Whenever I travel the United States, it’s practically a guarantee that I will see at least one movie in the theater at my destination.  Sometimes I will even see movies on the way there.  When I’ve visited other countries, it’s not as common, but it has happened.

On my recent trip to Prague, I was fairly certain I was going to survive without visiting the local cinema, especially since I watched so many movies on a laptop and on the plane ride.  After walking around Krakow for five hours non-stop, and having a hotel check-in still hours away, a moving picture show was an inevitable break.

The options were limited.  This was the result:

 

Now in my defense, the poster was much more innocuous.  It contained three faces framed in colored boxes (one belonging to the alluring, formerly six-fingered, Gemma Arterton), the name “Tamara” – which could have easily been Polish just like everything else in the ad, and Stephen Frears.

Stephen Frears directed High Fidelity and Dirty Pretty Things.  He also directed The Grifters and Dangerous Liaisons.  Hero, anyone?  (The Hero with Andy Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, and Geena Davis.  Anyone?!)  I thought it was a safe bet.  It was only safe – nothing challenging or acutely interesting at all.

Nonetheless, it got me thinking about other spectacles witnessed in exotic locales.  I’m not too proud.

LONDON, ENGLAND

I saw the one-two, um, punch of The Dark Knight and Donkey Punch.  I’m embarrassed to admit to seeing the latter, whereas I’m embarrassed to admit how much I paid* to see the former.  Especially since it was the third time I saw the superhero masterpiece.

 

PARIS, FRANCE

I would like to say this was the only film playing in version originale, meaning it was in English with French subtitles, so I am.

WINDSOR, ONTARIO

I had to The Mexican in Canada.

I had to.

 

* I paid £9 in 2008… that equaled $18.