May is Movie Month

I'm in a movie rut. Parents with kids know that going to a movie is a pretty rare treat. Many obstacles usually block any kind of a meaningful night out with your sweetie. First you need to pick a day that isn't booked with baseball, soccer, piano, chest club, field trip, conferences, birthday, wedding, funeral, Dancing with the Stars, Etc. Then you have to examine your finances to see if you qualify for a Baby Sitter Loan. Especially if you have to pick them up and drive them home, with today's gas prices. So we finally pick an open date. And luckily we find a baby sitter with an opening in her schedule. Now we have to pick something to do.

Hmmmm......

Skydiving? Spelunking? Square Dancing?

All right, dinner and a movie. I didn't say I was creative.

I generally like to eat out and see a movie. I, of course, like action movies in the theater. A movie with only a good story can be watched anywhere. But I get the most bang for my buck (or $7) from a special effects movie in the theater. Did I mention a movie rut? We generally don't go to the movies often but this month I have seen 3 whole movies. Can you believe it?

The first movie Lady Di and I saw this month was Spiderman 3. I'm sorry but I was a little disappointed. Not even the IMAX screen could help Spidey live up to the hype. Although, when the Sandman was about to make an appearance in the film, our seats were actually vibrating due to the decibel rumbling IMAX speakers. Rock on THX!

The second movie of the month was Shrek 3. OK, so this one wasn't a date. This one involved Emery's five year old birthday party. We only have one van so Lady Di and I borrowed our neighbor's van and loaded 9 five year olds and 2 eight year olds into both vans and headed for the cinema. The kids did a great job sitting through the whole film. I liked the first two Shrek films, but the third one was a bit slow until the end. If you can wait in the lobby eating 'free refill popcorn' until the last 15 minutes of the movie, you'll come out ahead.

9, five year olds and 2, 8 year olds

The last movie of May was Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End. My neighbor invited me for a guy's night out. I don't think I've been on one of those since the early nineties. Anyway, this movie was definitely the best one of the month. It was a little long in spots, but overall, very swashbuckling.

Not Johnny Depp

So, does anyone notice the subtle theme of my movie viewing? The last three movies I have seen are all third movie sequels. Is this all Hollywood has to offer? Or am I too cheap to splurge on a movie with thinking in it? Are you allowed to refill your popcorn bucket 3 times?