So being the nerd that I am, I had to get tickets for the opening night. I did that through the fabulous Fandango. No longer does the day exist where you must wait in line for tickets at your favorite theater only to realize they are sold out, unless of course you want to see something at the IMAX downtown, where you still have to wait in-line like a Neanderthal. (I wonder if they Geico guys would object to that usage.)
So we printed our tickets for the Alderwood 16, which I guess is a year old, but I consider it brand new because I have never been there. Being Alderwood, I wasn't exactly expecting much. As I have previously stated in earlier posts, Alderwood borders Lynnwood--a town that is a running joke in Western Washington-- 80's hair and meth labs abound. It is the Seattle equivalent of how I think New Yorkers view Stanton Island or the Bronx.
We hopped in the Volvo- which are ubiquitous in this area, and off we went. As a tangent, Volvo's have a distinct smell that remind me of childhood soccer games. It's like clean leather and wood. It is very unique to Volvo- no matter who owns them. The exception to that rule is if someone who drivesthe car plays lacrosse or hockey- those smells will ruin anything they come in contact with.
This particular car was something in the range of 10 years old- about midlife for a Volvo. Maybe the Scandinavians place scent injectors into the air filtration system, that is the only way a car that is 10 years old can retain its distinct odor.
We drove out of Edmonds north onto Hwy 99/Aurora--which is another Seattle oddity that deserves it's own post. Basically it was the main throughfare before freeways were installed. I believe it stretches all the way from Tacoma up to Bellingham. Some sections of it are clustered with Motels that are pay by the hour, Adult video shops and Tattoo parlors, Casinos and littered at night with prostitutes. Other areas of it are just fine. The idea is it is shabby.
As usual I wasn't really paying attention to how we were going because I wasn't driving, which leads to my inability to navigate cities, but in hindsight I would like to know at what entrance to Alderwood the theater is located on.
The reason we went to Alderwood and not the closer Montlake 9 is because Samantha, in typical Samantha fashion, refuses to go anywhere else. This time, however, I came to see why.
I wasn't expecting much, so I was breathless when we first pulled up. We parked next to another (one of many) Volvos and walked over. Honestly I was speechless. It looked like we walked into the future. I was waiting to see if a flying car would come around the corner. I really have never seen anything like it.
I don't think I have ever been as impressed by the simple stunning architecture of a Movie theater before. I say give the arcitect a bonus. It probably also stems from the fact that I had low expectations and so was visibly wowed as we were walking up to the Huge Glass front silhoutted by white fiberglass vault.
It was very sterile, but not in the creepy jail cell way, but in a pleasant ville kind of way. It exuded happiness. I think my exact words were, "WOW. God I love the Suburbs". This thing was MASSIVE, and there was really nothing else around besides parked cars, so it totally dominated the landscape. It is just so random and amusing and really out of place. This is what suburbs all across America are like. It wasn't trashy at all, in fact, it was quite nice- I juts had never been introduced to such a concept before it stunned me. It was like 90 degrees at midnight too, that threw me off.
Being that this theater was HUGE, showing Potter at 12:00, 12:01, 12:02, 12:03, 12:04, 12:05, there were hundreds upon hundreds of people (mostly teenagers) milling about, chatting. This place even has restaurant food in it you can take into the theater- smoothies, pizza, etc. and it looked decent too.
Sam tried to get some awesome shots of all the odd people decked out with her picture phone- I was momentarily hating myself I didn't bring my camera so I could document the weirdness, and I remembered I should have just found something from Lakeside and worn it, as those are the colors of Gryfindor and be a total nerd and make Sam feel real awkward-- that would have been priceless. I was all prump to go upto the uber nerds and be like, "hey my friend over there really wants a picture with you- you guys are SOOOOO awesome (use my awesome nerdy voice)" but she couldn't even handle the fact that I was going to do this and stormed off into the theater. There were people all decked out in robes, with those potter stinks buttons, and one weird chick- for no apparent reason wearing a polka dot swimsuit top- obvi it was hot out, but come on.
We couldn't find three seats all together and of course, Sam and Joanna don't like talking to strangers so I was like "Hey, you saving those" to all the wierdos, where upon one chick tried to talk to me for a while about how "you need to get here early, i was here early last....." her voice faded away as I left her hangin'. So we sat in like the second row, where Sam is blind because she can't see normally, Joanna always has to pee, and I am short so I have to slouch REAL far down to see anything-- Neck cramp central. Joanna had to pee twice. once in the middle of the big fight scene. that was funny.
Did i forget to mention I hate crowds- because they are stupid and annoying- this applies here. The girls behind us were giggling to each other. When I am obnoxious it is ok, when other people are, unun. So we had some awesome quips back and forth how Harry looked like a football player cause he had no neck and was jacked, and how wolves are sexy.
so that was that, and on the way home we had to stop at WallGreens to pick up something for Sammer and it's like 2:30 on aurora and this dude in shorts just slowly walking across the street. Well the entrance to Wallgreens was in the path of this man, and hell no we weren't driving past him- he's probably methed out of his mind, so we pulled a huge illeagle U-y and went around the other side. Whew, lots o excitement.