Seven Pounds

We went and saw the movie "Seven Pounds" at the dollar movies in Sandy. It stars Will Smith and Rosario Dawson. I like both of them for the most part, so I didn't mind seeing this movie even though I knew almost nothing about it.

However, before I begin, I have to say something about movie theatres. I'll admit, and I'm sure most of you will agree with me, that I (we) have been spoiled by the stadium seating of modern movie theatres - clear view of the screen, reclining seats in a lot of cases, plenty of leg room, etc. The dollar movies in Sandy are the old style theatres with just a slight decline in the seats toward the screen. While the theatre was at least clean, sitting in regular seats for a movie just doesn't work for me anymore. 1) you're too close to all the people around you. Where in a stadium seating arrangement people are above and below you, in the old style it feel like they're all on top of you - and when they're smokers, it's just gross. Oh, and when 1/3 of the theatre has a cough, it's even worse. Good thing I'm not claustrophobic! :-D 2) it feels like you have to look up the whole time, even when you're in the back of the theatre, that MAY have been because this was the smallest theatre I've ever been in, I swear it was smaller than the Towne Cinema in PG. 3) there is no legroom, it's worse than being on an airplane (pre-space-expansion). So, while many people wonder how we ever got along without cellphones and the internet, I wonder how we ever sat through 2 hour movies in these cramped little theatres? I mean, I'm OK with going there, because it's only $1.50, but if given the choice I'll take stadium seating all day. Thank heaven for innovation! (and if you're going to the movies, do us all a favor and open the windows to your car as you smoke so it doesn't linger on your clothes so badly that I can feel cancer growing on my own throat just from sitting behind you! Thanks!)

Back to the movie. It was good. And I'll tell you why. I think it was as unique a movie as I've seen in a while. 1) I love it when there is no happy ending, at least not completely happy. That's not because I'm a pessimist, you probably know I'm not, but it's because sometimes life doesn't end happily and I like to see it sometimes in the movies. 2) I like it when a movie is a little twisted. I don't like sick-out movies like Saw or garbage like that, but when the plot twist is a little messed up, it seems a bit more real I think. 3) I like it when you get done with a movie and you can't help but shake your head and say, "I can't believe that".

Seven Pounds has all that. It is a BIT slow in places, it's a drama after all and they use the length for dramatic effect I think. And me being SO impatient, I had to fill in some spots with thoughts of the Jazz, Manchester United, the Utes, the girl next to me, etc. ;-) ANYWAY, Will Smith is pretty good in this and I think Rosario Dawson is excellent - very believable! Will Smith does his "I'm thinking difficult thoughts" face a bit too much (same as in Hancock) but it's probably appropriate. It just looks like he's having a stroke or something??? Anyway, it's well worth the $1.50 and definitely worth a Red Box rental when it comes out (recommended since you can keep smokers out of your house if you so desire)! I'll give this a solid 4 out of 5 rating! Enjoy, and when you see it tell me it's not just a bit twisted ;-)