Tag: movies

The Force Awakens… Thirty-Eight-Year-Old Memories

 

When I was ten, my brother and I went to the movies to see the first Star Wars. We weren’t big theater-goers in our family, so this was a great treat. We were completely blown away, having never seen anything like that before on the big screen. Plus, I was only ten and hadn’t racked up too many “wow” moments… so relatively speaking, this was definitely a wow-able moment.

I’ll never forget a couple years later, sitting with junior high friends at lunch while a friend mentioned that there were two more Star Wars movies coming out! I can’t speak for the average kid, but this was huge news to the super-awkward completely clueless types like me. She probably didn’t realize how big a deal it was to tell us that (spoiler here, people) not only was Darth Vader Luke Skywalker’s father, but Leia is his sister. Put this into perspective- 1979 was a dark time for the casual fan- with no constant barrage of trivial information available to us via the intertubes. Either you read original Star Wars books or you had inside information. And when pressed, this pretty humble lunch mate admitted to us how she had such awesome inside info… Mark Hamill was a family friend. Luke Skywalker was her source. Talk about instant Cool Points!

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(from PopCultcha.com)

I still don’t go to the movies very often. Thirty-Eight years later… can you imagine how much fun it was to sit in the movie theater with not only The Husband, but The Boy, The Girl, and The Boyfriend and watch another big screen Star Wars movie?

It was All That And A Tub of Popcorn.

Star Wars- Listening Doesn’t Count

Ever take long family trips in a car? Remember when those in-car screen systems became available? I’ve heard the stories from friends about listening to princess movies ad nauseam while driving across the country; anyone in the car measuring an age in double digits had to tough it out or suffer sharing that space with crabby kids.

We came late to the vehicle video party. We arrived there, finally, when our friend with a car dealership found a used SUV that had every option we wanted … and one we didn’t. I really didn’t want that DVD player, but the deal on the car was too good to pass up. In the end, we told the kids that they could watch shows only on long drives, and that system worked pretty well.

The Husband and I would load up on DVDs that we could stomach hearing since the headphones were perpetually broken or missing. Best of Bugs Bunny, Guys and Dolls, and Princess Bride, were part of our on-board entertainment… great shows that were already burned into my mind’s eye. And the Star Wars movies. All of them, memorized, too. Or so I thought.

With the latest Star Wars movie release, The Boy was completely happy to oblige his mamma in a six movie marathon to lead up to our Force Awakens matinee tickets. Two minutes into watching the first prequel and I realized that I had never actually seen any one of these new movies- I’ve only heard them all. From the front seats of that SUV. I had next to no idea what these stories involved.

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So this weekend, for the first time, I watched all the first three stories- the second set of three movies released, for those of us who remember the original trio of movies as the real first three Star Wars movies. Not bad! I hope the seventh movie lives up to all the hype surrounding it.

 

IMG_9846We still have the SUV and the old DVD player still works. I think the last time it was used was several years ago. The Boy and his friends watched a bunch of original, black and white Three Stooges shows- slapstick and pre-adolescent boys are a great match. I wonder if we will ever find or fix the headphones? Probably not, I want to hear the shows, too.

On Holiday Movies and Generosity…

I don’t know anyone who can top my mom-in-law’s love of shopping for other people. No home can match the bounty you will find under her Christmas Tree. If you know her, you are remembered. As a goofy 18-year-old, I remember how surprised I was to be included in on her generosity- I had only known her son for a few months it seemed.

She has watched those made-for-TV Christmas movies for years, and has asked if I have seen this one or that one over the years. I have always had to respond with “No, that sounds sweet- so what was it about?” She will watch these while finishing the ironing or when wrapping Christmas presents. Lots of presents.

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click here to be taken to the IMDB.com link where I found this image and show info

I finally remembered to DVR a bunch of these shows, and got around to watching one as I took down the last of the Fall and Thanksgiving decorations earlier this week (yes, later than most people, I know… I don’t like cramming one holiday into the next. Holidays need room to breath like a red wine… now I want some wine, where’s my corkscrew??). “Christmas at Cartwright’s was the first one I watched- how sweet! Interested in watching? These movies are often found on Hallmark, Lifetime, and ABC Family channels.

There is even a blog to list and rate each of these shows- TVMovieChristmas.tumbler.com

Give generously this season, people, remember your stylist, the postal worker you see every day, your paper carrier if you are as old fashioned as we are and still get the newspaper delivered. Drop an unwrapped present in the Toys for Tots bins that dot your city, and maybe put in some hours at a charity that speaks to your heart. Show your love for any and all of Mankind, our world could use our love.

And enjoy sweet, sappy, happy movies instead of the ones that scare, thrill, or terrify you. Take a break for some happy. ‘Tis the Season.

Shhh… don’t tell the 14-Year-Old Boys I’m Watching Marvel’s “Agent Carter”

Because they think it is FUNNY to tell you SPOILERS about the shows you may be catching up on. THE TWERPS! No lie, The Boy and his friend texted me a bunch of things that would happen during the finale of “Agents of Shield.” I’m still mad…

image from google.com
image from google.com

Needless to say, I wasn’t about to tell them that I started the “Shield” prequel “Agent Carter,” which picks up the Marvel universe storyline from shortly after we lose Captain America in the 1940’s. The show follows the life and adventures of Agent Peggy Carter, fighting for respect from coworkers almost as much as fighting to uphold the ideals of the free world. IMDB sums it up so: “In 1946, Peggy Carter is relegated to secretarial duties in the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). When Howard Stark is accused of treason, he secretly recruits Peggy to clear his name with the help of his butler, Edwin Jarvis.” You can watch the last four episodes, including the season finale, on abcgo.com, if you are so inclined.

Some of the best lines from the show are given to Angie, one of the girls who lives in the apartments for women with Peggy Carter:

Angie Martinelli: These rolls keep for three days. Four if it’s cold and you put them out on the windowsill.
Peggy Carter: Oh, glad to hear it. I don’t often steal food.
Angie Martinelli: Are you kidding? Carol once fit a whole chicken down her sweater.

and:

“(Showing Carter around the apartment building) Hi, Mary! That’s Mary. She’s a legal secretary at Goodman, Kirksberg and Holloway. Evelyn. Evelyn is a lounge singer at a club in midtown. Hi, Sarah! That’s Sarah. She’s a slut.”―Angie Martinelli

and more:

“I got a bottle of schnapps and half a rhubarb pie; let’s see which one makes us sick first.”―Angie Martinelli

I began writing this post after starting “Agent Carter” early last week, intending to finish it and the series in about 10 days or so. Nope! All done! Great show, lots of fun. Looking forward to season two. It is on the high end of violence for me… as a matter of fact, there was a scene in the penultimate episode that reminded me of a (terribly violent, awful) scene in the movie “Kingsman- The Secret Service.” If you have seen both, you know what I’m talking about. Ugh. I’m more of a Rom-Com fan, and really surprised how much I’m enjoying this Marvel Comics universe.

Now… on to “Daredevil?” Just DON’T tell The Boy and his friend, please!

Movie Night- “Avengers: Age of Ultron”

We don’t go to the movie theater very often, no reason, we just do other things as a family. We go maybe once a year, twice, tops. We loved the show tonight!

These are our “AAAAhhhh!!! When is the next Marvel movie coming out???!!!” faces. What’s next? Another Captain America? Hulk? Guardians of the Galaxy? IMG_6580