Didn't know this thread existed. Thank you, Kirsten, for finding it.
My all time favorite is "Schindler's List". Its national (US) opening was in February 4, 1994. Since then I maybe seen it five or six times. It's too powerful to watch over and over again. It should be pulled off the shelf once in a while, like a fine brandy, and savored.
I almost didn't go that night. I was working in a warehouse that handled costume jewelry, and it was close to Easter, so we were busy slinging around 50 to 100 lbs boxes around for 10 hours a day. We expected to work late Friday, and maybe come in Saturday morning, but by noon on Friday we were told what a good job we did, you can leave at 4:30 as usual, see you all back here on Monday.
When I got home I was exhausted. All I wanted was supper, a six pack and some downtime. My sister informed me that she and our mother were going to a movie. "What movie?", I asked.
"Schindler's List", my sister replied. "It's about a German who saved a lot of Jews from the Holocaust".
"Okay, have a good time", as I grabbed the TV guide.
"Don't you want to see it, too? It's directed by Steven Spielberg".
"Who the hell is Steven Spielberg?" I said, shrugging my shoulders. I never paid any attention to the goings on in Hollywood.
My sister looked at me incredulously. "He directed ET, you liked that".
After a few minutes with the TV guide I saw there was nothing to keep me home, so yes, I'll go.
When we arrived at the theater I was surprised to see it was packed. We had to split up, they went to the front of theater, seats which they hated. I saw an empty seat right on the aisle and asked if it was taken. The people there looked me up and down and said no. I think the "no" was due to the fact that I may be only 5'7", but I weighed over 325 lbs back then. Not all of it was fat, given the work I did. My full, thick beard and leather jacket only heightened the effect.
So I'm watching this movie and after 45 minutes I was crying. The little elderly lady next to me kept giving me tissues and napkins from a seemingly endless supply from her purse. I made it a point to stop the tears long enough to thank her when she handed me some.
What really made that night, and movie special was when it ended. Usually when the credits start rolling everyone gets up and starts talking. If it was a good movie we might even applaud. Not this time. The credits were rolling, but no one had the strength to get up. I wasn't alone. The whole theater was in tears. It was that shared experience that really got to me.
