Pumpkin Party

While lugging myself out of bed at 6:40 am this morning to help aid my mother with my niece and nephew, I did the usual routine for the summer in New England. I threw on a pair of shorts, a tattered undershirt, a polo shirt, and a hat to hide my bed head. My mom was already waiting for me in the driveway as I scampered around my house looking for my flip flops and wallet. After a few minutes scouring the house I finally said "fuck it" and threw on my smelly boat shoes. Once I stepped outside my front door I was hit by a chill from a stiff cool breeze, and noticed there were several dead leaves lying all over the lawn.

Over the past few weeks I had noticed the sun was starting to set around 7 and I wasn't sweating balls every moment of the day. Still though, it felt like the fall was a long ways away even though I saw my brother and sister in law prepping for their new semester of teaching, and various awful Old Navy back to school commercials began to over populate the television screen. Just last night I was celebrating my niece's 3rd birthday at my brother's house, and my brother's niece was talking about how nervous she was to start middle school tomorrow.

Still it wasn't really till this morning that it hit me, summer is over. Sure, the summer season technically runs through to September 21st, but when I was a kid, I could give a fuck about technicality. As soon as I stepped onto those shitty yellow buses, summer was officially over. Obviously it's different now as an "adult" but, I still abide by those same rules. When school is in session, it's not summer. It's that simple.

That three paragraph ramble was my introduction to telling you that I'm excited that it's pumpkin season. I had been trying to force pumpkin season upon myself by drinking loads of pumpkin beer, and looking for other pumpkin related products, but no matter what beer I had, or what I found it still didn't feel right. Today is the first day that I truly feel it upon us, and it is a grand time to have upon us.

Maybe it will feel less Fall-like when I head back to Los Angeles for the foreseeable future on September 11 (side note: yes, I'm flying across the country on September 11th). Even though September is one of the hotter months in LA, I plan on being so immersed into the pumpkin season that there will be no turning back.

This year I plan on having a more calculated approach to my pumpkin madness. The last two years I have tried a fair amount of different pumpkin beers during the season and none of them have managed to stack up against Shipyard's Pumpkinhead. Pumpkinhead is a simple, elegant beer, that is fulfilling both as a beer, and as a pumpkin. It's got a light head, but it pulls smoothly, and leaves you feeling like you just ate a piece of pumpkin pie hot out of the oven.

Of course this is what all pumpkin beers are trying to accomplish for the most part. They all pretty much want to give you the illusion that you were just sucking down pumpkin pie in a beer form, but Pumpkinhead still stands alone in my eyes as the best pumpkin influence beer. Off the top of my head I have tried, Buffalo Bills' pumpkin beer, and had a lot last year to try and fill the pumpkin shaped void in my heart that Pumpkinhead left when they ran out if it at all local retailers in Los Angeles. It was for all intensive purposes, a solid beer, but it just wasn't the same. It didn't pull as smoothly. It didn't have the right mix of nutmeg, and cinnamon undertones that pumpkinhead has.

Dogfish Head makes my favorite beer in the world and I adore all of their products for the most part, but their attempt at a pumpkin beer called "Punkin Ale," fell far short of Pumpkinhead. It was a decent beer for what it was worth, and if Pumpkinhead didn't exist maybe I would go for it, but it's more expensive, only comes in 4 packs, and doesn't have the same drink-ability as Pumpkinhead.

Last summer I tried Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, the Blue Moon attempt at a pumpkin beer, and I have to say this is the one that disappointed me the most. I won't go out of my way for a regular Blue Moon any day, but it is a pretty damn enjoyable beer when paired with an orange slice. So I had decent expectations for Harvest Moon, but I was very disappointed and I recommend that you stay away from this beer and try something else.

Shipyard has another pumpkin beer, called "Smashed Pumpkin." This beer is a more full bodied specialty brew so it doesn't have the same drink-ability as Pumpkinhead. It's part of the Pugsly Series by Shipyard, which is terrific if you aren't familiar with it. It's a 9 percent alcohol beer so it packs a decent punch for a pumpkin beer which is nice. The beer itself is a darker and thicker beer than Pumpkinhead, and may stand as a better beer, but you aren't drinking Pumpkinhead for the beer, you're drinking it for the pumpkin.

