Views #483 | Low Intermediate 4

Movie Plans

Todd and Akane make plans to see a movie.

Script
Vocab
Quiz


Akane	Todd

Todd: Hey, Akane, I was thinking, why don't we get everyone together tonight and rent a movie.

Akane: Sounds like a good idea.

Todd: So, I'll run down to the video store. I was thinking, because Star Wars is coming out, why don't we get the previous Star Wars, Episode II, and watch that.

Akane: Oh, man. I really don't want to watch that again.

Todd: What! Come on it's Star Wars.

Akane: Well, I watched Episode II before and I really didn't like it.

Todd: Really!

Akane: Yeah!

Todd: Oh, I thought it was great. I mean I know the critics were really rough, but it had great action, cool characters.

Akane: Well, actually, I thought it was very commercial.

Todd: Oh, really!

Akane: Yeah, and the whole thing was really mushy, and there were also some annoying characters.

Todd: Yeah, well, maybe, but, I just like all Star Wars, it doesn't matter, it doesn't have to be perfect. As long as there's storm troopers, and light sabers, I'm happy.

Akane: OK, so you're a big Star Wars fan.

Todd: Huge. But that's OK. I'll get that movie another time. Um, how about you suggest a movie. What would you like to see?

Akane: Um, I really like romantic comedies, especially Meg Ryan movies

Todd: Oh, no!

Akane: Yeah!

Todd: I can't stand her.

Akane: What! What's wrong with her?

Todd: She's terrible. Every movie she has the perfect life, and she has, she looks so cute, but she can't find love. It's like, come on, people like that have a perfect job and look cute and beautiful like Meg Ryan do not have trouble finding love.

Akane: But she's so cute and funny to watch. I just really enjoy watching her.

Todd: I don't know. I just can't do it. You know though, I liked Meg Ryan in that movie she's made about, she went to the Gulf War, or whatever, and she was a helicopter pilot.

Akane: Oh, yeah, yeah! I remember that one. I forget what it was called though.

Todd: Yeah, yeah, she was OK in that but she wasn't that cutesy romance.

Akane: That's true. She was a different character than usual.

Todd: Yeah, so we can't see a Meg Ryan movie, and we can't see Star Wars, so what else?

Akane: Ah, I don't know. What about a comedy that will make us really laugh.

Todd: OK, um, let's see. We could see Shrek.

Akane: Oh, I love Shrek.

Todd: Ok, yeah, yeah, yeah. Actually, I haven't seen Shrek 2. Have you seen Shrek 2?

Akane: Ah, no, I haven't actually.

Todd: Perfect. Shrek 2.

Akane: Great! We'll get that.

Todd: OK. I'll run down and pick it up.

Akane: Thanks.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

run down

I'll run down to the video store to rent a movie.

'Run down' is a casual and friendly way to say 'go down.' Notice the following:

I'm going to run down to the pharmacy to get some aspirin.
Do you want me to run down to the supermarket for some milk?

critics were really rough

I know the critics were really rough, but it had great action and cool characters.

A 'critic' is a person whose job it is to review new movies, books, CDs, etc. If a critic is really rough about a review, it means that the words he used were strong and the review was not a good one. Notice the following:

The critics have been rough on all his books, but readers still buy them.
She tried to change her style in this movie and the critics were really rough on her.

very commercial

Well, actually, I thought it was very commercial.

When a movie or album is considered 'commercial,' it is made with the idea of selling a lot of copies and making money. Notice the following:

All of his books are really commercial.
All of her CDs after the first were really commercial.

mushy

But the whole thing was really mushy, and there were also some annoying characters.

Something that is 'mushy' is overly romantic or sentimental. Notice the following:

It was a good movie, but the ending was a little mushy.
They are a really mushy couple and it makes me sick to be around them.

huge fan

Yes, you could say I'm a huge fan of Star Wars.

If you really like something, you can say you are a 'huge fan.' Notice the following:

He's a huge fan of video games.
She has always been a huge fan of Madonna.

cutesy romance

Meg Ryan was okay in that but she wasn't that cutesy romance.

A movie or book that is a 'cutesy romance' doesn't have very intense content and is made mostly to make women smile. Notice the following:

It's kind of a cutesy romance, but there are some parts that are really funny.
I had to shut off the movie halfway through, because it was too much of a cutesy romance.