About 7 years ago, I went to see Saw in the cinema and was blown away by the creative imagination of Leigh Whannell and the superb direction of James Wan. Although there can be no doubt that the franchise had decended into farce by the fourth inslament, I still regard the first Saw film as one of the best thrillers of the last 10 years and a terrific piece of writing by a young Australian who was virtually unheard of up to that point. Last year I went to see Paranormal Activity and once again I was thoroughally entertained by Oren Peli's chilling tale of a young couple whose lives are turned upside down by demons. When I see a film that entertains me to the extent that Saw and Paranormal Activity have, I take note. Therefore, when I saw that the creaters of both films had teamed up to make a horror movie set to terrify cinema goers everywhere, it was a no brainer. I simply had to see it!!
Insidious is a horror movie that tells the story of (Renai and Josh Lambert, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) a young couple who have recently moved into a new home with their two sons who have just moved to a new neighbourhood with their three children. In the opening scenes we can see that Dalton, the younger son is struggling to settle in this new environment and complains about being scared of his new room. In the early part of the film it is not completely clear why Dalton is frightened but it is obvious that there is a suggestion that paranormal forces are at play. This becomes apparent when his mother puts some books on his shelf and later discovers that they are on the floor. When she confronts him about it, he claims that he did not move them. This odd behaviour is a sign of things to come as Dalton appears distant and not himself. The situation comes to a head when the young boy falls into a coma that doctors are unable to explain. It later comes to light that Dawson is in fact possessed by a demon and this demon is set to wreak havoc with the lives of the Lambert family. As the couple become more and more terrified by events at their own home, they eventually employ the services of a professional in paranormal activity (Lin Shaye). With her help, the family set about trying to rid themselves of this terrible curse.
This is a true horror film. I must admit that I am inclined to prejudge films of this nature, generally expecting little in the way of originality. But in this case, I was more than entertained. Leigh Whannel and Oren Peli combine to create a true horror film that will live long in the memory for its chilling storyline and thrilling ending. A great bit of writing and direction from 2 of Hollywoods most exciting writers and directors.
Definately a must see for horror enthusiasts.
Monday 6 June 2011
Thursday 24 March 2011
The Lincoln Lawyer. Well Worth a Watch
I must be honest, I've never been a fan of courtroom dramas. I don't really know why but if I was given a choice between an afternoon watching ''A Few Good Men'' and redecorating the flat, hand me a paint brush. Perhaps its due to the fact that as a young boy I wanted to be a barrister and I am overcome with jealousy when I see fictional characters arguing fictional cases in fictional courtrooms. Or perhaps ''Legally Blonde'' put me off for good. Either way, its not usually my cup of tea. Nonetheless, I could not help but enjoy ''The Lincoln Lawyer''. A crime drama with a difference, it is certainly one of the most entertaining films I've watched recently.
The film is adapted from a novel of the same name written by Michael Connelly. The plot is quite simple. Micky Haller (Matthew Mc Conaughey) is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who has developed a reputation for successfully defending some of the state's more unsavoury characters. A hard working attorney with a unique attention to detail, Haller's impressive portfolio and track record of successful cases eventually culminates in the biggest case of his career: defending Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillipe) who is accused of brutally beating a prostitute in her home. Roulet is the son of a wealthy businesswoman Mary Windsor (Frances Fisher) and as such Haller brazenly demands a large salary. However, what innitially seems like the best opportunity of his life, soon becomes a nightmare for Haller as he discovers that Roulet is a viscious psychopath with a history of violence. As the case draws nearer and Haller begins to have second thoughts about his client, Roulet threatens Haller and his family. The intimidation reaches a head when Haller's investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy) is found dead at his home. Haller then realises that he must put his ego to one side and protect those closest to him, namely his daughter and ex wife Maggie McPherson (Marisa Tomei)
This film could have easily been forgettable had it not been for the powerful acting. First of all, and I really mean this, hats off to Matthew McConaughey, a man I once reffered to as Mr Romantic Comedy. I stand corrected! McConaughey proves himself to be a very talented actor and is perfect for the role. His character is a slick, arrogant and materialistic lawyer and McConaughey portrays him brilliantly. His laid back style of acting really fits well with the character and McConaughey makes the role his own. Irresistably cool and sophisticated, it is hard to imagine another actor playing the part with such effortless poise.