UFO Pumpkin, one of Harpoon's latest Pumpkin infused alcoholic beverages (they have two), is the pumpkin ale that comes closest to dethroning Pumpkinhead. It's UFO, so it's Harpoon's "Unfiltered Offering," which makes it a darker beer. You actually can't even see through the beer it's so cloudy. Still it goes down smooth, and has a great subtle Pumpkin flavor. Still it just doesn't have that lasting appeal that Pumpkinhead has. That mixture of the spices, and ingredients in are simply perfectly balanced. Harpoon also has a Pumpkin Cider, which I've heard is lovely, but I haven't had the privilege of enjoying yet.

You see that's just it. Right now Shipyard Pumpkinhead reigns supreme for me, but I searched "pumpkin beers" on google and over 340 different beers popped up. And according to Beer Advocate, Pumpkinhead doesn't even make the top 50. This boggles my mind. Of course a few of the beers I have listed made that top 50, so I may not agree with them anyway. Either way the fact that there are over 340 different types of pumpkin beer listed boggles my mind.

My goal is to expand my pallet and intake as much different pumpkin beer as possible. By the end of the season I plan to try at least 25 more types this season to see where Pumpkinhead stands on the list of great pumpkin beers. My guess is that it will still stand tall as the dominant brew, but I'm very excited to drink lots of beer to find out.

The Test:

In subsequent posts I will list off different pumpkin beers and I will always square them up against a Shipyard Pumpkin meaning that I have to drink them both at the same time. That way there is no lingering time between the two beers so I can distinguish a clear favorite at the time. This also means that I will have to drink a full beer of both as well.

For example this here is what I mean.

I will pour them both into a glass and drink a sip from each, one at a time until I am about half way. Once I get half way through the beer, I then drink each by themselves to the finish. This way I can get singular sips out of them, and then get what the beer is like if I were just to be drinking that.

Once I've made my decision on what is the best, I will give you my honest opinion and tell you all about my experience. I just bought a Sam Adams Fat Jack, and plan on having that very soon. So if you like pumpkin, and like beer then you should keep checking back for future posts on this subject.

May the best brew win.

What to see this weekend: 8/24-26

This week we lost an extremely talented director and producer, Tony Scott. He may not have made any films that would classify him as an auteur, but he was a more than capable action director, who's body of work spanned several decades. Early reports first indicated that he had an inoperable brain tumor but according to the family and the coroner report these reports were false. Scott had left a suicide note but it didn't indicate that there were any health issues looming. He did profess the love for his wife and his two young sons though. I am terribly saddened to hear the news and his family is in my thoughts and prayers.

Scott's most loved and revered film was the iconic 1980's Tom Cruise flick Top Gun. If you haven't seen it then you are weird. He directed several other notable action films throughout his career including, True Romance, The Last Boy Scout, Unstoppable, Enemy of the State, Man on Fire, Deja Vu, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Days of Thunder, and Crimson Tide. My personal favorite film of his was True Romance. Tarantino's genre-bending script teamed with the impressive A-list spread of talented actors made for a film filled with both great action, and great dialogue. A mixture of the late 1980's action film centered around the off-center love story make for an exquisitely executed film.

Back when I first became a huge Tarantino nerd in high school I had to look hard to find myself a copy of it on DVD. It was easy for me to secure a copy of Natural Born Killers but after looking high and low in stores for weeks I still couldn't find True Romance. Finally I got the people at best buy to order it and have it in store. About a week later I watched it and it blew my mind that this hidden gem didn't seem to have a lasting appeal with it's viewers.

How was this amazing 1990's action flick flying so far under the radar? Maybe people couldn't handle a movie called True Romance that united a comic book store manager with a call girl, and that involves selling a suitcase full of cocaine. Apparently people aren't as excited as I am when they hear those things put together in a sentence (albeit a poorly formulated sentence). Maybe people these days don't see Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette as suitable leads for a good movie. Maybe they don't know that Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, Samuel Jackson, Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, and Val Kilmer are also in the movie. Walken, Oldman and Hopper give some of the best performances of their career and they are barely in the film. It's crazy to imagine that people haven't seen it, and don't know that it exists. If you haven't seen it, go out and find a copy of it to rent or buy because it is a great film and it is a great way to show respect to the body of work that Tony Scott did throughout his career.

If you don't feel like respecting Tony Scott, and cocaine dealing couples who murder pimps aren't really your thing, then maybe a trip to the theater is in order. Here are my picks for this weekend.

