The best thing about going to see Snakes on a Plane was not the raucous reception by the audience the first time Samuel L. Jackson appeared on screen. It also was not the constant hissing sound made the entire night by that same audience. The best thing about seeing S.o.a.P tonight was not the exuberant participation of a certain already fabled catchphrased uttered by Mr. Jacskon, nor was the rubber snakes that people tossed around the theater throughout the show.

Nope, the best part about seeing Snakes on a Plane tonight was that sitting to my right was one Ms. Mary Timony. Okay, she was just part of the group I went to see the movie with but it was no coincidence that I wound up sitting next to M.T.

Anyway, on to the movie.

I can honestly say that I really have never enjoyed a moviegoing experience such as this one. Let's get a few things straight: the high concept of this movie (need a hint? Look at the title) somehow works. It barely works but it works nonetheless. If you have any inkling to see this it must be seen in a theater with a bunch of drunken fools to get the proper experience. PLEASE DO NOT BOTHER TO NETLFIX S.o.a.P because it defeats the purpose. I'm not just saying this cuz I'm anti-Netflix I mean it really does deflate the fun of going to the movies and just collectively goofing off.

If they had tried harder the film-makers really could have had a brilliantly subversive film but they didn't. Just imagine what Quentin Tarantino could have done with this material. He could have elevated it from the fun pulpy trash that it is to high art. The reason the film is such a phenomenon is because I think people have embraced it out of sheer irony but the film completely lacks that same irony. In fact, despite being the thrill ride that it is, there's a very lowest-common-denominator feel to it.

I guess part of the problem is that it's a pretty contrived combination of elements. It would be pretty hard to do a Birds style movie (in which no explanation is offered for the presence of said reptiles on said flying device.) Also, there's one character who is a germaphobe and if they had played up the notion of having the main characters face certain fears then the movie would risk actually trying to be a little bit smarter.

Is it dumb? Oh yeah. More importantly, though, it stil manages to be more fun than dumb. The producers made a good decision when they went back and added nudity, more gore and more profanity. Otherwise what's the point?

(I pray that New Line doesn't try to catch lightning in a bottle again by ordering up a sequel. If, by chance, they do though, may I suggest they go the route of Gremlins 2 and make a sequel that pokes fun at the original.)

In a few hours I board a plane to California for a week's stay. I just realized that this is the longest I have ever gone without seeing my family: just shy of 8 months! Even when I lived in Paris I saw them more frequently than that. I can't wait! I miss my parents a lot, although I'm pretty sure they'll drive me crazy inside of 3 days. But that's half the fun, of course.

What's the longest you've gone without seeing your parents?