Now Playing: The Taking of Pelham 123

It has been far far too long since I've last seen a movie in the theatre (and since I wrote a post, but that's another story). So, having been ditched by my board game compatriots and exhausted my WoW reserves, I was just itching to get out - even if it meant watching a mediocre movie. Enter, Pelham 123 (stage left). I confessed to my Professional Movie Goer partner that all I knew about this movie was it had John Travolta and Denzel Washington in it. He countered that it would make it all the more suspenseful.

The movie is okay. It wasn't overly thrilling or anything. There were a couple of good edits (the cops with money scene was pretty cool) and a few self-aware funny moments ("why didn't they just use a helicopter?"), but that's about it. The best part of the whole movie was spotting actors in cameos or in ironic roles: Chris Partlow as a war vet hero? Tony Soprano for Mayor? I don't even know if it was worth the price of admission - but it was worth getting out of the house. 3.5 out of 4 stars.

***

After the movie, I had a good giggle in the women's washroom. Even if no one had explained to you, dear reader, what exactly Pelham 123 was, I have supreme confidence that you could make a guess and be right. Go head, take a moment - have a good guess as to why this movie is called Pelham 123… I'll wait. … done? Well, this movie doesn’t make you guess - it explains to you clearly, as when John Turturro's Camonetti asks why the train is called Pehlam 123 and Washington's Garber explains it's because the first train leaves Pelham station at 1:23. So, anyway, I'm in the stall and I hear the following conversation:
Valley Girl #1: So, like, why was it called Pelham 123 anyway? Was that, like, his last name or something?
Valley Girl #2: Maybe, and like the call came in at 1:23?*
Valley Girl #3: Umm, no, I think that was the name of the train--
VG1: why would they name a movie after the train?
VG2: I think Pelham was Ryder's last name - they never said his last name.**VG3: No , I really think the train was called Pelham 123.
VG1: Why? Are there, like, 123 trains with the same name?
…and at that point they walked out. I came out to wash my hands and noticed a woman with a secret smile on her lips. I think we both covered our fear for the future women's lib by silently drying our hands.

*There were time and location stamps throughout the movie and the call clearly came in at 2:13. Even if you missed it, Travolta yelled the time at least five times, for those who can't read that fast.

** they totally said his last name. In fact, they said his entire name - Dennis Ford - in the big "revelation" scene that is the beginning of the climax of the movie. You'd have to be incredibly stupid to not be able to follow the simplistic plot of this movie; or incredibly distracted by other things. You may discuss amongst yourselves what those things may or may not be.