It's Prescreening Time Again

I received a random text from the long lost days of when I would hit up movie prescreenings. I was invited to see Seven Days in Utopia. So Monday, August 29th, I ventured up to Seattle and who should accompany me but my handy-dandy brotherfromanothermother Damon! (Insert picture of us looking very important and yet waiting in a line...)

We drove up Seattle to see the film. It was rather exhilarating waiting in line, forced to talk to a woman who brought a chair to wait in line (Damon and I used our legs) about her daughter who is apparently very pretty and recently graduated from somewhere... Anyhow, I enjoyed the part where I showed them a text message which was my admittance into a free movie. So fun. My review on the movie: Maybe it was the directing, maybe it was the acting, maybe it was the fact that the movie didn't let you know how the culminating moment turned out aka the final putt to win the Texas Open!! Don't worry. They leave you this gem to "continue the journey":

www.didhemaketheputt.com

Except that we went to the blasted site and it tells us, "For the answer and to continue the journey, please return here after the opening of Seven Days in Utopia, Sept. 2nd." Gee. Thanks. I have nothing against Christian/religious films unless they are less than par (like the golf term? huh? huh?) and released nationwide. My vote? Miss it. But if it's ever on TV, use your DVR and watch it when you're catching up on your ironing.

But wait. There's more!

Basking in our disappointment, we decided to use the facilities the movie theatre so generously provided. We then decided to pop into an open theatre to catch some previews seeing as none are provided at a prescreening. We were also debating whether or not to go see Planet of the Apes (which I had already seen and thoroughly enjoyed, thus willing to see it again) when the movie we were seated in began...

FANTASTIC!! The Help was nothing short of amazing. Truly remarkable. We both were extremely pleased and I really did enjoy it to the fullest. It made me feel and it was witty and clever and made me want to read the book it was based on which happens to be sitting on my nightstand right now. I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up. It is not a typical "chick flick." In fact, I don't think I'd categorize it as a chick flick at all. Real men will love this movie and love the women who love this movie.

To top off the night, I couldn't find my parking garage ticket. When I went to the cashier to see if he could work with me on it. Yeah, no. He in his lovely Indian way told me it would be $26. I tried talking to him a couple of times but each time... "Twenty-six dollar." We tried going back up to the theatre but given the hour it was locked and there was no one in sight. So then we ventured into the garage with the hopes of procuring a new ticket that we could then pay for through the auto-pay machine thus avoiding our Indian friend but still paying for our parking. Unfortunately, Damon and I were not able to fool the sensors into believing we were a vehicle. But then Damon found an abandoned ticket. At this point we were exhausted so we decided to just try using it driving the car through the gate to see if it would let us out. What happens next?

Go to www.didtheyhavetopaytwentysixdollar.com.

Totally playing. There were two cars ahead of us and both were having issues with the machine at the gate. When we approached, we put the ticket in fearing it would say, "Yeah right, sucker. Go back upstairs and pay $26 even though you should only have to pay $6." But it just said, "Unreadable. Try again." So we tried and tried until the attendant came over, radioed up to our Indian friend, and let us on our merry way.

Prescreening of a kind of lame movie:

$0

Seeing a really awesome movie:

$0

Getting out of the parking garage at no cost:

PRICELESS

Prince of Persia

This may be one of the shortest blogs I've ever done... I got to see this in yet another prescreening in Seattle. I went by myself and I loved it. :) It was a lovely date. Just me and Mr. Gyllenhaal. (And all of the other people there, too.)

Robin Hood

First of all, I love Robin Hood. I love shooting a bow and arrow. I love reciting lines from most Robin Hood movies or tv shows. I am a fan. So when I saw there was a prescreening for the new Robin Hood, I had to try and see it. Even if I had no tickets.

Danny, Jordan, and I knew full well that the chances of us getting in were slim. So we left earlier than we ever have. So early in fact, that when we arrived the line that normally forms out front made up of the general public was relatively short. I went in and saw no moderators, no press sign-in chicas, no prescreening nazis anywhere. So I simply went up to one of the theatre workers and said, "Hi. I'm here for the 7pm screening of Robin Hood. Where are we?" She kindly obliged and told me which theatre I would be in. I summoned Danny and Jordan and just like that we ascended the escalator within the AMC. We arrived at the theatre only to find that the credits for Nightmare on Elm Street were still rolling. So we waited outside with a couple of random people who turned out to be junior olympic archers and the people from 106.1 FM waiting to set up inside. And when they went in, so did we. Our seats were prime.

