My Dad and Movies
My dad is my best friend. I have other friends. Friends from high school, college, professional life, church, and just from randomly meeting on the street. But he has been here for me through thick and thin and all parts of my life. That includes all the movies that we watched together on the couch or in theaters. While our tastes are different at this point there is no denying that he played large part in defining what I like in a movie.
For instance, my Dad prefers a happy ending over an ambiguous or sad one. During the holidays in our house it is customary to watch It’s a Wonderful Life at least, usually on Christmas eve. Seeing how everything comes together in the end for George Bailey as his friends and family ban together to support him was something that always resonated with my Dad. Often after the movie ends he will say, “It really is a wonderful life.” That desire to see things pan out for the main characters in movies and TV shows I watch has stuck with me. Sometimes a more downer ending is appropriate for the arc of a character or a movie, but I still want to see our heroes ride off into the sunset with good things happening for them.
Speaking of heroes, my Dad has always been a big proponent for superhero movies. When I was 11, we saw the first Iron Man together in a movie theater after a bible quiz meet in San Diego. He was there with me at the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Does he watch all the modern MCU TV shows or stay up with the latest director’s cut of Justice League? No. And frankly I am glad he doesn’t because some of it is crap. But whenever a well-known comic-book characters gets a movie, he’s interested. Years ago he would not have seen an R-rated movie for anything, but he went to The Suicide Squad last year and enjoyed it.
Some of the other fun memories I have with him include memorizing Emperor’s New Groove or Hoodwinked! from watching them both so much. We had a ton of long car rides around the country while I was growing up, and those two movies were some of the popular request. He never got to watch any of the movies in the backseat because he was usually driving. He knows the plot of Ratatouille backwards and forwards due to us watching it so much in the car, but claims he has never actually seen it.
He also okayed my first PG-13 movie if I remember correctly. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I would have been seven or eight years old and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith was about to come out. There were rumors it was going to be rated PG-13, and that made me nervous because I still hadn’t hit double digits yet. I asked my dad if it was PG-13 would he still let me watch it. With no hesitation and not even looking up from the paper he said, “Yes.” I then asked if I could still see it if it was rated R (because I was thorough child and wanted all my bases covered). He looked up from the paper for about three seconds to think about it, then went back to reading and said once again, “Yes.” I was elated. Now I have no idea if my Mom would have vetoed that decision, but it’s still nice to know he wanted me to see it regardless.
Regardless, my dad and I have had some tremendous movie experiences together over the years. With his birthday having just come and gone, I wanted to talk about him a little bit. I’m glad to have always had a movie buddy. Thank you, Dad.