Of Coffee and Shirts and Things

Hey there folks, I'm TheCinemaChick and tonight, I'm once again deviating from my normal film bloggery (which is now a word because...I say so).  I know I posted a blog a while back about some woodworking my stepmother did to help an adoption fun.  So, with that in mind, you must know what I'm getting at.

It's time to see if anyone else will help with this fundraiser!  I know I don't have millions of readers but to those of you who do read this, you still have my eternal thanks.  I'd like to bring attention to my family's long journey to adopt a beautiful little boy from Ethiopia.  My stepsister and her husband have gotten their court date, which is coming up in less than a month.  I've seen a photo of the boy they're adopting and he's adorable.

So in the spirit of the season, won't you help a family adopt a child?

If you want to help, I'll think of a way to thank you through my blog.  If you can't donate, I understand.  Times are tough and with the holidays just around the corner...it's kinda chaotic.  I'm doing what I can to help

Or...use these handy links I'm about to provide you to purchase something and give it as a gift.  I won't lie, I'm eyeing some of the shirts.  They look cool and they support a good cause.

Interested?  Go here: http://adoptionbug.com/TheCrispins/

Do you like coffee?  You don't...well, surely you know someone who does.  Here's another link to another site where coffee can help contribute to the cause.  https://justlovecoffee.com/about/beneficiary/TheCrispins/

Like I said, I know this might be a stretch for some people, but any encouragement offered would also help.  I love my family and I admire them for having the strength and courage to adopt this little boy.  They're opening their home to him and he's going to be a part of our crazy family.

I'm TheCinemaChick and I look forward to meeting my new nephew in 2012.

My First Giveaway!!

            Hey everyone’s who survived Thanksgiving, I’m TheCinemaChick and I bring you good tidings!  While I’m not entirely sure what a tiding is, I bring you good ones.  If you’re reading this, that means one thing.

            You want free stuff!  Of course!  Why else would you be reading this when the title clearly states “My first giveaway”?  If you were expecting something else, I apologize sincerely for the confusion and offer you…a hug.  That’s the best I can do for now since Black Friday shopping has cleaned me out.  Yes, I braved the crowds and bought…almost nothing really.  MovieMamma wanted some canvas bags so that’s all I got.  Well and I picked up Fry’s Christmas gift.  Can’t tell you what I got her, it’s a surprise.

            Now, as you know, I have vouchers that can get you a FREE Harkins Theater Loyalty Cup and shirt.  What’s so awesome about that?  Haven’t you been paying attention?  If you wear the shirt to the theater, it means free medium popcorn.  Take the cup with you and you get a refill for one dollar.  Yeah, a single dollar, four quarters, ten dimes…for a soda!  Come on, you have to admit this is pretty cool!

            Now, I have the questions picked out.  There will be three questions.  So, before I tell you what those are, I suppose I should, you know…have rules…to keep things fair, I guess.

            TheCinemaChick’s Rules for this give away are as follows:

1. The answers must be correct.  I’m not doing a two out of three here, I want all of them answered.
2. Please be over 18.  If you are a minor, parental consent would be appreciated.
3. The winner will be notified via email. 
4. I’d like to say no cheating but…I can’t physically stop anyone from doing it…so…I guess you can Google the answers.
5. Everyone is eligible, except for Fry and Kit Kat.  They knew the questions beforehand and therefore cannot enter.  Sorry guys.
6. The winner will receive further instructions in their email…unless they live down the street from me.  I don’t know, the winner could end up being my neighbor or something.
7. The prizes will be sent in the mail.
8. If you don’t win, I’m sorry, maybe another time.

            A couple of things I’d like to point out before starting this:

            I might do another giveaway through the blog, but I don’t know.  That is entirely up to the lovely people at Harkins Theater.  If they wish to do this again, then I will certainly repeat this.  I’ll try to mix it up and keep things fresh for you.

            And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the questions!

            Question 1: In Breaking Dawn, Edward and Bella have a daughter named Renesmee.  What is her middle name?

