Watching every summer movie

May 30, 2006 2:01 PM

The Movie Binge. 85 major motion pictures will be released in the US this summer. These guys will watch them all.
posted by staggernation (63 comments total)

Why on earth would anyone want to pay money to see 90% of those films? Free air-conditioning in summer?
posted by tweak at 2:32 PM on May 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

A low-voltage grab for minor celebrity?
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:41 PM on May 30, 2006

Hey, it's their $828.75.

I would bet that most of them will be worth it.
posted by jaronson at 2:43 PM on May 30, 2006

Eh, if they were serious they'd see a movie a day for a whole year.

(What is it with me and all the MST3K-related links lately?)
posted by JHarris at 2:47 PM on May 30, 2006

Poor bastard.
posted by Zozo at 2:49 PM on May 30, 2006

As one of the bingers, I admit that this is not the stiffest task for some, but even your most die-hard moviegoer would skip out on Garfield's A Tail of Two Kitties. We're seeing that shit so you don't have to.

JHarris: I loved that book. It was a great read and he is undoubtedly a greater man than me. You've gotta start somewhere, though.

Jaronson: We're in NYC so it'll be closer to $892.50, which doesn't even include popcorn or Junior Mints.
posted by capndesign at 2:53 PM on May 30, 2006

Fucking idiots.

Hope I don't ever have to read their eventual 'purge' script.

The reviews are pretty crap as well.
posted by slimepuppy at 2:57 PM on May 30, 2006

Don't forget to get some Mr. Pibb and Red Vines. Supposedly they are crazy delicious.
posted by Juggermatt at 3:01 PM on May 30, 2006

Eh, if they were serious they'd see a movie a day for a whole year.

I did this (saw min 7 movies a week) for almost a decade. Though not in the theatre.

We're seeing that shit so you don't have to.

No one has to. But fools will. That's why the title's got Two in it, ya see.
posted by dobbs at 3:03 PM on May 30, 2006

We're seeing that shit so you don't have to.

Trust me, dude. I already don't have to.
posted by bingo at 3:05 PM on May 30, 2006

Blast.
posted by bingo at 3:06 PM on May 30, 2006

:)
posted by dobbs at 3:06 PM on May 30, 2006

No offense, capndesign, but your $10 will just encourage the making of Garfield's next abortion movie. I stongly urge you to reconsider, for the sake of all mankind.
posted by lekvar at 3:16 PM on May 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

We probably could've posted this to Mefi Projects, as I am also one of the "Bingers" (Gene Parmesan). I'm personally hoping capndesign can wangle entry into a press screening of KITTIES for precisely the reason you outlined, lekvar; but then, the odds that they'll even screen that one for the press seem pretty low. Ah whatever, Bill Murray loves money and Breckin Meyer loves being able to eat, so I guess it's not really hurting anyone.
posted by logovisual at 3:20 PM on May 30, 2006

Juggermatt, I prefer cupcakes. If one were to get lost en route to the theatre, would you recommend Yahoo! Maps, or MapQuest?
posted by jimmythefish at 3:25 PM on May 30, 2006

Great link! Thanks staggernation. I love movies, they may be trashy or intelligent, same with music or books. :) I was dying to know what's on the movie scene this summer. Yeah, and in a tiny, tenement NYC apartment in sweltering August, sometimes the AMC Empire on 42nd Street is the best place to be, watching King Kong or Good Night and Good Luck.

And for movie munchies I like to sneak in some Muscat grapes. mmm.

For reviews I prefer the vox populi at Yahoo Movies.
posted by nickyskye at 3:31 PM on May 30, 2006

Dude, you can't take fruit to a movie.
posted by puke & cry at 3:33 PM on May 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

It would be swell if you would go to the movies that really suck, watch them, and then demand a refund from the theater for screening such a terrible film.

Then you can still blog about it. And then you can donate the money to charity. That way, I would admire your project heartily. As it is now, there are movie critics who do what you are about to do, so that's going to be a somewhat disinterested 'meh' for me.
posted by tweak at 3:35 PM on May 30, 2006

puke & cry, that's what backpacks are for. ;-)
posted by nickyskye at 3:52 PM on May 30, 2006

I'm not impressed. In 1995, I watched every non-animated movie released that year that came to my city, in the theaters (which amounted to about 80% of those films).

