Dad Movies

I was watching TV this morning, and an ad for Kong: Skull Island came on.  I started crying.

Dad mentioned wanting to go see it, when I saw him Friday morning.  14 hours later, he'd be dead.

I got a lot of my taste from my Dad.  For comedy.  For Science Fiction.  Mel Brooks.  Star Trek.

A few movie memories with Dad:

Return of the Jedi--Dad took my cousin David and Me to see this one in Bristol.   We liked it so much, we'd go see it again back home in Athens--and this was a time that we didn't have a lot of money to go see movies multiple times.

Secret of the Sword--I was crazy for the Masters of the Universe toys.  My sister went with us to see this one, because She-Ra was in the mix.  Dad hated this movie, but put up with my raving about it.  After I took Thomas to see Ratchet and Clank this year, I apologized for subjecting him to so many bad movies.

Rocky IV--We were visiting family in New Jersey.  Dad and I went to see this one, I think, because he was worn out on the in-laws.

Flight of the Navigator--Maybe the hardest I've ever seen my Dad laugh:  Kevin has just asked a man for change to use the phone when he lands the spaceship outside a gas station...Max sticks his head out the hatch to insult the man.  Dad nearly lost his mind.

Batman--I saw Batman in the theater multiple times that summer.  He went for a couple viewings.  It wasn't until later that I found out he didn't like the movie that much....Thanks Dad.

Joe vs. the Volcano--a family outing, and the only time I ever saw my Dad come close to a fight.  A guy backed up without looking, and nearly ran us all over.  The guy got out to holler at Dad, who'd pointed out the malfeasance.  The guy backed down in a hurry, when he got a look at Dad....

True Lies--Another good laugh from Dad.  He had the oddest damn fondness for Tom Arnold, but that's excusable for this flick.  It's a small line...Tom Arnold calls a driver "Fucker" and for some reason, Dad lost his mind again....

Star Trek: Generations--I didn't know until much later, he really wanted to go see this with me.  I ended up going with a group of friends the night it opened.  We ended up going the next weekend....

Return of the Jedi, Special Edition--My Dad and I went to see the Special Edition, where perhaps the only thing I like in Lucas' "fixes" are the looks in at the other spots in the galaxy celebrating the death of the Emperor.  I mentioned that the look at Naboo and Coruscant would be explored a little more in the prequel coming out the next year.....

Fellowship of the Ring--Notable for this occurrence:  In the middle of a crowded movie theater, Dad crosses his legs.  When he does, a lot of change falls out of his pocket.  It happens during a quiet part of the movie.  Change hitting concrete.  A lot of change.  Like, why is Dad carrying this much change?  While it's still quiet, he announces "That's Mine," as if a theater full of people is rushing beneath his legs to pick up change.

Slither--I'd moved back over to East Tennessee.  I was also having a very bad week--I'd worked a crazy amount of days in a row.  This was my first movie I'd been to see in weeks.  And a girl wouldn't get off her cell-phone.  This is probably the closest I've been to getting arrested....I told the girl to turn it off.  She cussed me.  She got cussed back.  Dad kept me from pulling the girl out of the theater by her hair that day.

2012--He LOVED disaster movies as much as I do.  I probably get it from him. We'd both been looking forward to this one.  It was disappointing to us both.  He described it as it being Christmas all day.

Star Wars: the Force Awakens--God he was excited about that one.  Again, he was a little disappointed that we wouldn't get to see it together--Shyam and I went to a marathon...he was invited, but he was in the midst of his hip troubles, and he knew he couldn't sit in a movie theater seat for that long.  He loved it.  We took Mom to see it on Christmas Day.

(I just started crying again when I realized he won't get to see how the saga will end up).

The Witch -- He didn't want to see this one, but he went anyway.  He ended up LOVING this movie.
Patriots Day --  The last movie he and I went to see.  We'd go to one or two a month.  Sometimes more.  This winter has been crazy, though.  And we didn't make it to much.  We did go see this one.  I was skeptical.  But it was one I ended up liking.

I'm sure that there's more to be said.  I'll think of something else.  I miss the old man.  I'm gonna miss going to movies with him.