            Question 2: How many times did I say Tom Hanks in my “How many times will I say Tim Hanks” blog?

            Question 3: What was the first movie I reviewed?

            Answer those three questions and the Harkins prize is yours.  Its first come, first serve, so get your guesses in as soon as you can.

            Please leave your answers in the comments, along a valid email address so I can get in contact with you.  I will do a separate blog to announce who won.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I bid you all good luck.

Don't Miss The Rainbow Connection

            Hey guys and gals, I’m TheCinemaChick and I come to you on the eve of Thanksgiving.  So before you overdoes on turkey and dressing, here’s a nice little holiday review for you.  I hadn’t intended to go see a movie today, but there was a sudden change in plans, I had some free time, plus I found money.  Finding money is always a great time, so I took it and plopped my happy butt down to watch the Muppets.  Yes, The Muppets is now out in theaters and I couldn’t be happier.

            I grew up watching old reruns of The Muppet Show, so I knew Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie and all the rest.  They were a source of kid friendly, clean comedy so it was something my parents actually let me watch.  True, the Muppets never really truly went away.  They’ve always been present.  Case in point: Sesame Street.  I know it’s not the same, but it’s the same basic concept.  

            The movie was about what I expected.  The catch is, I had some very high expectations for this film.  It was delightful, filled with comedy and if you like the Muppets even a tiny bit, go out and see it as soon as you can.  I’d prefer it if you waited until after my review to do so, but I don’t control the masses…yet.

            Fair warning, I did just get some rather…surprising news a few moments ago and I’m still reeling from that, so apologies is this review isn’t up to par with my others.  There are some things that I never expected to happen that just happened.  I have to leave it at that.  It’s a personal thing full of mixed emotions but I don’t like discussing my life on here because most of you have no idea who I am and the rest of you want to hear me talk about movies.

            So, The Muppets movie was absolutely wonderful.  I was really excited to see it, thinking of how it would be a nostalgic throw back to my childhood.  The thing is, I wasn’t nostalgic.  It’s a modern take on them and full of modern stuff.  Like, there’s a reference to Pink’s Hot Dogs, which is a Hollywood landmark.  I haven’t been there, but I do like California.  I may have driven by it but I haven’t been in the Los Angeles or Hollywood area in…twelve or thirteen years.  Wow, just saying that makes me feel old and I already normally feel old.  I’m not old…I’m not 30 yet.

            The theater wasn’t packed, which wasn’t a surprise to me since most people are still suffering from Breaking Dawn fever.  Honestly guys, if you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen the whole damn thing.  There’s nothing subtle about it, so move on.  With the Muppets, however, there are subtle jokes and humor that you probably won’t get the first time around.  There’s some humor aimed at little kids, then there’s some stuff the kiddies won’t get but the parents will.  And the demographic in the theater was just that: small children up to grandparents.  I guess I fell on the younger side this time.

            There was singing and dancing…even a very awkward sing along rap.  To steal a phrase from the Nostalgia Chick, the rap was nothing but a Big Lipped Alligator Moment.  For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s a scene in a movie that makes absolutely no sense, serves no purpose to the plot and is never mentioned again.  For instance, Kermit is talking to Tex Richman (the villain who’s trying to destroy their theater) and Tex has this elaborate musical number.  When he’s done, the conversation resumes and we move on.  It made no sense whatsoever to me but it was funny.

            My other favorite scene was towards the beginning.  Mary (Amy Adams), Gary (Jason Segel, who also co wrote and co produced the film) are trying to help Walter (the new Muppet) find Kermit’s house.  This technically isn’t a spoiler since it does pop up in the trailer.  Gary throws Walter up, only to discover an electric fence.  Walter demands to be thrown again when Kermit shows up.  The green frog has a bright light behind him and you hear a heavenly choir, only to see that a bus happens to be driving by with a church choir singing inside it.

            That, my readers, is humor.