Action: Premium Rush or Expendables 2.

Kids Movie: ParaNorman.

At the end of the summer the big time studios release their duds because everyone is preoccupied getting back in gear for school and what not. It's rare to find a movie that isn't bad released during one of the last weekends of the summer. I first saw the preview for Premium Rush about a year ago exactly. I thought as an action movie it kind of looked like a dud then. Maybe I don't really appreciate bike riding as much as the next guy, but it didn't really strike a chord with me at first even though I am a big fan of JGL. Surprisingly Rush has been rousing critics, considering it currently holds a 75% on the tomatometer. Maybe at first I wasn't too open to an action film about people riding bikes, but they say it is a smartly scripted, well formulated film so I guess it doesn't really follow suit with the rest of the end of the summer releases.

If you haven't seen Expendables 2 and are on the fence about it, stop being on the fence about it and see it. The movie is a dick load of fun, and you should stop being a pussy and see it. Someone told me that it didn't really have a story, and he was dumb because he expected a story. The movie wont win any awards on plot, and isn't groundbreaking by any means, but Stallone scripted a movie that utilizes the talents of several different Hollywood action has-beens, and it's just great. Go see it if you like having a good time at a movie.

Last weekend ParaNorman, the stop animation film about a kid who's a little different, and talks to the dead (or something stupid like that), came out. With a solid 87% on the tomatometer, they say it is fun for the whole family, so if you're into fun for the whole family you might want to give that one a try.

As for the rest of the movies out there, you can probably just wait for them to come out on DVD, Netflix or TV, because it's useless to see them at this point. That is unless you haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises. If you haven't seen that, well then you're a dick and you're afraid of guns. If you're afraid of getting shot at a movie theater, then you're a total pussy, so you probably wouldn't like it anyway. If you want to see an extremely good blockbuster film, and haven't seen it yet, then stop that and go see The Dark Knight Rises.

Every thing else out there isn't worth your money right now so you can just wait until for it to come out on some other form of media. It sounds like there are a good amount of good September releases so you may just want to save your money for that, or the fall as a whole. There is a lot to be excited for this upcoming fall, so multiple trips to the cineplexes are in order. You have my picks laid out for you, so choose responsibly.

What to see this weekend: 8/17-19

As an avid cinefile there comes many times when I feel the need to wash out all the same Hollywood bullshit that studios poop out every year by taking in a series of independent films that make you think, and are actually original. They aren't filled with shitty but witty one-liners, predictable storylines and enough CGI to question whether or not a human being was actually cast in the role or not. Sometimes we just need to appreciate cinema as an art instead of well, a fart.

This weekend is not one of those weekends. This week I've shaken all my independent cinema cravings out by taking a few indie flicks in so that I'll be able to fully appreciate The Expendables 2 for what it is: a true cinematic feast of past, present and future Hollywood beefcake. This movie is a throwback to the 80's action flick, which was filled with more muscles, and bullets than anything we've had in the past decade. The first Expendables was a silly film, that was more about the allure of having the cast pieced together with all these action legends, then about the action. Now all the faces that we saw for only a few seconds in the first film have actual parts in the film and don't feel like a forced but cherished entity.

Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Lundgren, Willis, Statham, Norris, Van-Damme, Crews, Li and more? It's a wet dream come true for anyone who likes loud movies filled with swears and explosions. Now that Schwarzenegger isn't running a state for some reason, he actually has a worthwhile part in the film, and Willis manages to be in more than 2 scenes this time as well. They also got to pull in Chuck Norris and Jean Claude God-Damn. It's poetry in motion.

I'm not sure what the plot of the film is but it sounds like they just attack a country because their bored, and want to fight some bad people. I couldn't care less about what the actual plot of the movie entails but that sounds pretty cool. In reality it doesn't matter at all though.

Sometimes we need an all brawn, no brains type of movie that doesn't largely depend on special effects, superheroes, or robots that can change their shape. That's what the 1980's were all about, and it's been an empty void that us adrenaline heads filled with 24 and Michael Bay for the last few decades. These days the plots of action films are often times convoluted, and rely on puzzling the audience rather than being simple. I absolutely loved Inception, but sometimes we need an action movie that requires no thinking to enjoy. This is exactly what The Expendables 2 should offer, as well as a plethora of cheesy one-liners, and countless nostalgic references to a time when the action genre flourished.