Yes, even Cutthroat Island.
posted by solid-one-love at 3:54 PM on May 30, 2006

I meant that if you're going to sneak food in, you need to take junk food. Candy, hotdogs, burgers. Stuff like that.
posted by puke & cry at 4:00 PM on May 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

I can think of MUCH more useful things to do with $800. Get all my sinks and tubs lined with mink, for example.
posted by squirrel at 4:04 PM on May 30, 2006

I can't figure it out: is every team member going to see every movie or will at least one person from the team see every movie?
posted by sexymofo at 4:13 PM on May 30, 2006

Oh, you guys are in a team? Did you get special t-shirts screenprinted?
posted by delmoi at 4:15 PM on May 30, 2006

My best mate is a film critic/programmer at a film festival, and has to watch every film released in the UK, all year round, plus (nearly) every film at Cannes, Sundance, Edinburgh etc. I cannot wait to forward this link to her, she'll absolutely piss herself at the comparative lack of torture these people are putting themselves through. (And at the excreable copy on that site, I imagine).
posted by jack_mo at 4:17 PM on May 30, 2006

Preferably we could get a year of consumption consisting of goods that will have a high probability of killing you. You may want to end your life after paying through the nose to sit through this bullshit, but I'd like to see something a little more direct.

After reading the About section, I see there are really no strict rules whatsoever. It's an aggrandizing gimmick that probably won't be implemented in any cohesive fashion. Nice.

In regards to rules, we don't really have any.

Are you sure about being totally dedicated to having no rules? That sounds pretty rough.
posted by prostyle at 4:19 PM on May 30, 2006

To the bingers appearing here: Godspeed! While I like watching as many movies as I can, I prefer renting them or catching them free on tv. Just throwing some support to balance out the upturned noses. I love how angry and fiscally minded people get when they see other people just having fun and not hurting anyone else.
posted by Phantomx at 4:27 PM on May 30, 2006

sexymofo : "I can't figure it out: is every team member going to see every movie or will at least one person from the team see every movie?"

I think this is the question. It's impressive if all of you are seeing all of the movies. If you're just seeing all of the movies total as a team, that's weak.

I can create an arbitrary team of me, a random 10-year-old, and a random teenager, and we'll see every movie released this summer without even trying. Some of them twice.
posted by graventy at 4:28 PM on May 30, 2006

Free air-conditioning in summer?

At 110 minutes average, 9 dollars per seat its 8 cents a minute for the air conditioning, but I hear the in-house movie isn't too bad sometimes.
posted by skallas at 4:35 PM on May 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

That doesnt include the 15+ FREE minutes of air-conditioning before the movie.
posted by skallas at 4:38 PM on May 30, 2006

The reviews are, hmm, how can I say this politely?...
posted by signal at 4:51 PM on May 30, 2006

Okay guys, you found us out. It's all a gimmick. We're doing this to rake in the advertising money. We'll all be filthy rich in no time. Wait, what? There's no advertising on the site? Oh.

Look, if you don't like the writing, fine by me. To each their own. But like Phantomx said, we're not hurting anybody and we're hoping some other people will have fun along with us.

If you're interested in serious, professional reviews, I suggest you take a look at Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes. That's where I usually turn first.
posted by capndesign at 4:54 PM on May 30, 2006

I'm not impressed. In 1995, I watched every non-animated movie released that year that came to my city, in the theaters (which amounted to about 80% of those films).

Wow, that was a crappy year for cinema.
However, solid-one-love, you were one of the 6 people who saw Strange Days in the theater, and for that I thank you.
posted by Feral at 4:59 PM on May 30, 2006

Jimmythefish, I heard Google Maps is the best.

Oh dear, this could quite go on forever (Double true).
posted by Juggermatt at 5:00 PM on May 30, 2006

capndesign,

Don't sweat it. This is MetaFilter. Some folks get quite riled up when other people's hobbies involve money getting transferred to large corporations. Don't let it get to you.
posted by Bugbread at 5:13 PM on May 30, 2006

I love how angry and fiscally minded people get when they see other people just having fun and not hurting anyone else.

