Saturday, August 18, 2007

Do NOT Fall Asleep

Taco Queen and I went out to see The Invasion last night. Despite some remarkable editing, cool car crashes and decent acting, it was so fake! So fake! So, so, SO fake. I'm all for a good sci-fi flick, and I have a pretty decent imagination, but you know there's a problem with a movie when you keep checking your watch, which I did five or twelve times.

- - - Spoiler Alert (if you care (which you shouldn't)) - - -

The ending was outrageously pandering. I don't really recollect the other Invasion of the Body Snatchers movies that well (for some reason, though, I can remember the Donald Sutherland Mad Magazine version very clearly). As I recall, the endings were depressing - the hero can't do anything to stop the pod people. In this version, however, everything ends up just hunky-dory. Everyone (except those who were killed presumably) goes back to normal like nothing ever happened. Listen, if 700 degrees Fahrenheit can't kill the virus, then how did they create an anti-virus from a strain of acute Chicken Pox?

- - - End of Spoilers - - -

And it was ironic that Nicole Kidman's major dramatic question was, "Will she be able to stay awake?" That was pretty much my major dramatic question as well.

But WAIT! I should mention that I did dream about the movie all night. I dreamt that Taco Queen and I were trying to fool all the pod people so they wouldn't kill us. So we disguised ourselves as gorillas. The dream went on and on as we mingled with and fled from the pod people in our costumes. Although we weren't as sexy as Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig (at least not in our gorilla suits), it was a very clever dream and far funnier than any previous version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

One Hobbit out of five. So I've saved you $10. You can thank me later.

11 comments:

Viola Larson said...

Hi Wesley,
After reading several of your posts I have a comment and two questions. About being to old to blog I am 66 and now have a blog at http://naminghisgrace.blogspot.com/. The two questions: why Taco Bell and whats with Mary Worth?:)

I like your blog!

Viola Larson said...

I forgot to say this is Aunt Viola but I guess you figured that out.

Wanders said...

Dear Aunt Viola! To know Taco Queen is to love her Tacos. Taco Queen's tacos are to Taco Bell's tacos as filet mignon is to McDonald's cheese burgers.

And regarding Mary Worth, I'm not sure I understand your question because (as with much of what you write) it is far more profound than my mere superficial world view can grasp! What is with Mary Worth, indeed.

I shall ponder that a while.

Viola Larson said...

Ah, now I understand. Well at least I understand Taco Bell!

Wanders said...

I think you mean, Taco Queen; although, Taco Belle would have been cute.

Viola Larson said...

oops, sorry. I did mean taco queen. I guess I should go take my Sunday nap.

Anonymous said...

In the movie poster picture, with the pod people in the red paint in the background, the last guy on the right actually looks like a gorilla. Is that you or Taco Queen?

Erika (aka "e") said...

Hi there!

I checked out your post and will definitely save myself the $10. It is a bit weird that Nicole and Daniel are in this movie AND in The Golden Compass. I don't like her at all (hello, major Botox!) so I usually avoid her movies anyway. The one interesting thing I have to say about the movie (without having seen it) is that part of it was filmed in the DC Metro station by my brother's apartment! I was there around the same time, but didn't see any of the actual filming. Oh, well.
- e

Wanders said...

Ladies and Gentleman. I give you "e!" My hero and mentor of the blogging world. I feel like I have been visited by greatness.

And living and working in the DC area, I admit to enjoying the fact that it was pretty much overrun by soul-less, heartless over achievers... oh, wait...

Erika (aka "e") said...

You are too, too kind.

I feel very ashamed that it took me so long to check out your blog... I am finding the time to do a lot of things I'd been wanting to do now that I am free of The Man.

Now it's in my bookmarks!

- e

bats :[ said...

I had no intention on seeing this, but I appreciate your toughing it out and saving the movie-going public a little dough.
I'm not a Nicole Kidman fan, so I'm doing my best to steel myself for "The Golden Compass" (well, I can always fixate on Daniel Craig...).
And if you are a movie goer with a bit of an SF bent, I recommend "Sunshine." It's tanking in the U.S., but it's one of those thinking SF movies (even if there's bits of Alien tossed in). Beautifully filmed, solid acting.
Blog on!