Part of my retirement routine is a Saturday night movie. This tradition actually extends much longer than just this past year-and-a-half of not working. Popcorn instead of dinner also makes it one of our more affordable nights of the week. We always sit in the back row, but now take advantage of Fandango to buy and reserve our seats, so we no longer have to leave early to secure our favored spots in the back. The new reclining chairs and wider rows also add to the comfort level. The only social events any more that usually gets in the way of Movie Night are fundraisers, so a quiet, entertaining night in the dark is much preferable to small talk and rubber chicken.

Prior to retirement, a Saturday night movie was a necessary diversion from the business week and the focal point of the weekend. My working wife is still in that mode, but realistically I could go to a movie now any day of the week. As a result, I now rarely associate with specific days of the week, but Saturday is still an important weekly milestone for my career-minded wife. I rarely watch movies without her, so her Saturday nights are usually the only option. It’s quiet togetherness, and the only two hours of the week where our cell phones are turned off. When the movie is over, it also gives us something new to discuss. When the Oscar nominations are finally made each year, we’ve usually seen them all, or quickly try to catch-up with the buzz. Movie nights are definitely an important part of our relationship.

My wife does not like horror films and hides her eyes even during previews. One of the very first movies that I went with her to was Eyes Wide Shut. She let out a blood-curling scream that rocked the theater. She can be very vocal, so we try to avoid movie surprises. Her laughter is also very expressive, so beware if you happen to be sitting by her. Tonight we’re going to see the comedy Game Night, with one of my favorite actors, Jason Bateman. I especially enjoyed his performance in Bad Words and more recently in the Netflix series, Ozark. Last week, I was surprised by how much I liked Ready Player One, especially since I’m definitely not a gamer. Steven Spielberg was masterful, and I would put it in the same favorites category as Back To The Future.

I am getting a bit tired of the superhero movies that my wife loves, so I’m glad we’ve had a couple weeks off. I was never into comic books like she was. She also likes the animated Disney films that are not my forte, and tends to go to those with her daughter. Although, I was pleasantly surprised by the Loving Vincent movie that I watched on the airplane last week. It incorporated van Gogh’s paintings into the story of his life. I found this painted form of animation to be uniquely beautiful. I also plan to go to the Portland Art Museum in the next couple weeks to see the LAIKA display that also might change my stuffy perspective on animation. It’s time for me to grow down, and become more of a child like her.