Well said. Yeah, it's bizarre how much bile is flying on this thread, over what, summer movies? You don't like 'em, don't go. Hey, Bingers, have fun!
posted by nickyskye at 5:17 PM on May 30, 2006

Don't sweat it. This is MetaFilter. Some folks get quite riled up when other people's hobbies involve money getting transferred to large corporations. Don't let it get to you.

I hate iPods.
posted by delmoi at 5:21 PM on May 30, 2006

iHate iPods?
posted by StopMakingSense at 5:31 PM on May 30, 2006

I can sympathise with these guys. Sometimes, in my more nihilistic moments, I come up with similarly pointless time-and-effort wasting schemes, like systematically working my way through every magazine title in my local newsagency, or reading a book from every dewey decimal point in the university or state library. I get over it soon enough, though. Which is to say, before I begin.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:38 PM on May 30, 2006

I did this from late '93 to early '95. During college I worked at a movie theater, and could of course watch all movies at the theater for free. Cool thing was that in my little collge town, there was basically only one other theater, run by a different company. But the respective managers had long ago worked out an agreement that each theaters' employees could watch movies at the other theater for free--we see theirs, they see ours.

So, for over a year, I watched everything. Well, ok, not everything, I'm sure there was crap that I didn't bother with. But I saw dozens and dozens (hundreds?).

Strange work, movie theaters. You're busy as hell for about 45 minutes, then basically take an hour-long break. Repeat. The pay is crap, but oh boy, all those free movies!
posted by zardoz at 5:53 PM on May 30, 2006

This is what movie reviewers do. Except they get paid.
posted by puke & cry at 6:21 PM on May 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

Don't get me wrong, capn. I find your project kinda cool if you're seeing all of the movies. But it doesn't sound like you are, which is too bad. Although, I guess it's best if you guys only buy one ticket to Garfield 2.

No, no, no. Sneak into garfield 2. I recommend using the Double Feature Finder to see a few movies for free. You might even be able to work out some sort of deal with a local theater. Well, probably not. But it might be worth a try.
posted by graventy at 6:53 PM on May 30, 2006

zardoz: that was me too but I worked in the cinema for almost seven years. Even when I had a different full-time job I kept my Thursday night shift as a projectionist so I could build up the new movies and break down the old ones (As head projectionist I got to pick who was allowed to screen each movie when I was done. Guess who was pretty popular with the staff?)

I saw hundreds of movies in those days. I read hundreds of paperbacks in the breaks between sets as well. The pay was crap but the benefits were awesome.
posted by djeo at 7:04 PM on May 30, 2006

The one thing I'm never sure of is how in touch with the average person the paid movie reviewers are. Not all of us are film school graduates or expect every flick to be a work of art. I worked at Suncoast for years and have always considered myself a pretty well rounded movie person, but at the same time, I've come up with contrary opinions of movies as the "professionals.
posted by Atreides at 7:10 PM on May 30, 2006

If only Hollywood would rerelease the top 20 movies of 1939 (preferably with a remastered version, but okay without) in the theater. I suspect they'd make a killing and more than a few people would not be as accepting of the CGI-laden pabulum released today.

I'm not saying they'd all be accepted (see the Marx Brother's "At the Circus" scene with Harpo doing his music number) like they were then, but at least they'd walk out of the theater and remember what they saw.

I remember watching Stargate and 30 minutes later I couldn't remember a thing about the film other than Kurt Russell wore sunglasses in the desert.
posted by infowar at 8:25 PM on May 30, 2006

However, solid-one-love, you were one of the 6 people who saw Strange Days in the theater, and for that I thank you.

I was one of the other five.
posted by scrump at 8:58 PM on May 30, 2006

As was I and a friend.
posted by dobbs at 9:03 PM on May 30, 2006

What does the term 'Major' mean? Ah.. nothing.
posted by econous at 9:22 PM on May 30, 2006

She was acting like she never saw a 10 before.
posted by jimmythefish at 9:54 PM on May 30, 2006

Wow, that was a crappy year for cinema.

