To the Movies, That They Stop Taking My Dollars

I went to see the new installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and I was underwhelmed. As A. O. Scott wrote over at the The New York Times, '“Dead Man’s Chest” will still be, in my estimation, occasionally amusing, frequently tedious and entirely too long.' I wholeheartedly agree, Mr. Scott. I also paid eleven dollars to see it. I could have rented a movie and made dinner at home for that much. I didn't even spend the five dollars they wanted for popcorn (which I could have made for pennies, by the way).

I really enjoyed the first "Pirates" movie, and it makes me sad that Disney is taking my money for a filmthat was mediocre at best. The plot was complicated and slow, and the gags just went on forever. And might I add that the cage of bones gag was enough. We really didn't need the waterwheel. I think the most dismaying part of this whole experience was not the two and a half hours I wasted sitting in the theater. It was the eleven dollars fished out of my pocket!

As it happens, there have been many articles in the past week or so (such as the one I mentioned at the beginning of this post) that explore the idea of critical acclaim vs. popularity. Before sitting down (and paying eleven dollars) to see "Dead Man's Chest" I was convinced there was a discrepancy between critical acclaim and how much I would enjoy a movie. This experience has taught me that following the advice of someone better versed than I in the ins and outs of entertainment, I am better served by following their recommendation than paying the price ($11!!!) of disappointment.