Sunday 14 February 2010

Affairs of the heart

It's Valentine's Day! Would you believe that in America this is commercialised into a business opportunity to send cards, buy chocolates, etc? We are also encouraged to take a loved one to the movies. And this year the marketing geniuses have come up with a film called...Valentine's Day!

Fini, queen of the romantic comedies (queen of everything, really) suggested that a crowd of us head up to our local cinema to watch it. The place now has a liquor licence, so Hannah and I enjoyed beer and wine with our pizza.

The film? Well, from a quick perusal of some online reviews: "If you didn't despise Hallmark's holiday before, you certainly will after enduring this Death March of rom-coms." "Less funny or romantic than your average colonoscopy." "Like a tiny car that putters into the centre ring at the circus and starts disgorging clown after clown." "There have been a lot of films lately about the end of civilization, but none of them holds a candle to the shallow, emotionally barren wasteland laid out before us in Valentine's Day."

Did any of that spoil our enjoyment (or our pizza)? Not one little bit! It just meant that I had the excuse to watch The Terminator when I got home, to remind myself how good a real movie can be.



On one of the Rialto's love seats.



Slightly fuzzy group shot...probably due to the alcohol they now serve.



Fini and the cast.



Young love.