Theaters or DVD...

Samir Mehta | December 9, 2008
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Scott Hardie | December 10, 2008
I much prefer seeing movies in the theater, actually. I would see every movie there if I had the time.

At least half of the movies that interest me are little-known indie titles. Sarasota has a small indie theater that runs a lot of offbeat fare. (Now playing: A Secret, Happy-Go-Lucky, The Boy in Striped Pajamas, and your favorite, Synecdoche, New York.) But the seats are unbelieveably uncomfortable, way too small and way too hard, and their usual evening showtimes of 5pm and 8pm are too inconvenient to go there straight from the office. It's rare I wind up at that theater, which means that Netflix provides most of my indie movies.

I don't know what to say about the mainstream movies. I want to see a double-feature if I go to the trouble of going out to the movies, and that's one feature too many for Kelly, but I can't blame her: I had a hard time remembering to go, or talking my lazy ass into going, even before she moved here. I made it my new year's resolution three years in a row to get out to the movies once a week, and each time something got in the way. I do get annoyed with people talking, and lately with teenagers texting on their brightly-lit devices throughout the entire movie, but that doesn't keep me away. Cost isn't a problem; movies are worth it.

My interest in movies has also declined over the years. I used to see 70-80 new releases every year, plus tons of old movies. Now I'm lucky to see a third that many new releases and I barely see any old movies. (Current tally for 2008: 24 titles, barely enough to eke out a "ten best" list.) I've also lost a lot of interest in writing about movies, partly out of laziness and partly from having other things to do on this site that are more fun, like losing concerts to Steve West. I've considered making the full written review optional and going back to the original idea for TMR, which was writing merely "it ruled" or "it sucked" or "it was ok" as your review if that's all you want to say. I still haven't arrived at a decision after years of declining interest, but it can only go so much lower.

Perhaps it's time to rededicate myself. I had already planned to write a movie review tonight, even if only a short one, but maybe I need to go out to a movie too. Australia plays in 30 minutes. Quantum of Solace an hour after that. Changeling another 30 minutes later. (Synecdoche would be my first choice but it last played at 5:15, when I was still in my cubicle. See what I mean about showtimes at that theater?) Let's see where the night takes me.

Lori Lancaster | December 10, 2008
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Richard Slominsky | December 16, 2008
I enjoy DVDs on the home theater system at home. We have fun, trying to create the theater atmosphere, popcorn, candy, and all.