The villian of the piece, Louis Roulet is played by Ryan Phillipe. To be completely honest, I would probably not have gone to see this film if it wasnt for him playing the antagonist. Ever since ''Cruel Intentions'' and his stunning portrayal of lecherous fiend Sebastian Valmont, I've been a fan of Phillipe. As far as I'm concerned, Phillipe is at his best when playing an absolute creep. I like his portrayal of Roulet for the same reason that I liked his portrayal of Valmont : because no matter how horrible or manipulative the character is, there is always a charm and sophistication about him. As the film progresses and it becomes clear just how viscious and depraved his character is, Phillipe powerfully demonstrates this unique talent as an actor.
The film also boasts a strong supporting cast. Marissa Tomei is impressive as Haller's estranged wife as is William H. Macy as his investigator. Another actress worth mentioning is young Mackenzie Aladjem who does a very good job in her role as Haller's daughter Hayley.
For someone who generally avoids courtroom dramas, this film really impressed me. Its slick, clever, at times funny and definately worth a watch
The film is adapted from a novel of the same name written by Michael Connelly. The plot is quite simple. Micky Haller (Matthew Mc Conaughey) is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who has developed a reputation for successfully defending some of the state's more unsavoury characters. A hard working attorney with a unique attention to detail, Haller's impressive portfolio and track record of successful cases eventually culminates in the biggest case of his career: defending Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillipe) who is accused of brutally beating a prostitute in her home. Roulet is the son of a wealthy businesswoman Mary Windsor (Frances Fisher) and as such Haller brazenly demands a large salary. However, what innitially seems like the best opportunity of his life, soon becomes a nightmare for Haller as he discovers that Roulet is a viscious psychopath with a history of violence. As the case draws nearer and Haller begins to have second thoughts about his client, Roulet threatens Haller and his family. The intimidation reaches a head when Haller's investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy) is found dead at his home. Haller then realises that he must put his ego to one side and protect those closest to him, namely his daughter and ex wife Maggie McPherson (Marisa Tomei)
This film could have easily been forgettable had it not been for the powerful acting. First of all, and I really mean this, hats off to Matthew McConaughey, a man I once reffered to as Mr Romantic Comedy. I stand corrected! McConaughey proves himself to be a very talented actor and is perfect for the role. His character is a slick, arrogant and materialistic lawyer and McConaughey portrays him brilliantly. His laid back style of acting really fits well with the character and McConaughey makes the role his own. Irresistably cool and sophisticated, it is hard to imagine another actor playing the part with such effortless poise.
The villian of the piece, Louis Roulet is played by Ryan Phillipe. To be completely honest, I would probably not have gone to see this film if it wasnt for him playing the antagonist. Ever since ''Cruel Intentions'' and his stunning portrayal of lecherous fiend Sebastian Valmont, I've been a fan of Phillipe. As far as I'm concerned, Phillipe is at his best when playing an absolute creep. I like his portrayal of Roulet for the same reason that I liked his portrayal of Valmont : because no matter how horrible or manipulative the character is, there is always a charm and sophistication about him. As the film progresses and it becomes clear just how viscious and depraved his character is, Phillipe powerfully demonstrates this unique talent as an actor.
The film also boasts a strong supporting cast. Marissa Tomei is impressive as Haller's estranged wife as is William H. Macy as his investigator. Another actress worth mentioning is young Mackenzie Aladjem who does a very good job in her role as Haller's daughter Hayley.
