Category: Movies

I caught a matinee at the Regal in Potomac Yard today at 3:30. At that theatre, all movies before 6 PM are matinees unlike Gallery Place where I think it is 11 AM! There is only one showing of a movie as a matinee there.

My partner came with me though he said he already saw the first 2. I was thinking to myself…there were 2 more before this? He was referring to Short Circuit and Johnny 5. There is a strange resemblance, check out this wheels and face with the strange “eyebrows.” While the movie seemed to be for all ages, makes the older crowd laugh more with the sounds and sights from recent technology. For example, when Wall-e is fully charged from his solar panels, Macintosh users will recognize the “gong” sound when a Mac is booted. You will also see an iPod which helps play old movies from beta tape. Zippos make an appearance and Wall-e disposes a diamond ring and keeps the fuzzy case for his collection along with rubber duckie and bobble head dog.

Movie buffs with notice a score from Indiana Jones….From the Raiders of the Lost Ark I believe.  2001: The Space Odyssey is alluded to as well.  Check out the Robot that is assisting the captain.  Notice the red light?

Finally, lights on the floor direct robots all over.  Perhaps this should be an improvement in the next generation Roomba.  Seriously, it reminded me of a robot kit I assembled as a kid which followed a pen mark on paper.  I thought it was pretty cool, and in this case, ensured safe operation of vehicles kind of like how air traffic controllers or a metro control center steers planes and trains.  On a few occasions a “MOP” robot, charged with cleaning, hopped off the “track” following the contamination left by Wall-e as he rolled around the ship.

Lessons to learn from the movie

• Recycle!  Earth is vacated due to the over abundance of trash from shopping at a store such as Costco or BJs.  Wall-e is meant to clean up the Earth while the humans are away by compacting and stacking, much like the Egyptians stacked blocks to make the pyramids, in the shape of skyscrapers.
• Get off your butt!  On the 5 year temporary home for the human which turned into 700 years, everyone relies on the robots and just sits, eats, and rides around on hover crafts and have evolved to not be able to walk or have a neck!
• Meet friends for dinner.  Until they were disrupted, the auto piloted hover crafts with a heads up video display complete transfixed the rider.  No one socialized and there was no personal contact.  Hmm…without interaction with others, there would not be “nocturnal activities” and the population would cease to exist!  So get out from behind the computer, pick up a phone or meet friends for dinner.
• Cockroaches will outlive every species on the planet.  There was only one plant that survived, but cockroaches abound!  Not surprising since the planet was covered with garbage.  We all know that cockroaches have been on this planet for a very long time, reproduce quickly, and can survive without food for a month.  Oh..twice in the movie the cockroach gets run over…and twice, even though is squished, it got up and scurried off. Yuck!

Verdict?

Go check out the movie.  This is one I am going to pick up as soon as it comes out on DVD.  Too bad it is Disney and that HD-DVD did not make it.  I will have to get the standard definition for now.

New to DVD this week, “Definitely Maybe.”  I meant to see it in the theatre over Valentines this past February, but did not have the time.  I rented it last night and it is spectacular!  Abigail Breslin and Ryan Reynolds who I remembered from “Van Wilder,” a movie I own ashamedly.  (I don’t think I have watched it though 🙂  One of those movies from my childish days purchased with the “Scary Movie” series.)

I think I watch too many movies.  I know so actually, I tend to put in a movie when baking, cleaning, or when I really plan to pay attention in lieu of television.  I despise advertising and until television becomes commercial free, should be now since cable costs money, a reason why I don’t get cable now, movies it will be 🙂  

I think it just my brain, but I tend to recognize people by face more than name.  While the dvd cover does not mention it, Kevin Kline has a small roll in the movie.  His makeup and costume disguised him, but his voice revealed him.

If you read my last post you saw that “Teasers” for movies tend to draw you in with the most interesting parts smashed together.  This was definitely the case here!  If you remember “The Never Ending Story” you recall two well known stars, one reading a book and the other listening and both of them chiming in as the story is portrayed on the screen.  This is how “Definitely Maybe” unfolds.  Abigail Breslin, portraying a similar role as in “No Reservations,” is the demanding insistent daughter of a failing marriage wanting to know the story of how her mom and dad met.  Ryan Reynolds intrigued me as an actor.  I think this was because he was relatively expressionless and his voice steady and almost calming.  Hard to explain, so check out this “chic flick” and let me know what you think.

Another movie that kept my attention and eyes off the clock.

Planning on checking out “Wanted” and “Wall*e” which open this weekend, so come back soon!

This past weekend I finally checked out “Kung Fu Panda.”  As you may know, I am a tour guide at the National Zoo and the Giant Pandas are a big hit.  Not really a Jack Black fan, but the “Skidooosh” with the belly bump really got me interested, not to mention the many other notable cast members.  

The movie was very entertaining and kept my attention throughout with not even one glance to my watch!  The fight between the leopard and panda came and I was waiting for the “Skidoosh”, saw the belly bump and…..there was none.  Just goes to show you how much movie “teasers” are just that. 🙂  The “Skidoosh” came with the “Wooshi Finger Hold” and was great.

A good film for all ages, except the babies that cannot talk and just want to cry, (hint hint, stay home next time) “Kung Fu Panda” is a great film, one that I will likely pick up on DVD when released.