Family Values

 The words of my son: "I cried just a little bit during the movie, but first I let loose the MAN TEARS when I got to hear the big Movie Sound Dolby 7.1 demo reel that played after the previews." Those were the ones he chose to commemorate our family's return to the movie theater. Last Sunday, we made our way down to Alameda where they are currently seating for select showings of selected films. In our case, it was the five fifteen screening of Nomadland.

My wife, who secured our tickets, bought us popcorn and large sodas, cried a little too as the lights went down. It was our return to the place where we have come together so often: in the dark with our concessions in our lap and the projector shining above our heads. It was not the packed house that we had experienced for so many first day premieres. Every other row was blocked off with caution tape. When we bought our tickets, the two seats to our left and right were automatically blocked out. There would be plenty of elbow room.

We tried to remember the last time we were in a movie theater together. My wife and I were fairly certain that the last film we had seen anywhere other than our living room was Parasite, our last ditch effort more than a year ago to try and see all the best picture nominees. Leading up to this year's Oscars, we had seen a grand total of two of them, compared to our usual full slate. The two we had seen prior to the ceremony were streamed into the aforementioned living room.

When Frances McDormand, star and producer of this year's winner encouraged us all to go out and see this year's best pictures in a theater, we took it to heart. But we were also patiently waiting for our favorite movie house to announce their grand re-opening. That has yet to happen, but down in Alameda, they were ready for us.

So off we went.

The film itself was a pleasant enough ride, a little like a song from Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. Certainly a lot to think about in this year of departure. But mostly, the three of us were caught up in the experience of sitting in a movie theater. The trailer for the coming attraction James Bond installment roaring through the sound system reminded us of the sensual extremes available in such a setting. Over the course of the feature, we were aware of the quiet moments as well, and when the lights came up again, we realized that the theater's cleanup crew may have outnumbered the paid attendance.

We felt taken care of. We felt like we had found our way back. We felt like we were home.