Pizza, Salad, and a Movie: The Girl on the Train

This weekend’s Pizza Toppings at Corner Pizza:

  • Arugula
  • Jalapeños
  • Banana Peppers

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Movie:

The Girl on the Train

You’ve read the book, but have you seen the film?

My husband and I finally read it over the last few days. I had wanted to for awhile, and had the perfect chance while we were on a beach vacation earlier this month. He read it after me, and we both really liked it (and, comparing it to other suspense novels we’ve read, understood why it’s sold so well). Perhaps because I’m a writer (or, just because we like to talk about books), we talked about the characters, the plot twists, and the unreliable narrator, Rachel.

Though the movie has had mixed reviews, I wanted to see it as soon as possible after reading the book, so we could see it for ourselves and discuss the film adaptation. Since it’s been out for awhile, we had to go far from our neck of the woods for a showing at the right time (after our early dinner). I’m glad we did, but I agree with those who think the film wasn’t nearly as good as the book.

But I think it could have been.

It wasn’t just that they moved the story from England to Connecticut (or somewhere up north), and that the houses weren’t as I pictured them; they seemed too far from the train tracks, and too far apart. They also cut a lot of important scenes (and some key dialogue), and added some things that weren’t in the book, and weren’t needed.

Even so, if you see the movie, I strongly suggest you read the book first. Or – just read the book.

Oh, and I had a wedge salad, and (oops), one very small piece of pizza. But now I’m back “on track” on my diet, so to speak.

Reliably.

Pizza and a Movie: 10 Cloverfield Lane

This weekend’s Pizza Toppings at Corner Pizza:

  • Banana Peppers
  • Pineapple
  • Red Onion

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Movie:

10 Cloverfield Lane

I asked my husband to choose the toppings, because I had a phone call coming in when we arrived that I had been waiting to receive. I walked over to a booth while he ordered the pizza and our drinks at the counter.

He did okay (I like banana peppers, and red onion), and thoughtfully selected pineapple (one of my favorites). But it didn’t quite work for me. However, it was because of the combination; it wasn’t the restaurant’s fault.

I had chosen the movie, after glancing at the reviews online. I wish I had paid more attention to the story description, though. I was ready for suspense, but this film was more than that; it was too disturbing, and more like a horror movie, a genre I rarely like. I can’t count the number of times that I either shuddered or (partially) hid my eyes while watching it.

Think: Last year’s film Room, plus a little of the TV show Breaking Bad, plus The Cabin in the Woods, plus a bit of Halloween and even Fargo. (I liked all of those, though.) Throw in a conspiracy theorist/doomsday prepper and some science fiction (neither of which I like), and an ending that begs for a sequel.

Which, if there is one, I won’t want to see.

Ugh. It just didn’t work for me, and I came home being afraid I was going to have nightmares, and had to calm down before I went to sleep.

But even with two “misses,” I still enjoyed the evening out with my husband. It was a date night, and we had a chance to share some time together to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other. We even giggled as we walked out of the theater–not because the film was funny (it wasn’t), but because we just had to laugh at our mistakes.

 

Pizza and a Movie: Trainwreck

This weekend’s Pizza Toppings at Corner Pizza:

  • Banana Peppers
  • Jalapeños/Extra Cheese *
  • Pepperoni

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Movie:

Trainwreck

* For this week’s pizza, I agreed to moitié jalapeños,  moitié extra cheese (that is, half and half), so my husband wouldn’t have to wait for years – or forever – to choose jalapeños.

I don’t really care for them, except in Mexican food – and even then, I’m not crazy about them. Why anyone would want them on a pizza, I don’t understand. But, to each his own.

As he was eating his second slice – and no, we don’t (necessarily) each eat half a pizza – I noticed his blue eyes getting watery. A minute later, well, it was like in that song by the Rolling Stones: [the jalapeños made] a grown man cry.

But he still claimed he likes them!

We had chosen to see Trainwreck because we heard it was funny, and good. I agree with that assessment, but my favorite scenes were the ones with LeBron James. He played himself, and he was fantastic. Super funny…awesome (and funny) in a scene playing basketball…and necessary in the plot. The only complaint I have about this film is that it’s just a little too long. But some of the dialogue and scenes in the movie had my husband and me still laughing, long after it was over.

I guess that’s just us. While we don’t agree on everything – or have everything in common – we do agree on many things (like Banana Peppers). We get each other’s sense of humor, and we laugh at the same things.

Which is pretty handy – and important – when a grown man cries. **

** Or woman

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