A Walk to Remember. That Doesn’t include A Walk to Remember.

But I do love Mandy More (FYI).
Anyway, for anyone who goes to the movies or rents them regularly, it seems like memories of those experiences are a dime a dozen (if one could really call staring at a screen an “experience.” For those of you who watch the Bachelor, you’re used to almost anything being called an “experience, so we’ll go with it). But there are a few that stand out in my mind. My first thought on this week’s topic (Movies!) was to turn my blog of movies into a top 10 (or even a top 5, bottom 5) but instead I think I’ll take a trip down memory lane……

First Movie. The first movie I can remember seeing is Gone with the Wind. MommaMonday took me to this old theatre downtown that had been renovated and was being used to showcase local theatrical presentations. I can remember some years later going back to see the production of A Christmas Carol. I slept through most of that…..and then some years after that, when we had our Senior Prom there. Anyway, we went to see Gone with the Wind and I remember MommaMonday remarking that we were the youngest women in the audience by a good three dozen years; it was a very true statement as almost everyone else had blue hair and bifocals. The movie was amazing, though, with the old dresses (I can still visualize Scarlett in her curtain dress after all these years) and quaint southern drawls. The antique sconces, intricate woodwork and blood red curtains of the old theatre just added to the effect. What a first movie experience!

First R Movie. I remember going over to Aunt and UncleMonday’s place when I was fairly young (12, 13 maybe) to watch the cousins while they moved stuff from their apartment into their new house. Unbeknownst to my parents, who never would have approved, they popped in Pretty Woman for me to watch while the cuz went down for a nap. I had never even heard of the movie (I’m 12, remember…), but sat there completely mesmerized. I wanted to dress like Julia Roberts, act like Julia Roberts, fall in love like Julia Roberts. I don’t remember completely “getting” that she was a hooker in the beginning. I think that being 12, I concentrated on the Rodeo-drive shopping and romance of having some rich man sweep you off your feet. It definitely made an impression, being that I still hold onto these same hopes…..

First Stolen Movie. My boyfriend in high school had some friends who worked down at our town’s local movie theatre. The first time we ever went there on a date was to see the movie High School High. His friends let us in without paying (thank God, I remember the movie being awful), but when I told my mom about it (with great glee when I got home. “Guess what?! We didn’t have to pay!”) she marched me back up there and made me pay for both my boyfriend and myself. It was absolutely mortifying. So instead of being able to move on and forget this positively retched movie (which, no doubt, for 99% of the 100 people who ever saw it was possible), it instead still lingers in my brain. Thank you MommaMonday and Jon Lovitz. Blech.

First Bawling, Hiccuping Movie. I saw Titanic in the theatre. With 200 other women. We all cried. I’m not sure about the rest of them, but I even went so far as to bawl. Loud painful sobs, with nose blowing and hiccupping. I’m not sure I would experience quite so much visible emotional sadness if I were watching it for the first time at 27, but I think for a hormonal 18 year-old, it was more than I could handle. How could Jack die and leave Rose by herself; they were so in love?! I know everyone likes to make fun of that movie today (Jack, I’m flyyyyiiing), but I think we’ve all forgotten that it did stir quite the emotions when it first came out (okay, at least all of us who have estrogen coursing through our veins).

First Profound, Eye-Opener Movie. My college boyfriend really wanted to go see a particular movie that I had no interest in seeing. Until that point in my life, I’d probably pretty much bossed people around when it came to the movies. If they wanted to see something I didn’t, we compromised until we got to the one movie we were both willing to see, but neither of us was dying to see. I never completely caved. But with Oh, Brother Art Thou?, I was adamant that I DID NOT want to see such a stupid looking film, but I gave in. Anyway, I was mesmerized by the movie, which still reigns in my top 10 of all time. I’m the first to admit that I was completely wrong, and it just made me realize that I should let other people have their way some too, especially when it can result in enjoyment like that. But just so you know, giving in can result in seeing films like Malibu’s Most Wanted (GirlFriday?!?), The Perfect Storm, and I Am Legend (see below), all disgraces to the film industry.

First Walk-Out. The only movie I have ever walked out on was Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. 2. When Nature Calls, or some shit like that. I can’t even remember what was so horrible about it, or even who I was with (who, no doubt, wasn’t happy about having to leave). I think I can almost recall some crude bathroom humor, which doesn’t ever sit well with me, but it could also be the presence of a lame plot. Either way, I left and forfeited probably close to 10 bucks. At the time I think I would have paid 10 more just not to have to sit through the rest of it. So next time I see one of you, make sure to let me know how this one ended. Since I obviously care. One other note on this subject: I also could have walked out on I Am Legend, if I hadn’t been with three other people. It was unnecessarily scary and the dog dies (ooops, spoiler alert, sorry).

I could run this trip down memory lane on for hours (or pages), but I’m going to leave you with just two more. First “I Could Sit Through That Again, Right Now” Movie: Contact. A really terrific movie for any of you who have never seen it. And First Subtitles Movie: Amelie. Also great. And also probably could have sat through that one again as well.