Throwbacks a chance to share new cinema experience
“What?!?” Our friend was confused when everyone in the theater didn’t gasp in total shock, like she did, at the reveal of Luke Skywalker’s paternity. Apparently, they already knew. Her husband who had brought her to a Star Wars throwback laughed his face off.
One of the joys of cinema is sharing it with someone for the first time. A movie you know and love, perhaps since childhood, can feel like a part of you and sharing it with someone is a very intimate and cherishable moment.
Allowing films to revisit the big screen and giving the opportunity for younger audiences to experience them for the first time is important. Creating shared experiences between generations is nothing short of magic.
There are so many movies we were and are excited for our kids to watch with us. Ben began exposing our older boys to Star Wars early. Watching them all in order (big debate whether chronological or according to their release) a few times now. While I (Chelsea) grew up watching a recorded-off-TV version of the Ewoks movie, complete with the Channel 2&7 commercials. So Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is my obvious favorite (though that is not why it is the one we are playing this week, that just came down to distributors). Regardless, I was delighted for our kids to nerd out about lightsabers and their epic Lego Ewok’s village they spent three full days after Christmas building with Ben. I even gutted a teddy bear I bought at Value Village to make a Ewok Halloween costume that most of our kids wore when they were toddlers. I’ve personally donned Princess Leia buns for many a trunk or treat, and a Wookie onesie, borrowed from my brother, has dressed up one of our teenagers for a couple years running.
It’s not just Star Wars we have watched with our kids. It feels like a parental obligation to make sure our kids have seen the classics. That means Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter marathons. Watching all the Back to the Futures.
The year we watched all the Karate Kids, our then 8 year old observed “Wait! These are all the same movie! Just with a different girl and different bad guy!”
It’s watching them freak out at the boo box in Hook, or the spider crawling on the robber’s face in Home Alone. Watching their eyes go huge as the T-Rex in Jurassic park appears in the rearview mirror.
When you love great movies, you want the people you love to love them too.
So when we hear of a father who has bought tickets for all three of his daughters to see Star Wars: Return of the Jedi this next week, it makes us just feel so happy that we can be a part of that. Sure they could watch it at home, but would it be the same bonding experience? Would phones and distractions get in the way of feeling fully immersed and enjoying something as epic as Star Wars?
Movies are memory. You recall where you were, and who you were with when you first saw a movie. It invokes huge amounts of nostalgia to see those movies again and especially when you form new memories with people you care about.
So grab that friend who you’ve had to say “what!?! You’ve never seen .... ”
Bring your kids, your grandkids, the new daughter or son in law, and visit the past while making new memories in a way, only movies can.
All while eating the best popcorn in town! See you at the movies.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - One week only, May 3rd-9th, 1pm & 7pm daily.