Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax" (2012)

[dvdjunkie]

Bev and I took our four-year-old grand daughter to see "Dr. Seuess' The Lorax" yesterday at an early matinee and we all enjoyed it immensely.

This has to be the best interpretation of Dr. Seuss book since "The Grinch". The animation is first rate, the voice cast includes Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, and Betty White.

The story is told very good, and the resolution at the end is perfect, and it truly follows the book, almost word for word and scene for scene, something the earlier television show didn't do very well.

Tymber was excited to go to the movie theater with Me-ma and Pa-pa, and she laughed herself silly in this truly good family film. At only 77 minutes in length, it is perfect for those little ones who's attention span is pretty short.

On the Junkie Meter I will give "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" a 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

[Midge]

Bill, by any chance dId you seeThe Lorax in 3-D? When I went to see Hugo in 3-D, all the previews were also in 3-D, including one for The Lorax.

[dvdjunkie]

With the four-year-old, we didn't think she would understand about the glasses, and they just raised the prices for 3-D movies by $1.50. Watching the movie I didn't see anything that would be improved with the 3-D process, so I am glad we chose the cheaper route.

It's getting to where being a senior at a movie theater costs almost as much as general admission for matinees. When you are on a budget, we have to go with what the budget allows.

Beverly and I did see "Hugo" in 3-D twice and standard 2-D twice. We now watch it on Blu-ray at home, and have watched it at least five times in the past week. What a marvelous movie.

[Midge]

I forgot to take into consideration that you were with a four-year-old, so of course 2-D would be the better choice. Those glasses are huge and wouldn't even fit a small child. I'm with you about movie admission prices. They're through the roof. At my local movie house where I saw Hugo, it was $8.50 for seniors, and then they tack on a three-dollar surcharge for 3-D. I'm old enough to remember going to Saturday matinees at the children's admission price, 25 cents!

[dvdjunkie]

The Senior Admission price all day at the theater used to be $5.00 and the 3-D rental was $2 for seniors.

First they raised the senior admission price to $7 and then this week they raised the 3-D rental to $3.50 for seniors. I think regular admission is $9.50 with a $4 rental for the glasses at 3-D shows.

I am glad that I am on the list for mystery shopper at the Warren Theaters, because when I get to that, I get in free, no matter what movie I am going to see and I don't have to rent the glasses because they're issued to me at check in.

I remember those days as a kid going to Saturday matinee and you got to see a cartoon and a chapter of serial and a double feature all for a quarter. Now that was a bargain.

[rmichaelpyle]

We're all three showing our age here. I remember those days, too. At a theater down from my grandparents' house - when I was a kid - Saturday afternoon matinees - usually showing second run Westerns or cheapie horror flicks - were only a dime! Then it went up to a quarter in one fell swoop when I was about 12 or so, and that was a giant jump! Couldn't get two boxes of red hots anymore - only one... We used to get cartoons before hand and then just before the second feature, too. There might be a newsreel, might not be... There were often times a part to a serial, but that serial might not be the one showing next time... Once in a blue moon when the last show was over the theater might show another cartoon... This was the Uptown theater, as it was called. Up near my parents' house, where the Vogue theater was, such a large inventory of events at a show, even on a Saturday matinee, was rare. They were stingy - so we thought - highfalutin'...

[dvdjunkie]

I remember those days so well. I had worked up to knowing the manager of movie theater in El Centro, CA, and was always there in the early mornings on Saturday to help the janitor clean things up.

One day he asked me if wanted to get in the movies for free, and I didn't even have to think before I said yes. All I had to do was fold 1500 popcorn boxes to earn my free admission.

I was king of the hill for a couple of years, as I didn't have to pay to get in the movies because I was folding popcorn boxes, and I had gotten it down so well, that I was folding a whole case (5,000 boxes) each Saturday and they didn't have anything to do during the week, so the manager let my Mom and Dad come to the show once a week also.

We had four theaters in El Centro, the Crest, The Fox, Valley and the Palms theaters. It was at the Valley theater where I learned all about folding popcorn boxes.

Those were the days. I saved a lot of quarters and had my first 'job'.

[Midge]

I'm enjoying this discussion, but the moderator in me is saying that it's gone off-topic. It would be better if we start a new thread for our matinee memories rather than discussing them under the title "The Lorax."

[dvdjunkie]

Midge, Do what you have to do. I wouldn't know where to put a thread like this. I am good with it, maybe we can generate a really fun subject of everyone's childhood.

[Midge]

I have created a new thread in the Lunch Counter forum called "Share Your Matinee Memories Here." The first post in the thread consists of quotes from you and R. Michael from this thread. So, Bill, maybe you'd like to go there and tell the story of how you were born on the floor of a movie theater? That was one heck of a matinee memory for your mother! ::