I Am a Rooster Illusion

WARNING: Parts of Tropic Thunder movie revealed.

Went to a theater to see a movie, which, by itself is some kind of miracle as I am a devoted user of Netflix. (This has been true for awhile now, which brings me to Problem #1 with waiting too long between theater jaunts: I really have to watch myself so I don't just start in like MST3K.) I wanted to see The Dark Knight, but my other half was in the mood for Tropic Thunder. OK--when I do venture out to the theater, it's to a movie that has effects. I mean, like the kind where the movie was in editing before somebody realized there should probably be a storyline. Or if Joss Whedon makes a film (see previous post). I usually wait for movies like this to come out on DVD, but I agreed to see Tropic because it has a lot of people I like, funny is good, I don't get out much, whatever. The next show time was open caption, but OK, we got tickets and $20 "worth" of nachos and Pepsi, which, incidentally, is Problem #2 with waiting too long between theater jaunts: sticker shock.

It did not take long to encounter Problem #3: there were so many ads and previews before the movie I actually forgot what we went there to see. Funniest pre-movie moment (you recall the open caption status of our screen?): the word "p*ssy" flashed onscreen during the theater's own ad. We thought someone had been effing around with the captioning software, until we saw the first segment of the movie. Booty Sweat. That's all I'm going say about that.

The movie was quite entertaining. It was a little strange (I could just leave it there, but I choose to elaborate) in that it was at times really gross, really hilarious, then managed to touch on something actually profound. (The "full retard" speech was price of admission right there.) And it was meta, too: a movie within a movie where Robert Downey, Jr., plays an Australian actor playing a black man playing soldier. What I noticed: Ben Stiller is totally ripped. Robert Downey, Jr. is so very talented. And there are some things only Jack Black can (and should) pull off. And I love Jay Baruchel from Knocked Up.

The biggest surprise: Tom Cruise. I spent the last few years avoiding him pretty actively, but what he did was so funny and against type that I am endeared. A bit. Baby steps. Bald, fat, hairy and cursing like a longshoreman on a bender (see Hollywoodland for that last gem). And there's Bill Hader (one of the cops from Superbad) as his yes-man. Sweet.

OK, Dark Knight, I'll add you to my Netflix list.