Do you remember, possibly in your youth, going to the cinema with friends or family? Looking back, I remember watching most of my films at home. Cinema wasn't exactly a rare treat but it wasn't a frequent outing. I remember seeing Mr Bean: The Movie 3 times at the cinema. I think it was because a cinema complex had opened up not far from me and we were all enjoying it. Also there probably wasn't much on. When I was 12 years and under, there wasn't many films to go and see and I think we struggled back then. When I was a young pre teen/teenager, I was old enough to go to the cinema with friends, what fun! Except my friends didn't want to see the films I liked so I was forced to see the endless drudge of dance flicks, bad rom-coms and terrible horror remakes. Ugh. What a wasted time at the cinema.
My Favourite Martian
Unfortunately I think I had wanted to see this because I knew Christopher Lloyd from Back to the Future. My 10 year old self enjoyed this film about an alien (Lloyd) disguised as human, disrupts the life of Jeff Daniels news reporter. I wasn't aware that the film was based on 60s TV show but somehow, I'm not surprised. I remember there was a trailer for The Mummy and being scared....bare in mind I was 10. What I knew back then was that I was watching a film about an alien that starred Doc Brown and Jeff Daniels (I actually knew who he was). A news producer, recently fired, ends up entangled with the arrival of a martian who is being pursued by the government (of course). I think I enjoyed the film at the time but I doubt I would now.
James and the Giant Peach
This is more of a surprise than 'I can't believe I saw this in the cinema' film. One of Roald Dahl's beloved books, it features an amazing cast and even more spectacular animation. But then, it is Henry Selick, teh genius behind A Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline. Its the epic story of an orphan boy James who escapes his cruel aunts (the amazing Joanna Lumley and Miriam Margolyes) and flys away in a giant peach. He makes new friends (all giant bugs) and goes off on an adventure. Not mentioned often but its a brilliant adaptation and I can say enough how beautiful the animation is. Selick bring together the darkness of Dahl's story, the bizarre characters and of course the sense that everything is marvelous in the end. I think when I was younger though I just really enjoyed the film and was terrified of the mystic rhino in the sky.
Spy Kids
My mum and her friend used to run a youth club on Saturdays for 9-11 year olds, I used to help out and attend during these ages. My friends and I used to play board games and cards while snacking on treats from the little tuck shop that was set up. Back in the late 90s this was actually quite fun. We didn't sit alone at home on computers or the internet (too expensive). We sometimes played outside too and had water fights, that wasn't as fun when you're picked on. Anyway, it was good while it lasted as it was somewhere to go on the weekends. My mum decided that a trip to the cinema would be good fun too, so she and her friend organised it and you guessed it, we all saw Spy Kids.
I hated this film. I hated it before we even saw it. I was a 'film snob' even then. Looking back, I feel bad about how I reacted, there weren't many family friendly films on at the time and Spy Kids was the only choice. A few other complained about the choice, but they still went. It was a successful trip in the end and I think other parents were pleased to see the kids out of the house.
I still stand by my opinion. A story of two annoying children who are forced to become totally awesome spies to save their world famous spy parents didn't grab me. I remember being disappointed that Alan Cumming had stooped so low in his rather silly role. I knew who he was but now I cannot recall where I had seen him before to know this.... Years later I would wonder what made Robert Rodriguez make this film and its sequels.
