A Night at the Movies

I try to never recommend movies. They are too contemporary when compared to books. Not every summer blockbuster can be enjoyed several years later, and the contemporary jokes and culture references lose context and turn blank with time.

I don't really like going to the movies anymore. I have more control when watching a film on my home theater system, or my laptop; no one talks on the phone next to me; and I can stop and continue watching next week (just like books, I'm currently in the midst of at least 3 films).

But some films deserve/demand a wide screen and a good sound system
Also, my non-linear film habits tend to take the edge out of every film (you can't be scared if you just pause in the middle of the action). Plus, crowd responses can sometimes be fun (who are they clapping to at the end of the film?)

Yesterday, I've decided to watch Iron Man on its opening night. If I do go to see a movie, it's at the AMC Mercado in Santa Clara (near Yahoo, right by EMC - these guys can just watch one during their lunch break ).

I planned to take a late show (11:20pm on a Friday) to avoid the crowds, but completely forgot I live in Silicon Valley ( == geeksville). All shows - and it was showing on 5 screens at same time - were sold out. Still, by a stroke of luck, I got a parking spot right in the front, and a ticket.

The theater was full to the brim with the usual Valley sci-fi movie goers: programmers, Indians, Israelis, Chinese etc. All the preview trailers were for other sci-fi movies coming this summer (The Hulk, Indiana Jones, Narnia, The Spirit etc.). No mushy dramas or chick-flicks here.

And then, all of a sudden, the trailer to Mike Mayers' Love Guru. At first, I was afraid it would offend some of the crowd, but the Indian guys started laughing out loud. It was followed by the trailer to Adam Sandler's "You don't mess with the Zohan" - and now it was the Israelis' turn to bust a gut laughing.

I do recommend Iron Man as a good way to pass the time. It has the perfect mix of good adaptation, good acting (except for the done-before-tired bad guy) and great effects. As a comic-book-based movie, it's certainly one of the better ones. Here's a link to the trailers.

If (and only if) you are a comic book geek (like me), stick around. After all the end titles, there's a 30-seconds sequence bringing back a familiar character.