Chasing dinosaurs

[rsbseb]

Anyone else out chasing dinosaurs tonight?

I showed up 2.5 hrs early to stand in line at the theater with my kids to watch Jurassic World. I haven't done a midnight movie in over 20 years. I'm aleady tired and showtime is still more than an hour away

[Redmaus]

Looks really good, Chris Pratt is a great actor and I think he fits the part well.

Kind of the opposite of jurassic park.

[rsbseb]

Well it was what to be expected. Lots of sceaming, running, and people eating

[Muirium]

Were any of them any good after the first? Michael Crichton's half decent book plus Jeff Goldblum's rendition of the essential guru chaos theorist Dr. Malcolm made a fair setup for an animatronic romp. Not least thanks to Stephen Spielberg, who's good at remembering that special effects are just effects, and the point of any film is its characters and their story, no matter where they may be. I wouldn't call it his best film (correct answer: Schindler's List) but it's a solid one and defined the early nineties.

The later ones? Not so much. I think I saw the third in the cinema (not my choice of film that night) and can't remember much of anything. Which is unusual for me. Must have been true meh.

Mind, I see Vincent D'Onofrio is in this one. He's a good character actor, with a hint of Orson Welles about him. Something tells me he's not the star, though, as usual.

[002]

I'm with Mu...first one was magical for me. When it was released here I was probably only 9 years old and learning about dinosaurs in school so it was perfect timing. I was hyped for the second one only a few years later but it never had the same magic as the first.

[Muirium]

Seeing things at the right time is critical. First time I saw Star Wars properly (I was already chock full of spoilers of course) was in 1997 when the special edition came out. I'd recently seen the Godfather, a bunch of Vietnam and Kubrick movies, and was well on my way to cinema snobdom. So, yeah, bad timing. It was cute and silly, instead of revelatory the way it is to so, so many people a little older than me.

I preferred Indiana Jones. Which I saw on tiny TV many years before. Same with Jurassic Park.

[seebart]

Seeing things at the right time is critical. First time I saw Star Wars properly (I was already chock full of spoilers of course) was in 1997 when the special edition came out. I'd recently seen the Godfather, a bunch of Vietnam and Kubrick movies, and was well on my way to cinema snobdom. So, yeah, bad timing. It was cute and silly, instead of revelatory the way it is to so, so many people a little older than me.

I preferred Indiana Jones. Which I saw on tiny TV many years before. Same with Jurassic Park.

Absosutely. Star Wars would not "blow me away" today. I'd still like it. But it would not be the same. I'll watch the new one later this year, but more out of curiosity.

[rsbseb]

I saw the first star wars in the theater when it first came out. Back then it was very impressive on many levels. Jurassic park had a certain Magic to it when it first came out as well but action movies really are not my thing anymore. The older I get I find anything designed to produce anxiety or suspense less entertaining. That said I really got a kick out of Guardians of the Galaxy

[Madhias]

I was not allowed to watch Star Wars when everybody watched it on VHS because of being a "war" movie, as my father thought. This wound never healed.

[XMIT]

rsbseb, out of curiosity, how old are your kids? "Stand" and "wait" are such quaint ideas with an infant and a toddler respectively.

[XMIT]

As for cinema snobdom: it all starts with Citizen Kane.

[rsbseb]

rsbseb, out of curiosity, how old are your kids? "Stand" and "wait" are such quaint ideas with an infant and a toddler respectively.

I have five ranging in ages from 22-12, one girl and four boys. I think I was the only one standing in line the whole time as the others were off visiting with friends in other areas of the theater while we waited to be seated.

[matt3o]

I recently lost the theatre charme. We built a hell of a "home cinema" packed with popcorn machine and a great sound system. Audio and video are better calibrated than the average cinema. Popcorns don't cost $15. You can pause any time. No 14yo who lights up the hall with his/her smartphone every 5 minutes. No late comer who takes 20 minutes to find a seat and to open that pack of M&Ms trying not to make noise.

We sometimes go to the theatre, but more as a romantic "dinner+movie" thing with wife than to watch the movie that 90% of the times is a disappointment anyway.

PS: my mother brought me to watch the first SW at the theater when I was like 3yo. That totally changed my life... I don't know if in a good way...

[rsbseb]

I gave up on going to the big screen years ago. Dirty seats, cell phones and inconsiderate patrons ruined it for me. I only go once or twice a year at most. I prefer to watch at home as well. It was really just something to do with all four of my son's since everyone was in town.

[Muirium]

I like going to our local art house cinema. (The Edinburgh Filmhouse.) But I hate stepping through the door as its mobbed by smokers all the bloody time. Film students, yes, but mostly commuters. There's a large bus stop right outside and the cancer brigade have really made it their own.

