Before I could get down to the business of fulfilling an important geeky desire, there was yet more Campbound work to do. Trying to book flights and generally organise my arrival on the East Coast was made rather difficult with both Camp America and Camp Fuller enjoying their weekend.
A sleep in and the above travel frustrations behind me, Kieran and I locked in our Scratch: Seeing a film at Grauman's Chinese Theater.
For those that live under a rock and/or those that are plain boring, Grauman's is the home of Hollywood's biggest premieres and the scene of the renowned cement "Hands & Feet" forecourt. Grauman's is directly alongside "The Highlands" plaza and the Kodak Theater, home of The Oscars, and opposite Hooters, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Disney Soda Fountain and the El Capitan cinemas.
We didn't just see any film either, it was finally time: Terminator Salvation.
We pointed and laughed at a heap of costumed characters and Kieran got his fill of Hands & Feet photos before we excitedly proceeded like 2nd Graders on Christmas to the Box Office to buy our tickets. And yes, we didn't mind looking silly and exposing our ignorance by asking exactly what entrance we were supposed to use.
It's not altogether a daft question! You have this almighty huge fancy entrance that is walked by hundreds of stars on an annual basis, it's not completely ridiculous to wonder if nobodies enter the cinema that way on a regular day. Sheesh.
The Christmas behaviour naturally didn't stop at the Box Office. We giggled and starry-eyed our way into the cinema itself and snapped more photos than was really necessary. We couldn't have the "Oh my gosh stars have sat in these seats!" conversation only once, of course, we flogged that dead horse.
I'm thoroughly stoked that Kieran isn't only your typical run-of-the-mill geek, but an all out obsesso-geek of the highest order, because watching the "Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince" trailer with any less of a geek would have just been downright disappointing. I had no shame in responding to the opening of the trailer like a small explosion because Kieran did too. We then did our best "Dude, Where's My Car?" impersonation by turning to each other giggly and wide-eyed afterwards and mirror-imaging: "Sweeeeeet!"
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the Potter phenomenon was pretty much the highlight of the actual theatrical experience. The fourth Terminator instalment was a major let down.
While Salvation was impressively made and mindblowingly epic in proportions, the story was completely without. The plot was pretty much absent and the acting underwhelming. I hate to say this of any of my Favourites, but it's basically a fact. I'm not entirely bagging it out, it was quality enough and not a total raspberry. I didn't hate it. It just disappointed my deep fandom and high expectations.
On the up side of a disappointing instalment in a favourite series that revealed absolutely nothing and added no value to a brilliant story: the casting of Kyle Reese was genius, Christian Bale was perfectly suited (despite being a far cry from Nick Stahl's John Connor), Sam Worthington made me a proud Aussie and was surprisingly attractive and the special effects were gobsmacking.
Lucky Kieran and I are such a pair of obsesso-geeks and held high on Harry, it was the only thing that got us through the 4 false alarm endings.
With designs on showers and disco naps, we parted ways temporarily and returned to our respective sister hostels before Band Night fired up at my Banana Bungalow later.
Self Portrait of a Doofus: Waiting for the bus coz I'm too lazy to walk the 15 minute walk when it costs $1.25 to bus it
I watched Kieran get flogged at a fierce game of Beer Pong before realising I was famished and heading over to a Chris-recommended American version of a Kebab Shop where I had the most awesome wrap-kebab-thing I've ever eaten. Not bad for a little hole in the wall.
It should be mentioned that this was the first time I was hungry enough to lay down my pride and ask the difference between "sandwiches" and "burgers" and the suchlike. This aspect of America is all messed up. A sandwich is never deli-like contents contained by two pieces of average loaf-bread. It's really more of a wrap-kebab-thingy.
Got it? Don't worry, I'm still workin' on it too. I won't even get started on "kebabs".
The band were A.M. Obscene (check the play on words). I had been quite chuffed with my choice of describing them as "Lenny Kravitz meets Motley Crue" when I decided to create the preceding link and found that this comparison had already been stolen by some obnoxious review they've posted on their MySpace blog. Criminal! I've missed my calling.
The lead singer was super cool and stuck around to chat and chill afterwards. Kieran got a CD, thanks goodness, coz I woulda been stumped for the name of the band at this point had I not been able to hit him up on Facebook.
The following day, Sunday, has a little more excitement to share. Again, maybe it'll just be Nikki and I that get excited about my geek-out musical equivalent of Grauman's....
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