best picture showcase

D and I went to St Louis to watch AMC’s Best Picture Showcase along with a buddy of mine from work, and we had a great time. It was a full house; I’m glad we arrived early for decent seats. I purchased our tickets online, and my receipt clearly stated seats were first come, first serve, and to arrive 30-45 minutes early. A handful of people who showed up late had the nerve to bitch about the lack of good seats; some decided not to stick around (stupid move, considering they spent $30 for a large popcorn, large soda, and no movie).

The theater was very nice, and the staff was top notch. We were all given passes so we could come and go as we please. Some people left if they already saw a movie and came back later. We stayed the duration until the last movie ended at 11:30 PM. The passes also served us free popcorn and drink refills. I struggled with my bag of popcorn, while D got our money’s worth with 2 bags and a ton of sodas. As for the movies …

• Babel – **** – this was a heck of a way to start a movie marathon. I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with sadness for each character’s plight as the movie wore on. By the time it was over, I was already drained and didn’t know if I could make it another 10 hours.
• The Queen – **** – I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Helen Mirren was outstanding as Queen Elizabeth II, while James Cromwell was quite the d*ck as Prince Philip.
• The Departed – ***** – Martin Scorcese returns to crime in a big way; this film is graphic and brutally violent. Star performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Mark Wahlberg. If this does not win Best Picture, that will be because Scorcese will finally be awarded an Oscar for Best Director.
• Letters from Iwo Jima – ***** – the battle of Iwo Jima, recounted by the Japanese who fought in it. A powerful and moving film.
• Little Miss Sunshine – ***** – after sitting in a dark theater for nearly 12 hours and watching 4 films (3 of which were 2-hours plus each and emotionally draining), we all needed a pick-me-up. This film was a perfect finale. Hilarious, cute, fun, and sweet.

During the dinner break, they mentioned that of the 72 locations in the US, we were #3 on the list (behind L.A. and Chicago). So it sounds like they’ll be doing this again next year; I’m sure we’ll go again!

Oh, yeah. Which film do I think will win? Babel.

Which one do I think should win? The Departed.