For someone who generally avoids courtroom dramas, this film really impressed me. Its slick, clever, at times funny and definately worth a watch
Monday 21 February 2011
Dylan Haskins for Dublin South East
Having just watched a very interesting episode of the Vincent Browne Show, I was inspired to write this post. Dylan Haskins, a candidate in the Dublin South East constituency, is quite simply a breath of fresh air. Young and enthusiastic with real policies and real opinions, he is exactly what this country needs right now. I was particularly impressed at how a young candidate like Dylan handled himself against veteran journalist Browne. Often an intimidating interviewer, Dylan was unphased by Browne's reputation. He answered Browne's questions in an open and upfront manner and with the confidence of a man far beyond his years. When asked what sets him apart from Fine Gael candidates, Dylan stated that he stands for transperency and communicating with voters. Dylan has accounted for every Euro spent throughout his election campaign, giving full details on his website.
He is happy to answer any questions asked of him and is prepared to engage in open debate with voters. If constituents find that they are not at home when he calls to the homes on the campaign trail, he is only too happy to answer questions on his facebook page. On that point alone, he is unique in his tireless effort to interact with voters and listen to what they have to say. In times like these, constituents want a TD who will be there for them when they need him/her. In Dylan Haskins, they will be guaranteed just that. I just wish we had a candidate like him in Kildare South.
Although I cannot vote for Dylan myself, I wanted to express my support for him in his campaign as I feel Ireland is in desperate need of a fresh perspective from a young and energetic candidate. If you are in the Dublin South East constituency, please vote for Dylan Haskins.
He is happy to answer any questions asked of him and is prepared to engage in open debate with voters. If constituents find that they are not at home when he calls to the homes on the campaign trail, he is only too happy to answer questions on his facebook page. On that point alone, he is unique in his tireless effort to interact with voters and listen to what they have to say. In times like these, constituents want a TD who will be there for them when they need him/her. In Dylan Haskins, they will be guaranteed just that. I just wish we had a candidate like him in Kildare South.
Although I cannot vote for Dylan myself, I wanted to express my support for him in his campaign as I feel Ireland is in desperate need of a fresh perspective from a young and energetic candidate. If you are in the Dublin South East constituency, please vote for Dylan Haskins.
Dylan Haskins for Dublin South East
Having just watched a very interesting episode of the Vincent Browne Show, I was inspired to write this post. Dylan Haskins, a candidate in the Dublin South East constituency, is quite simply a breath of fresh air. Young and enthusiastic with real policies and real opinions, he is exactly what this country needs right now. I was particularly impressed at how a young candidate like Dylan handled himself against veteran journalist Browne. Often an intimidating interviewer, Dylan was unphased by Browne's reputation. He answered Browne's questions in an open and upfront manner and with the confidence of a man far beyond his years. When asked what sets him apart from Fine Gael candidates, Dylan stated that he stands for transperency and communicating with voters. Dylan has accounted for every Euro spent throughout his election campaign, giving full details on his website.
He is happy to answer any questions asked of him and is prepared to engage in open debate with voters. If constituents find that they are not at home when he calls to the homes on the campaign trail, he is only too happy to answer questions on his facebook page. On that point alone, he is unique in his tireless effort to interact with voters and listen to what they have to say. In times like these, constituents want a TD who will be there for them when they need him/her. In Dylan Haskins, they will be guaranteed just that. I just wish we had a candidate like him in Kildare South.
Although I cannot vote for Dylan myself, I wanted to express my support for him in his campaign as I feel Ireland is in desperate need of a fresh perspective from a young and energetic candidate. If you are in the Dublin South East constituency, please vote for Dylan Haskins.
He is happy to answer any questions asked of him and is prepared to engage in open debate with voters. If constituents find that they are not at home when he calls to the homes on the campaign trail, he is only too happy to answer questions on his facebook page. On that point alone, he is unique in his tireless effort to interact with voters and listen to what they have to say. In times like these, constituents want a TD who will be there for them when they need him/her. In Dylan Haskins, they will be guaranteed just that. I just wish we had a candidate like him in Kildare South.
Although I cannot vote for Dylan myself, I wanted to express my support for him in his campaign as I feel Ireland is in desperate need of a fresh perspective from a young and energetic candidate. If you are in the Dublin South East constituency, please vote for Dylan Haskins.
