Something Nautical And Fascinating

We didn't make it to viewing #3 of Return of the King. As it transpires, it was only playing at noon or 4:30, and we weren't organized early enough to make the early show, and we had too much that needed to get done this evening to make the later show. We promised the kids that we will go next Saturday afternoon after Hebrew school. However, since it was cold and we'd already declared it a movie day...we went to see M&C again. So I've shattered my longstanding six-theatrical-viewings record held by Kiss of the Spider Woman since 1986 (TTT tied it but did not surpass it). And I will say unhesitatingly: M&C is my favorite film of 2003. It may be my favorite film since FOTR. I squealed in total pleasure when I saw the BAFTA nominations this morning, and it wasn't because of ROTK, though I do hope Peter Jackson wins because it's about damn time.

Anyway, thoughts on #7: There is absolutely nothing in this film that diminishes, even as it gets easier to nitpick things that went utterly unnoticed on earlier viewings -- they are such nitpicks, the kind of thing I would only notice after half a dozen viewings, not interfering at all with the ten million details I love. The last time I saw the film at this multiplex, it was in the smallest theater; today it was back in one of the larger ones and completely sold out, down to the front row of the stadium seats, with people wandering up and down the stairs driving us nuts for the first fifteen minutes looking for better seats.

Interestingly, more than half the crowd must have been over 50, possibly over 60. It makes me really roll my eyes at Fox, which apparently had declared the film dead after its weak first week receipts, when instead of continuing to advertise or trying a new push they just let it sort of keep on; I realize that their demographic and even my demographic are considered utterly irrelevant by the studios, but if this film had been in a bigger theater today or perhaps at more showings, they would be making a lot more money off of it. I can't decide whether I want the movie to kick ass during awards season and possibly trigger a sequel, or if a sequel that would likely be made without Peter Weir would just dilute everything I love about this movie and if I'm better off just hoping for an awesome DVD with lots of extras. Anyway, while I'm in M&C squee mode, a shirtless Jack photo and a bunch of BAFTA links at .