Tuesday night was really fun. I went with two friends from work and saw Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Ziegfeld Theater.
The theater is a throwback to the days of old movie palaces. The lobby looks and feels like it should be on Broadway. The screen is huge and the seating is ample. The screen is hidden by a curtain, and the wall are covered in red velvet. At first glance I thought there was a balcony, but there wasn't. The seats rise up to the back wall like in many modern theaters. My best guess is that the Ziegfeld hold at least twice as many moviegoers as most theaters.
As for the movie, it was very good. I haven't seen Raiders in 10 years, and I was pleasantly surprised. The movie still holds up after all this time. If if came out today, it would make a ton of money.
Finally, the crowd at the theater was interesting. They applauded and cheered at every opportunity. It was kind of cool, yet somewhat awkward. I've never been to a movie where the audience participation was positive. People clapped, cheered, and laughed a bunch of time, but a few stick out in my mind.
1) When the title of the film appears on screen
2) When Indy caps the sword welding assassin
3) Right before the last scene where Dr. Rene Belloq and the Nazis open the ark there is an unintentionally funny part of the movie. Indy left with no options threatens to destroy the ark. There is a close up of Belloqs face during an argument with Indy. In that scene a fly lands on his face, and goes into his mouth. Paul Freeman, the actor who plays Balloq, didn't miss a beat and keep on going. That is what you call getting into character, and the crowed loved it.
There's nothing left to say. This movie rocks, and seeing it on the big screen only makes it better.
Raiders of the Lost Ark gets 5 out of 5 Bullwhips.
Yesterday I went to go see 16 Blocks and by far it's the best Richard Donner film in ages. Mos Def is the man in this film. I first heard of him as an actor in Something the Lord Made. He was great in that part, but in this movie he owns the part of Eddie Bunker. To my surprise a quick IMDB search revealed that Mos has 31 acting credits to his name dating back to 1988. 16 Blocks is nicely paced, and gives you some unexpected twists, that fit the situation perfectly.
16 Blocks gets 3 out of 5 birthday cakes. (You'll only understand the cake reference if you watch the movie)
Finally, about a week or two ago I saw Confederate States of America. It's in limited release so check your local box offices. CSA is a film that presents itself as documentary examining the history of the United States. But in this documentary the South won the Civil War.
The film is presented like any documentary you would see on the History Channel. There is a show open, archival footage, interview with historians, and commercial breaks. CSA begins during the Civil War and ends in the present.
I was genuinely excited to see it. I read somewhere that Kevin Willmott the writer and director was quoted as saying, "This is not a what-if story, but a what-is". While I do like the premise of the film, I feel Willmott didn't go far enough exploring the "what-is".
In the end of the film he reveals that somethings we would think were fake, in fact once existed. For example during a commercial break a restaurant called "Coon Chicken Inn" was featured. Yes it did exist. No lie. He also points to Uncle Ben Rice and Aunt Jemima Syrup as symbols of slavery / racism that have creeped into present day acceptance.
My main problem with the film is that I didn't think Willmott showed enough present day evidence to justify the "what-is" statement he made. Many of the products and places he revealed to be real, ceased to exist 40 or more years ago. I can only think of 2 or 3 things that reached into the 1970's and beyond. He makes a solid case for "what-was", but his "what-is" premise I found laking. If he would have explored social and institutionalized constructs that affects blacks today, that steam from that era, CSA would have made a stronger point.
Confederate States of America gets 2 out of 5 Confederate flags.
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