So yeah, count me among the hardly ever show up club too. Mainstream movies aren't exactly drawing me elsewhere either.

[seebart]

"Cancer brigade". That's a good name for smokers. I was in that brigade for over ten years of my life. Of course at the time I though nothing of it. Despite an epic tax on tabaco here in Germany the cancer brigade is large in numbers. Standing next to smokers bothers me these days. I usually drop the line "thanks for sharing your smoke, I get it tax free" (sounds better in german).

[Muirium]

Yeah, the thing that bothers me about smoking is the way it pollutes other people's space. If fools want to give themselves life threatening diseases with substance abuse, whatever, their choice. Every single packet is covered in details of how they're going to die. But the collateral damage is what matters. Passive smoking, the stink, and, going to other drugs, all the worse things you get when living with drunks and smackheads.

The cancer brigade I refer to are our own dear bus travelling public. Guess it's just a cultural thing in Scotland, or perhaps Britain as a whole, but if you ride the bus and are an avid smoker, you make damn well sure to cough it out in other people's faces as much as you possibly can. The amount of spitting they do in those bus shelters! Seems to be a mark of pride. The school of rough, gobby, sputtery and cancerous knocks.

One of my favourite things about California: so few smokers! And none that are as self righteous and in your face as ours here in Scotland. Perhaps if I'd hung out with the fair hobos of San Francisco…

[webwit]

There's a large bus stop right outside and the cancer brigade have really made it their own.

Smoking is a silly habit, and so is conditioned selective response to burning tobacco, right next to the carbon dioxide emissions of the buses and other motor vehicles which is illogically neatly ignored. What you should do is refrain from using transportation, I'm not asking for your cancerous emissions because you need to go to some cinema! If one has to choose between inhaling someone's smoke and inhaling someone's exhaust, what would you pick?

[Muirium]

I've never once caught the bus there, in all these years. I used to live within easy walking distance, where my only emissions came in the form of carbon dioxide due to exercise and, uh, other things due to chip shop…

[seebart]

The cancer brigade I refer to are our own dear bus travelling public. Guess it's just a cultural thing in Scotland, or perhaps Britain as a whole...

No unfortunately the cancer brigade is an international phenomenon. Sounds like they may be a litte rougher in Scotland, but it's still the same stank. Yeah they managed to get a grip on it somehow in the states. But we don't have that kind of authority here. Of course the tabaco industry is working hard with their lobbyists...$$$.

If one has to choose between inhaling someone's smoke and inhaling someone's exhaust, what would you pick?

Good question, I'm not sure. I'd try to step aside either way.

[webwit]

"Don't get out here honey, there are *cough* smokers near the bus stop!"

[seebart]

Haha those are some heavy SUV smokers.

[webwit]

From now on you may only use transportation for selective purposes, such as saving puppies!

[JBert]

Seeing things at the right time is critical. First time I saw Star Wars properly (I was already chock full of spoilers of course) was in 1997 when the special edition came out.

I managed to see them in Episode order (i.e. 1 up to 6), which did somewhat take the magic out of it when you got to the "original" ones and went from all that glitzy modern-day CGI to the vintage effects. Also, some plot twists are messed up because showing all backstory before any of the original twists obviously gives it 90% away.

If you encounter someone who hasn't seen the series you might want to consider Machete order, which is basically 4, 5, 2, 3, 6 with the first one being cut out completely. Can't say I disagree with his reasoning.

[seebart]

From now on you may only use transportation for selective purposes, such as saving puppies!

no since none of this applies to me.

This is what drivers look like to me...

IMG_20131106_191728.jpg (964.35 KiB) Viewed 4091 times

this is what smokers look like to me...

IMG_20121230_140318.jpg (953.05 KiB) Viewed 4091 times

and here is my choice of transportation...

IMG_20140423_174423.jpg (974.36 KiB) Viewed 4091 times

[XMIT]

I mourn for anyone who does not have access to Alamo Drafthouse for movies. Clean, quiet, and they bring food and drinks to your seat.

Planning to go see the dinosaur movie on Tuesday during the infants-welcome screening. Not as quiet as usual but understandably so. Watched the 1993 movie last night in preparation.

But even Alamo Drafthouse seating can't compare to a recliner loveseat.

[XMIT]

MrsXMIT and I *finally* saw this movie. The Alamo Drafthouse has a "Baby Day". On Tuesdays, showings before 2pm welcome infants and keep the lights on. Fantastic.

[Muirium]

I notice you didn't say a word about the film!

[XMIT]

The movie was good. No spoilers for you! I appreciated the references to the original movie, they were numerous.

[matt3o]

Finally saw the movie... 2:30h running in high-heels, that is sci-fi!!!