Christmas Flicks

My family doesn't have a whole lot of traditions. We just kinda go with the flow. But one of the few is going to movies during holidays. We always go to a movie on the evening of Thanksgiving. And during the weeks surrounding Christmas, the Mechling/Hilton/Graf clan can often been seen frequenting the megaplex in American Fork.

Today I saw National Treasure 2. It was okay, nothing really exciting. I mean, you know they're going to find the treasure. You know they're going to be chased and half the time outwitted by the other guys, and chased by the 'feds most of the time too. Really, the President was the only really enjoyable part of the movie, but that's because I have this weird obsession with any fictional POTUS--just please don't give me the real thing.

However, on the other end of the spectrum was my movie delight of two days ago. On Wednesday, I went with my very Mormon mom to see Across the Universe. Brilliant, brilliant film. It's a psychadelic musical about life in the sixties, scored by beautiful arrangements of Beatles' songs. I must admit, I was shocked that my mother enjoyed it (if not quite as much as I did.) We went out tonight and bought the soundtrack, and she's been singing "I am the Walrus" around the house for two days. I think it's because she lived through the sixties, so it was nothing new to her. However, dear reader--if you are a conservative Mormon, this might not be the flick for you. But with that, I heartily recommend it to anyone.

Tomorrow's joyous event is on a date with Gregorio--we're going to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I am absolutely stoked, and hope not to be disappointed. To be honest, I have never actually been to a rated R movie in the theater before. How conservative of me, right? I'm not going on a strike or anything, don't worry. It's just that it's Sweeney Todd. I can't resist.

Back in the family=movie field, I have the feeling I'm going to get dragged to Water Horse, the one about the Loch Ness monster. They throw the "from the creators of The Chronicles of Narnia" around like it's a good luck charm, but the movie looks like crap for kiddies. Blah.
But speaking of the magical word, Prince Caspian looks pretty good. It's been a long time since I've read the books, but I remember always liking Prince Caspian. We'll have to see.

Netflix delivered The Namesake today. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I'm very interested to see how they turned the book into a movie. If you have the opportunity (or can make it), you really ought to read the book, by Jhumpa Lahiri. It's quite the thing, and I have pages and pages of critical analysis about it somewhere in my schoolwork files.

And now, dear friends, I'm off to watch a good superhero flick with my little brother. Farewell, dear friends.