            There are so many scenes I want to talk about but I can’t.  It’s definitely worth the time and money to see.  There are several moments where the characters break the fourth wall.  If you don’t know what that is, the fourth wall is sort of an unspoken rule where there is an invisible wall separating the movie from the audience.  It’s applied usually to plays, but it works with almost anything.  I don’t know if I could even begin to discuss how much I loved The Muppets.

            Also, there are tons of cameos.  There are so many that I stopped counting.  I know Selena Gomez pops up, so does Whoopi Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Dave Grohl (and trust me, his cameo is borderline epic its so awesome) even Mickey freaking Rooney.  Mickey Rooney is in this!  Seriously, that’s how awesome this film is.  Legends like him are in this.  Plus, anything Neil Patrick Harris is in is a winner for me.  Oh, did I forget, a singing Jim Parsons?  Yes, Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory is even in the movie!

            Now that I’ve given away half the cameos in this movie…

            Seriously, I can’t get over how happy this movie made me.  I have been in a huge rut for days (again, personal reasons) and seeing The Muppets literally pulled me out of my funk.  You cannot go watch it and leave feeling sad or angry.  If you can, I’ll…do something…maybe.  Because I saw it today, I will end up seeing it again because I promised Fry we’d see it together.  Which means we might end up going tomorrow night since we’re both free.

            I don’t want to prattle on forever about how much I loved seeing The Muppets, though trust me, I could easily do it.  This is another rare movie when I’d even say spring for a full priced showing.  It’s more than worth the money and you will not leave disappointed.  I do wish I had more people to see movies with or even an art house theater to see some indie films, but oh well.  I’m always looking for new people to watch movies with.

            Interested?  Call me.  Let’s talk.

            One final thing before I sign off.  I love Miss Piggy.  She’s a style icon, she kicks ass and oh yes, she’s curvy.  So many celebrities are stick thin skeletons that it’s nice to see one who isn’t anorexic.  And yes, I know Miss Piggy is a Muppet and a pig, but she’s still an icon  As a woman with curves and hips and…well, a figure, I applaud anyone who’s willing to stand up and say, “I have a body and I like to ear, deal with it!”

            Well, I’m not a fan of eating.  I’m always paranoid that people are staring at me when I eat something.

            I’ve got nothing more to say and I think it’s time for a last round of caffeine for the night, despite the fact that it’s nearly nine at night.  Plus…I’m a bit moody.  I keep hearing about people’s relationships and I’m not in one, so that saddens me.  I hate that I find a fellow blogger attractive but know that it’ll never happen.  I may not be a Victoria’s Secret Model, but damnit, I’m fun and I’m great to have a conversation with.

            Great…now I’m making what sounds like a desperate personal ad.

            I’m ashamed of myself for that.

            So there you have it guys.  Go out and see The Muppets.  It’s just that great.  I’m TheCinemaChick and I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving.

Spy On, Johnny English!

            Hey guys, I’m known as TheCinemaChick and I watch all sorts of movies!  Right now, I’m lounging around in my ugly old grey hoodie and some nifty diamond pattern socks that sort of look like Mardi Gras threw up on them.  Say what you want about my ugly ensemble, but I’m comfy.

            Now, I haven’t been to the theater since the Breaking Dawn midnight premiere, but I’m taking a look back at something I saw around the time I watched The Three Musketeers.  I know, I know, I said I wouldn’t review Johnny English Reborn but…well…I promised this to someone.  

            I have a fan.

            So, get your…whatever you’re snacking on or drinking ready and lets dive into some good old fashion spy moves!  I currently have peppermint bark and Diet Dr Pepper, but if you want something else, by all means, go forth and get it.  I’ll wait.  I’ve got nothing else to do tonight, other than you know…be totally freaking awesome.  That’s a lie…I’m too nerdy to be freaking awesome, so I’ll just be awesome.  Yeah, let’s go with that.

