My life at the movies (Summer Blockbuster Smackdown)

I’ve been writing weekly movie reviews for a small New Hampshire paper since the summer of 2001. Seven years and I don’t have much to show for it. It’s been picked up here and there by a few other small New Hampshire newspapers. Occasionally a reader will tell the publisher that he/she decided to see/not see a movie because of me. Sometimes I even get into a spirited debate with one of the few people I speak to that actually reads it. The only $ compensation I get in return covers just about the ticket, snack money, gas money and nothing else.
Yet I continue to do it, week after week, with no real aspirations to actually do anything more or grow it into a career. On the contrary, criticizing other people’s films probably isn’t the best way to get ahead in this town. And let’s face it - I’m a pretty blunt dude. I can be harsh. No good could come of this. In fact, I’ll just go ahead and keep those reviews off this blog.
I guess I do it for three reasons:
1.) It keeps me going to the movies (you’d be surprised how many people in this town actually DON’T GO TO THE MOVIES. That’s like being a sports broadcaster and never watching games. Or designing clothes and living in a nudist colony. Seriously.)
2.) I do it to keep writing and, more importantly, keep a writing deadline.
3.) I do it because I’m a creature of habit and change scares the shit out of me. Seven years I’ve been doing this gig. Seven years my too-good-to-be-true fiancé has been putting up with me basically dictating not only WHAT movies we see, but WHEN. It’s ridiculous.
But for now I’ll keep doing it, because not doing would just be weird. With that in mind, I offer you a quick and continuously updating rundown of the summer so far in what I like to call my Summer Blockbuster Smackdown. Updated standings:
1.) Iron Man
2.) Forgetting Sarah Marshall
3.) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4.) Kung Fu Panda
5.) The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
6.) Speed Racer
7.) The Strangers
8.) You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
9.) Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay