Haven't my friends heard of the 'Three Block Rule'? I've always tried to lived by it even though I didn't know the name. Last week at the Brothers' press conference -- same day I met Jake (only earlier) -- Tobey Maguire recounted his first meeting with Natalie Portman. I remember the day that I met her she taught me a valuable lesson there which is the “three block rule”. We were at a screening of a movie and I don’t think I liked the movie that much and I was going to talk about it...Even at 14 that girl was damn smart. If you want to read my piece about Tobey, Jake and Natalie promoting Brothers click over to Tribeca Film.
And she just said 'Wait a second. You don't know the three block rule?'
'What's the three block rule?'
'You don't talk about the movie until you're three blocks away because you never know who is listening'
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14 comments:
YES. Who knew me and Natalie Portman would agree on something? Though I never had a name for this, I always need a few minutes to digest everything just displayed for me.
Thanks for giving me a clever name to use!
Yes, I agree, though I've never thought of it that specifically. I also almost always sit through the entirety of the ending credits. After immersing myself in the world of a movie for 2 hours, I don't want to jump up, and out of that world, right away.
Sitting through the end credits to digest is a must.
And immediate reactions are not to be trusted. This is why I don't envy critics. Sometimes I don't know how I feel about a film for weeks.
The 3 block rule is genius! Now I am one to always want to sit until the end of the credits rolls. If not to digest but find a credit. Is it just me or are the cleaning crews more and more impatient? They expect everyone but the old folks to run out of there.
But isn't that what we do after seeing a performance, tasting food, listening to a presidential speech, or after having sex? Don't we give each other a blow by blow rerun with opinions and commentaries.
It would be nice to let a film settle a bit on the palate like the taste of wine.
For live theatre, folks should try a 10 block extension. Many a friend of mine was saying how much something sucked right as one of the actors is passing by. OOPS
Haha, this is terrific. She's such a promising actress.
I don't wait until the credits are done, I leave in the middle. For me it's more of a three day rule. Give me a few days then I will talk about it.
I just saw Up In The Air a few hours ago. I have to let it stay with me for a while, before I can properly discuss it.
Nat, after seeing your tough grades for Brothers (C+), A Single Man (C+), Crazy Heart (C), Antichrist (C+), Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus (C-) and Broken Embraces (B-), I am really curious about how you will assess Nine, The Lovely Bones, Invictus and Avatar...
...and Up in the Air.
This rule can never be upheld in my universe. It's cold where I live, and our movie theatre's near the subway. By the time we're in the next subway station we're on to a next topic so the movie has to be discussed instantly. Or maybe we're staying in the same block for dinner.
Or maybe there should be a time rule. In x minutes, the crowd disperses...
Paul yeah... it hasn't been a good Oscar season for me (in terms of not being let down). I really have to ween myself away from the studio/pr/distributor notion that all the best movies come out in Nov/Dec.
My own awards never completely fall for that but each year I kind of forget and i raise my expectations as high as everyone seems to.
but yeah. From where I sit the summer was better: Up, Inglourious Basterds, The Hurt Locker...
I usually don't even like to talk at all right after seeing a movie, especially if the ending packed an emotional wallop. Not a problem if I've gone to the cinema alone, but I've gotten into many arguments with family/friends over cinema trips after which I've stayed mute for a short time after. It's horribly rude of me, I know, but sometimes I can't help it!
No dice. I Twitter my initial impressions as soon as the credits are over right outside the theater then talk to anyone who will listen to me about the movie once I'm away from any obvious line to the theater. That's as courteous as I'll get. I mean, I've complained about how awful a Broadway show was while waiting outside the theater for an autograph. I have no shame.
Nat, I see that C- for The Lovely Bones. Oh my.
Up in the Air, by the way, is a great way to spend some time in a movie theater...but I would rate it B+ as a flick, C+ as an Oscar movie. Which means it will probably win Best Picture.
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