Terror and texting

Like lots of other folks, I plunked down my $6.50 (matinee price) to see "Drag Me to Hell" on Saturday. Universal Studios did not show us the movie in advance, which is why we had to use a wire review, and I was curious about the Sam Raimi horror picture that earned raves.

It's a darn good little movie with scenes that will make you want to swat at the fly on Alison Lohman's face or cringe at the gallons of fluids poured onto her. She plays a bank loan officer who is cursed by an old woman who begs to stay in her about-to-be foreclosed house and who takes out her false teeth with alarming and frightening frequency. That's nothing compared with the curse she levels on the usually soft-hearted young woman.

"Drag Me" has everything, from suggestions about sacrificing animals to moments where the Earth opens up and drags someone to hell. What it didn't have was enough of those to stop three -- yes three -- people from texting during the movie.

Almost no one talks on the phone but they have no problem with texting. Maybe if someone threatened to drag them to hell. Or perhaps the theater lobby for a reminder about electronic etiquette.