The Center Seat

Note to all Minnesota movie-goers: the folks at the Brookdale 8 Cinema have stopped trying. The place is falling apart. There's a funky smell. The boors who frequent this establishment have loud conversations mid-movie, unchecked by management. It can't even be called a dollar theater anymore, as the ticket price has been raised to $3. For the same price, the Riverview is a much better option.

Attention parents!

I don't care if it's a kids' movie.... if your kid can't stay quiet and pay attention, or if he can't follow the movie without asking numerous loud questions, you have no business bringing him to a public theater.

AMC has this deal (at least in the Minneapolis market) where you can go to any show, any time Monday through Thursday for only $6. So they released Iron Man in theaters early: 8:00 pm on Thursday. A brand new release for $6... how could we not?

I have been itching to see this one, for a couple of reasons. First, I love Robert Downey Jr. Yes, I realize he is (or was) a cokehead. Whatever. He's hot. And he seems to be cleaning up, so yay for him. Second, it just seemed like a great story, not your average superhero. Tony Stark is extremely flawed, and he's middle-aged when he chooses to transform himself. It gives me hope, like it's never too late to make different choices. Third, whenever I hear those first strains of of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man", my blood starts to vibrate.


Iron Man doesn't disappoint. I am so in love with the casting choices. Downey was fantastic, of course, but so were Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, and especially Jeff Bridges. Really, I can't think of a time I enjoyed Jeff Bridges this much since Starman.

The comedy was on point, the pathos was perfectly timed, the action was stellar... the storyline was a tad predictable, but hey: this is no indie. It is what it is, and as summer movies go, Iron Man hits it out of the park.

All that said... my movie experience wasn't perfect. It seems despite our best efforts, a lot of people don't really know how to behave at the movies. Yeah, jackholes at AMC Rosedale, Theater 8, at 8:00 on May 1... I'm talking to you.

Coming soon on The Center Seat: the 5 most obnoxious douchebags that can sit by you at the movie theater. ...Click here for the rest of this tasty post.

Everyone knows it's not cool to talk during the movie. But could you shut up during the previews, too? Thanks a bunch.