Refresher Course at the Movies

Near the end of September, I wrote Picture This, about our first foray into the quaint little theatre in our town. We didn't get back there for a whole month after that initial visit but have paid two last-minute- on-the-spot visits in the past two weeks. I have told you that the admission price is a six-dollar bargain, but Wait There's More!

They also have Cheap Tuesdays when admission is reduced to four loonies (dollars) each. Of course, Cuppa must have her popcorn fix at each and every movie, but even that is a relatively inexpensive. For $4.75, we get a large popcorn with real butter plus a soft drink. That's a grand total of $12.75 for a night out. Not bad considering our last experience in town cost $13 per person before the popcorn. The whole evening totalled the best part of $35, before gas consumption was factored in.

Last week we saw Elizabethtown with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. It was one of those redemption movies where a upwardly mobile young guy with terrible values ends up in a small town. The town and the zany girl change his values and his life. It's better than some movies of similar theme: better than Garden State in my opinion because it explores its theme without cussing and swearing and seedy joint-smoking characters. I don't think there was a single language incident in the whole performance, so I'm sure that Debra would like it. My daughter says that I'm picky about movies, but I don't think so. I liked Elizabethtown, partly because I decided to perceive it as a fantasy and to just go with that somewhat unreal flow.

Last night, we ended up watching Dreamer in the same place, same seats, and same popcorn (so to speak): another nice picture with a good although sometimes schmaltzy story and absolutely no bad language. Kirk Russell and little Dakota Fanning perform really well; Dakota is a precocious doll. I hope that she's half as nice in real life as she seems on screen. I'm pretty sure that Debra and many of you would really enjoy this flick too.

An added benefit was the kid who sat in front of us. Unlike Mel's recent negative experience with Mr Triangle Hair, this little fellow was an absolute delight. He was into the movie and made cute comments and noises: an "Aw" when they kissed and so on. More than once, Cuppa, I, and others giggled delightedly at his spontaneous but always positive outbursts.

I was so pleased with the boy that I made a special effort to chat him up a bit afterward. I don't normally go out of my way engage strangers, but I was so taken with this little fellow that I wanted to let him know in some way. I don't know if he understood that I was trying to tell him how cute he was or how much I liked him, but I was happy that I tired.

I learned a bit of a lesson too. Perhaps that doesn't put it exactly right because I find that it is more likely that, at this stage of my life's journey, I am more likely reminded of old lessons ... again and again. Sitting behind them before the show began, I could tell that the aunt loved the boy, but I could also tell that she was the unpolished type, sitting there in her slightly greasy hair and her slightly soiled team jacket, the kind of garment that you'd expect a young guy to wear, not a forty year-old woman.

You see how I'm being judgemental: "unpolished, soiled, team jacket?" Well, she may have been those things, but I hardly needed to categorize her like that. It was obvious that she loved the boy and happily engaged him on his level. Later, she was very friendly and quite well-spoken with us when we made the effort to talk them at the conclusion.

So, AC must relearn the old but true saw: you can't judge a book by its cover. He must try not to be so judgemental. He does that: makes quick assumptions about people and pigeonholes them. He tends to pre-judge people too much: this person appears to be worth knowing or talking to but that person is not up to his high standards. As if he's any prize.