Thursday 3 February 2011
The King's Speech. A Great Movie
I often imagined what a wonderful career a film critic must have. Watching several films a week and getting paid to write about them afterwards sounds like a very good deal to me. And lets be honest about it, it really doesnt seem like it would be a particularly difficult job; one simply expresses in approximately 500 words whether one likes a film or not and for what reasons. Now dont get me wrong, I wouldn't dream of trivialising anybody's career. As a matter of fact, I'm sure a film critic's career can be challenging in its own way, especially when we consider the amount of mind numbing dross that they must sit through on a daily basis. I can't imagine many film critics thanked their lucky stars for allowing them to watch ''Rumour Has It'' or ''The Devil Wears Prada''. That being said, I'm sure the few crackers they do manage to watch more than make up for the rubbish.
Of course it must also be noted that in order to be a film critic, one must possess a certain degree of journalistic flair. Now I'm definately no Mark Kermode and I'm sure that any film critic worth his (or her) salt would be able to throw together a much more stimulating piece of writing in 5 minutes than I have in 60. Nonetheless, I must tell you about the King's Speech. Written by David Seidler and directed by Tom Hooper, this film certainly deserves a mention albeit from someone as unqualified as myself.
When you have such high hopes for a film as I did with the King's Speech, your often setting yourself up for a fall and 9 times out of 10 come out of the cinema dissappointed. Invariably, this is not due to the fact that the film was bad but that it simply didnt live up to the high expectations that you had set for it in your head. This can be very irritating and for that reason, I try not to build films up to much and to not expect too much from any film. In the case of the King's Speech and the furore that surrounded it this was extremely difficult and I went in expecting to be blown away. And my god, did it deliver!!!
Such is the near perfection of the film that one almost forgets just how simple the plot is. In essence, the film is based on the life of George the VI (Colin Firth), an unwilling King who is plagued by an embarrassing stammer. On the eve of World War 11, the King must address his people and deliver a speech that will raise their spirits in the face of immense adversity. In an effort to overcome his speech impediment, he employs the services of an Australian speech therapist Lionel Loague (Geoffrey Rush) and an unlikely friendship develops between King and commonner. This friendship, often troubled, is portrayed wonderfully by both Rush and Firth
Colin Firth is simply magnificant as the bumbling, nervous King George VI, whose life is turned upside down when he userps the throne from his brother who is forced to abdicate for wishing to marry a devorcee. I often become angry when I hear critics say things like this actor really ''got into'' the role. However, in the case of Firth, such a cliche is justified. From the outset where we see him almost catatonic with fear as he addresses a crowd at the 1925 Empire Exhibition at Wembley to the very end of the film where he must address the entire country on live radio, Firth delivers a masterful performance, beautifully conveying the frustration and isolation that any person with a speech impediment must feel, not least of all a head of state. Throughout the film, Firth's timing is impeccable as is his meticulous attention to detail. His delivery of the speech itself in the last scene is breathtaking as he slowly and carefully surmounts each word and with every ounce of concentration delivers a flawless monologue. After watching the film, I compared Firth's speech to the actual speech delivered by George VI in 1939 and the similarity is truly remarkable. From the beginning of the speech right up to the dreaded ''prevail'' at the end, Firth's delivery is staggeringly accurate and a true master class in acting.
While Firth undoubtedly steals the show, one must also pay tribute to Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter who give strong support. If you were to only watch the first hour of the film, you would be forgiven for thinking that Rush's main role is to give comic relief to Firth's serious portrayal of a cruel and unfortunate
condition. However, to view Rush's performance in those terms would be doing the actor a grave disservice. As the film progresses, Rush wonderfully conveys a lovely human side to Loague and his duty of care. One scene that certainly stands out is the heart wrenching argument the King has with Loague when he tells him that he no longer wants his help and that the entire affair has been a waste of time. There is a point where the camera just slowly moves away from Rush and we see the pain in his eyes as he has been completely rejected. Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal of the very young Queen Mother was solid but subtle as it needed to be in a supporting role. The care and love she has for her husband and the belief she has in him throughout is portrayed beautifully and there can be no doubt that she is perfect for the role. Timothy Spall also deserves mention for his praiseworthy portrayal of Winston Churchill.
