MoviePass Vacation - Episode 9 - Tully
May 6th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $109.05. Overall ROI - +$19.55
I caved in and paid for Avenger's Infinity War because it was definitely going to sell out opening week, hence no posts for a while. Otherwise the theater is a little bleak right now. I can't bring myself to see Rampage yet and Overboard is playing at odd times.
This was my first film since MoviePass started putting odd new restrictions in. I noticed that films I've seen are now blacked out (you can only see them once) and now you have to take a photo of your ticket (not actually that big a deal). I'm pissed for people who hadn't signed up before and are now limited to 4 movies per month. Still worth it but definitely takes the fun out of the whole thing. I believe I'm still grandfathered in at unlimited but worried that'll go away upon renewal.
I was underwhelmed with Tully. The dialogue is typically snappy for Diablo Cody, and Charlize does a terrific job, but at a certain point the premise just ended up boring me when it wasn't annoying me. It's admittedly tough to make a movie where screaming babies and obnoxious kids are driving the mother crazy without also driving the audience crazy, but that didn't make me enjoy watching it any more.
Overall rating - C+
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Episode 8 - I Feel Pretty
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 8 - I Feel Pretty
April 24th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $95.65. Overall ROI - +$6.15
Just 22 days after seeing my first movie via MoviePass, I've finally surpassed my initial investment cost. This is a historic day, heralding in ~49 weeks of free movies in the theater to come. My goal for the year is now to see $1,000 worth of movies. Stay tuned.
As for the new Amy Schumer film, the best part was walking up to the ticket seller and saying the sentence "I feel pretty." (leaving out "1 ticket for .... at 7:20") They didn't laugh, but I sure did.
With the exception of two scenes where I laughed hysterically (you'll know them), a lot of this was a little more rom-com-y than I had anticipated. I expected a bit more "Trainwreck" Schumer and not so much schmaltz from the writers of "Never Been Kissed" and "He's Just Not That Into You." (which should have served as a warning)
The movie has a tough time balancing it's comedy with it's message, and it's very, very concerned with the message. This makes for jarring transitions between the hilarious scenes scattered throughout the otherwise by-the-numbers empowerment rom-com.
There are certainly bright notes. Michelle Williams is subtly hilarious throughout, and she's such a terrific actress it should be no surprise she can do comedy as well.
"I Feel Pretty" is a funny concept jammed too tightly into a conventional mold, and I'm not certain who else to blame but the writers of what have otherwise been predictable romantic comedies. Amy Schumer does her best but she's restricted by the message, the structure, and the tone of the film. She deserves better than this.
Overall Rating - C
April 24th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $95.65. Overall ROI - +$6.15
Just 22 days after seeing my first movie via MoviePass, I've finally surpassed my initial investment cost. This is a historic day, heralding in ~49 weeks of free movies in the theater to come. My goal for the year is now to see $1,000 worth of movies. Stay tuned.
As for the new Amy Schumer film, the best part was walking up to the ticket seller and saying the sentence "I feel pretty." (leaving out "1 ticket for .... at 7:20") They didn't laugh, but I sure did.
With the exception of two scenes where I laughed hysterically (you'll know them), a lot of this was a little more rom-com-y than I had anticipated. I expected a bit more "Trainwreck" Schumer and not so much schmaltz from the writers of "Never Been Kissed" and "He's Just Not That Into You." (which should have served as a warning)
The movie has a tough time balancing it's comedy with it's message, and it's very, very concerned with the message. This makes for jarring transitions between the hilarious scenes scattered throughout the otherwise by-the-numbers empowerment rom-com.
There are certainly bright notes. Michelle Williams is subtly hilarious throughout, and she's such a terrific actress it should be no surprise she can do comedy as well.
"I Feel Pretty" is a funny concept jammed too tightly into a conventional mold, and I'm not certain who else to blame but the writers of what have otherwise been predictable romantic comedies. Amy Schumer does her best but she's restricted by the message, the structure, and the tone of the film. She deserves better than this.
