Le Le Land

Isn’t that the same thing as going out for drinks before the movie? Obviously not. 

These are two entirely different things. (also, it doesn’t look like cinemas will reopen any time soon so I need to be economical with the points on my list). So, where’s the difference then?

Easy.

Going before the movie is mostly about catching up, talking to your friends, passing time before heading to the cinema, having a wonderful start to the evening.

Going afterwards is different. You’ve already catched up with your friends, seen the movie. But now you can talk about it, what annoyed you, what you liked. You can spend even more time with your friends, see where the evening will go without having any specific further times. 

It’s Friday and I was thinking of what a more or less ideal Friday night would look like (for me) and it obviously involves the cinema. (Not that I wouldn’t do the same any other day during the week #studentlife )

And what can make a movie night even better? 

Right, alcohol. Going with your friends for drinks before the movie. 

Sometimes, I’m craving something salty and savoury when I head to the cinema. I’m determined to get Nachos. To not give in to the urge of devouring a bucket of popcorn. Because even if I usually prefer popcorn, nachos are a perfect cinema treat. The problem is, as soon as I set a food into the cinema - what am I saying, as soon as I’m near the cinema and can smell the first breeze of fresh popcorn – all those plans are thrown overboard.

I get popcorn. 

Again. 

I just can’t help it. 

Maybe I’m addicted. 

Argh, I miss the times when my choices were LIMITED. 

Now, with all the streaming platforms I’m just constantly overwhelmed. 

There are just TOO many things I want to watch and usually I’m just swamped by the various offers so I either end up watching something I already know or I don’t watch anything at all to avoid the decision-making-process.  

Do I really need to comment on that one? I don’t think so. 

So I’ll make it quick: I miss my friends, laughing (or even crying) with them, talking with them before, during, and after the movie, standing in line to get popcorn together, sharing popcorn, being made fun of for being so specific about my popcorn, getting sick together as a result of eating way too much popcorn, hugging them hello, hugging them goodbye - I know, I said I wanted to make it quick… 

You didn’t think I was already through with popcorn, did you? Never!

This only applies to cinemas where you can freely select the seats you want to sit. My favourite cinema happens to be one of those and you need to get there extra early to get a good seat. 

But with me, it’s a bit more than that. 

I don’t just want good seats. 

I want MY seats. 

How often does it occur that we concentrate on only one single thing at once these days? 

Yup, that not often. 

When I watch something at home I probably also eat dinner, look at my phone, clean my room, brush my teeth or even "work“. The beauty of the cinema is that you leave all this at home. 

Ok, except maybe the dinner if you’re like me and count a bucket full of popcorn as a well-rounded, nutritious meal. 

Anyway, you don’t just concentrate on the movie you’re watching at home. But in the cinema you have to. Because otherwise, if you for example pull out your phone in the cinema, you’ll be scrutinized by the antagonizing looks of people like me. 

Speaking of the time before the movie and the ads… the trailers are an essential part of that, aren’t they? 

I can’t tell you how much I miss seeing new trailers on the big screen, making plans to go see those movies… 

I don’t know what it is about the ads in the cinema but somehow watching them isn’t as boring and annoying as watching them at home on tv. Also, most cinemas show some kinds of local advertisements - which can be hilarious. And oftentimes they show those ads for YEARS. Which is… comforting? I don’t know. 

Ok, that’s not true. I DO know: it IS comforting. 

Let me give you an example: A company that is regularly promoted in my favourite cinema had this one song in its ad, but a year ago or so it started using another ad with, obviously, another song. Every time they show the new ad now I sing along to the old one. (Yes, I am weird and yes, I don’t like change. At least not too much of it.)

Isn’t it just such a nice feeling: sitting next to your friends, chatting a bit, smelling the fresh popcorn you’re about to eat (that is if you’re crazy like me and wait til the movie starts before you start eating), knowing that you’re gonna shut the world off for a couple of hours. 

It’s relaxing. 

And exciting. 

What else would I start with? I mean I am a popcorngirl after all!

