At The Movies

Yesterday, I splurged a little and indulged in one of my very favorite guilty pleasures. Extreme film fan that I am, it's a rare day I ever actually get inside a theater. Of course it's always possible to see any movie at home on DVD or on the VCR once it becomes available for public purchase. While it's nothing short of a miracle to see a new (or old) movie, uncut, in the privacy of home at your convenience, it just isn't the same.

There's something so exciting and magical about sitting in a theater, waiting for the lights to dim and the film to roll. It's deliciously satisfying to be alone and swept away into the darkness of the theater with no distractions. Our town has a small film center with four screens which show four different films. Three of the four theaters are very small and I was directed to one of these to see my movie selection. It was like being treated to a private screening. Besides myself, there were only two other men in the audience. It was great! This was the first matinee of the day and the floor was relatively unsticky. I make it my cardinal rule to always attend the first daily showing whenever possible exactly for this reason.

So there I was, sitting in the best seat in the house, waiting for the obligatory previews (which are so long it's as if I've seen another film or two) to end so I could settle down and lose myself in "Cinderella Man". This film has two things going for it and the second one is boxing. I like boxing movies. I'm far and away from being any kind of sports fan but Ido enjoy boxing. I'm not exactly sure why. Sure, it's violent, it's bloody but in a story about boxing, the violence is integral to the plot, it's the boxers' choice to be there and it remains within the confines of the ring.

Ever handsome and charming, Russell Crowe gave his usual stellar performance as Jim Braddock. Mr. Crowe may be an upstart, an antagonizer or "difficult" as an actor but gracious! The man's presence on the big screen and his ability to seemingly become that person he is portraying takes my breath away.

Springsnymph gives this film two thumbs up and says, "check it out!" (Thank you, Roger Ebert and Joe Bob Briggs for those two phrases which I'm sure carry a copyright but I'm risking it here.) I often wish I had the enviable job of being a movie critic; imagine, getting paid to see and write about movies. I think I need to take myself out to the movies more often.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05052/460543.stm

http://www.joebobbriggs.com/

The above links are provided to protect the innocent (me).  I decided I didn't want to take any chances.