Overall Rating - C
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Episode 7 - Super Troopers 2
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 7 - Super Troopers 2
April 17th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $82.25. Overall ROI. -$7.25
It's insane that you can still earn points on your Regal Gold Club card by going to a movie on the Movie Pass. Tonight I enjoyed another free popcorn and soda even though I'm not actually "paying" to go see the movie.
I didn't like the first Super Troopers when it came out, but I definitely laughed my ass off at this one. Good for these guys for crowd-funding part of this and really making it a labor of love. It's about what I expected, but maybe even a little funnier. For sure worth a watch.
Overall Review - C+
April 17th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $82.25. Overall ROI. -$7.25
It's insane that you can still earn points on your Regal Gold Club card by going to a movie on the Movie Pass. Tonight I enjoyed another free popcorn and soda even though I'm not actually "paying" to go see the movie.
I didn't like the first Super Troopers when it came out, but I definitely laughed my ass off at this one. Good for these guys for crowd-funding part of this and really making it a labor of love. It's about what I expected, but maybe even a little funnier. For sure worth a watch.
Overall Review - C+
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Episode 6 - Red Sparrow
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 6 - Red Sparrow
April 17th, 2018 @ Kendig Squre in Willow Street, PA - $5.00 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $68.85. Overall ROI. -$20.65
Yes, the Movie Pass even works at the discount theater. The sound was a little shitty, which made the Russian accents sometimes a little hard to understand, but in some way it also made it feel a little old-timey.
A few months back I got really excited about this movie from the trailer, and I'm sad to say I stayed away so long because of the lukewarm reviews from critics (about 47% currently on Rotten Tomatoes). The only thing I can attribute the bland reception to this film to is that it can be a bit brutal to watch at times. They really put Jennifer Lawrence's character through some shit, and I suspect that turned off a lot of critics.
These brutal scenes, however, paid off big time in one of the best finales I've seen in recent memory. I've heard some critics say the film is hard to follow, but I'm afraid they might just not have been paying attention, because I didn't find it to be at all. And all those little details and turns made for an incredibly satisfying climax. In fact, the second-run theater audience actually applauded when the titles rolled. It's a brilliant movie, and I hope one day will be looked back on as a time the critics really got it wrong. Not this critic of course.
Overall Review - A
April 17th, 2018 @ Kendig Squre in Willow Street, PA - $5.00 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $68.85. Overall ROI. -$20.65
Yes, the Movie Pass even works at the discount theater. The sound was a little shitty, which made the Russian accents sometimes a little hard to understand, but in some way it also made it feel a little old-timey.
A few months back I got really excited about this movie from the trailer, and I'm sad to say I stayed away so long because of the lukewarm reviews from critics (about 47% currently on Rotten Tomatoes). The only thing I can attribute the bland reception to this film to is that it can be a bit brutal to watch at times. They really put Jennifer Lawrence's character through some shit, and I suspect that turned off a lot of critics.
These brutal scenes, however, paid off big time in one of the best finales I've seen in recent memory. I've heard some critics say the film is hard to follow, but I'm afraid they might just not have been paying attention, because I didn't find it to be at all. And all those little details and turns made for an incredibly satisfying climax. In fact, the second-run theater audience actually applauded when the titles rolled. It's a brilliant movie, and I hope one day will be looked back on as a time the critics really got it wrong. Not this critic of course.
Overall Review - A
Monday, April 16, 2018
Episode 5 - Beirut
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 5 - Beirut
April 16th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $63.85. Overall ROI. -$25.65
I suppose the title of this movie is apt, but it's such a boring one it's literally going to cost it millions of dollars. Last Monday I saw A Quiet Place and the theater was almost sold out. This Monday I saw Beruit and there were two other people in the theater.
It's a shame, because it really is a well-made, acted, and written film with some great action and suspense. I hope people find it when it inevitably makes a quick transition out of theaters and onto streaming.
