3 Thoughts on Pacific Rim

1. It's spectacular - It's been a really long time since a big, blockbuster movie has left me this stunned.  Unfortunately, it was only playing in 3D at my theater and I really wanted to see it on the big screen, so I caved and watched it (even after vowing to never do it again!).  Luckily, I didn't get a headache after and I think the main reason is because it's all visual.  There is no thinking involved.  I felt like my brain just relaxed and let my eyes do all the work and it was a BLAST!  It's larger-than-life MONSTERS AND ROBOTS FIGHTING EACH OTHER! Do I really have to say anything else?

2. It's basically Independence Day - I'm sure it is a copy of many other movies before it, largely Japanese ones, but to me, it felt like a modern day Independence Day. It's weird for me to use the term "modern day", as if Independence Day is an old movie....but guess what? It's almost 20 years old. Yup, wrap your head around that one for a second.  Pacific Rim is a much bigger movie, which is exactly what this generation needs.  Yet, there are so many Independence Day "moments" that it made me laugh.  The "monster"/human scientist mind meld scene, the big "Today we celebrate our Independence Day..." speech was replaced with "Today we are canceling the Apocalypse", and of course the endings are almost identical.  If Pacific Rim had more star power, it would definitely be a HUGE summer blockbuster (money-wise), which is a shame because people are missing out on something really fun.  

3. More Charlie Day, please - I'm not saying everyone else is bad, but...actually yes, everyone else in this movie is pretty terrible.  I don't think it was the acting, it was just that their characters were terribly uninteresting and predictable.  I wanted to love Rinko Kikuchi, but sadly her character was really frustrating. ***slight spoiler ahead*** I would rather a movie be sexist for not having any female characters, than be sexist for having a "strong" female character who ends up almost killing everyone because she can't control her emotions (yes, that seriously happened).  ****end of spoiler alert*** Charlie Day, however, really stole the movie.  He just makes me laugh.  When I'm having a rough day, all I have to do is think about Charlie Day singing "That's Not My Name", from Horrible Bosses (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCXFKo1UDjQ) and suddenly, the world seems like a better place.  I want more of him; he could just be in the background of every movie and I would be ok with that.