Friday, June 09, 2006
Da (I think they mean) DUD Vinci Code
We had read the bad reviews. We saw how the movie was panned in Cannes. Yet, wanting to stay open and hoping to prove the reviewers wrong, once again, we relented. After all, Ron Howard was a terrific director and we both had thoroughly enjoyed Cinderella Man (which hadn't garnered great reviews either).
And so it was that we found ourselves one Friday in a theatre waiting for the Da Vinci Code to begin. The movie had only been out a week or so, but judging by the fewer than 20 other souls in the theatre, that seemed to be code for not faring well in the "word of mouth" category. Not a good sign.
Still, we wanted to give it a chance. After all, we had read Dan Brown's novel and even though I hadn't enjoyed it as much as Jerry had, I thought with Ron Howard's touch it could translate into a pretty good film. However, fifteen minutes in, we looked at each other and wanted to leave. Even with the splendid backdrop of the Louvre, the movie was flat and well, boring. We stayed, thinking (fingers crossed) that it could only get better, but it didn't.
Everything about the movie (even the usually great Tom Hanks couldn't save it) was flat and two-dimensional. The dialogue was stilted, the momentum painstakingly slow, and the story convoluted. We apparently weren't the only ones who felt this way. I saw three people get up and leave mid-way, but of those of us who stayed, the woman a row in front had the best coping strategy: she had fallen asleep. Her irregular breathing with the occasional "shhh" from her companion when her snoring reached near crescendo levels proved to be way more entertaining than any drama unfolding on the screen.
To date, I have yet to meet anyone who enjoyed the movie. So, if you haven't gone, save your money.
And so it was that we found ourselves one Friday in a theatre waiting for the Da Vinci Code to begin. The movie had only been out a week or so, but judging by the fewer than 20 other souls in the theatre, that seemed to be code for not faring well in the "word of mouth" category. Not a good sign.
Still, we wanted to give it a chance. After all, we had read Dan Brown's novel and even though I hadn't enjoyed it as much as Jerry had, I thought with Ron Howard's touch it could translate into a pretty good film. However, fifteen minutes in, we looked at each other and wanted to leave. Even with the splendid backdrop of the Louvre, the movie was flat and well, boring. We stayed, thinking (fingers crossed) that it could only get better, but it didn't.
Everything about the movie (even the usually great Tom Hanks couldn't save it) was flat and two-dimensional. The dialogue was stilted, the momentum painstakingly slow, and the story convoluted. We apparently weren't the only ones who felt this way. I saw three people get up and leave mid-way, but of those of us who stayed, the woman a row in front had the best coping strategy: she had fallen asleep. Her irregular breathing with the occasional "shhh" from her companion when her snoring reached near crescendo levels proved to be way more entertaining than any drama unfolding on the screen.
To date, I have yet to meet anyone who enjoyed the movie. So, if you haven't gone, save your money.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Lake Louise, Alberta
One of the nicest things about living in Calgary (and there are many) is the close proximity to Banff, Lake Louise and the awesome Rocky Mountains. Sometimes planned, but mostly on a whim, Jerry and I will decide to take off for a trip to the mountains. In a little over an hour we'll find ourselves in some of the most beautiful places/spaces on the planet. On a recent trip we saw a variety of wildlife including deer and elk. We stopped and quietly took pictures without disturbing them as they munched on grasses a few feet away.
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