Magnificent

Even on the weekends - on the very days that I can sleep in - I don't. No clue why, but around 7:35 this morning, I'm wide awake. Sometimes over long breaks, I marvel when I make it to 9 AM; ironically, it's usually the day before I have to go back to school. This morning was no exception. Truly, madly, deeply needed some sleep . . . boom! 7:30 - wide awake.

The Flyer and I went to see Watchmen last night (it's been on his calendar for months); for some reason, he has the worst luck with movies. When he was a kid, he went to see Return of the Jedi only to find out that the print was in French since the distributors got the reels mixed up. Instead of sending Cambridge, Ohio, the English version, they sent it to Cambridge, Ontario. During Remo Williams, the print actually burned up kind of like they show you in the movies. That was before the Internet and Hulu so he has to wait until it was released on VHS to see the last ten minutes of the movie. A few years back, we saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but had to leave an hour into it due to a gas leak in the theater. Sensing a pattern? Watchmen's problem occurred an hour in as well when the print snapped. Crowded theater + no information about film not playing = chaos. Eventually it started up again, so all's well that ends well . . . except for listening to the idiots around me. Bravo, noisy chewing man behind me, you really stuck it to the Fandango for getting a refund on your movie but still being able to watch it. I'm sure they are cowering at your might. Congrats, dude sitting to my right . . . that cheeseburger really was the right thing to eat in the middle of a crowded theater and it smelled amazingly noxious. At least I'm not the lucky woman who calls you her prize. And my hat is off to you, young lady in front of me. Well done being able to push your feet into the chair in front of you and extend your own chair into my husband's lap . . . the Freschetta mini-pizza must have been worth it. But, the biggest props go, hands down, to the parents in the audience.

If you have a small child, I truly understand how challenging it is to get a babysitter for the little ones and enjoy your evening out. Hell, the Flyer and I didn't see movies until the girls were about ten unless we were home and Mom was watching them. It just didn't make sense to do so. Consequently, there were a ton of movies that we just never saw in the theater. It was a sacrifice, but one that was necessary. I mean, what kind of a mom would I be if I put my need to see Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller shoot smack in Trainspotting above my kids' need not to see it? Last night, I think those views were in the minority. I texted Lola during the 30-minute unplanned intermission that there were between 20 and 30 children under the age of ten in the theater. Ummm, hello? The movie opens with a man brutally beaten to death, an attempted rape scene that left little to the imagination, a fairly graphic sex scene (set to the tune of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"), and scores and scores of head splitting violent fights. No child should have been in that theater. Fine, your kid can handle it. Okay, he knows it isn't real. Here's the thing . . . they can't and they don't always make that connection in real life. Keep the kids at home. Go see it by yourself. Be a parent and put your own self-interest and indulgence  behind your child's. The parents with the toddlers need the most help . . . your kid needed a booster seat for this and started crying during the first five minutes. Handing out Cheerios, taking numerous walks in the theater, and pleading with your baby to "be good for just a few more minutes" doesn't cut it. Off my soapbox.

How was the movie, you ask? Amazing! Zack Snyder did a superb job keeping what was good about the graphic novel and improving on it a bit (hello? No giant squid? A billion thank-yous). Seeing Billy Crudup's digitized junk every twenty minutes or so sent the audience into giggles; the Flyer wondered if Crudup's agent negotiated the size of the wang. Either way, it was kind of funny. And, truth be told, I might have a bit of a crush on Nite Owl II, the everyman in the movie, even with his "issues." Jackie Earle Haley's version of Rorschach might have been my favorite character because it was the most layered. The only real complaint was Matthew Goode as Ozymandias. I've enjoyed everything I've seen him in, but he was really underused in this one. Either way, we'll go see it again, probably after it's been out for a while.

So, how's the knitting going (since this is a knitting blog)? It's kind of in that "meh" stage. Betty's sweater is done save for the "pick up two stitches for every three and continue in pattern for 12 rows" around the neck. Veronica's cardi is clicking along nicely, but I am still kicking myself for using cotton and not putting in a right twist on the raglan increase. I'm hoping to finish Betty's this weekend and then crank out her sister's over the coming week. I'll get some FO shots up this week sometime. But with this gorgeous weather, that week might stretch to two . . . hello, Spring!

Enjoy your weekend . . . Lola is headed to a UFC fight tonight with SK and our cousin Christy and her husband. I still don't get it, and I probably never will. That's fine since she still doesn't understand why I enjoy a good peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich now and then.

Ava

PS - Finally, I get to see Ray LaMontagne on March 31! Happy dances all around!

Comments

[Cathi]

Ray is on SNL tonight- not the same, but maybe a warmup for the actual concert?

[regina]

oooh, is she going to see the jardine/rampage fight?? we arent getting it tonight so be sure to tell us how it went!!
r

[Leigh]

My biggest complaint about going to movies is all of the children that don't belong there. I saw Dark Knight at midnight in a theater with children under the age of 10. I was appalled. I plan to go see Inglorious Basterds when it comes out and I fully expect to see at least 5 children. I will be appalled and will probably make it known to the people I am with. It frustrates me the way people blame others for the problems with their children when they do stupid sh!t like that.
-Gets off soap box-
I'm going to see Watchmen tomorrow with the family. I'm on spring break and they are willing to pay for it! They've all seen it and rave about it. I really hope it's that good.