Who watches the Watchmen...lines

After work today, in the midst of possibly the stupidest storm in a stupid winter (writing skills go right out the window when I'm annoyed by Alaska - I'm the written equivalent of the Hulk), I ran over to Century Cinemas (or whatever it goes by these days) to pick up tickets for Colver and I to see Watchmen tomorrow afternoon at 3:55 PM.

Tangent: After going to see the Dark Knight at midnight last time and having to deal with people openly ripping on comic books or the people who are there to clown around with their friends and participate in an "event," I decided it was time enough to abandon the idea of midnight showings. Great in theory, stupid in application. I'll gladly go see movies at matinee prices and not have to deal with the tools going to midnight showings, thank you very much (stepping off soap box made out of comic long boxes...now).

As I was waiting in line to purchase my tickets, I looked over to the left to theater 9, where it said "Watchmen: 12:01" (and it also said Underworld 3 playing at a few other times, however for some reason I doubt what I saw was there for Rhona Mitra slaying Lycans) and had two people sitting on the floor in line. This was at 4:50 in the afternoon. No way could they be there for Watchmen could they? When I get up to the counter I ask.

"Those guys at theater 9...they aren't in line for Watchmen are they?"
"Yes they are sir."
"Seriously?"
"Been there since 3. Weird if you ask me."

They've been there since 3 PM. For a movie that is at midnight.

3 PM.

Midnight.

What. The. Hell.

See, there are certain things I understand getting to places ridiculously early for. Example: Black Friday, when you want to get the doorbuster items that will save you literally hundreds of dollars. Things of that sort, whree there is actually a significant impact on what you are doing.

Getting to a movie NINE hours early is ridiculous. You know what happens if you show up at 11? You're sitting four rows up or down from the people who showed up at 3 pm. It also turns out that you are seeing the exact same movie. What do you gain? Nothing. Nothing at all.

Bill Hader really captured it in his online webisode series "the Line", which was a series about Hader and his friend showing up eleven days early for the midnight showing of the premiere of Future Space (essentially Star Wars, but you know, made for this web series). Basically, it captures exactly how insane it is to go early, through thorough (and hilarious) over exaggeration of course.

Don't get me wrong. I'm excited for Watchmen. As of five minutes ago, I was reading one of the many comics I bought this week (emphasis on many). It's going to be awesome to watch one of the all time best comics represented in perpetual slow motion and overstylization. I mean, nothing gets me more excited than that prospect.

But still people, stop being so freaking crazy. It's a movie, and a movie in which going at 11 pm (oh noes! only an hour early!) is perfectly fine. I'm probably going to show up 20 minutes early tomorrow and be perfectly fine with wherever I sit. I'll probably be a lot more comfortable than those people that were in line today. Know why?

Because I wasn't just sitting in a movie theater for nine hours!

/rant