It was no Gladiator, but Ridley Scott did a pretty fantastic job with this film. Be forewarned, though. This is not a retelling of the legend most of us know from either Errol Flynn, Disney, Costner/Rickman, or BBC-America. This is before all of that. In a nutshell, how he became who he is. NOT him as Robin of the Hood. There are major discrepancies between this telling and all others that I'm remotely familiar with. For example, King Richard is a bit of a tard. Not endearing in the least. And Marion... well, I can't really go into that without revealing rather pertinent things in the plot. However, Cate and Russell did amazing. Loved them both. I also approve of the guy who played Prince John. He was over the top and ridiculous but it worked. "This is my first time in war... I'll lead!!" And there will be times where you will feel like the legend is being completely rewritten: people you're used to hating you will worry you are about to like and vice versa. Just remember that this is before the robbing-from-the-rich-to-feed-the-poor out-law came to be exactly that. On a side note, something that caught me off guard was Matthew Macfadyen. He played the all entirely too grodie Sheriff of Nottingham. Seriously, my skin felt like it was crawling every time I saw him. I completely fell in love with him as Mr. Darcy in the recent Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley (ooo, Knightley is the guy from Emma! But I digress...); and so to see him as this yokel - well. Well done to him and the makeup department. It took me a minute or two to even recognize him.

All in all I really liked the movie. Loved it, in fact. And the shot where Robin releases his arrow and you see the blood pouring over his eye through the bow and the string... mm! SO good. Seriously. There are just some priceless moments. Interestingly enough, Robin does not have many lines. But I appreciate the honesty that Russell Crowe brings to this role and any other I've seen him in for that matter. And Cate Blanchett? Fierce as Marion. She amazes me as an actress and what girl can't help but look up to Marion? I love you, Marion. (That phrase means so much more now...) I cannot, however, give the movie full marks and here is why. Like I said about Iron Man 2, it could have been tighter, could have flowed a little better. By the end you are sucked in, but it took a little bit to get there. Also, the underlying "information" seemed rather skeletal. It felt like there were a lot of deleted scenes. But I guess I'll just have to wait to buy it when it comes out with all its features to discover if I'm right, won't I? So I give Robin Hood 4 out of 5 fancy feathered arrows. And no, Whitney. There are no snakes. Just awesomeness.

Release Date: 14 May 2010

Seen: 11 May 2010

Iron Man 2 Prescreening FAIL!

It was bound to happen some time or another...

Yesterday, Bruce, Pam, Danny, Jordan and I all headed up to Seattle a bit too late if you ask me (I said around 5pm people!!). When we arrived, the line was ridiculous. Not to mention I left my passes at the office (I've never needed them in Washington before) and the press spot I normally take was already filled. :'( Pam, however, got past all the shenanigans and was up in the theatre corresponding with Bruce while Danny, Jordan and I started to create inside jokes and refreshed a few old ones. Good times... Unless you don't get in to see the movie you came to see!! Well, after Pam came back down to join us mere mortals who couldn't/wouldn't sneak our way in, I decided to talk with one of the power-hungry no-one-gets-in-unless-I-say-so chicas. She recognized me from some of the previous screenings. She emailed me and I'm on my way to officially being put on the press invite list. Booyah. She also said we could go to the screening on Thursday (6 May 2010) at the Pacific Science Center, but I have a previous engagement and therefore will NOT be attending. However, since I do not have to work on Friday, you better believe I'll be pulling a morning visit to the movie theatre - Longston perhaps? Maybe the SuperMall? Say 10 AM-ish?

So Iron Man 2, I will happily pay a few bucks to see you along with the general public. The rest of you will just have to await my review until then. Or you could just come along.

Release Date: 7 May 2010

Seen: Not yet...

The Losers

This post is dedicated to Troy Stucki. This is why:

Troy: So how was the movie?

Megan: You want me to spill before my blog review??

Troy: Yes. Then I'll feel more special.

Megan: Haha! Okay. Let's validate "special" Troy.

Troy: Thank you! I wish more people would realize how important that is.

Well Troy, now everyone knows. :D

Here's what we discussed. The Losers was very entertaining. If you aren't easily affronted by mild swearing, immorality, violence, or bad timing, then this is the movie for you! Now, I am a sucker for comic book movies in general. However, I am not familiar with The Losers as a graphic novel and felt that that fact was a disadvantage to me as a spectator. It wasn't as accessible like, say Batman or Iron Man or X-Men. You did not need to be an avid follower of the comics to enjoy any of those franchises, but at the same time if you were it informed and enhanced the experience that much more. Another thing that is perhaps a drawback is that my favorite people to watch in the movie were supporting roles. None of the "main" main characters. Also, the editing could have been tighter. Or maybe it was the directing. I don't know. But I do know that when you are trying to have witty repartee there shouldn't be 2 to 3 second beats between each clever line. All of that being said, I did enjoy it. And as my dad* so aptly put it, there were low points, but there were also some really great high points. Jensen, Cougar, Pooch, Go Petunias, Blackgyver, Don't Stop Believin'... They were fantastic. The long and short of it? I approve. But on a scale of 1 to 5 machetes, realistically 2 and a shiv. It had the potential of being so much more. So if you have an overwhelming desire to see it in the theatre, make sure you go to a matinée and that you go with the right people.