In short, The King's Speech is marvellous. It is a wonderful story of love, friendship and conquering ones fears. It is undoubtedly pretentious as most movies of its kind are but I feel this one deserves to be.
Of course it must also be noted that in order to be a film critic, one must possess a certain degree of journalistic flair. Now I'm definately no Mark Kermode and I'm sure that any film critic worth his (or her) salt would be able to throw together a much more stimulating piece of writing in 5 minutes than I have in 60. Nonetheless, I must tell you about the King's Speech. Written by David Seidler and directed by Tom Hooper, this film certainly deserves a mention albeit from someone as unqualified as myself.
When you have such high hopes for a film as I did with the King's Speech, your often setting yourself up for a fall and 9 times out of 10 come out of the cinema dissappointed. Invariably, this is not due to the fact that the film was bad but that it simply didnt live up to the high expectations that you had set for it in your head. This can be very irritating and for that reason, I try not to build films up to much and to not expect too much from any film. In the case of the King's Speech and the furore that surrounded it this was extremely difficult and I went in expecting to be blown away. And my god, did it deliver!!!
Such is the near perfection of the film that one almost forgets just how simple the plot is. In essence, the film is based on the life of George the VI (Colin Firth), an unwilling King who is plagued by an embarrassing stammer. On the eve of World War 11, the King must address his people and deliver a speech that will raise their spirits in the face of immense adversity. In an effort to overcome his speech impediment, he employs the services of an Australian speech therapist Lionel Loague (Geoffrey Rush) and an unlikely friendship develops between King and commonner. This friendship, often troubled, is portrayed wonderfully by both Rush and Firth
Colin Firth is simply magnificant as the bumbling, nervous King George VI, whose life is turned upside down when he userps the throne from his brother who is forced to abdicate for wishing to marry a devorcee. I often become angry when I hear critics say things like this actor really ''got into'' the role. However, in the case of Firth, such a cliche is justified. From the outset where we see him almost catatonic with fear as he addresses a crowd at the 1925 Empire Exhibition at Wembley to the very end of the film where he must address the entire country on live radio, Firth delivers a masterful performance, beautifully conveying the frustration and isolation that any person with a speech impediment must feel, not least of all a head of state. Throughout the film, Firth's timing is impeccable as is his meticulous attention to detail. His delivery of the speech itself in the last scene is breathtaking as he slowly and carefully surmounts each word and with every ounce of concentration delivers a flawless monologue. After watching the film, I compared Firth's speech to the actual speech delivered by George VI in 1939 and the similarity is truly remarkable. From the beginning of the speech right up to the dreaded ''prevail'' at the end, Firth's delivery is staggeringly accurate and a true master class in acting.
While Firth undoubtedly steals the show, one must also pay tribute to Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter who give strong support. If you were to only watch the first hour of the film, you would be forgiven for thinking that Rush's main role is to give comic relief to Firth's serious portrayal of a cruel and unfortunate
condition. However, to view Rush's performance in those terms would be doing the actor a grave disservice. As the film progresses, Rush wonderfully conveys a lovely human side to Loague and his duty of care. One scene that certainly stands out is the heart wrenching argument the King has with Loague when he tells him that he no longer wants his help and that the entire affair has been a waste of time. There is a point where the camera just slowly moves away from Rush and we see the pain in his eyes as he has been completely rejected. Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal of the very young Queen Mother was solid but subtle as it needed to be in a supporting role. The care and love she has for her husband and the belief she has in him throughout is portrayed beautifully and there can be no doubt that she is perfect for the role. Timothy Spall also deserves mention for his praiseworthy portrayal of Winston Churchill.
In short, The King's Speech is marvellous. It is a wonderful story of love, friendship and conquering ones fears. It is undoubtedly pretentious as most movies of its kind are but I feel this one deserves to be.
