Going to the Movies - "The Butler"
/We saw a movie last night. Well, actually we went to a movie theater and watched a newly released movie on the big screen rather than sitting in Bea's apartment and watching something on HBO that we really weren't interested in or had seen before. I can't remember the last time we did this; it's been that long. First, we haven't had an evening to ourselves in ages. Second, we're too cheap to spend big bucks to go out to a movie. Third, there's never anything playing that we're interested in seeing. So, when we had a rare free evening and found ourselves just sitting around AND the local movie theater only charged $6.25 for a movie ticket and there was something of interest to watch … well, let's just say it didn't take us long to get our acts together and head out the door to the Sharon Cinema 8. Please note that our idea of a movie aboard Nine of Cups is usually sitting on the saloon settee about 24” from the laptop screen to watch a DVD or (dare we admit it?) perhaps a pirated movie of lesser quality. Either the audio or video are faulty or it's a movie we've watched several times before. It's still an enjoyable evening, but nothing like the real thing.
It might have been awhile, but it didn't take us long to get into the groove. “Two “senior” tickets for “The Butler”, please.” “Marcie, go order the mega-tub of popcorn!” Who needs dinner when there's movie popcorn and a liter of diet Coke to be had? We were in a nirvana-type state by the time the trailers began.
We watched “The Butler” with Forest Whitaker in the lead and Oprah Winfrey as his wife. Based on a true story, the hero, Cecil Gaines, is an apolitical black “domestic” who served several US Presidents in the White House as a butler. Cecil's son is a black political activist. The story follows Cecil's career as a butler through American racial turmoil during the civil rights movement from Eisenhower in the 1950's to Reagan.
We liked the movie, but this is by no means meant to be a movie review. Rather, it's a commentary on how something as simple as a night out together to watch a movie, munch popcorn, and hold hands in a dark movie theater can have such a wonderful effect on a couple's attitude. The fact that the movie was a good one was a bonus!