In A Word

Here are my one-word descriptions of movies I've seen recently

Sideways: Intelligunny
Friday Night Lights: Loudokay
Birth: Prettyawn
I Heart Huckabees: AmbitiOKusLetdown.
Undertow: KidfromBillyElliotirty
The Incredibles: Humdinger

I'm looking forward to seeing Primer but damn if it isn't hard to blow 10 bucks on a movie that doesn't crack the 80-minute mark. Not since Inspector Gadget eliminated its entire second act to save time for the viewer have I been this outraged at the money to minutes ratio of theatergoing. Seth tells me some theaters in LA charge a crisp 14 dollars. This may include Shiatsu massage but I still find it a little over the top. Imagine paying 14 buckaroos to see a movie like Hook or better yet, a movie like The Clearing (Redford/Dafoe). Hook was so embarrassingly bad you felt like you were witness to cinematic history. A movie like The Clearing is so completely 'Whatever,' the ten bucks acts more like a donation to the theater. Other than your brain receiving some needed downtime, you effectively gained nothing for the money spent on a ticket. You paid to give up two hours. At this stage, 14 dollars is a lot to risk on a fleeting movie.

That being said, I most often just like being in the theater seeing any ole movie. When the price rises above 10 bucks, however, it forces me to be more selective. Yes, you avoid big-budget nothings but sadly, you hold off on the little ones like Primer (where I hear they put a time machine IN another time machine!!!) until they just disappear.