            I’ll admit, I had no idea there was a first Johnny English movie, so a sequel came as a shock to me.  Well, Butterfly wanted to see it and we all know I can’t say no to him.  It’s not creepy at all.  He just happens to have good taste in films and sometimes he makes better decisions than I do.  Don’t tell him I said that.  He’d never let me forget it.

            Anyway, for a movie I knew nothing about, it did a good job telling me what had happened.  I don’t know what happened in the first movie, so at some point in this fictional timeline, Johnny messed up a mission in Africa and someone died.  He has since left the agency to find peace in what I assume was a monastery.  The scenes there were nice, except for the few times Rowan Atkinson’s character had a fake rock tied to his…ahem…”jewels”.  The phrase “balls of steel” comes to mind.

            Well, of course he is called back to England because there is a mole in the agency so he needs to solve a mystery.  Keep in mind this is not a dramatic movie nor is it Mission Impossible in any way.  Remember, it’s a stupid, light hearted film filled with a lot of laughter.  And the laughter happens a lot.  I loved the scene where Johnny gets his new gadgets and they have a candy tin.  This one comes up in the previews, the voice altering candies.  He tries to look so casual about it but it’s so obvious that he’s the one who did it.

            Not to mention, he’s a badass Rolls Royce Phantom.  I’ve never even been near a Rolls Royce!  I have been near a limo once, at a funeral, but that’s no fun.  Out of curiosity, I Googled the car to see how much it cost and damn…that’s like my bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D with a house thrown in there.  $380,000 for this car folks.  As much as I’m drooling over it, I’m perfectly content with my dinged up little Malibu named Gandalf.  Yes, I named my car.

           

            So, the whole point of the movie is to find the mole who is trying to assassinate the Chinese premier…which I guess is like the Prime Minister.  The whole time he’s trying to also locate an elderly woman who’s killing people that have information he needs.  Goes to show, can’t even trust your cleaning lady.  There’s a hilarious scene that involves the cleaning lady murderer and a totally innocent old woman with a wacky case of mistaken identity.

            Honestly, I can’t give the plot away without telling you everything funny.  I loved it and I did laugh a lot.  Some people have said it’s stupid, well no shit!  It’s meant to be a spoof of the serious spy films.  Have you ever seen Rowan Atkinson in a serious role?  I would see it again but it faded from the theaters around here pretty fast.  Then again, I don’t think the American audience will appreciate it as much as a European one.

            Also, I’m working on that give away.  Harkins has sent me the goods and now I shall deliver!  

            …that sounded wrong?  Did it sound wrong to anyone else?

            Moving on.

            I am planning on seeing The Muppets this weekend because seriously…it’s the freaking Muppets!  It’s like the best part of my childhood come to my adult life.  Hey, if you can find me an Amy’s Ice Cream, I’ll be in heaven.  Sadly, I am no in Austin anymore.  All I have is…well, freaking Cowboys Stadium.  Um…I also have a Freebirds right down the street, so that’s a consolation.  Great, I’ve made myself hungry.  Yes, I had some peppermint bark but it was such a small amount…

            Well, I’m going on a tangent about snacks, so this is as good a time as any to sign off.  I’m TheCinemaChick and I hope you enjoy my nonsensical ramblings, Aslan.

Breaking Dawn - Full Review

            Hello all you people currently not in movie theaters!  I go by TheCinemaChick and I’m sticking with that story.  If you noticed my minuscule post around four this morning-ish, you know that I did indeed a midnight showing of Breaking Dawn Part I.  I was incredibly exhausted and wanted to write it then, but you know…didn’t.  So here we are, back in my territory of discussing movies.

            Ok, we all know my thoughts on the Twilight Saga.  I’m not a fan.  Bella Swan is an incompetent moron who fumbles through life, happy so long as she has her dead boyfriend.  Edward is overprotective and borderline abusive, but he’s a tortured soul, which apparently makes domestic abuse ok.  If you want more on my dislike of the series, go into my archives, find the links and read them.  I ain’t about to repeat everything here because I have neither the time nor patience.  

