>
> > I answered "never alone" on the poll, which is true, but I hadn't thought about why until I saw this post.
> >
> > I think the reason why is because I like movies, but not enough to go out and see them of my own volition. They are expensive, and take up a good chunk of my time, and I guess it is my social nature that says that if I am going to spend that much time and money on something, it had BETTER build up one of my social relationships.

> > Don "Not a skinflint, just someone who watches his money carefully" Monkey
>
> Hear, hear, Monkeyman. You echo my sentiments exactly. I go out to only maybe two or three movies a year, and then primarily because friends/family want to go.
>
Thought I'd post this here, rather than start a new thread, since it seems to relate. Went out this past weekend to see my first movie of the year, again not because I really wanted to see the movie, but because it "built up social relationships" (i.e. the rest of the family wanted to see it).

It was a unique movie-going experience. For starters, we were seated with a bunch of clowns*.
I mean, literally, clowns. You know, big baggy pants, pom poms down the front of their shirts, pointy hats. Now this is a little weird, even for Los Angeles. A couple of them even wore masks. This made me somewhat leery; I do not particularly like costumed individuals even in the proper context (like the folks who dress up as Snow White or Pluto at Disneland, for example--I don't know why, I just don't *trust* them somehow...) Security did not share the same aprehension, apparently, since the lone security guard felt his main duty was to direct people to the shortest popcorn line ("Over there! To your right! There's only three people there, hurry!)

And if I may digress here for a minute, what's up with the popcorn pricing? I'm not talking about the exhorbitant price per se, I'm talking about the "value combo" here. I can buy a bushel of popcorn. Or, I can buy a bushel of popcorn plus two gallons of Diet Pepsi for twenty five cents *less* than the bushel of popcorn by itself. Great, except I don't *want* two gallons of Diet Pepsi, couldn't drink that much in a month, let alone one evening; it will just go to waste since no one else in the group will drink it either. I hate waste. But, darn it, why should I pay 25 cents *more* for just the bushel of popcorn alone?
There are so many tough decisions to face in life. Sigh.

But back to the clowns. The other odd thing about the clowns, was, they wore the *sorriest* clown outfits I have ever seen. Rather than bright, colorful baggy pants & pom poms, they wore drab brown *furry* looking costumes. Undeniably clown-like in construction, but done in a sad, worn out, blah beige fabric with a definite nubby nap to it. Perhaps this is clown "everyday wear", and they save the colorful stuff for work? Or maybe these were poor clowns, (driven to poverty by the popcorn prices, no doubt) only able to afford used thrift store clown gear?

Well, no matter. They were well-behaved clowns, although I *did* hear a lot of belching behind me (more evidence of why no one needs two gallons of Pepsi) ..however I did not turn around to investigate because I was dealing with another unique movie-going experience...
motion sickness.

Yes, motion sickness.

The problem was, we were sitting too close to the screen. (It was a very crowded theater). And this movie (it was "The Mummy Returns"---sigh, I know, I know...) has a *lot* of action in it. Jackal things running this way, mounted magi running the other way, mummies popping out all over the place, with lots of quick cuts from one scene to another, often in close up... well, about ten minutes of that and I'd had it. I spent probably about a third to a half of the movie looking everywhere else but at the screen, trying to override waves of nausea...

Yes, I know I'm a wimp, and don't ask me to go on any roller coaster ride with you either, 'cause we'll both be sorry.

What I did see of the film was about what you'd expect, a tiny thin plot as an excuse for zowie special effects, which in its own way is not a bad outting as long as you sit far enough back. If anyone else has seen it, (and although I'm not going into detail, I guess consider this a *spoiler notice* of sorts) did you think...

1) ..that you'd actually be required to recall who these people were from the first movie? I thought that was demanding too much of me for a mindless action/fx flick.

2)...that certain parts reminded you of the Peter Pan ride at Disneyland?

3)...that the head magi gave the "live long and prosper" sign to his troops?

4)...that the "ship silhouetted against the moon" scene was slapping you in the face with an "E.T." (wink wink) reference? Did the jackal army remind you of the droids army in "2nd Episode'? Were there a million other insider references I missed because I only go to the movies twice a year?


koala"cut! that's a print!"mom

*checked Fun With Words for correct collective noun to describe clowns, but find none exists. May I humbly suggest "a hilarity of clowns" or perhaps "a seltzer of clowns"?