I watched an interview with Stallone on Jay Leno the other night. Back in the 1980's when all these actors were so competitive they never would've worked together. He called everyone in the cast a "has been" for the most part and now that they're old they're all for working together and making action movie bliss come to fruition.

Now I will say that Expendables 2 is probably not a movie for all people. Namely if you are a female, an elitist snob who is incapable of enjoying life, or a child and are for some reason reading a blog entitled "Oozing Out of My Hole." To all people who know how to enjoy life, are a guy, and aren't a snob, this is THE movie to see this week.

If you are a girl or an elitist snob, go see Sparkle or some gay shit like that.

What To See This Weekend: 8/10-12

I told you last weekend that Total Recall was really the only big feature release. This weekend features a larger variety of releases that feature many of the marquee names in Hollywood. Will Farrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carrell are a few of the faces that are taking to the screen this upcoming weekend, in two different fresh films and one rotten reviewed film on the tomatometer . The Campaign, Bourne Legacy and Hope Springs are the three different flicks, and I'll give you my early opinion on them so that you can spend your money wisely should you feel like getting out of the house to spend 10+ dollars on something you want to enjoy.

I'll split the way you approach your movie viewing experience this weekend into two different categories:

1. People who haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises.

and

2. People who have seen The Dark Knight Rises.

It's pretty simple really. If you are part of group 1, then go see TDKR first. It's worth your money, and now that there is a larger variety in theaters, the theaters should be a lot less empty, which is optimal when enjoying the movie experience.

If you are a part of group 2 and want to go to the movies, then you have several options this weekend which is nice. I'll start with the Jay Roach directed, Will Farrell and Zach Galifianakis acted comedy, The Campaign. If you liked Adam McKay, and Farrell's collaborations with lots of improvisation, and absurd comedy, then you will have a pretty good time at this movie.

Like most of Farrell's movies, it gets you laughing, often times hard, but the story is non existent. I actually got to see an early screening of the film itself, and I laughed my ass off during several scenes, however I left the theater feeling unfulfilled because I like the balance of story and comedy to be equal.

For those of you who don't know what the movie is about, it's about a Congressman, who runs up against a socially awkward citizen who is pushed into the campaign race by his father to appease some horrible corporation. Sounds like most politics sadly, and Galifianakis is not far from presidents we have had in our past so the satire is there and it works marginally. The movie just doesn't seem to have a point necessarily, it just offers a sideways look at politics with some hilarious banter and empty morals. If you like Will Farrell comedy movies, then you will enjoy this movie. Just don't go into it hoping to be completely fulfilled. Like most of his movies they leave you feeling satisfied because you laughed, but not satisfied because what you saw was good. Still if you haven't seen Ted then go see that because it has a lot more laughs, but if you've been waiting for another comedy since, this is your best bet.

The Bourne movie without Matt Damon, and without Bourne entirely, The Bourne Legacy is probably the biggest release this weekend. Star on the rise Jeremy Renner, and Rachel Weisz look to fill the void that Matt Damon will leave (how is that possible), and add a much broader perspective of the entire series as a whole. Critics have been very Topsy Turvy in their reviews saying that some things work, and some things don't. A lot of people have said that it doesn't have the same intensity, and action as the other Bourne's, but others like where the story has gone if they could handle the two hour and fifteen minute run time.

Right now as I type this Legacy sits at 51% on the tomatometer meaning that 51% of critics have given it a positive review. Usually once the movie is between 40 and 60 percent then I don't really know what to expect for the movie. Movies I love have failed to break 60 percent, but typically when you're in that range it means that it's a fair movie, but nothing to write home about. I happen to like Tony Gilroy and am happy that they decided to expand upon the series in a creative way so I plan on seeing it, perhaps even tonight. When I heard there was a Bourne movie without Damon I was pissed, but when I found out it was without Bourne entirely, I was very intrigued. Sometimes a series needs to be shaken up if it plans on moving forward, and I think this is the way to do it.

