Take Me to the Movies

Movies have always been such an important part of my life with Josh, starting with our first date - Jurassic Park. When we were young (read pre-kids) we went to the movies at least twice a month.  We had to be one of the first thousand subscribers to Netflix when we bought our first DVD player in 1999.  It was a big transition when we had babies - way more Netflix and much less theater time.  I don't think I quite went a year not going to the movies but I remember the "first" movie after each baby, both the anxiety of being away from the baby and the joy of being back in the theater.  In fact, I remember so vividly the first movie Josh and I watched after we got back together following our first (and only) big breakup. The movie was far from fantastic, Mission Impossible, but I was so happy to be sitting next to him again in "our place".

This year we finally cancelled our Netflix subscription with all the weird cost increases and company changes.  We still don't hit the theater quite as often as the early days since it is crazy expensive to take a family of four, but we try to go fairly often. It is amazing what technology has brought us - with broad band internet and the variety of online, on demand movie services.  We now use Vudu and Amazon pretty regularly as well as Redbox for rentals on the fly. Since we had slowed down our Netflix consumption, never really feeling like watching the movies we happened to have at the house, it feels like we are watching so much more lately.  Now "our place" is more likely to be the big comfy gray couch.

Last Friday was an early release day, Josh was home from Wenatchee and I was off early (and the wind was blowing madly) the way to spend our afternoon was obvious - off the movies we would go! Again - no one could agree on anything.  There were only 3 family friendly movies out - Boone had already seen Journey 2, we had plans to watch The Lorax (can't wait) on the 17th and I was the only one interested in watching The Secret World of Arrietty.  Redbox iPhone app to the rescue - we reserved both Hugo and Puss in Boots and headed home.

Last fall, I really wanted to take the boys to see Hugo but no one was interested but me. It was also seemed to have a really short run in the Tri-Cities, go figure. The movie was pure MAGIC absolutely beautiful. The story was fantastic - I cannot wait to read Brian Selznick's next book. I am so happy we finally watched it - (though I am sure 3-D would have been even cooler!) I was teary at the end and Boone, who only watched it to humor me, lay on the couch next to me, mesmerized. 

We watched Puss in Boots and finished the weekend with Abduction (mehhh - 2 stars) and X-Men: First Class (how had it taken us so long to watch this one?)

The Academy Awards always produce a flurry of movie watching for me (nominated movies or otherwise). I get a new excitement for all those films that I might have missed and burning desire to soak them all up. Even though there are absolutely times that I am annoyed by the time I lost sitting through a flop - the good far outweighs the bad.