TAKE FIFTEEN

Summer of 1980. 

I came across a list of movies that came out thirty years ago.  You see the highs (Empire Strikes Back) and the lows (Xanadu).

*Movies I saw that summer.
#Movies I saw later.

Friday, May 9, 1980
•    Friday the 13th
•    The Nude Bomb*
Friday, May 16, 1980
•    Breaker Morant
•    Fame #
•    The Long Riders*
Wednesday, May 21, 1980
•    The Empire Strikes Back *
Friday, May 23, 1980
•    The Gong Show Movie 
•    The Shining *
Friday, May 30, 1980
•    Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)*
•    Joni
•    The Hollywood Knights
Friday, June 6, 1980
•    Up the Academy*
•    Urban Cowboy #
Friday, June 13, 1980
•    Mad Max *
•    The Island #
•    Wholly Moses!
Friday, June 20, 1980
•    The Blues Brothers #
•    Brubaker #
Friday, June 27, 1980
•    The Stunt Man 
Wednesday, July 2, 1980
•    Airplane! *
•    Alligator
Friday, July 4, 1980
•    The Blue Lagoon 
Friday, July 11, 1980
•    My Bodyguard*
•    Oh! Heavenly Dog #
•    Used Cars #
Friday, July 18, 1980
•    The Big Red One
•    Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
•    Honeysuckle Rose
•    Prom Night 
Friday, July 25, 1980
•    Caddyshack #
•    Dressed to Kill  #
Friday, August 1, 1980
•    The Final Countdown  #
Friday, August 8, 1980
•    Xanadu 
Friday, August 15, 1980
•    The Octagon
•    Smokey and the Bandit II

TAKE FOURTEEN

The Original “Tron.”

The original “Tron” held me spellbound when it came out in 1982.  The color and video game action was exciting.  I saw “Tron” six times.  The original "Tron" director, Steven Lisberger, ran into resistance by the old animators who feared the computer would replace them thus the animation department wanted anything to do with “Tron.”  It was a sad commentary on Disney’s closed corporate culture that would not change until Pixar came on board.  Here’s hoping that “Tron- Legacy” gives birth to a new vision. 

                                               END OF LINE.

              (YOU KNEW I HAD TO DO THAT!!!)

TAKE THIRTEEN

Fans waiting for Twilight. 

Waiting For the Future.

ComicCon just wrapped up and there is new trailer for “Tron- Legacy” to watch.  Five months and counting.  Five.  Four months before we see “Harry Potter” but still a long wait.  And six months to “Green Hornet!”  Gosh, I better start camping!

The reservation system at Jordan Commons does away with standing in lines to see a blockbuster movie.  You lock in a favorite seat and come on down.  I am waiting for two more items to appear.  Flying cars and the ability to fold space and time.

TAKE TWELVE

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 (TS3) is the best Pixar as EVER done.  The pinnacle.  The top.   Just watch the first TS and compare it to TS3.  Try TS2 and then TS3.  Crayons and paper compared with computers.  (Yes, I know it was all computers but still, take a look.)  And yes, it is Oscar Worthy.

The real question is, what’s next?  Cars 2.  That makes my wife happy.  She loves the rusty old tow truck Mater.  She loves Mater’s buck teeth and voice.  Ok, then.  If I ever get rich, I want a big HD, Blu-Ray and a copy of Cars.  I have seen Cars on Blue-Ray and all I can say is, OOON GAA WAA!

TAKE ELEVEN

Old joke:
Daddy, Mommy and Baby Tomato are taking a walk when the baby falls behind and begins to cry.  Daddy Tomato goes to the baby, smacks it on the head and says:
“KETCHUP!”  I’m here till Thursday!  Be sure to tip your wait staff!

I am in catch up mode and here goes:

Despicable Me Versus Toy Story 3

Why bother?  Toy Story 3 (TS3) is far better in all categories.  TS3 is so hip that it tips its hat to “Cool Hand Luke!”  TS3 represents the high point of both a franchise and the technologies used to create it.  BUT, Despicable Me (DM) has it’s charms.  It was never going to compete against Pixar.  DM competes instead with Bond.  James Bond. 

With the news that it may be years before we see another Bond picture DM fills the bill.  I want  more of the Minions.  The Minions nearly steal the show.  I like the character Gru but I love the Minions.  Here’s hoping the studio does this.

TAKE TEN

I choose to go to Jordan Commons in Sandy, Utah because it is

different.  The within the complex serves to separate you from reality.  The mini-town square does this well.  The concessions are different and varied.  Pizza, salads and gelato are among the choices.  Popcorn is still the king of the concessions stand. 

I did not like the lack of choices in the diet realm.  Diet Coke, Coke Zero and bottled water.  Yesterday, Ellen and I had a new experience.

Enter the new Coca-Cola Freestyle Beverage System.  The self-serve fountain has a touch screen where there is a choice of more than 100 different drink combinations.  This includes waters, juices, teas and sparkling drinks that have never before been available in this country.  Several machines are working at the Jordan Commons as a test of the idea and to gauge customer reaction. 

From what I saw, the Coca-Cola Freestyle Beverage System machines are an instant hit with moviegoers.  Adults and children excitedly choose several flavors at a time.  The flavor most chosen so far?  Orange Coke.  My choice is Fanta Zero Peach.  This could be the start of something big.       

TAKE NINE

The Summer so far.......
Iron Man 2
Toy Story 3
Hum.  Ho Hum.
That's all, folks!

Ages ago, when I worked in the oil fields around Bartlesville, OK there came time to clean out an oil well with chemicals called fracking a well.  I am sure the well owners had other "f" words to call it.  To frack a well, you had to have several large trucks filled with men and the men ran the pressure gauges and looked after the equipment.  It was a traveling circus of the oil patch.  I asked my boss, Blaine, what it was costing to do this. 

"Well, Jimmer," he slowly replied in his Idaho and Oklahoma drawl.  "Get yourself an oil drum and fill it full of one dollar bills.  Then light the whole thing on fire!"

He let out his crazy laugh. 

Hollywood is burning bunches of barrels of one dollar bills, only, they aren't laughing.