At The Movies

The salted, butter drenched, artery clogging, heart attack inducing popcorn cost almost twice the amount of Greg's ticket but this is a special occasion, a once in a lifetime chance to see his favourite film digitally remastered on a top of the line screen in a plush rocking chair seat complete with a talkback, no less. This is akin to any other monumental life changing event like marriage or death. At least in Greg's world. Movies are the most important thing in Greg's life, next to sleep. Or bananas. Movies shape Greg's entire being. Not the most socially well adjusted of children, Greg escaped into the land of imagination though movies. Only child, broken home, mom remarried an asshole, dad dated and disappeared, blah blah blah. Greg found solace in matinees and vhs tapes. Seventies icons, '80's teen angst, old school classics. Fellini, Peckinpah, Coppola, you name it, Greg's seen it and can recite by rote. He started writing for his high school paper, created the film society and carried it into college. Need a review? Just ask Greg. That was the name of his column in the local free weekly alternative. He has fans and detractors but is generally well respected. Hell, no one has near the depth of knowledge Greg has. When your job is blogging and writing about movies, you spend most of your time watching movies. Hence why he was single and uncomfortable discoursing anything outside the world of cinema. If he finds himself in a social situation and is asked about his personal life, or thoughts on ideologies, politics, the enivironment, Greg filters his response though his film knowledge. Refers to a certain script or shot or score. Makes for very limited discourse outside of the clique of fellow film fanatics. Greg settles into his favourite seat, tenth row back, third seat from the aisle, house left. Sometimes he gets lonely. He thinks about the life he'd like to have, dreams about a girlfriend, a dog, maybe two. Then he turns on The Conversation or Hannah and Her Sisters, Casablanca or The Great Escape. The opening credits roll, the first frames flicker and he is whole again, sated, full. 

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