The "Before" trilogy must be the lowest grossing trilogy in the history of film. Also, the most boring. The films are talky, without any killings, no action, a total absence of superheroes, vampires and zombies, no animation, and yet they worked. Has something to do with your relating to those phases of romance and marriage.
They all are R rated, for reasons I can't fathom (well, the third one had some breasts), and did very well on Rotten Tomatoes:
Reviewers Audience
Before Sunrise 100 91
Before Sunset 95 89
Before Midnight 98 90
They each cost $3 million or less to make, and the first two only made a little more than $5 million each in the U.S., double that worldwide. Before Midnight is approaching $10 million in one month of release, the total for each of the first two.
It all began in 1995, with Before Sunrise when Ethan Hawke as Jesse, a heart-broken backpacker (his girlfriend had dumped him) on Eurailpass, meets Julie Delpy as Celine, a Sorbonne student, and in that one moment that makes a life, decide to take a chance on spending a day together in Vienna. They do nothing much but walk, talk and kiss, lots of kisses, and they made it twice in the park. By early morning, or just after sunrise, actually, they decide not to exchange vital info about how to contact each other, but promise to meet in six months at a certain train track in Vienna. A great city, as last year it was, again, Mercer's highest rated for quality of living. Yet, they never really went anywhere of import, mostly back alleys.
Did they meet in six months? No. Jesse came, but Celine's grandmother suddenly passed away around that time. Jesse then wrote a bestseller about his time with Celine, mostly to again find her. He arranges a European book tour nine years after Vienna, and ends up in Paris with a final reading, where he sees her smiling at him. However, he only has a short while to catch a flight back to the USA, and is married. They do the same kinds of things in Paris as Vienna, mostly talking, no kisses, nothing, but at the end, fidgeting with his wedding ring, Before Sunset concludes rather suddenly without the ultimate consummation. You wonder, is that the end?
How do I know so much about these two movies? Well, never saw them when they came out. I happened to park my car next to Barnes and Noble in the Kahala Mall a few days ago, and, first, was surprised it was still there, and second, remembered that I still had a gift card in my glove compartment. Incredibly, the $25 card still was valid and just that week, a double feature DVD of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset had arrived at a price of $12.95 (but Amazon.com and Walmart only charge $7.98). B and N had a three for two sale, so I also picked up Shawshank Redemption and Contact, for someday soon I'll watch all my favorite films in one day. These two were only $4.95. Netflix is awful, for they don't carry these classics. I also dropped Kahala Blockbuster, for it is nearing the end of it's closure. The earlier Before videos were actually cheaper, if you can find them.
So, finally, just before the film stopped playing, I went to see Before Midnight. Again, lots of talk, all occurring in Greece, with Celine (a bit more matronly, especially below the waist) and Jesse (matured, but hasn't changed that much) now married with twin girls. He has published three books. They meander through the usual squabbles couples go through, and seem to reconcile at the end. But the movie ends rather suddenly. Nah, can't image they would think about a fourth in the series. Why would I want to pay for boredom and continue to suffer through their problems?
Did they meet in six months? No. Jesse came, but Celine's grandmother suddenly passed away around that time. Jesse then wrote a bestseller about his time with Celine, mostly to again find her. He arranges a European book tour nine years after Vienna, and ends up in Paris with a final reading, where he sees her smiling at him. However, he only has a short while to catch a flight back to the USA, and is married. They do the same kinds of things in Paris as Vienna, mostly talking, no kisses, nothing, but at the end, fidgeting with his wedding ring, Before Sunset concludes rather suddenly without the ultimate consummation. You wonder, is that the end?
How do I know so much about these two movies? Well, never saw them when they came out. I happened to park my car next to Barnes and Noble in the Kahala Mall a few days ago, and, first, was surprised it was still there, and second, remembered that I still had a gift card in my glove compartment. Incredibly, the $25 card still was valid and just that week, a double feature DVD of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset had arrived at a price of $12.95 (but Amazon.com and Walmart only charge $7.98). B and N had a three for two sale, so I also picked up Shawshank Redemption and Contact, for someday soon I'll watch all my favorite films in one day. These two were only $4.95. Netflix is awful, for they don't carry these classics. I also dropped Kahala Blockbuster, for it is nearing the end of it's closure. The earlier Before videos were actually cheaper, if you can find them.
So, finally, just before the film stopped playing, I went to see Before Midnight. Again, lots of talk, all occurring in Greece, with Celine (a bit more matronly, especially below the waist) and Jesse (matured, but hasn't changed that much) now married with twin girls. He has published three books. They meander through the usual squabbles couples go through, and seem to reconcile at the end. But the movie ends rather suddenly. Nah, can't image they would think about a fourth in the series. Why would I want to pay for boredom and continue to suffer through their problems?
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Tropical Storm Flossie at 65 MPH has actually, against most predictions, strengthened. Worse, the current track has her eye sneaking west between the Big Island and Maui, meaning those high mountains might only minimally weaken this storm.
North Hawaii and South Maui will still get the brunt of the moisture and winds, but Honolulu might be a lot more brisk than was earlier expected. Almost certainly, no golf on Tuesday.
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Tropical Storm Flossie at 65 MPH has actually, against most predictions, strengthened. Worse, the current track has her eye sneaking west between the Big Island and Maui, meaning those high mountains might only minimally weaken this storm.
North Hawaii and South Maui will still get the brunt of the moisture and winds, but Honolulu might be a lot more brisk than was earlier expected. Almost certainly, no golf on Tuesday.
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