Please Pass the Popcorn

We actually went to a movie this week.
We talk about going to a movie fairly often. We discuss the movies we'd like to see, and when we might go. We talk about the price of popcorn and the pleasures of a plush seat in a dark corner of the theater. We promise ourselves that we're going to go see a movie -- soon.
But this week we actually did it. We went to see Secretariat.
It was worth the wait.
If you like horses, or underdogs, this is your movie. You might be familiar with the story, but that's not quite the same as seeing a version of it play out on-screen.
For one thing, the cinematography is lovely -- one of my favorite scenes (besides the horse scenes, or the race scenes, or the 1960s scenes) is the one of Kentucky Derby Day and the ladies' hats. It's not a perspective you see often, and it was wonderful! But there are so many lovely scenes in this movie, so many exciting, edge-of-the-seat-even-though-you-know-how-it-turns-out scenes, that you might miss it.
The characters are appealing, and the acting is great -- Diane Lane and John Malkovich are fun to watch. And the beginning of the movie moved my heart; I'm not sure I've ever seen a better opening scene.
This is one of those movies we all say we wish they'd make -- great story, good acting, no profanity, sex, or violence -- and if we want moviemakers to make more of this kind of movie, we need to support them when they do.
So, if you're looking for a good movie for the whole family, go see Secretariat.
And please, have some popcorn for me.