Movie Night.

I got home sooner than usual today because work let us out early for the holiday. With the extra time, I thought tonight would be a good night to sit down with the quadruplets and watch a good, old fashioned family movie. After searching Netflix Online I ended up deciding upon a can't miss... a classic.

Some of the more diligent readers may remember that we recently watched Jaws with the kids and had a blast. It was harmless and we made a game out of it. The kids actually had a fun time with it and so did Geana and I. Tonight on the other hand... was a different story...a Neverending Story. You'd think we were watching Silence of the Lambs. Let me walk you through the movie.

Like many people in their early 30's, I remember The Neverending Story from my childhood. I remember the song... "The Neverending Stoooohoryyyy.. da da daaa, da da daaaa, da da daaaaaa.." ...and I remember this guy...

I told the girls at the onset of the movie, without really remembering anything about the film, that there are princesses and princes and horses... and it isn't a cartoon - it's all in REAL LIFE! They perked up.

Ella: Wow - real horses? I'm gonna love it!
Anna: Me too!
James: Are there unicorns?

The were hooked. This was going to be the movie of the century - the best pick in years! (It's hard to get a movie that all four of them enjoy). Then... about a half an hour into the movie this happens:


Yup - that's the scene where the brave and beautiful horse gets sucked in to the swamp of sadness and promptly expires. No more horses or unicorns would make an appearance for the remainder of the movie. Crap.

Anna: Daddy - I don't know if I'm gonna like this movie. Are there anymore horses?
Me (having no idea): There has to be, honey. It's a fairy tale, don't worry about it. After all - it was the swamp of sadness. You're bound to lose a couple of animals in the swamp.
Robby: Yeah - like Bambi's Mom!
Me: Shut-up, Rob. There is a cute dog coming up soon. Just wait!

Unfortunately before the nice cuddly white flying dog could show up... we get this guy.


This made all four kids jump out of their seats and lay on my lap - I'm being pummeled here.

James: This dog isn't fun. He's mean.
Ella: Daddy - I don't like this movie.
Robby: It's like when Olde Yeller gets rabies!

I was about to turn the movie off when our friendly dog (The Luck Dragon) showed up and the kids just loved him. Whew! Were were out of the woods. They were re-engaged and watching quietly. Things were looking up.... And then we come to this scene:

James: Dad - I can see her boobs. They should put a shirt on that statue.
Me: I know, James.
Robby: Yeah - like in Roadhouse when...
Me: Shut-up, Rob.

Okay - I made that last one up but I couldn't resist.

We finished the movie up and the kids are now in bed - surely dreaming of evil dogs, dead horses, and boobs. But honestly - the ending of that movie stinks. The empress is sitting with Bastian (the kid who read the book) and hands him a grain of sand. She tells him that this is what is left of Fantasia. She instructs him to make wishes and it will come back? WTF? Lame. This movie will be one of those movies that will remain in my head as a wonderful movie from my childhood that was ruined by watching it as an adult.

Kinda like Roadhouse.