Last night, the boyfriend and I went on a double date with a work friend and girlfriend. We decided to see the X-Men movie. I wasn’t particularly keen on seeing it, but I always welcome the chance to see any movie because I could be surprised with a great flick. I love movies. I love how, good or bad, they make you feel something. I love talking about them afterwards, and playing the “what would you do in that situation?” game. I love being surprised by a movie that just blows your mind away with its philosophical addition to your mind’s compendium. I also love teen movies with pop music that let you laugh at fart jokes, turn your brain off, and be entertained. My favourite films are Dead Poets Society (for its message), Mary Poppins (for its cinematography, musical numbers and charm), Zoolander (which gets more funny each time I watch it) and the Virgin Suicides (for its ability to suck me into the mystery and be left forever wondering, just like the narrator). But, I digress. We are sitting in the chilled movie theatre last night…
I had met his work friend before, and he seemed like a nice enough guy who liked to talk a lot, but was generally well mannered. (No judgments, but everyone should have nice manners, no matter what personality quirks they have). He and his girlfriend arrived late to the movies, as the first few previews were rolling. I introduced myself to the girlfriend, and for now, I’ll take it that she was just shy, because she looked at me, heard me, and then sat back again. I made a few whispered jokes with the boyfriend’s work friends as some previews rolled. As X-Men began, so did the work friend’s unending commentary. He had a lot to say, it seems, about the content. He would express his shock and amazement at plot twists by loudly yelling expletives. He would turn to his girlfriend and explain parts of the first 2 film to her, never whispering, oh no, but talking out loud. I suppose it may have helped the people around us who may not have seen the first two films, either. He would express his predictions as to what turns the plot would take, for all to hear.
Typically, boyfriend and I are movie shushers to people like this. Once in awhile, that is, these people require being “shushed” to in order to pipe down and allow the other hundred or so people to enjoy the film’s dialogue. After all, we paid to hear what is being produced on the screen, not someone’s take on “how f*ckin cool” the explosion scene was.
I was not impressed. Now, the pull of X-Men was certainly not its clever and intelligent dialogue. I may not have missed out on key plot points due to the talkers, because the points the movie was trying to make were made clear, several times, blatantly. Boyfriend and I actually finished off the movie laughing at how much this work friend found to discuss. It was comical: he never stopped!
While we were fortunate enough to be slightly entertained by his continual discussions and expressions during a so-so movie, it must be said: Movie talking is a major faux-pas. It is not your living room! I offer this to those movie-talkers out there to protect you from the future wrath of the shushers.