           

            One thing before I dive into the world of glitter soaked vampires.  I will be discussing the movie more in depth than usual.  It is a book; therefore I am technically not spoiling anything.  Breaking Dawn is currently available in your local library and bookstore.  Remember kids, reading is fun!

            While I’m on the topic of children…I understand midnight premieres are major events, but it’s not appropriate to take young kids, we’re talking under the age of eighteen, to something like this.  They still have school in the morning and I don’t think letting them skip a day just to see a movie is good.  I’m broke and unemployed (hopefully not for much longer), so I had no plans.  Plus, I’m a big girl now.

            Anyway, enough of that.  On to Breaking Dawn.

            You should know the basic plot if you’ve read the books, seen the movies or even seen the previews.  Bella gets married, they go on a honeymoon, she gets pregnant, chaos ensues, she dies and gets changed.  End of part one.

            I’ll try not to give away too much, but there are things I liked and hated about the movie.  For one, I still don’t give a damn about Bella.  She annoys me, she’s irritating and it seems like her great ambition in life is to be dead.  The entire movie centers around her trying to die so she can be changed.  Enough of my ranting.

            The movie starts off with the wedding everyone’s been waiting for.  The previews have shown a lot of it and it doesn’t really improve much from there.  I’ll probably get shot for this, but I hated the dress.  It’s got a weird geometric stitching on the front that just looks odd.  Not to mention, Kristen Stewart looks positively anorexic.  Seriously, she looks so thin it’s sickening.  The back of the dress looks pretty, as does her hair, makeup and accessories.

           

            However, Bella has a dream sequence that shows her in a much nicer dress, the one she should have worn.  I was actually highly impressed with this scene.  Right before, Edward has confessed to a few unsavory actions, such as killing humans.  Bella dreams of the wedding, then finds herself standing on top of a giant cake, decorated with the bodies of her loved ones.  Edward’s white tuxedo has a red stain, as do his lips.  I hate to say it, but this is something we knew all along.  Vampires are killers.  They need blood to survive, so this shouldn’t have been so much of a shock.  However, it was a very artistically beautiful scene, albeit highly morbid.  The good news, I like morbid.

            The wedding reception was much better.  It was fun and interesting.  This is also where we get to meet some of the other vampires, such as Eleazar and Irina.  If I spelled their names wrong, my sincerest apologies Twi-hards.  I wish we’d gotten to know the new covens more because they appear to only be a cameo.  Yeah, they’re coming back for part two, but the wedding is a huge ordeal.  Listen to the toasts various people make because those are downright hilarious.  Emmet’s speech is so wildly inappropriate but it fits his personality.  Jacob shows up towards the end, only to get pissed off.  The other wolves restrain him and they leave.  You know, because weddings are happy occasions.  

            This goes into the honeymoon, which is painfully long.  It’s slow paced and brings the whole movie to a jarring halt.  This is including the now infamous sex scene.  It’s just…well…I’m not happy about it.  Breaking Dawn and the entire Twilight series is aimed at a younger audience, teenage girls to be specific.  There’s so much bare skin that it made me blush.  We get a nice montage of their relations, where Bella is left bruised in a destroyed bedroom.  Once again, I’d like to play the abuse card.  And as we all know, this leaves Bella knocked up with a demon spawn.

            They go back to Forks so Carlisle can keep a close watch on the rapidly growing fetus.  Rosalie plays protector while everyone else seems to try and talk her out of having the baby.  For the first (and last) time, Bella stands up for herself and chooses to do something.  Sure, the child is killing her and will cause her death when it’s born, but hey, she’s bringing new life into the world!  I’ll admit, the costuming and make up on Kristen Stewart is pretty damn convincing.  She appears skeletal and frail, like all the life has been sucked out of her.  To be fair, she never truly looked alive in the first place.

