The Movie We Didn’t See Tonight

IMAG0327-w1400-h1400This story needs a setup. It is tradition with the Foxes and many other Jewish families, Christmas Day is spent at the movies followed by Chinese food. Go back in the blog to any December 25th entry and you’ll read about a movie and a meal!

This year, since we’re close to Stef, it’s likely she’ll join us. Neither Helaine, Stef nor I agree on which movie we should see.

OK. You’re caught up. The story continues…

Stef called this afternoon. Did I still want to see “Saving Mr. Banks,” with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson?

I knew I wanted to see this movie as soon as I watched the trailer. Hanks. Disney. Nostalgia. Hooked!

Stef wanted Helaine and me go. Goodness of her heart? Not tonight. Going removes one choice for Christmas.

“Mr. Banks” opens ‘wide’ next week, but Orange, CA (not far) is among the “selected cities” showing it now. Normally a 25 minute trip, Google suggested a back way which would take 28 minutes. The usual route, 45!

Christmas shopping I suppose. That and Kanye West playing at the Honda Center in Anaheim, under a mile from the theater.

We occupied Doppler with a treat and snuck out through the garage. By the time we were on our way, Google had changed its preferred route. We were still skipping the major roads. Still saving time.

The parking lot was jammed. I dropped Helaine at the box office and looked for an open space.

She was first in line when I caught up with her, but the news wasn’t good. “It’s not playing here,” she said.

Stef and then her father had searched correctly for the movie, but didn’t look closely enough at the result. When the movie wasn’t available tonight, Fandango just offered up the next showtime: December 20! The date was on the page, but I was expecting tonight’s movies, Fandango.

We ended up at Costco.

7 thoughts on “The Movie We Didn’t See Tonight”

  1. I expect that those choices on Christmas Day is because that is the only thing available in town (CT)
    I worked for a group of pediatricians in Orange, back in the mid 1970’s and our Jewish doc always complained that there were no ‘normal’ food restauraunts open on that day. I don’t remember any Chinese restauraunts even operating, at that time, on the post road. I think one had to go over to Chapel St in New Haven to find a couple. And good children’s movies were usually in the theaters at that time.
    I will say, that the one thing that I have missed over the years(since Main St stores closed up because everyone went to the “Mall”)–are the good Jewish owned and operated clothing and hardware stores—we did most of our Christmas shopping there–and they closed early on Saturdays, but were open with the rest of main street, on Friday nights. No ONE

  2. I got kicked off the above–NO STORES WERE OPEN ON SUNDAYS-OR HOLIDAYS. We could be a family!
    Have a peaceful, family together, Christmas, Geoff.

  3. I’m not Jewish but we always ran into the problem of eating out on Christmas Eve! Family party would be done already or going to happen the next day and we didn’t want to cook or clean. We’d have pizza if we wanted to pick it up at 4pm!
    Now some friends have an open house and we usually end up there.

  4. Having been on the road on Christmas Day, the only place I’ve found to eat was at Denny’s. If you go to Las Vegas, the casinos and hotels are empty, along with the restaurants.

  5. That’s so funny, all these years I’ve heard trailers for movies opening on Christmas day. I always wondered who was going on Christmas day! (I’d like to think I was smart enough to figure that one out, but apparently I’m not.)

    Traditionally, after the Christmas Eve service, my friends and I would always go to the Chinese restaurant in town because it was the only place open. Funny, I haven’t thought of that in years. Thanks, Geoff.

  6. I always admired Walt Disney. I hope Tom Hanks does him justice. I hope to enjoy it. I remember watching the wonderful world of Disney on Sundays in black and white. He was quite the man. I miss him like a family member. I think we need another Disney.

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