Can't you smell the popcorn

Don’t know whether or not it’s because I’m a sheep, I am the marketing person’s dream come true or because I can’t get enough of those giant posters advertising Norbitt, but I found myself at the theatre this weekend, desperate to see what all the hype was about.
I could have checked out Babel, but I hear it’s el terriblay, disjointed and bleak, or I might have stopped in on The Queen if I could have found any soul willing to accompany. Not even a glimpse of Helen Mirren’s ample bosom could entice the hubby. Maybe he’s gay.
So, along with a friend I grabbed a ticket to Dreamgirls to see what all the fuss was about.
And Gack! So much singing. Why didn’t someone tell me this was a musical?
The film was fun to watch and mostly fun to listen to. It was really an attractive movie — I found myself more interested in what Beyonce would wear next than what the plot happened to drop in my lap.
Overall, a decent pick if you’re out this weekend. But take note — Jennifer Hudson has an amazing voice, truly, but sometimes you just want to cover your ears.
It’s just too much.

Other hits and misses both on video and on the big screen:

Pan’s Labyrinth: Brilliant. Loved it. Didn’t even realize I was reading subtitles it was so good. Very bleak, very scary, very brutal. Not a movie for kids, but a film that will stay with you for ages after you’ve watched it. It’s also one that I want to see again and again. I know that when I go back to this movie I’ll notice things that I missed during the first go round.

Children of Men: Clive Owen drew me to this film. He’s a very handsome man if I do say so, and an accent always gets me. That’s what I’m always telling Ken, but then I have to remind him that Peter Griffin is not an accent, he’s a cartoon character, and not a particularly sexy one at that. But back to the film — very dark, very bleak, a really interesting concept about what would become of a childless world. Interesting, violent and fast paced. It’s also not an epic film — so many movies fail these days because they’re just too damn long.

The Illusionist: Edward Norton drew me to this film. He’s a very handsome man if I do say so, but I don’t like his accent in this film. Is it Dutch? Dunno, but don’t like. Do like the film, though. It’s dark and moody. The plot isn’t difficult to figure out. If you are clapping the side of your head when it’s all said and done, shouting “I never would have guessed it!” Alex Trebeck won’t be calling you anytime soon. It’s a gooder, may as well rent it.

Crank: Ken’s choice. Both of us hated it, but then again, when I hate something I manage to make everyone else who is in the room hate it as well. I don’t mind Jason Statham, and I don’t mind Amy Smart. But this movie, which did have a sort of interesting plot, went haywire. By the end I wasn’t even laughing. Granted it’s not a comedy, but if you can’t laugh at the stupidity of the film, then you’re just left shaking your head and wondering how difficult it would be to murder yourself with a fat, red crochet hook.