[Posted by E&C on 22 Aug 2010 07:25 am]

So, I went to go see How To Train Your Dragon last week with my lady and our occasional colorist, K. But the theatre was having problems with its projector, so they couldn't run it. The lady behind the counter was extraordinarily cool about it and not only let us into any other movie for free but also gave us free tickets to come back whenever we wanted to. Hell yeah. Six free movies tickets? That's equivalent to the cost of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, but it doesn't have nearly the controversy. So, if the economy grows, it's probably because of the stimulus package from my local theatre.

Anyway, we agreed on Oceans. I got to say, it was great and totally worth seeing on the big screen. They were able to capture some genuinely breathtaking footage. It was frequently funny, often inspiring, and always cool as all hell.

Except the narration. Oh dear lord. Somehow they got Pierce Brosnan to read this ridiculously poetic script with the awed enthusiasm you'd except from a guy looking at his first centerfold. Still, it was no worse than the list of superlatives you get with Richard Attenborough on BBC's Planet Earth. The modern concept of a nature documentary is fairly screwy, I think. They seek not to inform, but to inspire. To dazzle, to thrill, to awe. And that's cool and all. We ought to be inspired, but it'd be nice if I walked out of the theatre feeling like I knew a little more.

So, if you can catch this on the big screen, I'd recommend it. I've got a ticket that you can have.
C