            Oh yeah, while all this mess is going on, the wolves are having drama as well.  Jacob splinters the pack.  Seth and Leah decided to follow him, which angers Sam Uley, the other Alpha.  I have a hard time telling Sam and Paul apart, so I’m not sure what happened with them.  Not to mention, those scenes are quick so you don’t get time to dwell on them.  The Quiliuetes are still more of an afterthought than a main focus.  If you’ve read the books, you know that Breaking Dawn is told from both Bella and Jacob’s perspective, which doesn’t translate to screen at all.  

            Which brings me to one point I’ve been meaning to make.  I’m glad the other characters got to have more of a presence in this film.  They’re more prominent, getting more than just two lines and a background shot.  Granted, it seems all of the Cullens had makeovers before the wedding.  Edward’s hair has lost its poof, Alice’s hair is shorter, Rosalie and Carlisle’s hair seemed to look a bit brassy, Jasper learned how to use a flat iron, and Emmet gained a small afro.  In Eclipse, Rosalie says they are frozen in time, so how the hell did they all change their hair so drastically?

           The movie is choppy, not really bothering to mess with transitions.  We just skip from scene to scene.  Even with that, they cram a lot into two hours.  I seriously thought there would be more saved for the second part but no.  We leave off with Bella opening her blood red eyes.  While she’s letting Edward’s venom course through her body, freezing her as an eighteen year old, there’s a pack of wolves outside trying to break in and kill her baby.  Don’t get me started on how stupid the name Reneesme is.  Jacob imprints on her and that’s apparently all the wolves need to hear.  

            I’ll admit, the imprinting scene was beautifully done.  Jacob drops to one knee and sees her in the future.  They replay his monologue on how it feels to imprint on someone before you realize, “holy shit, he’s in love with a freaking newborn!”  Yes, you heard me right.  Jacob’s soul mate is Bella and Edward’s mutant baby.  I don’t even mean that in a negative way.  It’s half vampire, half human which to me is more than qualified to be a mutant.  According the Quiliuete law, whoever the wolf has imprinted on is immediately accepted into the pack…or something.  So, Sam acknowledges this and leaves.

            Anticlimactic.

            Then we have the seizure inducing credits.  Stay tuned however because there is a bonus scene with the Volturi which leaves a second cliffhanger, teasing your Twilight craving palate with a tiny taste of what is to come.

            Suspense, they has it.

            So there you go.  Breaking Dawn Part I is actually worth watching.  I enjoyed it, had some genuine laughs and did leave thinking, “Ok…damnit…gotta wait an entire year to see how this ends.”  And with my history, that’s monumental.  I’m actually excited to see how the series ends.  Granted, I know it’s going to be the whole “they lived happily ever after” crap I’ve come to hate and the big climax of the whole thing will be a lively debate of vampires and werewolves against the Volturi.  

            A few little things I want to add in and we’ll be done.

            I heart Charlie.

            The housekeeper named Gustavo is the best part of the honeymoon scene.

            The graphic birth is both fascinating and disgusting.  It’s done tastefully, but it’s still gory.

            I’d still like to know how Edward got a syringe full of his venom.

            I secretly hope to find a real life Jacob Black.

            Well, I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m Team Aro…as far as you know.

I'll finish this later when I'm awake.

            Hey everyone, I’m TheCinemaChick.  It’s 3:30 in the morning, so forgive my lack of pleasantries.  You’re probably wondering why I’m up and reviewing at this time of night.  I mentioned earlier that I was going to the Ultimate Twilight Marathon at Harkins Theater.  So, I went, I watched…I was impressed.

            Breaking Dawn Part I wasn’t as horrible as I had originally expected it to be.  It was by no means a masterpiece but even I found it hard to complain about it like I have the previous films.  That might also be because it’s so freaking late or early.  Fry, Unown and I had fun.  We didn’t win anything tonight, but trust me I tried.  I even made friends with a pair of 12 year old girls.

            Um…I think I’m just going to leave this as a minor update and a preview of what’s to come.  I really wanted to review this movie tonight, but my Red Bull has worn off and I’m exhausted.  I have a list of things to discuss but again, let’s discuss this when I’m awake.  Trust me, there’s a lot I want to say.

