I’m apart of this group that let’s me know when free screenings are happening in my area. Last week, I was notified that King Corn would be playing at Queen Anne Manor. Except did you know that Queen Anne Manor is an old folks home? I didn’t. So I saw a free screening of a movie about the ins and outs of corn with a bunch of dying, forgetful, diaper wearing old people.

After a few speeches about needing a projector and money, 2 of the hip “young” ladies attempted to turn on the movie. Thirty minutes later, we were watching King Corn.

I was kinda disappointed in this flick. As far as information goes, this movie rocks. I’m pretty health conscience as it is, but this movie really goes into why corn has changed over the years and that basically all the farms we have now are solely meant for corn syrup, which is in everything we eat these days (even on apples) and thus making all you people fat. It was also interesting to learn that grass fed cows are basically a thing of the past (30 years ago according to King Corn), and that the stuff cows are eating now has so much of this sugary corn in it tha tit’s making them sick, bloating their tummies and causing them to die.

A few days later, when I tried the burger at Lunchbox Labatory with my nutella milkshake I was so pleased to find out that a) their beef is grass fed and b) they don’t use corn syrup (in something, although I can’t remember in what. I just saw a sign that said NO CORN SYRUP and this made me happy).

The boring parts of King Corn were basically the rest of the movie. The first 15 minutes of, “We’re two urban guys from Boston building a farm in Idaho” was funny, but by 60 minutes it got older than half the people around me in this make-shift theater.

So at 9pm the movie was (finally) over. We said good-bye to Ester, played one game of gin rummy with Uncle Dickie and left feeling like we should throw out everything that was currently living in our kitchens. Yes, including you shiny apple.

Ester and I agreed this movie gets a B-.

——

Then yesterday, I went to a free screening at a real movie theater to see Young at Heart. Keeping on this old people theme, this movie was actually about old people. It follows the young (53 year old) instructor and his elderly singing group, for 6 weeks, as they rehearse for their big concert, Alive and Well.

As the group sings songs from Coldplay, Sonic Youth, James Brown and my personal favorite, Bruce Springstein, this movie tore the house down. Everyone was laughing (a little too much in my opinion, but that always seems to be the case at screenings). Everyone was into this movie. And I have to admit, so was I.

The singers are all so unique and interesting and funny. From the very sick, to the ones who don’t want to believe that they’re sick, to the 92 year old woman who flirts way better than I ever will, you get the sense that these people are really living the right way. With passion, love and this crazy idea that a group of 70+ year olds can sing without complaining about their weak, old bones, you really start to admire them.

I would definitely recommend this movie if you want to feel inspired, if you want to watch something good and honest and even funny. It deals with death of course, but you root for these old people to keep going even when some members die. And they do (keep going and die). They make you believe that being old doesn’t mean time has to stop, never leaving your retirement home and feeling sorry for yourself. Instead, to them being old means you do what motivates you to stay alive. And if that’s singing, Stayin’ Alive (which they have a music video for) then Young @ Heart will do it.

This movie deserves a big fat A.

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