad was a notorious miser. We rarely did anything that cost money unless it was a really good deal. Drive-in movies were a big event for us. Dad liked 'em because he loved cheesy b-movies and he could load us all in the car with snacks from home and we'd have a big family night out for around ten bucks.

Mom always made a bed in the back for my sister and me. This was back when you could actually fit a twin mattress in the backseat of a "mid-sized" car. Ha! She'd make a trash bag full of buttered popcorn and filled a cooler with bottles of Coke (the only time we kids ever got to drink pop!). And we'd roll out for the "Dusk to Dawn" feature. Mom and Sis would usually fall asleep sometime during the first flick (which was generally the only "normal" movie on the bill). Which left my dad and I to watch the next three movies (usually the sort of terrible horror and sci fi movies that are featured on MST3K) in peace. I think I was about five the first time I saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre...which explains a lot about how I turned out, huh?

[blackhellkat.livejournal.com]

See you got lucky! My mom made me duck down and go to sleep when all the "good stuff" was shown. All I got to watch was the lousy kiddy cartoon. I told Scott the night we went to Bengies that I had always felt slighted because I hadn't been allowed to watch Saturday Night Fever at the drive in after the Benji movie was over. Feh.

[missv.livejournal.com]

Oh, Mom tried to protect me. As long as she was awake, she'd make me cover my eyes during the sexy and gory stuff. But her urge to censor was apparently weaker than her need to snooze because, if I just waited a little while, she'd doze off and I could soak up all the blood-splattered boobies I wanted to. Dad's standards of decency were significantly lower than Mom's.

Although I do remember one night in particular, when the final movie was unexpectedly replaced with something x-rated. They announced over the PA and my dad peeled out of the theater real quick-like. When we got home, my mom was getting me ready for bed and I asked "What was 'Too Hot to Handle' about?" and she said "A frying pan." Good save, Mom! Har!!

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

maybe they'll have a retro night, and we can see it!

[blackhellkat.livejournal.com]

And we can wear cheesy polyester leisure suits to commemorate the event! :D

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

dern tootin'!

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

Only did the drive in thing once or twice, and that was with my sisters and their friends. But we did have this theater a few blocks away that would let kids in to R rated movies. Saw Saturday Night Fever that way, as well bunch of that 70's horror. Still love the stuff today, most new horror movies bore me, but love the old cheesy old stuff.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

Was Sat nite fever 'R'?! I don't remember anything objectionable, but then agian, maybe I've only seen it on tv as a kid.

70's horror has a good nostalgia vibe... what was the first scary movie you ever saw?

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure it was... I'll check

OK the original release was R rated Rated R "strong language, sexuality/nudity and some drug content" It was then cut to PG.

Well the first scary one I remember see at that theater was "The House that Dripped Blood" Which looking was only PG. Saw it with a friend and his "big" sister, who might have like fourteen. Pretty sure we fibbed about what we were seeing, being I must have been around 8 at the time. Find it hard to believe my parents let me go off to see a movie at that age but diffrent times I guess.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

Heh.. I remember seeing the house that dripped blood on tv, late at night as a young teenager - I've always been a sucker for the flicks that are really a set of a few stories in one piece - like "the monster club"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081178/plotsummary

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

I remember that one! Neat film, I can still remember the Whistler Story and the one about the Ghouls, but the third one has been erased.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

The whistler is the most memorable to me... the vampire was mor ethan a bit silly.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

My pop wasn't tight with the cash, but he loved the Drive-in, anyhow. I suspect that he'd have brought the charcoal grill in with him, if allowed.

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

I liked Ledger take on the Joker well enough, and I was going in expecting to hate it.
I think it is the best Batman movie to date, though I've liked the Marvel movies better, lot more fun and four-color, my main beef with this one, besides little picky stuff, like the city just being Chicago and not Gotham like, and wondering how Joker managed to put tons of explosives everywhere unnoticed, is missing Batman as the Dectective, this movie Batman is a bit of a bumbler.
Happens in the comics too, since Miller's Dark Knight Returns maybe, Batman, for the most part, has gone from the world's greatest detective to grumpy jerk who can beat everyone because he's the goddamn Batman.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

I wasn't too crazy about the most recent batman movie... batman wasn't anything really special. I think Miller may've lost track, and made the parody the real thing... sort of like Harlan Ellison's persona, maybe.

I forgot all about my gripe about the city not being gothic at all.

I actually sort of liked the Jack Nicholson joker... he was a brightly colored and wacky psycho.

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

The Nicholson Joker was fine, though he was basically just himself maybe channeling Cesar Romero a bit here and there.
I guess my problem was I've never really liked the Joker, so this creepy agent of chaos Joker, seemed like a good fit to me.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

I can understand that.. The joker isn't my fave villain, and not really my fave batman villain... I liked that they went the scarecrow route last go 'round.

I'm not sure who I'd pick... Riddler is fun, but a "dark knight" riddler would be sort of lost... bane and killer croc are sort of one note, and clayface just would annoy fans of the current set of films.

Where do you think they could go from here?

Penguin, in "fat guy in a tux" but not a danny devito mutant?

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

The rumor is Riddler is next, always a bit of Joker-lite to me, but who knows.
Scarecrow and Ras a Ghul are definitely some of my favored ones, the movie Ras was OK, but not as cool as the comic one.

Catwoman isn't evil enough, she's more of a foil than villain. Maybe as a secondary villain. I wouldn't mind seeing the crazy keeps a mannequin girl friend, Clay Face, but I doubt that will happen.

Mr Freeze wouldn't probably work for the current movie set either, though the Bruce Tim, version was pretty creepy. Same for the ventriloquist guy.

Maybe that evil psychologist guy, who's name eludes me, which makes me think he's far too obscure. And not nearly iconic enough.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

Hugo Strange? That'd be interesting, but probably tough for audience,s especially after scarecrow.

Oh, the mannikin clayface with the burny-touch, rather than shapeshifting clay-guy.

he could work, maybe!

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

How about Killer-Moth! ;)
Poor killer Moth, always liked that guy, though seem to remember they turned into some kind Moth-demon or something in the comics.

That Brave and the Bold thing you posted about looks fun. Nice to see there is still room for a lighter hearted Batman.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

sure, killer moth.. that'd lead into a batgirl intro, too!

yeah.. he was a weird freak in the teen titans cartoon, too... some sort of bizarre moth-man hybrid, with control over giant moths.

The brave and the bold has got to have at least the bongo-ridden theme going for it... plus, batman has a true lantern jaw and eyebrows again!

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n228/booitsme1418/?action=view¤t=6slcn0w.gif

[graypumpkin.livejournal.com]

God damn Batman.

[scottobear.livejournal.com]

detect, mister! detect!