The Usual Suspects and Seven in one afternoon made the whole year worthwhile.
posted by solid-one-love at 10:01 PM on May 30, 2006

Wow, you guys will piss on anything...

To everyone who blithely remarked about how many movies they've seen- have you written a review for each of them? I'd love to read those...
posted by mkultra at 10:06 PM on May 30, 2006

However, solid-one-love, you were one of the 6 people who saw Strange Days in the theater, and for that I thank you.

I saw it, too, and can vouch for another MeFite having done the same. Highly underrated movie.
posted by mkultra at 10:08 PM on May 30, 2006

The summer going into my senior year in high school some friends and I attempted the same stunt. We certainly didn't get them all, but we had a few five film days. I think it was half way through Big Mommas House, knowing that I had to watch The Perfect Storm next followed by Mission Impossible II when I realized how amazingly lame the idea was.
posted by SteveFlamingo at 10:53 PM on May 30, 2006

It doesn't have to cost a fortune. For £11 a month (about $20) I have a card that allows me to see any film, any time I want at any Cineworld theatre in the country. Is there not a similar scheme in the US?
posted by bap98189 at 1:12 AM on May 31, 2006

I've never even heard of most of these.

I have to admit there are more movies coming out this summer than I've wanted to see for quite a while. A Scanner Darkly, A Prairie Home Companion, Clerks II, Superman Returns, Little Miss Sunshine...

...and I'll probably see Cars just because it's Pixar.

...and Snakes on a Plane just for the sheer unadulterated hell of it.
posted by Target Practice at 1:17 AM on May 31, 2006

bap: I have never heard of such a thing.
posted by Target Practice at 1:18 AM on May 31, 2006

Capdesign, you must think that life is just a little too long.

When you're just about to die, I imagine you thinking back and saying, "Well, at least I saw Garfield's A Tale of Two Kitties. I sure don't want that hour and twenty minutes back to do differently."
posted by pracowity at 4:04 AM on May 31, 2006

I worked at a movie theater, and could of course watch all movies at the theater for free.

In the UK, safety regulations dictate that a member of staff be in the auditorium at all times when an audience is present. This means that I saw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles twice a day for three weeks one Summer.

Now that was a movie binge. One from which I am yet to recover.
posted by jack_mo at 4:49 AM on May 31, 2006

Is there not a similar scheme in the US?

Unfortunately not, bap, which is a crying shame, because that Cineworld card cheerfully supports my one-new-movie-a-week habit. (actually, my three-movie-in-one-day habit, but it measures out all right in the long run) I did the math last year for how much I spent going to the movies, and, for every new movie I saw (not counting repeats), I spent around £2. Yay!

In the UK, safety regulations dictate that a member of staff be in the auditorium at all times when an audience is present.

Huh. jack_mo, they might've changed the regulations (or my regular movie theatre is slacking), because at the theatre I go to, they occasionally have someone look in, but that's it. Unless you complain about noisy gits. Then they regularly look in. But there's definitely no one actually always in the theatre.
posted by Katemonkey at 4:53 AM on May 31, 2006

or my regular movie theatre is slacking

Yeah, I suspect the fact that my Mom owned the cinema and I was working there as a form of being grounded may have had something to do with the unusually strict enforcement of that duty. I don't remember what I'd done, but can only assume I must've killed a man to deserve such punishment...
posted by jack_mo at 5:11 AM on May 31, 2006

bap98189 writes "It doesn't have to cost a fortune. For £11 a month (about $20) I have a card that allows me to see any film, any time I want at any Cineworld theatre in the country. "

I've seen these cards in Canada but they are priced much higher (like retail price of a movie * 365). You see them mostly as raffle prizes and corporate perks.
posted by Mitheral at 7:17 AM on May 31, 2006

I would kill, kill, kill for a similar scheme to the Cineworld card in the US. I could make it work here in NYC even if it were $40 or $50 a month, I think (especially during the binge). As it stands, I just need to join the AMC MovieWatchers club and get the occasional free popcorn.
posted by logovisual at 7:37 AM on May 31, 2006

Garfield III: Kitty in the City
posted by blue_beetle at 9:14 AM on May 31, 2006