One of the problems I've noticed from reading some of the reviews seems to be that people can't really distance themselves from Damon (Bourne) himself. They seem to be looking for a piece that isn't there, Jason Bourne, and it seems like they haven't gone into this with an open mind. They think that the series was fine where it was and didn't need to be expanded upon, especially without Damon himself. Don't get me wrong, I'm probably the second biggest Matt Damon fan I know and I love the man with all my heart, but to keep this franchise going it had to change and expand before it could move forward. Without seeing the movie I know there are contract talks and rumors surrounding the possibility of a Bourne film starring both Damon and Renner. You put the two of them together and sheer cinematic bliss could happen.

What you need to do going into this film is have an open mind. Don't get attached to the fact that you won't see anything more than clips, and pictures of Matt Damon from the other films. Then you're just setting yourself up to be disappointed. Tony Gilroy is a very talented filmmaker and writer, so give him the chance he deserves to continue the story and expand upon the Bourne world. Also don't be disappointed if the film doesn't live up to the others in terms of action. It sounds like this film tries to develop a much bigger story which sounds like there could be less action. Either that or there is the same amount of action and the movie is just really long. I won't know until I see it but either way I'm excited to see it. Edward Norton and the rest of the supporting roles from the other films round out the cast. If you're in the mood for an action movie and you have seen The Dark Knight Rises then this should be your movie.

Hope Springs, the movie about couples therapy for old people starring Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carrell is the last of the three major releases making it's way to your local cineplex. Meryl and TLJ are a couple of drones who have been married for so long that the most exciting thing in their lives is the fact that they just got a new cable subscription with a hell of a lot more channels. Meryl Streep wants to shake things up a bit and presents an ultimatum that they go to couples therapy in Maine. Basically, what this movie is about is old people having sex, or lack-thereof old people having sex. According to the trailer Meryl buys a book called "Sex Tips: For Straight Women by Gay Men" and TLJ is afraid of having sex.

It sounds like I'm not really digging this movie from the get go, but I think that it has a good amount of potential. Steve Carrell plays their councilor, and his impeccable awkward, deadpan comedic timing can provide several laughs. TLJ also is remarkable with deadpan comedy, and Meryl Streep knows her way around a comedy. Somehow I feel like this movie isn't really targeting the 18-25 demographic, but that doesn't mean that I can't find a reasonable amount of enjoyment in a love story about to old birdies who have lost their way.  If you want to see a romantic comedy, then this is your best bet. If you're my age then don't just look at this as a movie about old people, but a movie about conserving and preserving love. This is something that works at any age, and works universally. Don't be turned off by all the loose and flabby skin hanging from the main characters faces, you will look like them someday. Actually, you will probably look a lot worse than them, so don't let it turn you off. If you refuse to accept the fact that your parents have had sex in the past, or still have sex, then don't see this movie because you will cry yourself to sleep at night every day for the rest of your life. Also if you're from southeastern CT like I am, and have been to Stonington Borough, then you should definitely see it because a good amount of the film was filmed there so that's kind of cool.

_______________________________________________________

Breakdown-

So basically I broke this week into three categories if you haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises:

Comedy
If you're in the mood for a laugh out loud comedy (and haven't seen Ted), then see The Campaign.

Action
See The Bourne Legacy.

Romantic Comedy
See Hope Springs.


I hope this helps you try and figure out what you want to see this weekend. It sounds like this weekend isn't going to feature much good weather on the east coast, and that it's balls hot every where else on the country, so this may be a good weekend to take comfort in a nice, refrigerated movie theater. If it's rainy all day, or too hot to go outside, then I recommend looking up what movies have close finish times and beginnings so that maybe you can do a two for one. If you can handle multiple movies in one day, then go for it. Movies are expensive as balls these days, so choose wisely, and get the best bang for your buck is the way I look at it.

I've given you all my knowledge on what's coming out this weekend so-

Choose responsibly.

Movies: What to see this weekend 8/3-5 & My Views of The Aurora Shooting

I've been meaning to start this for awhile but I've been incredibly lazy since I've been back on the east coast this month and a half or so. Hopefully from this point forward I can keep up and keep you informed on how you should spend your weekend at the multiplex. I can't make any promises but I plan on getting one of these out to you every week from this point forward. So look forward to getting some input from your favorite movie loving asshole on a more constant basis.

 This summer has actually been kind of disappointing to me movie-wise when you consider how excited I've been for all this year has had to offer. Most of the movies so far just haven't been as good as expected and I've been left disappointed, or uninterested. There have been a few gems, but on the whole I've been disappointed.

