Dad's Review - Missed a recently released movie?

picture courtesy of: http://www.genevievevalentine.com/2013/07/pacific-rim/

As a typical pinoy Dad I love to watch Hollywood's blockbuster movies. My family and I will watch any entertaining movie while I am on vacation. My kids would sometimes wait for my vacation so we can all watch the movie during our family day.

Oftentimes we enjoy watching the latest movie during its one month run. If we are lucky, we can even watch the movie on its premier show.

However, there are also instances that due to my vacation schedule we are not able to catch the movie. Normally, a movie would be shown for a month before it would be pulled-out or replaced to give way to newer release films. In case the movie will be shown on the same week I will return to my job in Yemen, chances are, I won't be able to catch it when I come back after 4 weeks. There are urgent and unavoidable cases also that I need to extend for another week in Yemen as my job requires. In this case, we have no option but to wait for the said movie to be available on the net or DVD and watch it in our flat screen devoid of popcorn and burgers, not to mention the reduced screen size and chilly atmosphere inside our favorite cinemas.

A few moons back, I was very excited upon arrival since I was expecting to watch my favorite Hollywood star, Will Smith. I have watched his MIB series; I am legend, Independence Day, among others.

Unfortunately, during my June 2013 vacation, his After Earth film was nowhere to be found in all SM and Ayala cinemas. We ended watching World War Z which was a very entertaining film as well.

I never lose hope. I checked "Click The City" to search for theater in MM where After Earth is still being shown. By luck, I found After Earth at Ever Commonwealth cinema 3; the place was just a few minutes drive from our place. Immediately, wife and I visited the place and we were able to watch After Earth. Like a kid, I was chirpy and lively after the movie notwithstanding the dank odor and poor facility of Ever Commonwealth cinema 3. I even checked my clothes for bed bug when we got home; there was none, lol. Aside from being rock hard, the rickety and dilapidated chairs have shorter arm rest thus I found it difficult to place my drinks on top of it. The Ayala and SM cinemas are way beyond compare with Ever Commonwealth cinemas. Anyway, I enjoyed the film. In fact, the film's sound effect was so impressive that it seemed it was also raining inside the theater. When I mentioned this to my wife she laughed because it was actually raining outside she told me. We can actually hear the rain outside while watching the movie.

Fast forward, I arrived last 09 August (Thursday). As if fate was against me, the movie Pacific Rim was pulled-out from all Ayala and SM cinemas on the same day. I was desperate to catch Pacific Rim that I even coerced my wife to watch it on 3D at SM North even at pricey tickets. However, the 7:30 pm timing wasn't ideal for us since my wife needs to coach my youngest son for his incoming school exams.

We have no option but to watch Pacific Rim at Ever Commonwealth. With family in tow, the kids were surprised to note that the movie ticket costs a mere 120 pesos per person. To uplift their mood, I told them that if we would watch this movie at SM cinema the price would be at least 200 pesos. Here at Ever, for the same amount we would be able to watch the same film plus burger and drinks.

In short, we never paid attention to the poor facility but focus on the movie itself. At the middle of the movie the sound disappeared; other viewers clapped their hands to catch the attention of the operator. The sound returned after a few minutes. It was the first time our kids experienced such thing and they were laughing at me while I shouted and clapped my hands as well. At the end of the movie, I asked my kids if they want to watch it again, we can stay behind and wait for it to be shown again. They all refused. Obviously, they are accustomed in watching movies at our favorite cinemas where you can even reserved your seat and "repeat performance" is not allowed. Unlike when I was young, a double picture was a norm and you can even spend the whole day inside the cinema. Well, that was eons of years ago, lol.

For a Dad who is on a budget or for someone who is bent on watching a recently released movie not being shown anymore in most MM cinemas, watching a blockbuster film at Ever Commonwealth is a great alternative as long as you can tolerate the dilapidated facility.

By the way, I heard from the grapevine that the lease agreement of Ever Commonwealth with the land owner will elapse in 2016. Perhaps, this could be the reason why the management is not interested in renovating its facility anymore. Until then, I am happy that I can still catch any newly released blockbuster movie which is not being shown anymore at upscale cinemas. Of course, it would be harder to convince my kids next time to accompany me. The wife? As expected, she would stay with me through thick and thin.