Since I'm not watching too many movies (or posting reviews as often) recently, I will try and come up with posts and articles that won't take much mental effort. The first thing to pop into my head was to summarize my college. It's three months since graduation but as some of my fondest college memories involve moviegoing, I feel it could make a decent post.
Rather than try and list all the movies I saw in college (which would probably approach 1,000), I will restrict myself to theatrical viewings. These run the gamut from terrible to mediocre to great, as were the attendant experiences - usually involving trips on crowded, filthy Port Authority buses, a giant, artery-clogging burrito from Qdoba to eat (or TGI Friday's, or Eat 'N Park, or occasionally something classier). If you're lucky, this comes with a fun trip to a Barnes and Noble, shopping at the Homestead Waterfront or even the company of friends. If you're really lucky, there would also be rain, snow, slow-running buses, a filthy theater full of obnoxious teens and loud-mouthed seniors, and crazy bus-stop hobos to deal with as well.
Without further adieu, a list of all the movies I saw theatrically while a Pitt student (including films seen over vacation), in chronological order. Reviews linked where applicable.
Freshman Year (2007-2008):
The Kingdom
Elizabeth: the Golden Age
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Atonement
Charlie Wilson's War
There Will Be Blood
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The Dark Knight
Total: 8
Sophomore Year (2008-2009):
W.
Quantum of Solace
Changeling
Australia (twice)
Bolt
Twilight
Valkyrie
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire (twice)
Milk
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Gran Torino
Duplicity
Adventureland
Sunshine Cleaning
Terminator: Salvation
Public Enemies (twice)
Total films: 19
Total viewings: 22
Junior Year (2009-2010):
Inglourious Basterds
The Informant!
The Men Who Stare at Goats
The Princess and the Frog
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria
Avatar
Up in the Air
The Hurt Locker
Shutter Island
Iron Man 2
Robin Hood
Toy Story 3
Total: 13
Senior Year (2010-2011):
Inception
The Town
The Social Network
Unstoppable
The Tourist
True Grit (twice)
The King's Speech
Black Swan
The Conspirator
Total films: 9
Total viewings: 10
Total films: 48
Total viewings: 52
Theatrical Breakdown:
Cinemagic Manor Theater (Squirrel Hill) - 20
AMC Lowe's (Homestead Waterfront) - 14
Richland Cinemas (Johnstown) - 11
Cinemagic Theater (Squirrel Hill) - 6
Pitt campus - 1
Other statistics:
Favorite: True Grit
Least favorite: The Reader
Films I've seen since theaters: 10
Most seen total: Slumdog Millionaire (four)
Films I'd didn't review (after starting the blog): 3
Seen with other people (friends/family/etc.): 11
Best experience: Avatar and Shutter Island came as part of two of my better Waterfront trips, each complete with a big lunch, hours of uninterrupted shopping/browsing and a Flashman novel. I also had lots of fun with Charlie Wilson's War, my first real night out at Pitt, which included a Barnes and Noble shopping spree and Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream. I also enjoyed seeing Valkyrie with one of my brothers over 2008's Christmas break.
However, my first viewing of Slumdog Millionaire probably wins. Not only did I love the film, but the experience was enhanced a) I wasn't expecting anything of it, b) it was such a wonderful bit of fun in the midst of a rather difficult time for me. The Jai Ho dance at the end was possibly the best five minutes I've ever had in a movie theater.
Worst experience: I've had plenty of experience with obnoxious audience members, with Milk's bloviating dickweed ("Hey look, it's Castro Street!") and Up in the Air's brain-dead old lady (arguing for ten minutes over whether Anna Kendrick's character stole or bought her suitcase) earning dishonorable mentions. Then there's The Reader, which was so bad it exacerbated a nervous breakdown (seriously). My impromptu Twilight trip, which left me stranded at the Waterfront in a snow storm, wasn't fun either. The worst, however, was one I actually didn't get to see.
In September 2007, I made my first attempt to see a movie in Pittsburgh, traveling to the South Side to watch 3:10 to Yuma. I missed the 7:00 bus for the 7:20 showing, and the next showing wasn't until 10. I made it there in time, but only after buying my ticket did I realize that the movie wouldn't end until after the buses would stop running. While waiting for a bus, I got hassled by some guy asking for gas money for his girlfriend. And I mean hassled - at least 15 minutes of this guy practically demanding me to give him my money. Fortunately, I didn't have cash in my wallet (it was loose in my pocket) so I eventually got him to bugger off. I didn't get back to campus until 11:30, my wallet somehow intact.
The next day, I attempted to go during broad daylight. However, at the bus stop in Oakland I got confronted by a crazy lady asking for money and thrusting her hand into her purse menacingly. I ran straight back to my dorm from there and resolved to wait to see 3:10 until it came out on DVD.
On the whole, college moviegoing was a fun experience. When you don't have too much money and not a lot of friends, going out for dinner and a movie on weekends was a nice way to relax. Not every movie was good and not every trip was fun, but I had enough enjoyable experiences to redeem the awful ones. The $500 or so I probably spent on movies and related items over the past four years was definitely worth it.
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