This weekend of July the third, there are a few releases to consider when deciding whether or not it's time to make a trip down to your local theater. Total Recall, the 200 million dollar remake that doesn't want to be called a remake makes its way to theaters, as well as the second or third Diary of a Wimpy Kid (lost track already), and Celeste and Jesse Forever.

Just two days ago I decided to re-watch Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall to get geared up for Len Wiseman's version. I know they tried to at least say that they were making something different, but even in the trailer they use several of the same cheesy lines, and they rely heavily on a computer generated world to create their story. While Verhoeven's Total Recall is campy as hell, it knows it's identity entirely and plays upon it. The movie knows it's cheesy and it relishes it openly, whereas this new version looks like it takes itself all to seriously just from the trailers.

I was very disappointed to hear they were making a remake of this film originally because it's literally my second favorite Arnold Scwarzenegger movie. I'm a DIE-HARD Schwarzenegger fan so that's a pretty bold statement to make, but it's true, I think Verhoeven's version is terrific. Once I heard the cast, and that B Cranston was playing Vilos Cohaggen I kind of started to have an open mind about it. Since I've seen the trailers, and watched all the spots on television I've gone back to my original assessment, that it's unnecessary, and that I'm disappointed it was made. Not even the presence of Heisenberg can make me endorse it.

Yeah I still haven't seen it, and I probably will at some point, but even if I like it marginally, which I probably will, I will think the movie isn't worthwhile. Regardless of the fact it certainly isn't worth 200 million dollars to produce. That's just an exorbitant amount of money to spend on a story that literally has been done before, and damn well I might add. It will take a lot to justify the means of production of this movie, and from what it's got so far on the rottentomatoes tomatometer (a mere 31% @ 68 reviews), it looks like it just wont cut it.

I wont write about Diary of a Wimpy Kid (insert sequel name here) because if you're reading this you probably don't have children, but I will take the time to discuss Celeste and Jesse Forever.

Celeste and Jesse Forever is about a relationship between a guy and a girl that ends but they decide to continue being best friends. Eventually one ends up finding another relationship and the other person has to try and cope with the fact that the person they want to be with is now taken. It's an interesting perspective on modern relationships and has the potential to be something special. It's a very indie comedy and it has a solid cast of Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg and Elijah Wood. This one will be hard to view this weekend because it will probably only premiere in LA and NY. I have a feeling you wont want to miss it once it makes its way to your local indie theater (if it does) but that's only if you like indie comedies.

Another film that makes it to theaters in select cities this weekend is 360. From what I've seen trailer wise it looks like a complex film filled with interesting ideas, and lots of characters. The cast is absolutely stacked, leading me to believe that it will fail because it is not going to be a wide release, and if it's not a wide release with a cast that big, then it will most certainly not do well. Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Anthony Hopkins and Ben Foster round out the cast. I recommend waiting for this movie to make it to redbox, or netflix because it doesn't look like it will be worth more than a dollar of your money.

Really though, if you haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises then I suggest you remedy that. I'd write you my full analysis of the last of the franchise, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I'm going to wait until the time is right. What I will tell you is that it's a really god damn good movie, and that you should try and see it in an IMAX theater to get the full experience. About half of the two hour and forty-five minute movie is filmed with IMAX cameras. So far I've seen it twice at the Providence Place IMAX theater, and it's absolutely glorious seeing the full six story screen filled from top to bottom.  If you're on the fence about going to see it after that scumbag in Aurora shot the shit out of dozens of people and would rather wait to see it at home, then you're an asshole. This movie is meant to be seen on the big screen. Don't let that asshole from Aurora win by being scared out of going to see it.

That Aurora shooting definitely altered what would of been the highest grossing first weekend of all time. To put into perspective of how highly anticipated this film was, I bought my tickets online the first possible minute they became available, on June 11th. I was sitting in my apartment in California at 845 am with a cup of coffee, waiting for them to go on sale at 12 eastern time. When the clock struck 9, the IMAX website crashed... And then movietickets.com crashed... And then fandango.com crashed... I knew I was going to be on the East Coast so I wanted to get tickets to Providence Place and see it where I saw The Dark Knight in IMAX. After two and a half hours of hitting the refresh button finally I got through to the movietickets.com website and could finally pick my seats. By the time I navigated the menu and decided the amount of tickets I wanted to get (8 for some reason), literally three quarters of the theater was already full. More than a month before the movie was hitting theaters I bought my tickets after spending hours trying to get to the menu, and three quarters was full. Absolutely crazy.