Overall Score - B+
April 16th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $63.85. Overall ROI. -$25.65
I suppose the title of this movie is apt, but it's such a boring one it's literally going to cost it millions of dollars. Last Monday I saw A Quiet Place and the theater was almost sold out. This Monday I saw Beruit and there were two other people in the theater.
It's a shame, because it really is a well-made, acted, and written film with some great action and suspense. I hope people find it when it inevitably makes a quick transition out of theaters and onto streaming.
Overall Score - B+
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Episode 4 - Blockers
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 4 - Blockers
April 10th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $50.45. Overall ROI. -$39.05
While the last movie I saw (A Quiet Place) was a well-executed take on a great concept, Blockers is actually a great take on a terrible concept. It's also a terrible name for a movie, starring a cast of characters typically known for smaller supporting roles, supported by whole lot of unknowns. I was stunned by how much I enjoyed this movie considering how little the trailer did for me.
The fact that Blockers opens with one of my favorite Dr. Dog songs playing immediately set me up to like the film, and it was followed by enough solid early jokes to forgive the unbelievably stupid premise of parents hell-bent on cock-blocking their kids on prom night.
Sprinkled with small, smart jokes throughout, there are also a few downright hilarious scenes, and it's always fun to see a great comedy in a theater. Newcomer Geraldine Viswanathan steals the show as far as the kids go. I'll see pretty much any comedy, and this one really surprised me.
Overall Rating - B+
April 10th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $50.45. Overall ROI. -$39.05
While the last movie I saw (A Quiet Place) was a well-executed take on a great concept, Blockers is actually a great take on a terrible concept. It's also a terrible name for a movie, starring a cast of characters typically known for smaller supporting roles, supported by whole lot of unknowns. I was stunned by how much I enjoyed this movie considering how little the trailer did for me.
The fact that Blockers opens with one of my favorite Dr. Dog songs playing immediately set me up to like the film, and it was followed by enough solid early jokes to forgive the unbelievably stupid premise of parents hell-bent on cock-blocking their kids on prom night.
Sprinkled with small, smart jokes throughout, there are also a few downright hilarious scenes, and it's always fun to see a great comedy in a theater. Newcomer Geraldine Viswanathan steals the show as far as the kids go. I'll see pretty much any comedy, and this one really surprised me.
Overall Rating - B+
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Episode 3 - A Quiet Place
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 3 - A Quiet Place
April 9th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $37.05. Overall ROI. -$52.40
How many times during a film can I say to myself, "Wow this is a really well executed concept?" A ton, it seems.
That isn't to say I didn't have a lot of questions about A Quiet Place, or that I thought a few parts weren't a bit corny or heavy handed, but watching a film this... yes, quiet, in a sold out movie theater is an extremely unique and satisfying experience. I almost want to go back in and cut a handful of very small parts out to make this a perfect movie.
While an absolute joy to watch (though tense, certainly tense), I did have a lot of questions. How did these monsters get to earth exactly? Do they run to any noise? If a tree falls in the forest do the monsters run really fast to that as well? I'd watch a sequel that reflects on the larger scale of this "invasion", and with the opening weekend success, it isn't unlikely that might happen.
Overall Rating - A-
April 9th, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $37.05. Overall ROI. -$52.40
How many times during a film can I say to myself, "Wow this is a really well executed concept?" A ton, it seems.
That isn't to say I didn't have a lot of questions about A Quiet Place, or that I thought a few parts weren't a bit corny or heavy handed, but watching a film this... yes, quiet, in a sold out movie theater is an extremely unique and satisfying experience. I almost want to go back in and cut a handful of very small parts out to make this a perfect movie.
While an absolute joy to watch (though tense, certainly tense), I did have a lot of questions. How did these monsters get to earth exactly? Do they run to any noise? If a tree falls in the forest do the monsters run really fast to that as well? I'd watch a sequel that reflects on the larger scale of this "invasion", and with the opening weekend success, it isn't unlikely that might happen.
