Why Sharknado Was Brilliant and Hollywood Sucks

Hollywood largely ran out of ideas about ten years ago. It might've been longer than that, but I had kids and my memory is wonky. If they remake one more movie I swear God is going to kill a kitten. DID YOU HEAR ME HOLLYWOOD? THINK OF THE KITTENS!!!

Why is Sharknado awesome? It's awesome because it's RIDICULOUS. It's camp in the best sort of way, horror of the likes of the BLOB is going to kill you. Can you see the concept meeting for this? We need a natural disaster movie, but it needs to have a twist. It's been a while since TWISTER came out, how could we freshen that up? Add tidal waves? OH OH OH! I know! SHARKS!! SHARKS WILL GET SUCKED UP INTO THE TORNADO! 

Then, play the whole thing straight. 

It was hilariously predictable. The deaths were comic and exaggerated. The sharks ROARED (clearly they borrowed this from the TWISTER part of their plot development as that tornado also had a lion roar).  I think we laughed all the way through it. 

I also learned that much to my delight, my son is a "laugh because Martin got shot in the face" sort of person vs a "recoil in horror because Martin got shot in the face" sort of person. (See PULP FICTION for that reference.) 

I drank my coffee and the two of us snuggled on the sofa early this AM and laughed hysterically through the entire thing. 

It was brilliant. It was ridiculous. The acting was TERRIBLE in the best and worst way, alternately. It was new and different and stupid and fun and joyous and POINTLESS.

Isn't that the idea of movies? Suspend your disbelief, escape into fantasy and fiction and just go along for the ride? It can be sad or happy or terrifying or mysterious, or as with Sharknado - it can just stand on it's own for consumption and the glee of those who enjoy a bit of silly.

I need more Sharknado, Hollywood. TRY HARDER.

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Why Sharknado Was Brilliant and Hollywood Sucks

Hollywood largely ran out of ideas about ten years ago. It might've been longer than that, but I had kids and my memory is wonky. If they remake one more movie I swear God is going to kill a kitten. DID YOU HEAR ME HOLLYWOOD? THINK OF THE KITTENS!!!

Why is Sharknado awesome? It's awesome because it's RIDICULOUS. It's camp in the best sort of way, horror of the likes of the BLOB is going to kill you. Can you see the concept meeting for this? We need a natural disaster movie, but it needs to have a twist. It's been a while since TWISTER came out, how could we freshen that up? Add tidal waves? OH OH OH! I know! SHARKS!! SHARKS WILL GET SUCKED UP INTO THE TORNADO! 

Then, play the whole thing straight. 

It was hilariously predictable. The deaths were comic and exaggerated. The sharks ROARED (clearly they borrowed this from the TWISTER part of their plot development as that tornado also had a lion roar).  I think we laughed all the way through it. 

I also learned that much to my delight, my son is a "laugh because Martin got shot in the face" sort of person vs a "recoil in horror because Martin got shot in the face" sort of person. (See PULP FICTION for that reference.) 

I drank my coffee and the two of us snuggled on the sofa early this AM and laughed hysterically through the entire thing. 

It was brilliant. It was ridiculous. The acting was TERRIBLE in the best and worst way, alternately. It was new and different and stupid and fun and joyous and POINTLESS.

Isn't that the idea of movies? Suspend your disbelief, escape into fantasy and fiction and just go along for the ride? It can be sad or happy or terrifying or mysterious, or as with Sharknado - it can just stand on it's own for consumption and the glee of those who enjoy a bit of silly.

I need more Sharknado, Hollywood. TRY HARDER.

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So We Tried a Sensory Friendly Movie

We belong to a local autism support group, which I've mentioned before. One of events that gets held every so often are Sensory Friendly Films, which is easiest explained as low lights but not "dark" and I guess not so loud.
Madagascar 3 was the film this weekend and we thought we'd give it a go.
I'll tell you, we DO go to the movies, but we spend a lot of time going SHHHHHHH SHHHHHHHH SHHHHHHH and taking one or the other twin OUT if necessary and that's at the cheapie theater.

We don't DO first run. Because oh hell if we paid $100 bucks between admission and snack and it was a nightmare, oh hell no.

But the MOVIE GRILL in Alpharetta sent a notice to our autism group that special needs kids and their siblings were free and adults $5 so HEY CHEAP MOVIE.

It's a bit of a drive over there, but it was actually a PERFECT set up for kids who need structure, sitting at tables facing directly forward - no aisle in front of you to tempt you to get up and run up and down.  We had cokes and popcorn and it was awesome. So THANK YOU MOVIE GRILL.

The kids were all variously loud, but they were also kids, they laughed when it was funny (CIRCUS AFRO CIRCUS AFRO) and were quiet sometimes too. Honestly, I didn't even NOTICE the noise of the other kids - maybe I'm numb to it these days.

I think I'm going to keep my eye on the Sensory Friendly films offering now, and if you have autistic kids you should check it out. It was probably the least stressful trip to the movies I've had in years.

Plus you know,

CIRCUS AFRO CIRCUS AFRO POLKA DOT POLKA DOT POLKA DOT !!!

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So We Tried a Sensory Friendly Movie

We belong to a local autism support group, which I've mentioned before. One of events that gets held every so often are Sensory Friendly Films, which is easiest explained as low lights but not "dark" and I guess not so loud.
Madagascar 3 was the film this weekend and we thought we'd give it a go.
I'll tell you, we DO go to the movies, but we spend a lot of time going SHHHHHHH SHHHHHHHH SHHHHHHH and taking one or the other twin OUT if necessary and that's at the cheapie theater.

We don't DO first run. Because oh hell if we paid $100 bucks between admission and snack and it was a nightmare, oh hell no.

But the MOVIE GRILL in Alpharetta sent a notice to our autism group that special needs kids and their siblings were free and adults $5 so HEY CHEAP MOVIE.

It's a bit of a drive over there, but it was actually a PERFECT set up for kids who need structure, sitting at tables facing directly forward - no aisle in front of you to tempt you to get up and run up and down.  We had cokes and popcorn and it was awesome. So THANK YOU MOVIE GRILL.

The kids were all variously loud, but they were also kids, they laughed when it was funny (CIRCUS AFRO CIRCUS AFRO) and were quiet sometimes too. Honestly, I didn't even NOTICE the noise of the other kids - maybe I'm numb to it these days.

I think I'm going to keep my eye on the Sensory Friendly films offering now, and if you have autistic kids you should check it out. It was probably the least stressful trip to the movies I've had in years.

Plus you know,

CIRCUS AFRO CIRCUS AFRO POLKA DOT POLKA DOT POLKA DOT !!!

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