Night at the Movies

Tonight my dad and I went to see Quantum of Solace, the new Bond film. I totally liked it despite some scenes that just seemed utterly ridiculous and totally fake (as in I could see the digital effects). In general though, it was highly entertaining and I must say, from a single girl standpoint, Daniel Craig was very appealing. Okay, who am I kidding? The man is ripped!

Despite the fact that it was a Friday night, the evening was long overdue. Usually my father and I watch at least a couple of films together a year, but it seems like ages since we last saw a movie together. I didn't really realize this until recently, but watching movies has been an informal tradition in our relationship over many years.

The first film I recall watching with dad was The Thing (1982). For some reason during the mid eighties dad had this obsession with sci-fi movies and programs (including a mad love for Dr. Who). I must of been six or seven at the time and dad brought the video home for my sister and I to watch. I don't know why he thought it was acceptable for our age category. If I remember correctly not only did we watch The Thing that night but also Aliens(1986). I'm surprised I didn't have nightmares afterwards. Most children would be petrified of an alien creature that poses as a dog and then violently assimilates an entire sled team of innocent huskies; or a spider-like alien that sits on someones face as a means of insemination and then reproduces by bursting forth from a man's chest cavity.

For some reason, I was never really frightened of horror or sci-fi films; especially the Nightmare on Elm street and Poltergeist type horrors we would watch at juvenile Sleepovers. The only film I ever remember being really frightened about was a compilation of horror stories in an anthology called Tales From The Crypt. The video usually entailed 5-6 short stories introduced by this half dead crypt keeper. The video that we rented had a short story about a girl who gets possessed by a demon and grows goat legs, foams at the mouth and flails violently around her room. For the longest time I would awake in the morning scared shit-less that I would have goat legs and foam residue on my face from the previous night's activities. My movie watching preference changed drastically in the following days to films primarily centered on comedic and romance genres.

The very first movie I ever went to see in a theatre with dad was True Lies. It's not really an action film per se but rather a chick action flick, if that is even possible. That same year my father took me to see Speed. I'm surprised he decided to ever take me to a film again. I guess he must of bought me this huge soda drink b/c right at the end of the movie (the part where Keanu is on top of the subway train with Dennis Hopper) I had this urgent need to pee. At the time I was pretty young, maybe 12, and so my dad had to get up and accompany me to the ladies room (waiting outside of course). I remember he was SO pissed when we finally got back into the theatre only to see the credits roll and a sparse assortment of elderly couples sitting in their seats chatting. For the longest time(until about 1997) I really had no idea how the film had concluded and never understood the general public fascination with a "potential romance" between Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.

For the most part, my father's taste in film has really stuck with me. I generally like films that have action/drama with a non-fiction element, sci-fi/Utopian story lines or British comedies (John Cleese being one of my favourites). To be honest, spending time with him in this way really makes me feel like we connect, despite the fact that we actually don't communicate for a full 2 hours. Sometimes just being with someone is enough. I know he enjoys and appreciates it, even if he never verbally tells me so. It matters to him and to me and reminds me that really I'll never grow up. I'll always be his child. Even when I have my own kids he'll probably treat me to dinner and a movie. After all, he can't not pay, it's tradition.