No country for 3-D

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

On Sunday, Hunter and I headed to Carson City to check out Beowulf in digital 3-D at the Galaxy Fandango. I’m not a big guy for saying, “I told you so,” but when this newspaper said years ago that a monopoly on movie theaters in Reno and Sparks would result in poorer service, higher prices and less variety of movies, well, this is what we were talking about. The high-end 3-D version is not available for any price at the Century Theaters in Reno or Sparks.

Now, before anyone gets on me about Angelina Jolie getting naked in this movie, and me exposing Hunter to such obscenity, see the movie. First, I don’t happen to believe the human body is obscene, and second, removing Jolie’s nipples and other parts so she looked like a naked Barbie doll, while augmenting her heels so it looked like her naked feet were wearing high-heeled shoes is a far worse assault on his (and my) psyches than any visual assault by a movie image. As far as violence, well, you see worse on just about any commercial for a computer shoot ’em up game.

So, here’s the real obscenity: 68 miles round trip ($12.25 in gas), $8.50 for a couple of drinks, $8.25 plus $1.10 internet fee per ticket for a round figure of $39.20. I don’t guess I have to say a bunch more about that.

I’ll leave the movie reviewing up to Bob Grimm, but I will say the technological aspects of the new digital 3-D are pretty stunning. The story is a classic. Truth be told, though, I had a far better time Wednesday when I snuck out in the middle of the workday to catch the first showing of No Country for Old Men. I heard an old guy complaining that he didn’t like it as we walked out of the theater. I think it was one of the best, bravest movies I’ve seen in years.