| Biographical Non-Fiction posted July 6, 2022 |
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A look at Movies.
Happy Hour Movie
by Terry Broxson
Zoe and I both retired in 2006. In the first week of our retirement, we started a new tradition.
HAPPY HOUR MOVIE
It was a simple concept. No matter how busy we were during the day, we would be home by four. We would open the bar. Zoe would have a glass of wine and bourbon for me. It was time to watch a movie. Friends learned quickly not to call. This was "our time."
We would use the DVD player and order movies from Netflix. I also bought films giving us a larger library. Eventually, the DVDs disappeared, and streaming took over, making everything much easier.
I was always in charge of selecting the movies. There were several reasons for this responsibility. Zoe was not one to bother with the details of ordering or buying movies. Additionally, she could not operate the equipment. Most importantly, she could complain about the movie selection.
There was only one rule for Happy Hour Movie, "Pause for the cause!" Either one of us could make the request. The movie would be paused while one or both of us might visit the indoor facility, refresh the drink, or get a snack. But pauses were never to look at the phone or email.
Zoe's idea of good movies started with romantic comedies. Ideally, these comedies were where people got married. "I love a wedding!" British movies about royalty, "I love the Queen!"
Bull Durham is the reason she got interested in baseball. She liked any movie that starred Colin Firth, Robert Redford, Jamie Foxx, or Antonio Banderas. She loved Gone With the Wind, Same Time Next Year, and Julia.
Zoe loved Sean Connery, "He is simply the best James Bond ever!"
Zoe enjoyed holiday movies with families cooking at Christmas and Thanksgiving. If the movie had family, holidays, cooking, the Queen, and a wedding, that was the perfect movie! She watched "Love Actually" at least once a year.
What was missing from this list of movies were action movies. There were no westerns, spying, double-crosses, or car chases. Since I was in charge of ordering movies, I did add some occasionally. I did have to be creative. She hated violence.
She also hated it when someone brushed their teeth or went to the bathroom. "Why do they have to put that in the movie?"
She did think that the big-budget Marvel and DC Comic movies were as she put it, "Cartoon-type violence," and thus okay.
Once, we were in line at a theater to watch "Marathon Man," starring Dustin Hoffman and Lawrence Olivier. A couple with a son about ten was ahead of us in line and buying their tickets. The ticket seller said, "Sir, this movie has a lot of violence; it may be too strong for your son."
The father replied, "Does it have any sex?"
"No, Sir, just graphic violence!"
"If there is no sex, it will be okay."
When the couple went into the theater, Zoe said, "If I ever had a kid, I would rather they see a little sex than graphic violence!"
Zoe did leave the movie early and waited in the lobby. Given the nature of the movie, it is doubtful that there was any sex that night. If there was, it was preceded with extensive begging.
Zoe died almost four years ago. I still watch a movie in the evening. I don't have to be choosy about the type of movie anymore. But I still watch those Ro-Coms. I will still have a glass of bourbon.
And often, just like the other night, I watched "Marry Me," with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez...without thinking, I said out loud, "Darling, you are going to like this one!"
HAPPY HOUR MOVIE
It was a simple concept. No matter how busy we were during the day, we would be home by four. We would open the bar. Zoe would have a glass of wine and bourbon for me. It was time to watch a movie. Friends learned quickly not to call. This was "our time."
We would use the DVD player and order movies from Netflix. I also bought films giving us a larger library. Eventually, the DVDs disappeared, and streaming took over, making everything much easier.
I was always in charge of selecting the movies. There were several reasons for this responsibility. Zoe was not one to bother with the details of ordering or buying movies. Additionally, she could not operate the equipment. Most importantly, she could complain about the movie selection.
There was only one rule for Happy Hour Movie, "Pause for the cause!" Either one of us could make the request. The movie would be paused while one or both of us might visit the indoor facility, refresh the drink, or get a snack. But pauses were never to look at the phone or email.
Zoe's idea of good movies started with romantic comedies. Ideally, these comedies were where people got married. "I love a wedding!" British movies about royalty, "I love the Queen!"
Bull Durham is the reason she got interested in baseball. She liked any movie that starred Colin Firth, Robert Redford, Jamie Foxx, or Antonio Banderas. She loved Gone With the Wind, Same Time Next Year, and Julia.
Zoe loved Sean Connery, "He is simply the best James Bond ever!"
Zoe enjoyed holiday movies with families cooking at Christmas and Thanksgiving. If the movie had family, holidays, cooking, the Queen, and a wedding, that was the perfect movie! She watched "Love Actually" at least once a year.
What was missing from this list of movies were action movies. There were no westerns, spying, double-crosses, or car chases. Since I was in charge of ordering movies, I did add some occasionally. I did have to be creative. She hated violence.
She also hated it when someone brushed their teeth or went to the bathroom. "Why do they have to put that in the movie?"
She did think that the big-budget Marvel and DC Comic movies were as she put it, "Cartoon-type violence," and thus okay.
Once, we were in line at a theater to watch "Marathon Man," starring Dustin Hoffman and Lawrence Olivier. A couple with a son about ten was ahead of us in line and buying their tickets. The ticket seller said, "Sir, this movie has a lot of violence; it may be too strong for your son."
The father replied, "Does it have any sex?"
"No, Sir, just graphic violence!"
"If there is no sex, it will be okay."
When the couple went into the theater, Zoe said, "If I ever had a kid, I would rather they see a little sex than graphic violence!"
Zoe did leave the movie early and waited in the lobby. Given the nature of the movie, it is doubtful that there was any sex that night. If there was, it was preceded with extensive begging.
Zoe died almost four years ago. I still watch a movie in the evening. I don't have to be choosy about the type of movie anymore. But I still watch those Ro-Coms. I will still have a glass of bourbon.
And often, just like the other night, I watched "Marry Me," with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez...without thinking, I said out loud, "Darling, you are going to like this one!"
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