Overall Rating - A-
Monday, April 9, 2018
Episode 2 - Isle of Dogs
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 2 - Isle of Dogs
April 7th, 2018 @ Ritz V in Philadelphia, PA - $10.25 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $23.65. Overall ROI. -$65.85
I wouldn't say I'm a Wes Anderson apologist, because I don't believe there is anything to apologize for. In fact, I'm perplexed that people get so angry with him for having a style and sticking with it. Tarantino doesn't get that type of vitriol thrown his way, and I think it has something to do with a vague anti-"hipster" sentiment.
So far I've liked every Wes Anderson movie, and I like this one as well. It's almost a shame that a film with such gorgeous animation takes place primarily on an island of trash.
There is a lot to love about this movie, and I 100% bought into the peril and mission of the dogs, but a few things did nag me. For one, there is very little translation of the Japanese in the film, and I'm not sure what the reason for excluding the closed captioning was. It's an interesting choice, but also at times an annoying one.
Overall Rating - B+
April 7th, 2018 @ Ritz V in Philadelphia, PA - $10.25 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $23.65. Overall ROI. -$65.85
I wouldn't say I'm a Wes Anderson apologist, because I don't believe there is anything to apologize for. In fact, I'm perplexed that people get so angry with him for having a style and sticking with it. Tarantino doesn't get that type of vitriol thrown his way, and I think it has something to do with a vague anti-"hipster" sentiment.
So far I've liked every Wes Anderson movie, and I like this one as well. It's almost a shame that a film with such gorgeous animation takes place primarily on an island of trash.
There is a lot to love about this movie, and I 100% bought into the peril and mission of the dogs, but a few things did nag me. For one, there is very little translation of the Japanese in the film, and I'm not sure what the reason for excluding the closed captioning was. It's an interesting choice, but also at times an annoying one.
Overall Rating - B+
Monday, April 2, 2018
Episode 1 - Ready Player One
MoviePass Vacation - Episode 1 - Ready Player One
April 2nd, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $13.40. Overall ROI. -$76.10
My first experience using the pass was a relative breeze. I checked in and selected my movie and time using the app out front of the theater about twenty minutes early so I'd have time to grab a bite to eat before the showing. You still have to wait in line to reserve your seat using the physical card they send you in the mail after registering online. This seems like a weird flaw they'll eventually figure out eventually, if I don't personally bankrupt this platform first. Other than the initial check-in via the app they treated the MoviePass card like a regular debit card, and I was good to go.
When the movie began the sound in the theater was off in such a weird way that I had to really think about how to explain it before I walked out and complained to the ticket taker. It was like the music and the sound effects were turned down lower than the characters' voices. I expected a big splash into the opening credits and it all fell flat through no fault of the movie itself. I tried to relay the audio issue to the staff, but clearly failed because they didn't fix the problem until about halfway through the movie. (No diss to Regal I love that place, I've worked in theaters before I get it. Just a note.)
I probably shouldn't have complained. I only noticed the sound was fixed later in the film when Twisted Sister came on during what otherwise would have been an emotional highlight. This was just one of a dozen or so cringeworthy moments of cheesiness that made me question whether this movie actually cared about anything that is good, or whether it was just going to fall all over itself to try and make as many references to media from my youth as possible.
With that said, in a movie so full of pop culture references that I'm actually excited to read the inevitable Buzzfeed article entitled "11 Things You Definitely Missed In Ready Player One," there is so much packed in here that there is a lot to love as well.
To avoid getting too bogged down in the minutiae of the references I loved (Madballs!!!) and the ones that fell flat (Saturday Night Fever, really?), I'd rather focus on the elements of the film that are not related to Atari or Akira or A Nightmare on Elm Street.
For starters, it's amazing that the 71-year-old director of Schindler's List wanted to make a movie where 75% of it takes place in a virtual reality video game world. I didn't love all of the CGI (is it weird to say it's too "video gamey"?), but he certainly didn't embarrass himself. A few of those VR set pieces fall flat, but there are a few I absolutely loved. I won't spoil my favorite, which spends a delightful ten or so minutes revisiting the set of one of my favorite horror films, but I will just say I am a sucker for films that clearly showcase a love for cinema. Despite it's faults, this movie is oozing with appreciation for the medium of movies, disguised as a movie in love with gaming.
