It’s the holiday season and television program seems to be saturated with such programing. Despite a few shows I watch regularly (NCIS, NCIS: NOLA, and a few others) I am more of a movie guy. I enjoy watching some Christmas movies every year: The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th St, Christmas Vacation being the chief among them.
This year there have been two polar opposite new holiday films released into local theaters. Other then both taking place Christmas eve, being slightly over predictable, and each having a 90 ish minute runtime there’s not much comparing. One is a buddy, stoner like comedy (The Night Before) and the other is a horror flick based upon an urban legend (Krampus). I saw both from my favorite seat at my local six screen multiplex.
Both times I sat in my favorite seat towards the front of the theater where the screen hovers dramatically over me but far enough where my neck doesn’t want to commit mutiny. In stadium seat theaters this is the first row behind the handicap row. If no one using the handicap portion of this row it has the added benefit of doubling as a foot rest. In non stadium theaters it’s about half way through the auditorium. If there’s no handicap bar available to put my feet on I prefer the edge seat. I had my favorite snack in hand as well, small popcorn large drink. However if the theater brings the corn from the back in bags instead of popping in the lobby I sub junior mints for the popcorn.
So now I’m seated and munching down on snacks. Both movies start with the dimming of the lights and traditional blatter buster trailer real. At this point this is where the similarities end and the differences begin. The trailers were as different as the films themselves. One trailer real showed comedies and the odd action flick while the other advertised horror films. During the respective features I laughed frequently at one and jumped at the other. With the exception of my brother, who watched The Night Before with me, the audiences for both were complete strangers and moderately full. Sharing the experience of films, especially comedies and horror, add to the fun of attending movies. Both cases the crowd got into the movie. 90 or so minutes later I am more then pleased with the movies I have seen.
In the end both films were different but I enjoyed watching some holiday goodness on the big screen just the same.
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