where: CENTURY 14 VALLEJO in Vallejo, CA
when: Friday, August 28th, 2009
show: 4:50 p.m. in 3-D
costs: $10.25 Ticket + $4.25 medium Diet/Zero ( w/ Barq's & Cherry flavors ) Coke + $1.62 bulk Chocolate-covered Raisins & Peanuts Candies + $0.79 Peanut Butter Cookies ( smuggled-in ) = $16.91
auditorium: 8
seat: 4th row, 10th column
synopsis: How do I kill thee? Let me count the ways ....
While enjoying the race at McKinley Speed Way with his three friends, Nick O'Bannon ( Bobby Campo ) has a graphic premonition of him, his friends, and a bunch of people getting killed in a freak accident involving many race cars. Convincing his friends and some others to leave the bleachers moments before the accident, Nick later realizes that he only managed to postpone the inevitable as he desperately searches for a way to break the cycle.
noteworthy scenes: 1.) At the race track; 2.) Coffee shop; 3.) The tow truck; 4.) Salon Dante; 5.) Investigating the accident scene; 6.) Grand State Custom Shop; 7.) Swimming pool; 8.) Car wash; 9.) At the home of George, the security officer ( Mykelti Wiliamson ); 10.) At the hospital; 11.) At the shopping mall cinema; 12.) Deja vu; 13.) The room under construction; and 14.) Death By Caffeine.
audience reaction: There were some laughs, notable of which centered on George at his home.
recommendation: This is a typical "Blood and Gore" type of movie. Either see it now or wait for it to come out as a rental since you won't be missing out on anything new and exciting.
spoiler alert! The bolts on a guard post unscrewed at the same time in a synchronous way--this is unlikely in really life since both will not be vibrated off at the same rate since the bolt closest to the vibratory source will serve to deflect and/or impede the waves away from the second bolt. The rock could not possibly shoot out at such an height because the lawn across from the salon and the salon itself are pretty much at the same level with each other, and the mower housing would have just deflected it from attaining such a lofty height to begin with. The rock laid below the level of the cut ends of the grass blades so that the mower blades would only have grazed its top since it wasn't big enough; or the blades would have just pucked it to the rear, instead of to the side, in which case, the catcher bag would have easily caught it--it would be stupid of any yard maintenance man to use a mower without a catcher bag because it would be inefficient and would just add to the work, at best. You'd expect the pool drain to suction off intestinal contents, but it didn't. Janet ( Haley Webb ) could have easily kicked out the windshield. When was the last time that you saw an escalator with clear side panels actually made out of glass? Ambulance trucks don't go speeding in a hospital zone--the hospitals which I have personally observed have speed bumps for this reason. In a business zone, where the posted speed limit would be at 25, 30 or 35 mph, a big rig could not easily swerve out of control but could easily come to a panic stop.
fyi: The 3-D effect is just a gimmick for this movie, meant to lure in more movie goers. This movie wasn't shown in advance to movie critics because it is not that remarkable without the 3-D effect, to begin with.
The first 3-D movie that I saw was Andy Warhol's FRANKENSTEIN IN 3-D back in 1979 ( I believe ) somewhere in downtown Oakland, CA ( the theatre is long gone ). It was rated R for violence and nudity, but there were lots of kids who went to see it who were unaccompanied by adults. I kept the glasses as a souvenir.
word of advice: Hell hath no fury than the Grim Reaper spurned!
Don't buy a car with power windows and power locks--I wouldn't--because they turn a car into a death trap in an emergency.
tidbits: I finally bought some Eskimo Pie ( plus Safeway Select Spumoni ) today at 6:45 p.m., at the Admiral Callahan Lane Safeway, on my way home from the cinema. It's not the same kind as in the movie, POST GRAD, because it's the kind that comes on a stick. There's nothing remarkable about its flavor. I think it was all just a product placement inserted into the grocery store scene just to get gullible idiots like myself to go and buy it! How could I fall for such a scheme? Me--Cine-Man--of all people! You would think that I would know better .... But I guess when my tummy talks, I'm forced to take heed and follow its command!
