The Highland Theatre & A Movie Review

My parents and I saw National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets yesterday at the Highland Theatre. This theatre has been open since 1938, and my mom and her brothers tell stories of seeing movies there as children for 35 cents. In fact, my uncle explained exactly how we could pay for one ticket and get the rest of us in for free because apparently his friends used to do it when they were kids - something about a fire escape and water closet, I believe. These days, my parents have moved back into the neighborhood (sort of) and can enjoy the Highland more frequently than when they lived in the 'burbs.

The Highland is really neat. Sure, it needs some work, but it's an 80 year old theatre, and I can't imagine that many of the repairs are quick fixes. What's neat about it now (besides the decor and history) is that there's a full bar, table seating and a dance floor inside, as well as the standard theatre seats. We grabbed a few sodas (for the parents), popcorn, and a Coors Light (they have limited choices) for me and settled in to watch the movie.

National Treasure 2 was certainly charming. Nicolas Cage is a quirky modern-day Indiana Jones, and even though he has played a variety of complex roles in his career, he can still play this "regular guy" very well. He's believable. I like believable. There were really great sets and scenery and interesting bits of history throughout, and the only character that really got on my nerves was Abigail, played by Diane Kruger. She was quite irritating at the beginning of the movie (per the script), and so for me, she never gained back any of the likableness that she had in the first movie. It's not a deep movie, certainly, but it was very entertaining. It was minimally as good as the first movie, in my opinion, and they added Helen Mirren to the cast who I love more and more every time I see her (go and see The Queen if you haven't already).

Additionally, the writers set up a storyline for a third movie, for which I am very glad. I don't usually like it when writers leave the script so obviously open, you know, just in case, but these movies have proven themselves to be quite fun, so I was glad that they did.

I'd give National Treasure 2 four stars, because I liked it, but I'd give the Highland Theatre five stars, though, because it is a rich piece of local history that should be preserved for years to come.