movie: Drive

[mellowtigger]

Few things can be done only by car rather than bicycle. The drive-in theater is one of those things. Now that I have a vehicle again, I went to the Vali-Hi theater while the weather is still warm enough for them to show movies. I brought a blanket with me, just in case. It's a cheap night, just $8 for 3 movies. I spent extra money for corn dogs and popcorn, but they're always cheap at a drive-in. Since people can bring their own food in for free, it keeps the concession stand prices in check with reality.

The first movie was "Contagion". I had heard good things about it, but I wasn't as impressed as I'd expected to be. It was an okay movie, but I just never developed the sense of panic and dread that I think I was supposed to feel. Maybe I'm just jaded. I've attended the wildlife rehabilitator conference out where I work. After learning about parasite cysts that can only be destroyed by flamethrower (even bleach doesn't work), the movie just couldn't scare me. A virus with a mere 25% fatality rate and that's spread only by direct contact just doesn't seem such a bother. *laugh* It was entertaining, though, to see Minneapolis as "ground zero" within the USA. I know that intersection where they had the sick guy get off of the metro bus.

I assumed that "Drive" was just another car chase movie. I was wrong. This movie impressed me a lot. The direction, cinematography, and editing are very nice to behold. It's about the driver, not the car. His character is very muted, very understated. I like that kind of minimalism. I understand it. Likewise, I understand the torrent of emotions when any of them is finally unleashed. Fair warning, the movie has moments of intensely graphic violence. Not in the usual Hollywood way of running 20-minute chase or fight scenes that leave you in exhausted panic. This movie is much more realistic. Violence happens suddenly and awfully and thoroughly. And then it passes in order to deal with the aftermath. A very good film.

I'm not a fan of dramas, but I was going to stay for "Crazy Stupid Love" anyway. But then just as the opening messages started to scroll, there were gusts of high wind that threw up parking lot dust to obscure the view. Then a smattering of rain started to fall, and everyone had to start their windshield wipers. I didn't want to see the movie badly enough to watch it in bad weather, so I started up the car and drove back home instead.

Comments

[loganbeary]

Boy, none of those movies have me thinking "Drive-in", when I think "Drive-in", I think Giant monsters, Sci-Fi, or Action. :o)

[mellowtigger]

Yeah, cheesy pseudo-scary sci-fi is best for drive-in theater. :)

I thought "Drive" was supposed to be a "guy flick" (action), but it turned out to be something more than that.

I think "Crazy Stupid Love" was supposed to be a "chick flick", but I left before finding out.