Ebert & Roeper & Dave at the Movies

I know what you're all thinking. Since I've had knee surgery and have been doing nothing but sitting in a La-Z-Boy doing nothing for the last 3 days, how come I haven't had time to blog? Well, today I'm here to set the record straight. The truth is, I've been sitting in a La-Z-Boy doing nothing for 5 days now, and it's hard work! My days are jam-packed with reading Ted Dekker novels (which I strongly suggest), watching movies, and going to the theatres to see more movies. And eating, of course, but that goes without saying. Once again, I decided to be generous and spare my staff the toil of comprising a Top 10 list yesterday, but have no fear, Top 10 Mondays will return. Someday. However, in today's post, I am going to update you on the world of entertainment that I have thrown myself into recently.

Yesterday I set a new DGR (Dave Getz Record) by going to the theatre twice in one day! I took my little siblings to see the new Disney flick "Princess and the Frog" in the afternoon, and then I caught the 9:50 showing of "Avatar" with my brothers and friends in the evening. So sit back, grab some popcorn, put on your 3-D glasses for the heck of it, and see what Dave Getz has to say about the 2 biggest movies in theatres right now:

The Princess and the Frog.

In my mind, when I think of Walt Disney, I think of 2-D animated fairy tales (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, the Iliad, etc...), so seeing this movie was a breath of fresh air. It seems that Disney strayed from that genre several years ago and began making movies that focused solely on pop-culture, had to have one teenage heart-throb in every scene, and had to have the phrase "High School Musical" in the title at least once. Thankfully, they hopped off that bandwagon with the creation of "Princess and Frog," and although I wouldn't put it in the upper echelon of Disney classics, it definitely gets two thumbs up. Set in N'Arlans, deep in bayou country, this charming re-telling of the classic fairy tale "The Frog Prince" is perfect for young audiences (provided, of course, that little kids aren't spooked out by voo-doo scheming witch doctors who make Jafar look obese). Being a music major, I have to put a plug in for the soundtrack. The trumpet-tooting alligator, Louis, was a great character, and the jazzy musical score and songs by Randy Newman were a perfect fit. My only criticism is the failure to credit Louisiana born and bred composer/pianist Louis Gottschalk as the ancestor of the Jazz movement.

Avatar

This science-fiction blockbuster of our time will definitely go down in history as the "science-fiction blockbuster of our time." With a budget that could probably power a decent sized village for a decade, this state-of-the-art technological masterpiece absolutely dazzles viewers with its breath-taking 3-D presentation of the planet Pandora, where, coincidentally, the story is set. The basic plot is basically a combination of the stories of Pocahontas and the Native American "Trail of Tears," expect, in this story, Pocahontas is featured as a 9-foot tall blue lion-esque creature with a hilarious English accent. Although I make that seem humorous, the story is actually very touching. And powerful. It raises lots of tough questions (such as "should I go refill my popcorn before or after this next battle scene?") and makes you ponder the themes the director, James Cameron, was trying to convey.

The special effects are impeccable, and it just boggles my mind how they are able to pull some of that stuff off. At times, when the camera pans across Pandora's impressive landscapes, it feels like you're watching a nature documentary. And then you realize that none of it's real. Bummer.

So, my opinion? It's definitely worth seeing. Although your brain forgets you're watching it in 3-D about halfway through, it's still worth the extra dollar just to wear the funny glasses. Also, the final battle sequence gave me the same adrenaline-rush that I got when the Rohirrim charged into Gondor in "The Return of the King." Epic, epic, epic.

So, there you have it. If you're looking for something to do over the holidays, these two movies would definitely be worth your time.

Besides all the down time, I've also spent lots of time hanging out with family and friends. (I haven't been a total bum since surgery). My leg is healing slowly and surely. I can bear weight on it now, but its mobility is still slightly restricted. I see my doctor tomorrow, and if he says I'm doing okay, maybe I'll sign up for a 5K this weekend.