I am a huge movie fan. My dear hubby — not so much. Thus, when I get the chance, I go see a movie solo. While I enjoy going to the movie with him or with friends, I actually don’t mind going solo. I usually use it as a treat for something like a birthday, a big accomplishment (like finishing a book), or when it’s a movie that simply has to be seen on the big screen. As we approach the RWA National Conference, I’ve been busy completing board duties, things for my various writing groups, getting revisions and new ideas into my agent so she can send them to the requesting editor, and, this week, trying on my conference clothes and finding out that, alas, I had to buy more pants that would actually zip up. Thus, while at the mall today, I decided to venture down to the north end and see Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Superhero fan that I am, I’d been looking forward to this movie since I saw the teaser trailer several months ago. It was a fun, summer flick, just what the doctor ordered. I like Ioan Gruffudd (Mr. Fantastic), wish I looked like Jessica Alba (Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman), think Chris Evans (Johnny Storm/The Human Torch) is a hoot, and it’s fun to see Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm/The Thing) plan a role that’s not so intense. So if you’re in the mood for fun summer action flick, check it out. And based on a short scene at the end, looks like plans are for a third Fantastic 4 sometime in the future.
Oh, and they ran a trailer before the movie The Golden Compass, due out in December, and it looks really good. I’m going to have to read Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, the first of which is The Golden Compass, before the release of the first movie.
So what about you? Do you like going to movies solo? Why or why not?
June 21st, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I love going to the movies alone — I don’t have to share my popcorn, no one to make me miss something by talking… the only bad part is the chance of losing your seat if you have to go potty before it starts and not having someone to save a seat at a popular movie if you want to grab concessions.
Of course, I like being alone. A lot.
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:21 am
In high school I had a friend who could not follow the plot of a movie to save her life – so I had to spend most of the movie trying to explain to her what was going on. I much prefer to go solo so I can concentrate on taking it all in.
It’s not like you can have a real conversation with anyone anyways in a dark theater with the speakers blasting in your ears.
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:37 am
Marianne, that’s true. I tend to go to the movies in the middle of the week during the day to avoid the crowds.
Laura, how annoying about having to explain all the way through.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:36 am
I am really not a huge movie theater fan. I think it is left over form when I used to smoke and sitting for that long made me all twitchy. I used to love going when I was a kid and when the LOTR movies were coming out, back to back the week of my birthday every year, we would all go as a family. But in general, I like to see them on my own in my home… and that can be hard because I often want to sneak back to the computer:)
teri
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I go to the movies by myself all the time. I LOVE movies, and though my husband does, too, our tastes don’t always mesh.
We used to have difficulties getting a babysitter, so one of us would go one night and the other would go the next, for big movies. Then D got old enough to babysit her little sister. The trouble is, she’s also old enough now to see movies like Fantastic 4, which means I stayed with the little one while she went with Daddy–so I’ll STILL be seeing it by myself! LOL
There are movies I’ll wait for DVD for, because of time and money, but those things being non-factors, I will NEVER give up the theater experience to watch at home–not even with our 53-inch TV and surround sound. Can’t compare.
June 23rd, 2007 at 10:22 am
I agree Natalie. I love the big-screen, theater experience.