A few weeks after I got my tickets I saw an article online that said tickets to midnight screenings were being thrown up on stubhub and craigslist at over 100 bucks a pop. If you sold your tickets and the movie theater found out then the tickets would be voided and those people who bought them off of other people would be screwed. Still it didn't stop people from paying others to see it in their favorite movie theater, with the optimal viewing experience.

It's funny because the day before the movie came out a funny meme of Liam Neeson holding his phone from Taken was circling the web and appearing all over my facebook newsfeed.

It was funny the day before the shooting because of course nobody believed that some asshole was going to light up a theater full of people who really wanted to see a movie.

Just a few days before that I was constantly checking rottentomatoes to see where the movie was going on the tomatometer and to see the different reviews coming in. The first negative reviews came in and so came a slough of death threats to the authors of these reviews. Of course these authors have faced criticism from fans in the past but the death threats were so harsh and plentiful, that they had to disable the commenting function on reviews on the website as a whole. This was before the movie even came out and any fans had actually seen it, and they were threatening the lives of people. While I don't agree with the negative reviews of these asshole critics, they are entitled to their stupid opinions. Just don't let it bother you if you enjoy the movies and somebody else is disappointed, or doesn't like good things. Don't fucking threaten their lives because they don't like the movie you really want to see.

The hostility of the fanbase as a whole is pretty astonishing. Some people have argued that the themes in the movie mirror the James Holmes shooting all the people in Aurora and that he may have been influenced by the themes in these Batman films. I mean the guy dyed his hair orange and called himself the Joker... You could argue that it is true because, yes he was influenced. When looking at it rationally though, the guy was a fucking psychopath who would've used some other excuse to shoot up a large amount of people. What it comes down to is the guy wanted attention. He knew he would have plenty of it if he shot up dozens of people. Not only did he hurt the people in the theater but he actually manged to damage an entire industry. Sure TDKR still made over 160 million in it's first weekend, but it would've easily passed The Avengers for highest grossing first weekend ever. I know some people who are still afraid to go and see it because of the incident, and probably never will for that matter.

Not only did James Holmes affect the status of TDKR, and the people in that movie theater, but he also damaged the movie theater experience for a long time. Over the last few years the growing interest to see a movie at a midnight screening has become a integral part of the industry. People line up around the corner to see these movies at the first possible minute because it's fun to see a movie at midnight. It's fun to see it with all the die hard fans who dress up like Catwoman, or Katniss Everdeen, or Harry Potter. Now people will always have that in the back of their minds when they go to a theater, and it's terrible.

The movie theater has been a sacred place to leave the harsh realities of our world and get enveloped in these stories. We feel like we're part of something bigger than us every time we sit in the audience and immerse ourselves with these worlds. When you bring the harsh realities of our world into these theaters by shooting dozens of people, you have ruined that experience for them for the rest of their lives. I'm sure a lot of the victims who survived will never be able to go to a movie ever again. Their experience has forever been tarnished by an scumbag with orange hair and a machine gun.

All we can hope is that he gets the death penalty. If he pleads insanity and manages to stay alive then I will lose all hope in our justice system. James Holmes doesn't deserve to live another day and have another hour in the limelight. It's what he wanted so why let him win? Bring the death penalty to him, or put him in a hole to rot and let people forget about him. So far all he's gotten since then is attention, and doesn't deserve the satisfaction.

Don't let James Holmes' actions alter your movie experience. Like I said, the theater is a sacred place that deserves to be celebrated. When working in the industry and seeing the work that is put into these productions you come to appreciate just how special these things are. The spectacle they create is something that can't really be replicated so don't let that asshole ruin it for you. Go out and see a movie, and appreciate it even more. Even the shittiest movies have things you can appreciate. But if you want to see a movie that isn't shitty, then go see The Dark Knight Rises. It may not be as good as The Dark Knight, but it is a really god damn enjoyable movie. It has probably the best story out of any of the films, but it falls short of The Dark Knight only because of Heath Ledger's monumental performance. If you haven't seen it yet go see it before anything else. If you have seen it, then see Total Recall, or just stay at home and watch something with Mel Gibson.