Sneak Preview (Please leave your cell phones and camera at the door)

This post is dedicatied to Pambelina.

My lovely friend Mary gave me her Free Preview tickets for the new flick, Julie and Julia, because she couldn't go. I of course wanted to see the movie, for several reasons, including the fact that my name was in the title (and I'm quite in love with my name) and I adore Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci if you really must know. So Tuesday night my sister and I made the trek over to Sandy to see a move for free before it had been released. Man, did I feel cool.

I've been to one other Free Screening before. It was in New York for The Incredible Hulk. The movie was pretty forgettable, even with Edward Norton, and the only reason it even registers in my memory is because I sat next to a very attractive man who I talked with a little bit before the movie; our arms brushed against each other during the movie and once it ended I got up and left and regretted the whole way home not talking to him more. Anyway, with it being a special screening they checked everyone's bag to make sure they didn't have cameras or cell phones--no one wants their not-yet-released movie to make its way to the internet before the big screen; look what happened to X-Men Wolverine. I had not brought either though, as the Free Screening Ticket said they would not be allowed and should just be left at home.

Even with this prior knowledge I went into the movie theater with my huge bag carrying my cell phone and my friend's camera. Emily also had her cell phone and camera. The workers at the ticket counter said they would hold them for us in a drawer. One checkpoint completed. Then it was high security, as we were wanded (I had to show what was in my pocket--a bobby pin and an Excedrin, keys in the other) and had our bags checked with a flashlight (I looked ready to leave the country, the inspector joked, as I had my passport and a "religious book"). After passing the second checkpoint we made it into the theater, and after being the last people admitted in for the Free Screening, were unfortunately left with nothing but the front or second row to choose from. Not the best way to see a movie, but when you're seeing it for free it's hard to complain too much.

In spite of all the hoop jumping and bad seating, I really loved the movie. So many movies with female leads are of the Romantic Comedy, Chick Flick mode, and while I am a big fan, it's rather refreshing to see a film with two female leads and neither is put into ridiculous situations to get the guy; neither is a horrible shrew addicted to her job; neither is the put-upon wife who plays second fiddle to her male counterpart; neither involves montages of getting ready for a big date/interview. Again, not that there's anything wrong with that in a movie (I'm a firm fan of the RomCom), but it's great to watch a film with women who are smart and driven and love their husbands and have flaws and are real people. Both take incredible journeys that they choose to make themselves happy, and find happiness based on achieving what they set out to do. And while the males in their lives are there to love and support them (as should be the case in any normal, real relationship, not what Hollywood normally throws at us) they're happiness isn't based on them. I think this is one of the truest depictions of people in the real world.

When we left the theater there was a person outside writing down peoples' reactions. He looked at me and asked, "What did you think of the movie?" I looked at him with a great big smile, put my thumb in the up position, and said, "It was great!"