Movie Matinee

" The grandest thing I've ever seen are pictures on a movie screen....
The movies are great medicine thank you Thomas Edison
For giving us the best years of our lives."---The Statler Brothers

When Chris and I began dating, Friday & Saturday night's were movie nights. On occasion we'd see two.

As the quality of the product diminished and the cost increased, we found ourselves taking in matinees.

Hollyweird continued to turn out drivel and too many people were bringing their kids, so we'd wait for video.

It's an understatement to say we rarely go out to a movie.

However, we'd come across a couple of free movie tickets that had to be used before years end.

After an anguishing process, we decided on the noon showing of Night At The Museum at the nearby twelve plex.

The movie stars Ben Stiller and features Robin Williams, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney.

It was a cute movie, a little weak, but cute.

Chris didn't like Dick Van Dyke playing a bad guy, he wasn't overly bad.

I thought it was great to see Van Dyke (81) and Rooney (86) together, they don't make it seem like acting.

The movie takes place in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

By default, Chris and I went there on a cold, rainy day in the fall of 2004.

We had planned on a trip to the Central Park Zoo or the Bronx Zoo, maybe both.

I thought the museum was AWFUL!

Most of the exhibits were like the diorama of the gorilla (pictured), out of a time warp.

I love history, especially American history, and I have an expectation that when I go to the AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY that I won't be traveling off to Africa or Asia.

For my money the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History or the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. are superior.

The Hall of Ocean Life, with the Blue Whale suspended from the ceiling, was probably the best part of the museum.

I wonder how many people will be planning trips to the museum because of the movie and how many kids, used to video game action, will be disappointed?