*My dad was my date for the movie. It's been a while since we've gone to a non-mom movie. I printed out tickets, prepared to be legit because I'm experimenting with playing by the rules vs. working the system. Well, the line was long so Papa and I walked up to the ticket-taker to ask about the movie and the wait. I said, "Hi," and before I could say another word the lady says, "Oh good. Press. Sign in." So I did.

Letters to Juliet

I had every intention doing things different this time around. I legitimately RSVP’d to txtMovieClub.com for the prescreening of Letters to Juliet and received two passes for tonight. So Jessica Wesenberg and I headed up to Seattle after work to go stand in line with the rest of the masses. No press-ing it this time. We first went to the front to tell the every so nice lady (I am being extremely generous in my description) that we were there for the screening. To which she responded that we could get at the back of the line. I asked her about the press and she said they weren’t invited to this one. Phew. Glad my press-pass was tucked away. ;) Well, the line was gianormous and we had a bit to wait and the drive was rather lengthy and I drink a lot of water… so they let us use the facilities. And to my normally never-present luck, they started letting people into the screening right when we got out. There was no monitoring, so Jessica and I mad our move and slipped into the movie theatre unnoticed. We got the best seats in the house (you know the ones I mean, in the front row of the stadium seating where you can put your feet up on the bar). I guess it was just meant to be. On to the review…

Photo by random lady at the Pacific Place AMC (Megan & Jessica at the Letters to Juliet Prescreening)

On the way to the movie, Jessica and I were discussing how many people including ourselves wanted to see the movie but how at the same time we felt as though the trailers left nothing of the story to be discovered. However, I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I loved this movie. And as I posted on my facebook status immediately following (because if it's not on facebook, it never happened)... "I approve. I very much approve. I would not oppose if this movie had a cameo in my life." There were plenty of things to be delighted and frustrated with, and the characters were fun to invest in. And sure, it may not be too terribly if at all realistic, but isn't that why we go to the movies? To suspend our disbelief and enjoy the unreality? I am a sucker for a good love story and, let's be honest, love in general. So allow me to reiterate two things that were said more than once in this movie: 1) if it was true then, why wouldn't it be true now and 2) love has no expiration date. Wise and very true words. So on a scale of 1 to 5 m&ms, give me all 5. But for the rest of you, it is a chick flick but an enjoyable and surprisingly somewhat relatable one at that.

Seen: 7 April 2010

Release Date: 14 May 2010

The Last Song

Yes folks, I traversed yet again to Seattle for a free movie screening of The Last Song. I was accompanied by two fantastic ladies (Nikki Barbour - no stranger to the prescreening - and Jessica Wesenberg - first-time attendee). And with the exception of Miley Cyrus, we absolutely loved it. Now, how can you love a movie without its main character? I honestly don't know, but we did. Maybe it's the fact she wasn't pretending to be two people, maybe it's the fact she didn't sing... Who's to say? But needless to say my favorite person was hands down Greg Kinnear. I am a huge fan - even when he's a bad guy (to clarify Kinnear is NOT a bad guy in this film). And the kid who played her younger brother? He was simply fantastic. I won't lie. I shed a few tears and more than once. Nicholas Sparks has a knack for that I suppose. And the fact that playing the piano had a bit to do with the plot didn't hurt. So I guess on a scale of 1 to 5 bowls of my homemade applesauce, I'd give it a solid 3. And if you're a Miley Cyrus fan, most likely a 4 with a couple extra spoonfuls and a dash of cinnamon. So if you like a good tear jerker and baby sea turtles, it's worth at least a matinee in the theater.

Screened: 25 March 2010

Release Date: 31 March 2010

Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Oh Percy Jackson... Welcome to the big screen. Last night I made the trek up to Seattle yet again to sit in the fancy schmancy reserved seating at the Pacific Palace AMC for a prescreening of Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief. (The picture on the poster was quite possibly my favorite part of the movie. FYI.)

