cops and pools and droids

[ciroccoj]

OK, so today I was told I would be reported to the police, reprimanded for abandoning my child, and watched a nice guy get turned into a monster. It's been a good day.

• The police thing: I was driving and turned into an intersection without checking properly in all directions. A car was about to cross, and as I pulled into the street he honked his horn. I glanced back and my heart did a little "OHSHIT I didn't even notice him!! GAH!!"
  
  He pulled into the intersection (residential area, BTW, there were no other cars in sight and we were both going about 30kph/18.5mph) and leaned on his horn, blasted all the way through, and sped up. I pulled off to the side to let him by, and when he pulled up alongside me, I rolled down my window and opened my mouth to say, "Oh my god I am SO sorry that was totally my fault-" but didn't get a single word out. Because he screeched to a stop beside me, leaned over, and screamed (I'm talking veins popping and eyes bulging and spittle flying, here) "THAT WAS AN INTERSECTION, LADY!!! YOU BETTER LEARN TO WATCH WHERE THE HELL YOU'RE GOING WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, AND IF YOU DON'T, I'M GONNA CALL THE GODDAMN POLICE ON YOU!!!!" and then he screeched off so hard he actually left skid marks on the road.
  
  I was still sitting there with my mouth open. And then I was really grateful he'd taken off, because I started to laugh. Poor guy must've just had his wife walk out on him and take the dogs with her. I hope. Otherwise, he's got some serious anger issues to work out.
  
  
• The abandonment issue: went to swimming classes. Left the boys at the pool and went upstairs, as I do every week. Came to pick them up at the end of the lesson, and Justin's teenage teacher said, very loudly and pointedly, "Ma'am, it's very important that if you have a child under seven in class you have to stay on deck during the lesson."
  
  "Really? Oh. Sorry, I didn't know."
  
  "It's pool policy, ma'am! That was explained to you when you signed up!"
  
  "Um, actually, it wasn't. I signed up through the home schooling association."
  
  "Oh." She kind of blinked at me, then got a rather 'I'm trying not to look sheepish' look on her face. "Um... you didn't get the pamphlet?"
  
  "I didn't know there was a pamphlet. Where can I pick one up?"
  
  "Oh, um, yeah, OK, I'll, I'll get that for you, um, right..."
  
  "Maybe you should ask the supervisor to make sure the home schooling association gets the pamphlets?"
  
  "Oh, yeah, that's a good idea, yeah, I'll do that-" and then I started to feel sorry for her too.
  
  
• The Not So Nice Guy: Went to see Revenge of the Sith with Daniel.
  
  You know, I'd heard it was the darkest but possibly the best of the Star Wars movies. I'll have to ponder this one, because I did enjoy it but I'm not sure I'd concur with that assessment.
  
  I'd also heard that the dialogue and acting was painful. Which is just totally wrong; it's not painful at all. It's excruciating. Agonizing. Deeply, deeply embarrassing. Positively squirmilicious. And it's the main reason I can't really see it as the best of all the movies, even though personally I found the plot and the special effects and the themes and all of that very compelling.
  
  I think, some day, it will be possible for regular folks to have digital versions of movies that they can edit to their heart's content, substituting dialogue and editing acting with CGI technology. My first project will be this movie, and I will not rest until I have a version that doesn't make my heart break with every splendiferous cliche.
  
  Other than that, it was good. Way too dark for Daniel, though. He said he liked it, and he'd really wanted to go, but I think next time I'll do what Chris wanted us to do this time, and go see a questionable movie ourselves instead of taking another similarly-minded parent's opinion on its suitability for our kids.

And now, bed.

P.S.: Neato shirt: a girl at the theatre (maybe 14, 15 years old?) was wearing a shirt that said "Friends are forever. Boys are whatever."

Comments

[stephantom.livejournal.com]

I just feel I should say something, being a slight bit of a Star Wars geek. :) The dialogue really was awful, but ... Star Wars dialogue is always awful. It's just something you kinda have to accept and move on from to enjoy them. For some reason, it never bothers me that much in Star Wars because I really enjoy the story being told, but bad scripting can be very distracting, for example, Spiderman II was sometimes painful for me. I disagree about the acting though. I've seen most of the actors in it in other movies and they're all talented people, but when you have to say awkward lines, it's pretty difficult to make it work.

I actually can't think of any stand-out horrible lines in this one... All that's coming to mind is Episode I's "I'll try spinning! That's a good trick!" and Episode II's "The thought of not being with you... I can't breathe! ...You are in my very soul, tormenting me." Not to mention, "You're in big doodoo this time, Jar Jar."

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

but ... Star Wars dialogue is always awful.
LOL yeah, good point. For some reason this one struck me as particularly cringeworthy.

I disagree about the acting though. I've seen most of the actors in it in other movies and they're all talented people, but when you have to say awkward lines, it's pretty difficult to make it work.
Yeah, I agree re. Ewan MacGregor (sp?) and Natalie Portman. Even in Eps I & II, they were good (IMHO). Can't agree with the guy who plays Anakin (damn, I can't think of his name) but only because I've only ever seen him in Eps II and III, and both times he just really didn't do much for me. I was relieved that he was able to at least project attempted dark menace in this one, although it seemed to consist mosly of tilting his head down so that his eyes were gloweringly shadowed.

I'd love to see him in something else, just to see whether it's him, or the writing/directing at fault.

[jessebee.livejournal.com]

I think, some day, it will be possible for regular folks to have digital versions of movies that they can edit to their heart's content, substituting dialogue and editing acting with CGI technology. My first project will be this movie, and I will not rest until I have a version that doesn't make my heart break with every splendiferous cliche.

Can I sign up for your very first screeing of said edited version? Please? ;-)

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

Hee - sure!