Two Movie Reviews: Pineapple Express and Mamma Mia!
On Friday… watching Pineapple Express while sitting on the couch with Liz, eating a Garbage Pizza from Pizza Metro (typo – thanks Rachelle) was, in my mind, a perfect weekend evening. There were some seriously funny moments throughout, and quite possibly one of the best pot-based action movies I’ve seen.
There were a few slow segments, and during those sequences I kept thinking that while they were humorous… I’d probably be rolling on the gorund were I high. Watching this movie was a relaxing end to a busy work week.
Because I had spent a good part of the evening playing Fallout 3, Liz got to pick the movie on Saturday evening. Prior to watching Mamma Mia!, I knew it was a musical… but didn’t know it was a jukebox musical.
Also… I had no idea that every song was an ABBA song.
Also… I discovered that I don’t like ABBA songs.
And for the record – I like musicals. I haven’t seen a lot of them, but I enjoy musicals on occassion. I was in show choir in high school, and participated in my fair share of them. But this one was just… bad. And while I’m a fan of Meryl Streep (she won me over when I saw Sophie’s Choice), I didn’t think she did so well in this film. Maybe it was the music/songs/lyrics.
I had expected a bit of over-the-topness, as that’s usually the territory for musicals. But this was shitty over-the-topnesss, IMO. My choir director once said that in musicals… songs occur when words simply can’t convey what a character is feeling or thinking. In this case of this movie, it felt like the dialogue occurred when the songs stopped.
Here’s my best summary of the movie: you know how, when an older woman who’s in her 40’s or 50’s shakes her shoulders back and forth suggestively… you know how that’s kind of funny for, like, 5 seconds? Watching this movie was exactly that, except the woman kept on shaking it for like 3 minutes, nonstop. It was an awkward and uncomfortable experience for all involved.
I say this especially (but not exclusively) to the men: avoid at all costs.
Do you mean Pizza MetrO? I love that place and miss it so much. The one on Division was a block from my first Chicago apartment. If you say we are in their delivery area I might die.
rachelle (February 9, 2009 at 6:54 am)Ah, typo on my part. And yes, it was definitely Pizza Metro, right there on Division.Liz and I are at California/Logan, and it’s just beyond Pizza Metro’s delivery area. We got them to come out here once, but typically they tell us no.But I think you guys are possibly within their range. I think you’re right near the California Blue Line, and Pizza Metro’s cutoff is something like either Logan Boulevard or Fullterton. I think you might be in luck.
avoision (February 9, 2009 at 8:00 am)This movie (Mama Mia) hurt so bad! I regret that decision.
Liz (February 9, 2009 at 9:33 am)I’m going to have to call and see. Sometimes we’re too far west because we’re just barely west of California.
rachelle (February 9, 2009 at 10:57 am)