Last week, I took Anne to see her first actual in-the-theatres movie. We were very excited about it -- so excited that I ignored a little bad behavior the night before that I really shouldn't have just so that we would still be able to go. We were that excited. We looked up the showtimes to see what was playing, watched some trailers together, and finally decided that we'd go to a matinee showing of Planes, at Military Circle Mall.
Going to the theatre at Military Circle Mall was important to me. It's where I went to the movies when I was growing up, before MacArthur mall was built-- I have so many memories of being there with friends, and going to see scary movies with my Mammaw, who would smuggle in McDonald's hamburgers in her purse and even bring her own pillow (!) so that she could get extra-comfy in the seats.
Anne told everybody she met that she was going to her first movie: the people in line with us, the ticket-taker, the cashier at the concession stand. But as soon as we walked into the dark theatre, she faltered a little. When the previews came on, she covered her ears and said, "It's too loud! It's too BIG." I managed to convince her to give it a try by plying her with M&Ms (and covering her eyes during the Dinosaurs 3D preview OMG). There were a few hairy moments and we had to take a break during a battle scene with lots of gunfire and mean-looking planes but she did manage to make it all the way through. By the end she was dancing in the aisle and clapping "Go Dusty!" with all of the other little kids in the audience.
As for me, I thought the movie was adorable. Of course I cried when Skipper, the rusty WWII Corsair, found his wings again and took off tremulously into the sky. I'm lucky that A. is still young enough that this wasn't awful and embarrassing for her. If my mom had cried like that in front of other people I would have died.
We're already planning to head back in November to see Frozen (the preview with the melting snowman looked too cute). Have you taken your little ones to the movies lately? What did you see?
Bart really wanted to take L to see Planes, but I convinced him that she just isn't quite ready for the movie theater experience just yet. She's just getting to where she'll pay attention to almost an entire movie. I think the only way she would watch a feature-length movie in a theater right now is if Elmo is the star, or maybe Mickey.
ReplyDeleteI remember my first trip to the theater. It was to see Snow White. The part where the Evil Queen turns into the witch still frightens me to this day. I can't sit through Snow White.
I'm thrilled both of you enjoyed the movie so much!
I think when you go with a very young child you have to tell yourself at the outset that you'll leave if you need to! That's one reason we went so early in the day, to get the $5 matinee price, so we weren't out something like 20 bones if we had to leave.
DeleteI think Snow White is creepy in general and always have! I think my first trip to the movies was to see the Care Bear movie, remember that?? :)
Yes, I remember that! I think it's on Netflix. I remember wanting to see it so badly. I don't know if it played at the local, two-screen theater at all. At that time, we only had one place in town to rent VHS tapes, and Care Bears was always out. I finally got to see it at school, I think.
DeleteI can not wait to do this. :)
ReplyDeleteWe tried a puppet show recently. She made it about 15 minutes.
That's pretty good for not quite 2 (?)
DeleteAw! F.Y.I., Cinema Cafe has Twisted Tuesdays when movies are a dollar or two. I like to sit in the back so my three year old can run around if needed. The most recent movies I've seen with the kiddos? Epic, Monsters University, and Despicable Me 2. We love going to the movies.
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