Edification films could be seen anywhere and anytime because they tended to be part of larger bodies of work that I felt it important to expose myself to. For example, if you call yourself a screenwriter or film director and you’ve never seen a film by Akira Kurosawa, it would be hard for me to take you seriously as you make bold historically significant stylistic choices in your own filmmaking.
At the other end of things are movies like Basic Instinct or The Devil Wears Prada 2, titles that roll onto screens riding a tsunami of buzz about performances, budget, locations, casting, costumes, art direction, etc. These tend to be perceived as a bit more fluffy because they enter the market already popular and sell out their first weekends based largely on carefully manufactured fevered curiosity and anticipation. They are event movies. And as a result, tickets can be hard to get for those who aren’t quick on the draw. And movies that sell out quickly and present extra oniine hurdles to ticket buyers tend to inspire groups of friends to organize themselves around group outings to individual screenings sharing popcorn with 6-12 of your closest pals, passing candy seat to seat, whispering with the person sharing your arm rest in agreement as to the successful realization of the vision. As such, the fluffy highly anticipated event movie is in many ways tailored to the necessary pacing of sharp comedy playing to a full and noisy house.
The important new foreign film that I must not miss before it vanishes from theaters just as quickly as it’s arrived is paced differently too. It plays just as effectively at 10AM on a weekday morning to an audience of 3 individuals scattered to the corners of the house and it doesn’t necessarily inspire a trip out to the concession stand to load up on candy that reminds me of moviegoing in the 7th grade.
I think I’ve always felt more comfortable sitting alone in a movie house to watch something serious and less well attended than filling just one seat in a packed house made up mostly of large groups of giddy friends who have gathered to enjoy the latest buzzworthy show.
But today, following my second negative CoVid test, I will be treating myself to some much-needed fluff in the form of Devil Wears Prada 2. I grabbed an aisle seat and plan to arm myself with popcorn, Diet Coke and Twizzlers and try to enjoy both shows that will unfold before me — the movie itself (which better be great) and the giddy ballet that accompanies any largeish group of friends who has waited long enough and are really really ready for the house lights to dim and the show to take off.
I’ll report back on how it all goes tomorrow.
In the meantime…
Have you run to see it opening weekend like me? If so, what did you think? Did it measure up? Leave your experience in the comments.
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