Tuesday 30 November 2010
As I am now effectively an ex patriot, one of the thousands of Irish people who jumped ship when the going got tough, I realise that there is no turning back. Having escaped over a year ago, I have no choice but to keep running. Despite the fact that I have not been ''living and breathing'' the Irish recession, I have kept a close eye on events from afar. I have been horrified to read daily newspaper articles that depict in brutal detail the melt down of a country that had such promise. The recent visit from the officials of the IMF is a bitter pill that will take some time to digest as will the shame and embarassment of being a native of a country that simply cant look after itself.
As with any country in the depths of a recession, the Irish government must accept responsibility. However, unlike most countries plagued by economic turmoil, the Irish recession is an unusual case. The harsh reality that most people do not realise or are perhaps unwilling to accept is that it has not been the banks or the government alone that caused the recession but in fact the entire society. Almost everyone has their share of the blame for the mess the country finds itself in: Greedy tradesmen, foolish young families who took out unnecessarily large mortgages, couples that insisted on buying a new mercedes every 2 years even though an opel astra would have sufficed, people who took out loans for luxuries like holidays and even young fools like me who felt we were entitled to piss our hard earned cash up against a wall on a friday night in a haze of carefree debauchery.
From the political elite right down through every tennet of society, Ireland stinks of greed and a pathetic unwillingness to accept responsibility for our own mistakes. We are now the laughing stock of Europe and will be used as a perfect example to future students of economics of how not to do things and a warning to other up and coming countries not to believe your own hype.
If we are to emerge from this dreadful state of affairs, we must have enough talk of the untouchables (child benefit, students, the OAP's) It's time we accepted that in a nation, we must all pull together and share the burden to adress this problem unified and united.
As with any country in the depths of a recession, the Irish government must accept responsibility. However, unlike most countries plagued by economic turmoil, the Irish recession is an unusual case. The harsh reality that most people do not realise or are perhaps unwilling to accept is that it has not been the banks or the government alone that caused the recession but in fact the entire society. Almost everyone has their share of the blame for the mess the country finds itself in: Greedy tradesmen, foolish young families who took out unnecessarily large mortgages, couples that insisted on buying a new mercedes every 2 years even though an opel astra would have sufficed, people who took out loans for luxuries like holidays and even young fools like me who felt we were entitled to piss our hard earned cash up against a wall on a friday night in a haze of carefree debauchery.
From the political elite right down through every tennet of society, Ireland stinks of greed and a pathetic unwillingness to accept responsibility for our own mistakes. We are now the laughing stock of Europe and will be used as a perfect example to future students of economics of how not to do things and a warning to other up and coming countries not to believe your own hype.
If we are to emerge from this dreadful state of affairs, we must have enough talk of the untouchables (child benefit, students, the OAP's) It's time we accepted that in a nation, we must all pull together and share the burden to adress this problem unified and united.
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Cinema Etiquette
A very recent experience moved me to write this blog. As always, its really just an excuse for me to vent my frustration at all the petty little gripes I have with the world.
Anybody who knows me will be well aware of the fact that I watch alot of films and going to the cinema is one of my main past times. Truth be told, if I had the time to go every day I probably would. Like many people, I find it a great form of escapism and a perfect way to unwind after a hard day at the office.
As I said, this blog is in response to an experience I recently had. This experience took place at a cinema. The film I saw is unimportant. What is important to mention, however, is the fact that I was there alone. As I write that I cringe at the thought of any potential reader misconstruing what I say to think I am seeking sympathy. Far from it!! I merely mention this due to its significance in the context of the anecdote.
