I've had less than 3 hours sleep today. 2 hours last evening and 1 hour this morning. Wonder if I will survive the rest of today on my feet? Had an eyeful of blood and gore at the Kill Bill double bill at GV Plaza, which explains my zombie-like state. Had initial complications with the online booking at the GV website. Was impatient with the processing of payment and I must have hit the refresh key or something, thus halting the system. So I redid the process and discovered "to my horrible" that I had just spent $80+ on 4 tix instead of $40+ for 2! Resolved to talk my way out of paying for the extra 2 tix at the box office.
Box office clerk was understanding. Happens all the time, I guess. Said that he'll try to sell the 2 extras for me but I'll still have to bear the processing costs of all 4 tix anyway. Fair enough. The double bill must have been in high demend. The 2 tix were sold immediately to a lucky pair (not couple, mind you) who were just trying their luck. The lucky dogs got 2 great seats and I was saved from having to fork out cash for nothing. Actually, that wasn't my main concern. I didn't want to deprive 2 movie buffs a chance to catch a movie they wanted to watch simply because I had bought their tix by mistake. That would have been unnecessarily selfish. Right. Oddly enough, the 2 who bought over my extra tix look very familiar. I think I saw them at Hellboy last week at Sun Plaza. I think.
Got a free-flow of popcorn and drinks for the double bill tix. Also got a freebie notebook with the Kill Bill Vol. 2 poster printed on the cover. The one with the death list, first 2 names crossed out and a katana blade piercing the list through the centre.
I hadn't seen Vol 1 when it came out last year so I enjoyed its hyperbolic violence, knowing that I'll reach closure without having to wait for months to finish the story. Think I preferred 1 better. Seemed more movement based with extravagant fight choreography and had more aesthetically composed cinematography. I'm referring to the battle with Ishii in the snow-covered garden, snowflakes gently, peacefully drifting down in contrast to the sharply coordinated cut, thrust and parry of the warriors engaged in a game of sudden death. White background, splashes of crimson. Also the anime sequence in which Ishii's origin is told came as a surprising change of pace and medium, telling Ishii's story in a way that suggests a blend of fact and legend. The dance-floor fight sequence vs the Crazy 88s was pulse-pounding but ultimately ridiculous. Shows up 'The Bride's' maternal instinct in her confrontation with the last 88 standing, so I guess it does count for something.
Vol 2 had more focus on plot and tying up loose ends. Tarantino substitutes the anime sequence from Vol 1 with an unconventional, punctuated longshot focusing on sound rather than visuals. This device does a little foreshadowing of Elle's come-uppance, but it does get uncomfortable after a while (like it's supposed to, I guess). Bill dies, of course, but you knew that from the start anyway. The manner of his death is likewise predictable, though how 'The Bride' gets there is what holds our attention.
One more movie on my list crossed off. I feel so accomplished.
Dawn of the Dead,
Troy,
Van Helsing,
Spider-man 2,
you're next (though not necessarily in that order).