Sitting in the Past, With Popcorn

There's an old (1930) movie theater 20 minutes away from where we live. It shows a new film each week and they are usually the best (in my opinion) the movie world has to offer. Two weeks ago we saw 12 Years a Slave which is a remarkable (and true) story of a free black man who is snatched from his comfortable life, sold, and spends 12 years picking cotton, cutting sugar cane and doing carpentry work. Abused, beaten with a whip and treated as an animal, he never loses his personal integrity and dignity.

Yesterday, we took Harry with us to see Her. I felt the movie was a tad too long, but the acting was terrific and the story intriguing, mainly because although it's set in the future, it feels like it could happen sometime soon. What does it mean to be human? Can our faults and anxieties be ameliorated by another person (or in this case by a personal operating system you tote around like an i-phone)? Can love change us for the better? In Her the answer is yes. Harry approved of the music by "Arcade Fire." It's always nice to learn things from your children.

This mono-plex theater is a gem, open only Friday through Monday. The seats are comfortable and it's kept as neat as a pin, whatever that means. Matinees cost $7 and I take the opportunity to make my lunch a huge bucket of popcorn with real butter. Yum.

What a great way to spend a dreary winter afternoon or evening, when the tickets rocket to $9.