Happy Feet

During a recent visit to my mom's house, I was excited when I read that her local movie theater was showing a matinee of Happy Feet 2 because Robby has been chomping at the bit to go see the movie. Unfortunately, movies are expensive. It typically costs at least $30 for the two of us to see a matinee, making it cost prohibitive for our family. The small theater near my Mom specializes in second run movies, and tickets are sold at the budget friendly price of $2.50! He was delighted when I surprised him with an afternoon movie date.

Memories flooded me when I entered the small theater. I used to see movies there when I was Robby's age. Although it has been refurbished since I was a child, it looked the same as I remembered. Sitting next to Robby felt oddly surreal, almost as if my life has gone full circle.

The theater showed a Tweety Bird short film before the feature movie, but Robby was not amused by the cartoon. He became agitated that Sylvester the Cat was being beaten up, run over, and hit in the head with hammers by a little yellow bird. He ended up closing his eyes and, when the show was finally over, sighed and said, "I don't want to see that again. Thank goodness that's over!"

Robby was, however, utterly delighted by Happy Feet 2. He gleefully rooted for the little penguins, cheering and stomping as they danced on the snow. The film quickly became an interactive event with the audience stomping and dancing along with the penguins and seals.

In the final scene of the movie, the penguins, seals, and other arctic friends had to dance to loosen up an iceberg to free the stranded penguins. Robby along with the other young audience took this task seriously. The theater was filled with the sounds of stomping feet and clapping hands. (I admit that I was also dancing along, hoping to free the penguins.)

For few tense moments following the crashing iceberg, the theater became quiet. We didn't know if the stranded penguins survived the crashing ice. Once the snow settled, the penguins were revealed, alive and free. Robby instantly threw his arms in the air as if he had just made a touch down and screamed, at the top of his lungs, "Hallelujah, they're free!"

The adults in the audience began to chuckle at Robby's enthusiastic outburst. Considering that we are not devout in our church attendance, I have to admit I was certainly surprised by his word choice. He is nothing if not spirited!