And honestly, is there something better than sitting in the cinema, leaning back in a red, velvet chair, being surrounded by darkness, anticipating what’s to come, all the while snacking the best snack there is to snack?

Well yes, maybe there is something better. But let’s just agree that it is really hard to find something that compares to this. This crunch. This sweetness. This buttery, caramelly, wonderful taste that makes everything tingle… 

I know it’s been a while since I posted or wrote anything. But honestly: there wasn’t that much to post about. I went to the cinema 36 times last year – which is not that much considering I went more than twice as much in 2019. I know, I know, considering I made it 36 times during a pandemic is still pretty incredible… But most of the films I saw were either old, like LOTR or The Graduate, or I watched them before the disaster began. 

It was not enough. It is not enough. Not even close. Especially during a time when all I crave is comfort, familiarity, some chance to escape reality. And I know there are so much more important things right now, but that doesn’t change the fact that I miss it so, so much. 

So, the other day, when I had yet another “one of those days“ I created a list. 

A why-I-miss-the-cinema-so-much-list. 

Griesgrämig streift Kate (Emilia Clarke, “Game of Thrones”) durch das vorweihnachtliche London. Sie scheint das Chaos magisch anzuziehen und auch beruflich - sie arbeitet als Elf in einem ganzjährigen Weihnachtsgeschäft - findet sie keine Erfüllung. Doch dann läuft ihr Tom (Henry Golding, “Crazy Rich Asians”) immer wieder vor die Füße und ihm gelingt es ihm nach einiger Zeit, Kates harte Schale zu durchbrechen. Doch kann wirklich alles auf einmal so perfekt sein?...

Als Weihnachtsfanatiker/Romantiker bin ich mehr oder weniger eskaliert, als ich hörte, dass Emma Thompson einen Film namens “Last Christmas” geschrieben hat mit Emilia Clarke in der Hauptrolle und der Musik von WHAM und George Michael. Meine Vorfreude wurde dann ein wenig gesunken, als ich vorab die Guardian Bewertung gelesen habe, die Paul Feigs (u.a. “Brautalarm”) Film nur schlecht redet und gerade mal einen von fünf Punkten gibt. Nach zweimaligem Schauen des Films kann ich sagen: das ist Mumpitz! 

Selbst wenn man kein Weihnachtsfan ist und keine Veranlagung für Rom-Coms hat, ist "Last Christmas” immer noch ein witziger und rührender Film, der hochkarätig besetzt ist, klasse Musik benutzt und psychische und kulturelle Probleme anspricht. Klar, es ist nicht “Tatsächlich...Liebe” oder “Bridget Jones” und manch einer mag den ein oder andern Plottwist nicht willkommen heißen, aber in Zeiten, in denen absolut niveaulose Filme wie “The Knight Before Christmas” total gehyped werden, ist ein Film wie “Last Christmas” mit tatsächlicher Botschaft  schon fast Ausnahme. Ich finde den Film absolut sehenswert, er hat mich zum Lachen und zum Weinen (erst der zweite Film, der das dieses Jahr geschafft hat!) gebracht und gebe “Last Christmas” deshalb:

Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton) arbeitet als Privatdetektiv im New York der 50er Jahre. Er leidet unter Tourette, doch sein Verstand ist messerscharf. Eines Tages wird Freund und Mentor Frank Minna (Bruce Willis) getötet. Lionel will dem nachgehen - und stößt dabei auf ein großes Geheimnis...

Der Film von und mit Edward Norton ist nicht nur prima besetzt - mit Stars wie Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe und Leslie Mann in den Nebenrollen - er ist auch gut erzählt. Langsam aber sicher entfaltet sich die Story und mit zusammen mit dem zwangsgestörten Lionel begibt sich der Zuschauer auf eine Detektivjagd. An manchen Stellen ist die Story zwar etwas unruhig und die ein oder andere Minute hätte wohl gekürzt werden, trotzdem ein sehr gelungener Film und bekommt daher: