"Frozen" Warms the Heart

I went to see Disney's "Frozen" in our local cinema. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. Normally I do my research before going to a film so that I at least know the context of the story. I hate spoilers but I usually want a general idea of what the movie is about.  Due to the fact that Thanksgiving was yesterday and I just forgot, I had no clue other than a teaser I saw a month or so ago that had Olaf the Snowman and Sven the reindeer.

When the opening credits started I felt a chill up and down my spine - but the good kind of chill. I did not realize the movie was set in Norway or at least in Norwegian style land and the music was absolutely astounding! I found myself laughing with the little kids in the theater and actually surprised by a twist in the plot. 

While it was a traditional Disney story, it was very well done and I found the cultural change a welcome one. I wouldn't expect I mind blowingly unique story.  It is very much a traditional style fairy tale.  It is, however, very fun story with beautiful scenery and music as well as talented singers.  The characters are heartwarming, even the reindeer, and it's a fun holiday movie for the kids.  Because of the digital effects it would be nice to see on a screen that has a digital projector, but I'm not sure it's worth the gas money to drive a long way to see it. But if you're in town and can go, do!  Its very beautiful animated.

Support Your Local Cinema!

A not-so-long time ago, in a galaxy not-so-far away, movie and gas prices are at an all-time high, making the movie-going experience extremely difficult for individuals and families alike due to the expense and time.  But there was a movement among the locals... Several rose up and began to make more movies available to others by renovating local cinemas, rebelling against the ridiculous prices.

The reason I started this blog was because I had to drive 40 miles one way and pay almost twice the admission fee to see movies that I really wanted to see in theaters. To say that the ability to do this is a luxury is an understatement. I enjoy going to the movies a great deal. It is one of my biggest stress relievers. But I would love to not have to go on an 80-mile round trip just to see a really good film. And that's just to see a wide release film. Heaven forbid I want to see something in limited release, then it's a 90 or 100 mile trip one way.

Recently, however, the local theater in my hometown has been bought buy new owners. And they're here to make a difference.  Since the cinema still runs on a film projector rather than a digital projector the kind of movies we have been able to get have been extremely limited. Now however, they are raising money to make the necessary changes.

Companies like Paramount Pictures  have told theater owners that they will no longer be making movies that run on a film-based projector. in fact Paramount will only make one more movie that will run on film. Everything from then on out will be digital. While this is very good for the quality of the film it makes it very difficult for small town cinemas to make the conversion from film to digital.   It is expensive to begin with and you run the risk of alienating locals who don't want to pay slightly higher prices for tickets.  Honestly, since our ticket prices are so low right now anyway, I wouldn't mind paying a few more dollars for a ticket to avoid making that 80-mile round trip!  Even if the race ticket prices by two or three dollars they are still below current ticket prices in most areas.

So what am I saying?  We really need to support our local theaters! If you want to keep to get prices down and get a quality movie at the same time, then don't let our local cinemas go out of business. I am very thankful that the new owners were able to purchase our cinema, because the only alternative was for it to shut down. I hope all of you take into consideration that the renovations that will be made, including new screens according to local paper's interview with the owners, cost a great deal of money.  So keep going to the movies here in town and support the local business here - especially when it comes to the movies.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

All I can say is WOW!  After coming out of the theatre from watching Catching Fire, I seriously think that that has to be one of the best converted book-to-movie of all time!  The care that was taken to preserve the integrity of it was so much better in this one.  Despite knowing what was coming, I still felt the intensity of every moment!   The acting was exceptional, if not Oscar-worthy - especially from Jennifer Lawrence. You could see the raw emotion on her face and feel it inside as she struggled through the multitude of trauma and troubles.  You couldn't help aching for Peeta as you realize how deep his feelings for Katniss run. 

I saw this at a local theatre  because I'm trying to help keep it open by supporting it, but I would love to see it anywhere! It's well worth the price of admission and the time it takes to get there, whether you're going to a major cinema complex or whether you're visiting the dollar theater at home. Either way go!

I went with a friend who hasn't read the books. She found the movie a little slow at the beginning and the fight scenes far too short - or so she says. Everything was perfectly to my liking. And I cannot imagine a better cast.

Thor: The Awesome World!

While it has been a while since I last posted, is not been for lack of wanting to go to the movies. My return to the movie going-scene has not been disappointing! I went to see Thor: The Dark World this afternoon and was astounded by the film's quality.  Not only was this an Avengers-worthy movie, the quality of graphics, the quality of writing, and the acting rose high above my expectations! You know I don't like spoilers. I won't give any here. But I can tell you that this movie is well-worth the price of admission as well as the drive to see it in a decent theater.  The soundtrack was better than the last, and the tone of the film overall fit well with Marvel's current trend in the franchise.  Serious enough to feel like an Iron Man 3 movie with inherent danger to both earth  and the nine realms, while maintaining an element of wit that keeps the audience laughing throughout at appropriate times. I would highly recommend seeing this film! As of yet I can't tell you what the 3D experience is like because I haven't tried it but I'm very tempted to at this point.