Went to see The Spectacular Now tonight with Alison before a late Psychic Fair rehearsal, from which I've just returned. The movie's a nice coming-of-age story with some understated acting that keeps you guessing at the depth of the characters' emotional denial. Tension builds very slowly, till you're almost grateful when it finally explodes more than two thirds of the way through. Kind of reminiscent of The Loneliest Planet in that way, though with more dialogue and action, fewer panoramic vistas.
But what is up with that woman who narrates the entire "preshow"? Bonnie Laufer of Tribute "magazine" "reports" the most uninteresting celebrity "news" imaginable, relentlessly, for half an hour before the movie starts. (Sorry for all the scare quotes, but really, who is actually supposed to enjoy this industry self-congratulation besides the celebrities' publicity agents? The commercials for cars and cellphone carriers, when they arrive, are literally a relief.)
Maybe the preshow would be less offensive if it weren't packaged as added-value entertainment, presented as though the audience is being rewarded for showing up early. But then there's that voice... I can't even describe how unpleasant it is to listen to. Bonnie Laufer activates cringe muscles I didn't know I had. She reads copy as if it physically pains her and the only enjoyment she can wring from her job is to cause as much suffering in the listener as she herself is experiencing. If Fred Allen was said to have a face for radio, Bonnie Laufer has a voice for newspaper!
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