Wow! I really have been lazy with the
posts. It seems there’s too much to watch, and so little time to write (should
I change the blog title?) Actually, I have plenty of time to write, I am just
too busy using that time to catch up on my movie and tv content. I’ve had a
pretty good run with the tv shows lately, but what I want to talk about right
now is a film that had me wanting to share my thoughts again – The Avengers.
Holy cow, what a movie! I have to say, ever
since I heard about this film being made, I have been so so in the excitement
stakes. I don’t really know why to tell you the truth. I’m a comic book film
fan, but I don’t read comics. Since I started seeing posters and teaser
content, the excitement has been building though. Still, even a few weeks out
from release, I knew I would see it, but haven’t been thinking about it much,
not like some other future releases this year – The Dark Knight Rises,
Prometheus and Skyfall being my most anticipated for the year.
What really got me into the mode of, ‘fuck,
I can’t wait to see this’ is the damn near perfect reviews I was reading. Now,
I try not to let reviews sway my thoughts on a film. Tell you the truth, for
the most part, I will see a movie I want to see regardless of reviews.
Everything I read for this was like 8 out of 10, or 9 out of 10. I’m like, what
the fuck!! Even reviewers that normally boof independent films and loathe
Hollywood blockbusters were giving it good reviews. Then I heard friends seeing
it and going on about it. But, the clincher for this was, I couldn’t go see it
straight away. I had a long long weekend getaway planned, right at release
time.
So, having to be away, and still reading
and hearing great things made it very difficult to hide my desperation to see
this film. It wasn’t there a few weeks ago, I knew I was going to see it, but
now, I needed to see it more than anything. It had built up inside me, and I
was starting to get anxious and annoyed that I just couldn’t go. I know, you’re
thinking, wtf dude, it’s just a movie. But, it’s not ‘just a movie’ for me,
hence the blog – there’s too much to watch, and I don’t have time for it all!!
Anyways, got back from the trip, and just
wanted to go. But, between being knackered and wanting to catch a good session,
I had to still be patient. See, I like to watch the ‘big’ films in a good size
screen, and in sessions that aren’t over crowded. Why? Well, films like The
Avengers deserve to be seen on the biggest fuckoff screen you can get! Now, for
me, I still won’t go out of my way to see a film, and pay 18 fucken dollars
either (that’s a non 3D price as well). My loyalty card for the local Grand
Cinemas (nice plug from a blog no one reads) chain gets me $10 tickets…awesome
deal!
And the no crowds – I’ve been burned when
seeing the big films. Going to packed cinemas on opening night, or a weekend
night, and getting a shitty seat, or just having to sit next to noisy others.
So, I like to catch quieter sessions, where you can get a good seat, and there
is still room for others to sit around you, without sitting next to you, behind
you or front of you. This I could talk about a bit more, perhaps in the next
post.
So, this story is getting long, but I
finally managed to get time to go on a Thursday night session. Late session,
but it wouldn’t be packed like a weekend time slot. Man, I was pumped. Finally
getting to go. Got our tickets, took my piss, as I do before any film (don’t
you just hate having to get up and go during the movie?!) and made my way into
the big cinema at the local. 2D session, so it wasn’t crowded at all. In fact,
we had the whole row to ourselves.
Things started out a little bumpy though,
as my partner, after going to the loo at the same time I did, walked in to the
wrong cinema, which already had the movie showing. She thought the trailers had
finished early and movie had just started, so sat down and watched. She texted
me to say, ‘enjoy the film, I couldn’t find you.’ I’m like, what the hell, I
didn’t see you walk in, and there is no one in here. Plus, it hasn’t even
started yet. A few frantic texts and calls later, and she found her way in to
the right cinema.
However, during all this the trailers and
advertisements had not fired up. It was an 8:55 session, and by now it was
9:10, so I was well and truly in the worried zone. Could it be, that after all
this waiting, I finally get there and it won’t happen? Well, yes, that was the
case. At 9:25, we were walking out and getting a refund, as projector issues
meant they couldn’t show us the movie. Fucken gutted, I tell ya. I was severely
fucken pissed off for the rest of the night. Sure, it’s only a movie, but man,
if you were me, and this had happened to you, you’d understand. I had worked
myself up big time!!
So, Friday comes around, and I tell my sob
story to the work folk. But, I have an idea up my sleeve. I didn’t want to go
to a late Friday session, or a Saturday night session. In fact, now I recall, I
was going to be busy the entire weekend, so I had to see it Friday night, or it
would be another long wait. My partner anticipated I would do this, and I
decided we should leave work a little bit earlier and catch a 6pm session.
Still beating the crowds, and seeing the big screen session. Oh yeah, that was
the plan. I left work early, met her where her car was parked, and we navigated
peak hour traffic to arrive at 5:45pm. Phew, things were looking good. Got the
tickets, we both went into the cinema (after our pre movie urinations of
course) and got a great seat.
Cinema wasn’t packed, but decent. I
anxiously waited for the projector to start up……..tick tock, tick tock……and
here we go! I’ve never been so excited to see fucking ads before. But this
meant things were looking good. And…it all worked out. I finally got to see
this film.
So, you’ve read all this shit, thinking
I’ll be reviewing the movie. Well, here we go, finally – as I said, Holy cow! That’s
the review. It’s a fucking awesome film. Great script, great cast, excellent
production values, from sets to special effects (no rhyme intended). It’s what
you go to the movies for people. To be ‘Wow’ed’. Joss Whedon, you’ve pulled off something
wonderful here. Something, that at the time of writing this, has been shown by
the sheer appreciation of the audiences worldwide through repeat viewings. I’ve
seen it once, and plan to see it again. Do yourself a favour people, go to the
big screens to see a big screen film!! The Avengers is surely one of those that
will not disappoint.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5.
PS. Let’s hope I still feel the same after
another viewing ;-)
