The Net Dog Blog

I'd like to bitch about something for a minute. I know that this will surprise you as I am usually one to let things slide off me like water off a duck's back. It's true. Anyway, yesterday Blake and I went to see Charlie and The Chocolate Factory at the Odeon movie house in Leicester Square which, funny enough, is pronounced "Lester Square" but that is a gripe for another day. I'm not going to complain about the movie. It was quite good. Johnny Depp was a very creepy Willy Wonka in a Michael Jackson sort of way and the Oompa-Loompas were very amusing as well. Although I did think those children didn't deserve what happened to them ... they deserved much worse.

No, my complaint was the seating. Apparently you can't go to a movie in London and just show up and sit down where you like. All the theaters we've visited so far has assigned seating. The only benefit I can see to this is that you don't have to show up a half hour before the show to find a seat. However the problem with this is it is pretty much guaranteed that you will be sitting next to someone. The theater could be half empty (which it was today) and still everyone is crammed together like popcorn munching sardines. The woman seated next to me sighed throughout the movie. I have no idea why. The woman to Blake's left was fat. Really fat. Like "wash yourself with a rag on a stick" fat. I remember this one time flying back from Atlanta I was seated between two of the fattest men in the world. Immediately after take off they fell asleep and rested their heads on my shoulders. Nice. I just love sitting next to someone who oozes over the armrest into my personal space.

Another problem is because you don't have to show up early, people tend to show up late. Why not? The usherette will be glad to find your seat for you and shine her flashlight right in my eyes at the same time. Everybody wins!

I'm just glad I didn't have to pee...