The top ten countdown continues. It really is even hard to just narrow it down to ten memorable movies. I am only talking of movie theater/opening day/opening night-experiences. For the record ,I would say that when Star Wars Episodes 4,5 and 6 all with remastered sound in the 90’s, was the most hyped up I have ever seen people. Following that was Titanic in 1997. By far those were epic in emotion and looking back now they still stand out. This is why the new Star Wars will cause the earth to spin twice in one day. Who cares if its Disney, its gonna be worshiped.

To continue 6-10 in the countdown..

#6 Superman Returns And Batman Begins( Summer 2005 and 2006)

2004 marked my first year in Kansas City and my first movie experience in any Kansas City theater was when Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins was released. My good and long time east coast friend Gregory James broke it down for me. What I mean is he read the comic and I did not. And who could resist the scene when Bruce Wayne’s dad rolls down into the water well and says to Bruce, “Don’t be afraid!” Batman takes his darkness, takes his fears and builds a new life as a superhero.

Superman Returns

From October 2005 to October 2006 I worked at the Palazzo theater on 135th street in Overland Park, Kansas. Pretty much the Orange County of Kansas. Again, greg and I took the late show(which after I worked all night til 6am). Bryan Singer( who is a Christian) seemed to really tie in some theological meaning. Really, I was mostly in awe of the last 30 to 40 minutes. Superman appears to die when the kryptonite interacts to close to him. He falls from the sky and crashes to the earth. He gets up and the white line hospital bed sheets are neatly folded as if he was never there. Not reading to much into it, but in terms of the emotion of the moment I was gripped with awe at that. But even more so, when Superman then visits his son( apparently Lois Lane and Superman had a super-baby) he says, “And the son becomes the father, and the father becomes the son.” Classic. Superman still does play off that God-Man thing. Where he is like a deity just enclosed and covered up in flesh.

Movie #5 The Dark Knight( July 2008)

I wrote a post a couple years ago called ‘My Dark Knight’ and by far this movie really should be #1 in terms of absolute movie theater mania. However, I said in that post and will say again, that this film was incredibly twisted and deceptive. I think what really threw me off was the fact that I was with all my IHOP-KC friends. It was my summer after graduating from IHOPU and my first summer working with David Sliker and Brent Steeno at Awakening Teen Camp. (as I have not yet detailed in this blog yet) but I had my own mental set of issues and struggles that had occurred October of 2007. During my last year of school while I was on the Night watch. While I was recovering from severe panic attacks and lots of sleepless night Heath Ledger passed away January 2008. And it was almost as if myself and Heath were battling the same thing, except his ended in severe tragedy. What struck me the most  was watching people dress up like the Joker, as if his complexities and insanity were to be worshiped. It was if the darkness of the role created more curiosity in all of us. I am not condemning anyone, however, I can never see this movie again and by far it was the most pumped up I have ever seen people.

Movie #5 Summer 2009 Disappointments

Just gonna say Terminator Salvation mega made me dislike everything I had loved, especially my devotion to the very short lived 2 seasons of the Sarah Connor Chronicles on Fox. Sorry McG, you did not deliver..

I was also mega let down by X-Men Wolverine Origins..which they have been better since then but my midnight hype was very disappointing. I just remember staying up even later then that to watch Robert Duvall in Tender Mercies, which happened to be my netflix in the mail movie that deserves a whole post on how that movie is awesome.

Movie #4 Inception(Summer 2010)

The highlight of this summer was ATC at its best and the Awakening at IHOPU..but in terms of slipping out to see a summer film Inception delivered on multiple levels. It was a 10 year process in writing for Christopher Nolan. If you have the idea, don’t give up on it!.

Movie #3 Super 8(Summer 2011)

Goonies meet the Explorers meets something very original and striking..all through that J.M. Barrie kind of thing where its all throug the lens of kids..genius..much love to J.J. Abrams, please don’t bomb on the new Star Wars!

Movie #2 Avengers and Dark Knight Rises(Summer 2012)

You don’t really have to explain these films..the magic and the awe of both of them made them some high contenders and probably the most lucrative of films. The only other film that seemed to generate more buzz in 2012 was The Hunger Games..and you all know how that has turned out. Avengers was one of the most memorable midnight viewing that I can remember.

Most Recent and perhaps the most memorable at #1: Silver Linings Playbook( January 2013)

Let’s be clear here. I really should write an entire post on this film and I recently just bought the Mathew Quick novel, which seems to be even better than this film. My bias toward loving this movie so much is my own battle with bipolar diagnosis and anxiety and sleeplessness as well as deep depression. Shame and guilt plague the some 25 percent of adults that will run into a mental battle. Going to the hospital, seeing doctors, doing therapy and going to support groups for your unseen illness all can bear unnecessary stigma. This movie also touches on the generational gaps that can take place between our dads of the baby boomer generation and how they relate to us now. It does ring true that sometimes uniting around football is the only way dad’s can relate to their kids..to much to tell, but so worth seeing..