If you did not know it, this movie is based on the first book in the series Percy Jackson & the Olympians. I will simply say that if you are a fan of the book, a picky film goer, or simply have a hard time suspending your disbelief, you will be disappointed with the film. However, if you like a good kids' flick and don't mind cheesiness on the big screen, then Percy Jackson is the film for you!

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the movie. However, I absolutely loved the first book and had just a few minor expectations. Like not masticating the entire premise of the story!! I mean come on. Is that really too much to ask? I can look past changing the age of the main characters, or cutting back some of the scenes - shoot, changing them completely for that matter... But taking out major characters and changing more than one core concept of the entire plot-line? I worry for the success of this picture and the possibility of any future ones.

I think I may be getting harsher in my movie critiques...

Well, I have not yet finished the remainder of the books (there are 5 in the series), but I am planning on it. I just hope that they are able to do a second movie and do the book more justice than this one did.

So on a scale of 1 to 5 chocolate-chip cookies, I would probably give it around 2 if you've read the books, 3 1/2 if you haven't. But then again, it really just comes down to your expectations, right? I think I've said it before and I'll most likely say it again: expectations not met equals disappointment. Meh. I'll get over it. And I'll most likely end up eventually buying the movie. What can I say? I'm a sucker for mythology. And Percy Jackson.

Valentine's Day

So on Monday, February 8, 2010, I assumed my place in the press once again and went to a prescreening of Valentine's Day in Seattle.

I was accompanied by two gentlemen who happen to enjoy a good chick flick as much as (if not more so than) me. We arrived a bit late and did not get to sit together, but all was good in the end. Or was it?

Let's push aside the fact that the man sitting to the right of us was potently drunk and started snoring not even 10 minutes into the film. Believe it or not, I can get past that. And maybe I'm getting more picky, but this movie just didn't do it for me. It was as if it was trying to be Love Actually but had the emotional pay-off value of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider*. Ouch. That actually hurt me to write that. Okay. Redeemable qualities. The acting was believable. And I loved the actors. But the individual story lines... It was like I would start to care, but then it would get resolved and I was, "That's it? Really? That's how you're going to 'end' that? If you even call that an end. Come on!" And the last line of the movie? Possibly the worst ever. Ready? Some radio personality, real or made-up, is voicing over right before the credits and bloopers roll. Fuego Valentino or something like that... Here it is:

"And as we end the day, we're all just hoping to hear those three little words: let's get ___."

(edited for family friendliness - but it kind of looks like the word 'baked')

Really? Really?! Gah! Oh well. On a brighter note, there really are some great scenes. And my favorite story-line and the one true pay-off of the whole movie goes to Julia Roberts. Well done lady. Oh, and Gary Marshall's cameo in the mariachi band. I approve of that as well.

So in short, I liked it. But it's not a must-see for the theatres. In fact, I would skip the video store, too, and wait for TBS to air it. I'm sure they will. As they should. It's an entertaining film. Just not what I was hoping for I guess. But those are the rules: if you have expectations and they aren't met or exceeded, you will be disappointed. So now that you have a frank perspective, go and enjoy it!

*I enjoyed Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. But let's face it, it was not exactly an emotionally charged chick flick, was it?

PS If by some weird stroke of what I refer to as non-luck any of the actors from this movie read this, first, thanks for reading! And second, be assured that I enjoyed your performances. You were fantastic. I just had a hard time suspending my disbelief in some areas. Don't hate me.

The Lovely Bones

I love movies. I do. Media in general, actually (except the news - I can't stand the news). But this post is in the vein of movies.

Last night, 3 of my friends and I went to the prescreening of The Lovely Bones. "But wait!" you might say. "That doesn't come out until January 15th!" You are correct. But that is the beauty of prescreenings. You do not pay and you get to see a first run movie before it's even out. All you have to do is be kind of a big deal. Which I am. AKA know how to work the system. Which I do...

Photo by Ricky V. (from left to right Megan, Nikki, some dude from Movin 92.5, Becca, & Danny)

I got us in with the press, we had fantastic seats, and the boys from the radio station were kind of in love with us. Now as for the movie itself, I could write and write and write about my take on it. A review if you will. But seeing as I need my precious sleep for what the next few days hold for me, I will simply say that it was well made but couldn't decide what to be. Is it a suspense-thriller, a horror, movie, an avant garde interpretation? Make up your mind! That being said, I did enjoy it. However, not having to pay a dime for it most likely enhanced my enjoyment of it. It was disturbing which I believe was one of the points, but I was sucked in and as Danny so accurately put, "It made me think." That it definitely did.

So there is that. I saw the Lovely Bones, but I have no desire to see it again. Well made, well played, but not one for those who enjoy an ending tied up in a neat bow.