14 January 2007

And so it begins...

For about 20 years (starting in high school), every Friday I would go see whatever movie had opened that weekend. Soon enough my wife joined me in this habit, and I would reckon we saw about 50 movies a year that way, which -- if my math is right -- equals about a million movies. Of course most of these slipped from my memory shortly after leaving the theater*, but some have burned certain lines and images into my consciousness forever, and they can still spring to mind when triggered by an unexpected play of light and shadow, or an offhand and overheard remark.

But then, as often happens, a creature came along (who now has her own blog !) and then another, and suddenly we were lucky to get out to a movie a month. After five years or so of this (all the while I continued to buy special-edition DVDs which we never seem to find time to watch) we broke down and joined Netflix. The theory was that I would be somehow magically more compelled to watch, say, Michael Apted's 49 Up if that little red envelope was sitting atop the DVD player beckoning me every night, than if I just filled up another 1% of the DVR taping it or put it in the movie cabinet next to the other unopened DVDs. And lo, it is true -- to my surprise and delight it is true. Since December 2006 we've watched six films: two docs (the amazing '49 Up' and the Pixies reunion film 'loudQUIETloud'), two popular favorites ('The Devil Wears Prada' and 'Little Miss Sunshine'), the indie flick 'Junebug' and the hilarious and aptly named 'Jackass Number 2' (which -- to set the adult tone of this blog right away -- is gayer than 4 guys screwing 5 guys).

Later, I will discuss, dissect, muse and snark about all these films (and so much more) , but for now I welcome you to my little corner of the blogosphere. And never forget: only an asshole gets killed for a car.

*In certain cases more drastic measures were necessary: for example, the first movie I ever walked out of was 'Saturday the 14th' (when I was 15), which I remember now fondly for the sole reason that it starred Richard Benjamin, who went on to direct one of the movies I love and quote often: 'My Favorite Year'. Also, the Christian Slater movie 'Mobsters' was so terrible that we immediately snuck into another movie just to help wash that one off our poor eyes...