Ready Player One gets an immense amount of credit for being very, very clever, not in how many times it can reference Back to the Future, but how well The Oasis (the VR world in which most of the film takes place) is constructed. The unlocking of the "keys" is smart in every instance and offers a thoughtful ode to the very nature of video games in the end.
I love it when a movie takes a big swing, and Ready Player One shot for the moon. I'm not sure exactly who this film is for though. The reliance on CGI will turn off the very fans of 70s, 80s, and even 90s pop culture that the movie references over and over again. I can only hope the 13 year olds of today who enjoy this movie will take the time to check out the classic films of the past 40 years this movie bends over backwards to reference.
Rating - B
April 2nd, 2018 @ Regal Manor Stadium 16 in Lancaster, PA - $13.40 for a normal ticket
MoviePass Investment - $89.50. Total Savings - $13.40. Overall ROI. -$76.10
My first experience using the pass was a relative breeze. I checked in and selected my movie and time using the app out front of the theater about twenty minutes early so I'd have time to grab a bite to eat before the showing. You still have to wait in line to reserve your seat using the physical card they send you in the mail after registering online. This seems like a weird flaw they'll eventually figure out eventually, if I don't personally bankrupt this platform first. Other than the initial check-in via the app they treated the MoviePass card like a regular debit card, and I was good to go.
When the movie began the sound in the theater was off in such a weird way that I had to really think about how to explain it before I walked out and complained to the ticket taker. It was like the music and the sound effects were turned down lower than the characters' voices. I expected a big splash into the opening credits and it all fell flat through no fault of the movie itself. I tried to relay the audio issue to the staff, but clearly failed because they didn't fix the problem until about halfway through the movie. (No diss to Regal I love that place, I've worked in theaters before I get it. Just a note.)
I probably shouldn't have complained. I only noticed the sound was fixed later in the film when Twisted Sister came on during what otherwise would have been an emotional highlight. This was just one of a dozen or so cringeworthy moments of cheesiness that made me question whether this movie actually cared about anything that is good, or whether it was just going to fall all over itself to try and make as many references to media from my youth as possible.
With that said, in a movie so full of pop culture references that I'm actually excited to read the inevitable Buzzfeed article entitled "11 Things You Definitely Missed In Ready Player One," there is so much packed in here that there is a lot to love as well.
To avoid getting too bogged down in the minutiae of the references I loved (Madballs!!!) and the ones that fell flat (Saturday Night Fever, really?), I'd rather focus on the elements of the film that are not related to Atari or Akira or A Nightmare on Elm Street.
For starters, it's amazing that the 71-year-old director of Schindler's List wanted to make a movie where 75% of it takes place in a virtual reality video game world. I didn't love all of the CGI (is it weird to say it's too "video gamey"?), but he certainly didn't embarrass himself. A few of those VR set pieces fall flat, but there are a few I absolutely loved. I won't spoil my favorite, which spends a delightful ten or so minutes revisiting the set of one of my favorite horror films, but I will just say I am a sucker for films that clearly showcase a love for cinema. Despite it's faults, this movie is oozing with appreciation for the medium of movies, disguised as a movie in love with gaming.
Ready Player One gets an immense amount of credit for being very, very clever, not in how many times it can reference Back to the Future, but how well The Oasis (the VR world in which most of the film takes place) is constructed. The unlocking of the "keys" is smart in every instance and offers a thoughtful ode to the very nature of video games in the end.
I love it when a movie takes a big swing, and Ready Player One shot for the moon. I'm not sure exactly who this film is for though. The reliance on CGI will turn off the very fans of 70s, 80s, and even 90s pop culture that the movie references over and over again. I can only hope the 13 year olds of today who enjoy this movie will take the time to check out the classic films of the past 40 years this movie bends over backwards to reference.
Rating - B
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