Freerunning and Great Films.

When I lived in New York, I loved going to the movies. Up there, movies are known as "films." People buy tickets far in advance and show up way early just to get a good seat. It's not like in Louisville when seeing fifty other people there is considered crowded. There's something magical about seeing a "film" in a full-house theater full of movie buffs, movie critics, and even movie stars. The sad scenes are more poignant, the jokes are more hilarious, and it's not unusual to burst into applause when the hero dominates the villain.

I wish I'd seen Paul Blart: Mall Cop at Lincoln Square rather than my living room.

Yes, I knew it would be terrible. No, I can't really explain to you why I agreed to watch it. Honestly, however, I kind of like watching movies that are completely mindless. It keeps my thoughts away from grown-up stuff like bills and taxes and tour planning. (FYI, your 2009 second quarter estimates are due on Monday, all you self-employed folks.)

There is one good thing about having seen PB:MC on DVD rather than the theater: the special features.

I liked the special features about ten times more than the movie ("film"). Most of them were all about Freerunning or Parkour, which are supposedly two different activities, but seem basically the same to a laywoman like me. The idea is to move from Point A to Point B in a straight line. If a garbage can is directly in your line of movement, you simply hurdle over it. If there is an open window, you jump through it, even if involves doing a bunch of flips and landing on a skateboard and hopping on a moving vehicle.

Anyway, the bad guys in PB:MC are either Free Runners, Parkour experts, skateboarding champs, or BMX bike pros, which makes for some pretty cool chase scenes. The Behind-the-Scenes are expecially neat-o.

I'm not saying you should rent the movie. But if you do, watch the Special Features. You'll feel less guilty for wasting your evening with Paul Blart.

Did anyone see that other Mall Cop movie that came out? The one with Seth Rogan? He's funny. I'm thinking of doing a dissertation on Mall Cop movies as a genre. Suggested thesis topics are welcome.

Here's a YouTube of some wacky Parkour moves from the film:

2 comments

  1. Wait, don't second quarter estimates simply need to be post-marked by monday? Ugh.

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  2. You are correct: just post-marked. So I guess you don't really have to have the money in your account until Wednesday or Thursday. Something to think about...

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