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"You haven't lived until you've seen James Bond singing S.O.S." -- my dad

He just called to arrange us seeing The Dark Knight this afternoon, and he raved about Mamma Mia. He's a big ABBA fan, so he wasn't going to miss it. He encouraged me to see it, and I said I might when it was on DVD, but I wasn't going to pay money to see it in the cinema.

She's rambling again!

I don't like going to the movies with anyone else. Or at least, my father is not my ideal movie-going companion, which is a lousy thing to say after coming home from the cinema and dinner, both of which he paid for.

When I see a film on the big screen, it usually has an impact on me. If I've chosen to haul my patookus to the cinema, it's a big enough film that I don't want to miss its full scale. I want the screen to fill my vision; I want the noise and the music and the flashes of light. I can't get that on my little 20-inch box at home. All this means that I am still trying to take everything in when I watch the credits and walk out of the building and drive home. I want to think about it. Try and find any symbolism and metaphor. Think about the actors' performances. Put the plot together. Mull over the costumes. I'm in another world for at least half an hour -- if not all evening -- after I walk out of the theater.

Dad wants to tell Amish jokes and discuss his accounting class before we're out of the theater.

( Spoilers for The Dark Knight: )

Once again, I go ga-ga over the ugly old guys. Oldman: blimey, he was HOT. (Something about the glasses, hair, and mustache ... wow.) Freeman: yes, please. Caine: so cute! Bale ... whatever. (Not just gorgeous women, apparently.) Though he does have that essential thing that all men playing Batman MUST have: great lips.

If you haven't seen The Dark Knight yet, run run run to the cinema. It is a film that should be seen on the big screen at least once. I'll be going at least one more time before it leaves the theaters.