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altivoSince it's a long weekend and started for me at 12:30 today, and Gary was home on a Thursday, we planned to go into Crystal Lake to see Wall-E (Gary's choice) and have lunch. Got there and picked up tickets for 2:40 then walked across the street to Bennigan's where we often eat when going to that theatre. It was closed. Apparently rather abruptly but with no plans to reopen. Nowhere else within acceptable distance would have been suitable (I don't eat fast food, and the other "real" restaurants within a block or two are too slow for us to make the show time.) So we went back to the theatre and swapped the 2:40 tickets for 2:00.
We often go to a Thursday matinee in order to avoid crowds, but had forgotten that kids aren't in school now. It was full, and noisy. The sound for the film was at twice the volume level necessary even then, which is one of my big complaints about movie theatres now. If their patrons aren't as deaf as they think they are, soon they all will be. It was painful at times.
The film is cute, though I have to say I found the Pixar short cartoon that preceded it, about a stage magician and his rabbit, much funnier than the main feature. The thing that ultimately held my attention about Wall-E was not the superficial story, but the more subtle undercurrent of acid social commentary. I'm amazed that a certain ubiquitous big box retailer hasn't sued over it. The stupidity of the humans on the space ship reminded me of Douglas Adams' "B Ark" only updated for current American culture. The two guys riding down the corridor in their floating lounges, carrying on a conversation with each other not directly but by looking at monitors in front of them, was so typical: it speaks reams about cell phones and video[games.] The fact that all the people were bloated like overinflated pool toys, and had forgotten how to walk was just too accurate. The fact that they knew nothing about where food comes from, or had lived on the space ship all their lives but didn't know it had a swimming pool, were also entirely believable. The captain's repeated reference to planting seeds that would grow into... pizzas... was scary because it wasn't too far from the truth.
If you like cutesy robots, or Pixar animation, or superficial humor, you'll like the film. If you enjoy subtle and not-so-subtle barbs directed at American sacred cows, you'll almost certainly like it. On the whole, though, I wasn't impressed. I guess I might give it three apples for trying.
Checked Bennigan's web sites and the closing is so new that they still say the restaurant is open, give hours and even the menu. We had an early dinner at Chili's after the film instead. It was reasonably good food, but as usual, the music was too loud.
We often go to a Thursday matinee in order to avoid crowds, but had forgotten that kids aren't in school now. It was full, and noisy. The sound for the film was at twice the volume level necessary even then, which is one of my big complaints about movie theatres now. If their patrons aren't as deaf as they think they are, soon they all will be. It was painful at times.
The film is cute, though I have to say I found the Pixar short cartoon that preceded it, about a stage magician and his rabbit, much funnier than the main feature. The thing that ultimately held my attention about Wall-E was not the superficial story, but the more subtle undercurrent of acid social commentary. I'm amazed that a certain ubiquitous big box retailer hasn't sued over it. The stupidity of the humans on the space ship reminded me of Douglas Adams' "B Ark" only updated for current American culture. The two guys riding down the corridor in their floating lounges, carrying on a conversation with each other not directly but by looking at monitors in front of them, was so typical: it speaks reams about cell phones and video[games.] The fact that all the people were bloated like overinflated pool toys, and had forgotten how to walk was just too accurate. The fact that they knew nothing about where food comes from, or had lived on the space ship all their lives but didn't know it had a swimming pool, were also entirely believable. The captain's repeated reference to planting seeds that would grow into... pizzas... was scary because it wasn't too far from the truth.
If you like cutesy robots, or Pixar animation, or superficial humor, you'll like the film. If you enjoy subtle and not-so-subtle barbs directed at American sacred cows, you'll almost certainly like it. On the whole, though, I wasn't impressed. I guess I might give it three apples for trying.
Checked Bennigan's web sites and the closing is so new that they still say the restaurant is open, give hours and even the menu. We had an early dinner at Chili's after the film instead. It was reasonably good food, but as usual, the music was too loud.
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 07:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 09:17 am (UTC)I can sometimes be subtle like a breeze block trough the window, too. :)
I am sorry to hear the movie theater and restaurant were too loud. I cannot stand loud noises either. And the kids make me want to... Um. I think I will shut up now. :)
Pizza trees... *snorts* Sheesh :D
no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 10:28 am (UTC)Sorry it was too loud. Bear and I watched Iron Man and he had to go back and get them to turn the volume UP - could barely hear it. Strange but true. We often have to ask them to focus as well. The 3-Rivers Cinemas are smallish but rarely crowded and usually there are no more than twenty to thirty people. We like that and the steep slope so even if somebody very tall is right in front of you there is no problem seeing the bottom of the screen.
Strange the preview and snackbar ads have not changed much in many years and they say the fire exits are in the front but that is wrong, they are to the middle sides. I kinda do miss the curtains being drawn to the side or sides days though. Dunno why, seemed to make the film more important or something.
We will go see Wall-E soon since we both like that kind of film and that kind of humor as a rule.
Impers
no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 12:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 12:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 12:22 pm (UTC)I don't know what it is about movie theaters. The last few years it seems like they are having decibel wars with each other, trying to make the sound so loud you can hear it on the street outside.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 12:27 pm (UTC)Only three theatres in Chicago still have pipe organs, and one of them has been shut up and for sale for several years now.
Yea, I think you'll probably like Wall-E and at least I know you'll get the jokes, unlike the audience we were with. Watch for the short feature with the rabbit and the magician though. That one is a gem.
Wall-E
Date: 2008-07-04 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 12:36 pm (UTC)Re: Wall-E
Date: 2008-07-04 12:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 01:28 pm (UTC)Of course, I am not familiar with the workings of acoustic science, but that is how I would think it would work.
But I think the jokes in the movie may be worth checking out. ;)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-05 04:40 am (UTC)I liked this movie because it has a real "sims" video game feel to
it, but with characters you care for. I also noticed the social
commentary and liked it. The humans had been turned into, literally,
big babies with liquid food and unable to walk by a giant infrastructure
concerned only with its own perpetuation.
Hmm.
^_^
no subject
Date: 2008-07-05 07:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-05 10:39 am (UTC)Since I've never played videogames, I didn't make any connection there. The robots inspired no warmth in me, and the idea of a robot falling in love seemed over the edge to me. Especially so for a robot so limited as this one.
That left me with the social commentary, which is bitingly accurate but I'm afraid wasted on most of the audience.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-05 10:45 am (UTC)I give the animators a lot of credit for the way they managed to put anthropomorphic expressions and even emotion into the behavior and appearance of the robots, but it didn't break through my disbelief threshhold.
The social commentary was too pointed and accurate to be entertaining. It was like rubbing at a sore spot. ;p
Apple and videogame references went right by me, I'm afraid, since I have so little contact with either. The movie is good, I'm sure, but it just missed the target with me. I suppose the abuse of my hearing didn't help either.
The stupidity of the humans on the space ship reminded me of Douglas Adams' "B Ark" ...
Date: 2008-07-06 02:30 am (UTC)The part I remember was the director trying to clear up misconceptions (and dodge flak) about the above "humans on the space ship". He said he did them as (almost literally) "Big Babies"; everything was done for them by robots, their lives were "one big vacation" from birth, why would anybody ever "grow up" (or want to)?
My generation (the Baby Boomers) is notorious for Perpetual Adolescents; Wall-E shows us Perpetual Infants.
Re: The stupidity of the humans on the space ship reminded me of Douglas Adams' "B Ark" ...
Date: 2008-07-07 05:27 pm (UTC)http://www.worldmag.com/articles/14127