On this particular evening I sat, popcorn in hand, drink placed in the holder next to me, in gleefull anticipation of the masterpiece I expected to unfold. I looked around and said to myself ''Perfect, there are only a few people here, no morons, I can actually enjoy this for once withouth having a bunch of kids laughing and shouting throughout.'' And then what do you think happened next? Let me tell you what happened next, the biggest breach of cinema etiquette I have ever seen happed next, thats what! I watched on in horror as a young couple walked towards me and sat in the 2 seats next to me!!! Can you belive it?! Let me remind you that the cinema was practically empty. Apart from 6 or 7 people, I had the place to myself!! And in strolls love's young bloody dream! Everybody knows that if you walk into an empty cinema and the film is about to start, you can sit anywhere. You would harldy ever pay attention to the seat numbers on the tickets. And you certainly wouldnt place yourself right next to a person on their own! Even as they sat down, I expected the young gentleman to look at me and say, ''Excuse me sir, we just noticed you might be in danger of enjoying yourself and thought why not come over and horrifically ruin your night.'' I was horrified by the sheer ignorance! I was even more horrified when I imagined the sick depraved person who must have served this couple at the till when they purchased said tickets. I could just imagine the smarmy little git seeing me buy my ticket knowing exactly where I was sitting and saying to himself, ''I'm gonna knock a bit of fun out of tonight''!! What an evil bastard!
Consider that you were sitting on a bus on your way home one evening and you had the top deck all to yourself? Wouldnt it be weird if someone you didnt know came up and sat down beside you? Of course it would!! You would think it was damn weird because that is not bus etiquette. I'ts just not what one does. Well, let me tell you that cinema etiqutte is exactly the same. Jus because you buy a ticket does not make it any less weird to sit next to someone who is on their own, especially if you have your girlfriend with you. Surely you would prefer to have some privacy!
Before we solve the recession, lets try getting some bloody common decency back!! And it starts with cinema etiquette!
Anybody who knows me will be well aware of the fact that I watch alot of films and going to the cinema is one of my main past times. Truth be told, if I had the time to go every day I probably would. Like many people, I find it a great form of escapism and a perfect way to unwind after a hard day at the office.
As I said, this blog is in response to an experience I recently had. This experience took place at a cinema. The film I saw is unimportant. What is important to mention, however, is the fact that I was there alone. As I write that I cringe at the thought of any potential reader misconstruing what I say to think I am seeking sympathy. Far from it!! I merely mention this due to its significance in the context of the anecdote.
On this particular evening I sat, popcorn in hand, drink placed in the holder next to me, in gleefull anticipation of the masterpiece I expected to unfold. I looked around and said to myself ''Perfect, there are only a few people here, no morons, I can actually enjoy this for once withouth having a bunch of kids laughing and shouting throughout.'' And then what do you think happened next? Let me tell you what happened next, the biggest breach of cinema etiquette I have ever seen happed next, thats what! I watched on in horror as a young couple walked towards me and sat in the 2 seats next to me!!! Can you belive it?! Let me remind you that the cinema was practically empty. Apart from 6 or 7 people, I had the place to myself!! And in strolls love's young bloody dream! Everybody knows that if you walk into an empty cinema and the film is about to start, you can sit anywhere. You would harldy ever pay attention to the seat numbers on the tickets. And you certainly wouldnt place yourself right next to a person on their own! Even as they sat down, I expected the young gentleman to look at me and say, ''Excuse me sir, we just noticed you might be in danger of enjoying yourself and thought why not come over and horrifically ruin your night.'' I was horrified by the sheer ignorance! I was even more horrified when I imagined the sick depraved person who must have served this couple at the till when they purchased said tickets. I could just imagine the smarmy little git seeing me buy my ticket knowing exactly where I was sitting and saying to himself, ''I'm gonna knock a bit of fun out of tonight''!! What an evil bastard!
Consider that you were sitting on a bus on your way home one evening and you had the top deck all to yourself? Wouldnt it be weird if someone you didnt know came up and sat down beside you? Of course it would!! You would think it was damn weird because that is not bus etiquette. I'ts just not what one does. Well, let me tell you that cinema etiqutte is exactly the same. Jus because you buy a ticket does not make it any less weird to sit next to someone who is on their own, especially if you have your girlfriend with you. Surely you would prefer to have some privacy!
Before we solve the recession, lets try getting some bloody common decency back!! And it starts with cinema etiquette!
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