Regarding Twilight:
After work on Friday Jen followed me home so I could leave the truck for Calvin’s use, then she and I went to her sitter’s to pick up her son and a couple of folks who would be joining us for the movie. We met the rest of our party at the theater (there were, what, eight of us?) and had dinner on the patio at Rubio’s before the movie. There may have been some mocking going on – there were a LOT of “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob” t-shirts being sported by the shrill teenaged girls, of whom I am going to refer henceforth as, “The Shrieking Eels”.
“Do you know what that sound is, Highness? Those are the shrieking eels! If you don’t believe me, just wait. They always grow louder when they’re about to feed on human flesh!”
We got in line an hour before the movie started (Jen very kindly picked up advanced tickets for us all earlier in the week). We stoically endured all of the, “OMG!” “SRSLY!” “SWOON!” “SQUEE!” surrounding us. And then Jen finally calmed down and we were able to be all judgy toward the rest of the crowd.
Heh.
We secured great seats right in the middle/center of the theater (Jen, you RAN). I divided the rest of my wait between playing Bejeweled on my phone, talking to a couple of Jen’s friends, and stealing Jen’s popcorn while offering my own Junior Mints in recompense.
The lights dimmed, and the Shrieking Eels shrieked.
“Edward” appeared on-screen for the first time, and the Shrieking Eels shrieked.
“Carlyle” appeared on-screen for the first time, and the Shrieking Eels shrieked.
“Bella” and “Edward” kissed for the first time, and the Shrieking Eels shrieked.
“James” appeared on-screen for the first time, and the Shrieking Eels shrieked.
Jen and I were NOT holding ourselves together well, we were cracking up so hard. The movie wasn’t that bad, really, but the ANGST and the DRAMA were SO over the top. The poignant silences, and lingering stares. The tortured and brooding shame of Edward has he revealed what he “really was” to Bella. The tortured brooding of Edward in general, actually. He had a perpetually constipated look on his face for the entire movie.
Calvin mentioned he’d read a review of Twilight on Friday morning, something to the effect that, “The acting was so dry and wooden that you could have used it to stake one of the vampires.” That, and the “special effects” were fantastically bad. Just wait until you see Edward climb the tree with Bella on his back. You’ll understand then.
Despite ALL! THE! CHEESE! I really enjoyed myself. The movie was pretty much what I expected – low budget with poor acting, but a decent retelling of the book that I enjoyed. It COULD HAVE been so much better, which I regret. They should have made a more concerted effort, because the underlying story itself is universally entertaining. Perhaps they’ll do better with New Moon.
You DID know that they’re signed up for two more movies at least, right? Lactose intolerant, beware.
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Regarding The Big Pour:
Calvin and I attended a beer festival at Hohokam Stadium yesterday. I don’t think the temperature ever topped the high 70’s – it was GLORIOUS. We met one of Calvin’s co-workers and his wife there, and proceeded to CUT A SWATH through the 130+ beers and breweries represented. CC Ryder Express performed three sets while we were there, and thus I have discovered a New! Favorite! Live! Band! We made our acquaintance with several of the band members, and they encouraged me to take as many pictures as I wanted. They even said I could come up on stage while they were playing to take my shots, but by then I’d had about seventeen beers, so I didn’t trust myself not to trip over all the wiring.
My favorite beer of the day was Left Hand Brewing’s Milk Stout, while Calvin kept going back for refills of Oggi’s Black Magic Stout. He rid himself of all of his beverage tickets, while I still had five left by the end of the day, so I was voted designated driver by default. That, and I wasn’t NEARLY as lit as Calvin was, having switched to water a good hour and a half before leaving.
Grandma didn’t raise no fool.
Here’s some pics of the day, the whole set is here.
CC Ryder Express:
Beer buddies:
The sky, bluer than blue:
No idea what I was cracking up at – everything’s funny when you’ve had seventeen beers:
Pretty Anita, and a GNOME! in the background:
The grounds of the festival:
Guitars:
Horns:
Okay! Off to finish watching Tennessee get trounced by the Jets. Have a good weekend, loves!
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Snerkology 