After learning of Rebekkah Brunson's love for horror films, I offered to join the usually solitary movie-goer for an opening weekend viewing of "The Strangers," directed by Bryan Bertino and starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.

Bekky, you may recall from last week's feature story, was hyped to see the film. I, on the other hand, changed the channel each time the trailer came on to promote the film. I don’t enjoy subjecting myself to scary movies ever. But, I rationalized, it's not every day I have the chance to see a movie with a WNBA All-Star.

While the original plan was for just the two of us to catch the movie, Brunson was able to talk her other movie-fiend teammate, La'Tangela Atkinson, into joining us as well as her friend, Megan, and Tangie's friend, Bridgett.

We met at 8:15 p.m. for the showing and made it into the theater in time to catch the "Previews!" as Brunson said, gleefully looking over her shoulder on our way to our seats.

The five of us found our spot more than three-quarters of the way up the stairs in what turned out to be a near-capacity filled theater. Sitting smack dab in the middle, most of my excitement from the film came from the players and their friends sitting on either side of me.

Brunson, as she routinely does at the theater, enjoyed a large soda, an even larger tub of popcorn and nachos. Atkinson also had a soda but avoided the other tempting theater-foods.

As the opening scene rolled in the foreground, I leaned to my left and asked Brunson if she expected to get scared, "No," she said firmly. "I usually laugh..."

Great! I thought to myself, making no mention to her that I had been anxiously hoping she was going to decide she didn’t want me to join her earlier in the day, so I could avoid embarrassment and the actual physical distress scary movies cause me. Instead, I forced a smile and assured myself I could just shield my eyes with the hood on my sweatshirt if it became too horrific.

Quickly, which was rare for this flick, Bertino set the scene. With little dialogue we learn the main male character (Speedman) asked his girlfriend (Tyler) to marry him after attending his friend's wedding. The girlfriend apparently said 'No,’ because the next scene shows the pair at a cabin in the woods interacting anxiously and sadly at 4 a.m. It takes more than 20 minutes for the first-time director to finally get the crowd excited about anything as the couple mopes around exchanging few words.

For one of the fastest post-players in the League, this slowly agonizing start, doesn't sit well as she shifts in her seat and has already delved four-inches into her 12-inch deep vat of popcorn. As Brunson looks my direction with the reflection of the film shone on her face, it's obvious she's ready for the film to pick up. At the same time, I realize I could be lucking out. A film this slow won't scare even those that are easily frightened, like me.

By the time the first somewhat nerve-racking plot-twist takes place, a young woman who appears out of it knocking on the door asking for someone who doesn't live there, much of the audience seems to be losing interest. Moments earlier, Brunson had leaned over and successfully predicted the upset couples seemingly renewed interest in one another was a prelude to trouble ahead. Brunson would later say finally, the typical, horror movie antics come into effect -- the phone goes dead, the cell phone loses reception and the couple continually separate themselves for no good reason -- as three masked apparent-murderers show up, the film carries on with roughly three far too drawn out suspense scenes.

By the end of the one hour and 47 minute film, Brunson has cashed in her nachos and popcorn, along with the 'Mr. Pibb'. I had kicked the seat in front of me in my lone instant of mild-terror. Ok, I admit, my heart skipped a beat, too. But, really¸ the best part of the film was sitting beside Tangie's friend, who I witnessed literally jump on the Monarchs reserve at least three times with a shriek. Her diving-over-the-front-row-for-a-loose-ball type antics, which are synonymous with the Monarchs hard-nosed style, had the four of us in fits after the movie, while admitting the movie wasn't what we had hoped.

"I think it was a typical horror movie," Brunson said as she filled out a raffle ticket in hopes of winning a year of free gas on our way out of the Natomas-area theater. "It wasn’t really good. People falling down when they shouldn’t fall down, losing the one gun -- it’s a gun fight! The gun beats the axe. They’re chopping down the door and they’re not trying to blow these peoples’ hands off! I don’t understand! [The characters] separate -- you go off by yourself?! Strength in numbers, people! Strength in numbers!"

Like Brunson, I enjoy discussing the finer points of a film afterward, so I was eager to hear what she would have changed about the movie. As always, Brunson's response was entertaining, highlighted by the point that during one scene, the clearly non-athletic Tyler character crawls around like she's on the front lines of the army in combat after spraining her ankle. The injury apparently was so dire she was unable to walk the final 30-plus minutes of the movie.

"It was just really drawn out," she said. "They could have done some things to make that movie better. If they were going to have the people separate, maybe take the guy, tie him up somewhere, you know, do something to him and then the girl might look for him for a while, but that gives us some action. We’re just sitting here waiting! The guy is taken out and she’s crawling around in the woods. I mean, it is AMAZING what a sprained ankle can do to a regular person, a non-athlete! If I would have fallen and sprained my ankle, I’m still running. I’m getting away. Oh my god! That sprained ankle just TOOK HER OUT! She just lay down and surrendered."

Thoroughly entertained by Brunson's take on the film as well her ability to finish off huge servings of nachos, popcorn and soda, along with Bridgett's jumping-out-of-her-seat fright, I left the movie in good spirits.

Although Brunson was hoping to go home looking over her shoulder from the psychological thrill of a great horror, I was content going home and being able to rest without a hitch. As for a recommendation, Brunson wouldn't want to lead any of her fans or friends astray.

"That wasn’t very good," Brunson said heading for the exit. "I wouldn’t recommend it."

Despite the lack of thrills, Brunson now has a teammate she can rely on to join her at the next horror opening, although she has one prerequisite.

"I’m glad I have someone that I can bring to all the scary movies now," Brunson said referring to her teammate. "She just can’t bring Bridgett. She is throwing popcorn and screaming. You can’t do that!"

Thankfully, it wasn't me.