            For now, I’m TheCinemaChick and believe it or not, but I’m saying check out Breaking Dawn.

Ye Gods! Immortals!

            Hello all you wonderful readers out there!  I’m often called TheCinemaChick and I review movies.  Though, I guess you know that by now since I always say that in my opening remarks.  You know, people tell me I’m a bit repetitive.  I guess they’re right.  Strange that I noticed this three years after taking Advanced Nonfiction…

           

            But you’re not here to read about me reliving of my college days, you’re wondering what I’m going to tear into today.  Well, since its 11/11/11, let’s all gather round the computer screen and enjoy my review of Immortals.

            I have to admit, I have a fondness for Greek mythology.  I do study it for fun and I took a class over it as well.  If I had my choice, I’d love to be a daughter of Eris, the goddess of chaos.  Now, before I go in depth with this, I have to warn you: If you are not familiar with the myth of Theseus, I would advise you to brush up on it before seeing the movie.  I’m not familiar with the story but now that I’ve thought about it (and used Wikipedia) disregard the previous statement.  I’m not sure if researching will help much because it seems to be a mash up of stories.

            Now that I have thoroughly confused you reader, let’s press on.

            I have to admit, I was incredibly excited to see Immortals.  I set aside money to see it in 3D and everything.  So, Fry and I arrived at the theater, ironically at 11:11 AM (which was purely coincidental) and set out on our own fairly, sort of, not really epic quest.  And by that I mean we made sure to get to the theater in time because we were running late.  The Fates smiled upon us and we made it barely on time, but as punishment, the movie was a little out of focus.

            Fail.

            I will be spoiling the movie a little in this review.  You’ve been warned.

            I have to admit, it wasn’t the mind blowing experience I had hoped for, but it was still pretty damn awesome.  The opening sequence got me hooked immediately.  The music is intense, the scene is set and a narrator is giving a short background on the Titans.  Then you see them.  I’ve seen many interpretations of the Titans in other media, but these guys looked insane.  I don’t mean crazy, I mean fear inducing.  They’re lined up in a box and look like they have swords in their mouth.  This is also where we get the first glimpse of King Hyperion (played by Mickey Rourke).

            Keep this scene in mind when you watch the film.  It does come into play later.

            After this, the film focuses on Theseus…a lot.  Like, ninety percent of the movie has Theseus in frame.  He’s played by Henry Cavill, who I know nothing about.  I’m sorry, but I don’t see movies specifically for actors, though I have to admit that I do tend to lean towards films with actor I like in them.  Case in point, Straw Dogs.  And…yes, I was swayed towards this slightly because Kellan Lutz is in it and as everyone knows, he is my Hollywood Crush.  Right now, Mickey Rourke is in a close second.  Oh yes…Mickey Rourke…great actor and great looking.

            If you liked 300 or even Suckerpunch, you’ll like the style of Immortals.  It has the same feel, along with the overdone action sequences.  I don’t mean overdone in a negative way.  For me, I don’t do well with it because the sight of blood and gore makes me nauseated.  Immortals does have slow motion blood splatter.  There are also a few scenes where I had to look away, such as when a guy has his eyes gouged out.  And men…there is a scene involving a large mallet that may disturb you.  It’ll crack your nuts and not in a good way.  I saw that and groaned.  Thankfully, the blackscreen shields us from actually seeing what happens but the sound effects let you experience the pain.

            I have two main complaints about this movie.  The first one is that the ending felt a bit rushed.  I watched the movie create a masterpiece and give me great amounts of artistic and technical detail, then the ending felt abrupt.  The second thing is that it sets it up for a sequel.  Immortals is a great film that can easily stand on its own, so why ruin it by making a sequel.  While another movie might not be a bad idea, think about how many movies have had a second one made, only to cause damage to the reputation to the first?  Think Sex and the City, Speed, Kung Fu Panda, almost every Disney movie ever made…yeah.  I would welcome Immortals 2 with cautious optimism.

