There are only like negative 6 Drive-ins left in the world, so I feel quite privileged that one of them happens to be 45 minutes away from me. Last Sunday my girlfriend and I made the trek to the big outdoor screen to take in a double feature for only 8 bucks (can’t beat that). For some reason, her car can’t play the radio with the lights off, so we had to park at the back and use the only working speakers left. We were kickin’ it old school! Here’s what we saw:
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Wow, this flick made me appreciate movies I hate since they at least invoke some emotion from me. JTTCOTE is so cookie-cutter I forgot about it 30 seconds after seeing it. Brendan Frasier plays a scientist (in unconvincing fashion) who along with his nephew and random hot Chick, take a trip to the Center of the you-know-where.
JTTCOTE is as “safe” a movie as your ever gonna see. It plays out like an example of commercial film making 101. No originality or visual flair. Maybe in 3-D it would have been slightly better (Wow, the fake CGI creatures are coming right at me) but otherwise this is as bland and forgettable as diet water.
After a quick trip to the Concession Stand to purchase Cheeseburgers, corn dogs, and onion rings, (man I love the Drive-in) our second feature started.
Tropic Thunder
Tropic Thunder is the polar opposite of JTTCOFE. Offensive and biting, I was laughing the moment the “fake” trailers played.
All the performances are great (although Jack Black is playing the standard Jack Black role, albeit with a mean smack problem) and Writer/Director Ben Stiller doesn’t just step on toes, he puts on a pair of size 12 combat boots and stomps on them. I admit, your enjoyment of the flick depends on your movie geekitude. My girlfriend missed a lot of the inside jokes since she hasn’t wasted her life trolling movie websites like me. Still, if you have any understanding of the bizzaro way Hollywood works, your gonna have a pretty good time. There’s also great advice on the proper way to play “retard” in order to win an Academy Award.
Pacinofan Presents: Count Geekula's Castle 