Sometimes, it’s not the film itself that makes a film-going experience memorable… sometimes, it’s the circumstances surrounding it. And I’ve had a handful of these experiences during my years as a film “buff”…
1.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 (2011)
I made it to the front page of the paper for this one, so it’s probably going to be on the most memorable list for a while. My group of friends and I had to line up for this one four hours ahead of time, since this was before the launch of the assigned seating era. One friend dressed as Bellatrix, my best friend made Potter Puppet Pals masks for us to wear, I wore my “Particularly Good Finder” homemade shirt (Hufflepuffs represent!) and we re-enacted the “Mysterious Ticking Noise” while waiting behind the stantions. Needless to say, we were the most spirited and entertaining group in line, which is why a reporter took our picture to platdter on the front page the following day. This film was the end of an era for Potterheads everywhere, and even though I had to be at work at 7AM the morning after, I wouldn’t have changed a moment of that night.
2.) Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters (2013)
I did not like this film (though I loved the books) but had a rip-snorting good time watching this movie because my best friend and I were completely alone in the theater, so we were free to be as obnoxious as we wanted and we took total advantage of it. We loudly called out the inaccuracies, speculated on the plot changes, and made jokes throughout the entire thing, so even though the film wasn’t quite up to snuff, it was a great and memorable film-going experience for the sheer enjoy-ability of it all.
3.) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
TDKR was the final movie I saw as a midnight premiere, before my local theater started doing showings earlier on the night before a film’s release. The Dark Knight actually sparked my love for film, and I was eager to see a conclusion to the Bale/Nolan trilogy. The theater was mobbed, because this was also in the days before assigned seating so you couldn’t roll up to the show five minutes ahead of time and get a primo spot, plus this was the first and only time I ever had to park in the upper parking lot of the theater. Anticipation was thick in the air as folks lined up and waited outside the individual theaters, and I remember getting into my seat in between my mom and my best friend and tapping my foot on the floor, waiting for the film to start. This experience was most memorable because it gave a definitive ending to the film series that sparked my love and appreciation for film. Aaaand I sobbed like an infant at the end.
4.) Iron Man (2008)
Way back before the MCU was as huge as it is now, I had absolutely 0% interest in seeing Iron Man. My dad and I eventually struck a deal; he would go and see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian with me, if I would go to see Iron Man with him. And the arrangement worked out quite well for both of us! My dad actually enjoyed Prince Caspian, with it’s chatty badgers, triumphant music, and rightful heirs ascending the throne, and I fell in love with superheroes and garnered an appreciation for the then-fledgling MCU, which continues to this day. I remember sitting in that theater, watching RDJ sell the role of Tony Stark like he was born to play it, and being absolutely blown away. There hasn’t been a Narnia movie since 2010, but 10 years later, my dad and I still see almost every Marvel movie together, and I have a 2008 bargain to thank for that.
5.) Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
I wish I could say this experience was memorable for a good reason, but actually, this post is ending on a sour note. After studying film in college and expanding my cinematic horizons, my mom and I made the trek across town to see Birdman after we heard a bit of Oscar buzz about it. In total, when the film began, there were five people in the theater… by the end, there were three. And I’m pretty certain only two of us were awake. I totally get why folks didn’t like this film, and I love “average joe” films just as much as the next film-goer, but it’s still a huge bummer when more “artsy” films don’t get recognized by general audiences. In Birdman, the cinematography was gorgeous (I mean, that tracking shot in the beginning is a stunner) and the acting was phenomenal, yet still, two folks walked out midway through. And the film won Best Picture.
Frostwritten 