            I don’t think I’d pay to see this again in 3D since as usual, it did nothing for me.  I would like to see it again because to be honest, the visuals are just amazing.  The costumes were breathtaking, the sets were authentic and oh yes, THEY SPOKE GREEK!  I’m a total nerd and I do speak Latin, but I would also love to learn Greek, though I’ve heard it’s much harder than Latin.

            I think that sums up my feelings on Immortals.  I hope it does well because it is a visual masterpiece.  The costumes alone for the gods…I would go so far as the say it should earn rewards for best costuming.  Trust me, after you see it, you’ll understand

            Oh and one last thing…it is rated R, something I did not realize until I had bought my ticket.  I know it doesn’t matter to most people, but I thought it was only PG-13.  Then again, looking at the violence and sexual content, I can see why it has earned its rating. 

            So there you have it readers.  Immortals is definitely worth checking out and I’m glad I went and saw it on opening day.  Up next for me is the Twilight marathon out at Harkins Theater on Thursday.  I’m thinking about taking my video recorder so I might make my first video ever.

            Don’t forget, I am doing a giveaway through my blog.  That’s coming up really soon, so be sure to keep reading.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and you can twitter me @TheCinemaChick.  (Wouldn’t mind it if Kellan Lutz tweeted me.  It would make my year.)

Harkins 2012 Loyalty Cups and Shirts!

            Hello blog readers of the state, nation and world!  I go by TheCinemaChick and I write about movies.  Once again, I don’t have a film to review but instead, I have an announcement.   Trust me, it's a good one too.

            As you all know, I often get notices from Harkins Theater about marathons and stuff, but today, I’m going to talk about an awesome thing they do.  In one of my previous blogs, I discussed a few ways to save money when at the movies.  I said some theaters have cups that you purchase and bring back for cheap refills.  Seeing as it’s almost the end of 2011, many of these promotional items will expire soon.

            Don’t feel blue, for with a new year comes a new cup.  I know that sounds a little strange, but hear me out on this one.  This little story has a point, I promise.

“But CinemaChick, why should I get a new cup?”

            Because it’s a cup that you can bring to any Harkins theater in the year 2012 and pay a single dollar for a refill.  Think about that for a moment.  A lot of theaters you go to want to charge $6 for a soda.  If you’re like me and you see up to three or four movies a week, that could cost up to $24.  That’s an insane price to pay.  Since my math skills aren’t the best, I’m not going to go into how much a month and year that would cost.  Let’s just all agree to say “That’s a lot of money, CinemaChick!”

            Exactly.  I like saving money.  I’m the kind of girl who won’t go out to eat unless I have coupons tucked away in my purse.  Let’s be honest, in this economy, any dollar that can be saved is great.

            Now, I hit up the Southlake Harkins Theater whenever I can.  The seats are comfy, the staff is friendly and I love the loyalty cups.  And if you have a loyalty shirt, there are even more benefits.  Who wouldn’t want a free medium popcorn every time they walked in with this shirt on?

           *Side note: The 2012 Harkins Loyalty Cups and shirts are not available yet.  They will be released on November 17.  They can be purchased online or at the theater, whichever makes you happy.

            Interested?  I knew you would be.

            By the way, keep reading.  I might just be giving away one of these cups and shirts through this blog.  Who wouldn’t like free stuff?

            Well, I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m going to be awesome tonight.

            By the way, if you want more information, go to Harkins Theater’s official website.  http://www.harkinstheatres.com/  They have areas for children to stay if you can’t find a babysitter and have movie events on occasion.  

            Don’t forget, the Ultimate Twilight Marathon is rapidly approaching.  I do not know if there are tickets left, so contact the theater for more information.  Fry and I will be there, along with Unown.  Maybe I’ll reveal my identity, maybe I won’t.  All I’ll tell you is that I might be a werewolf in disguise.