Tell me a story

“Time is a face on the water.”
– Stephen King, The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

Writing these monthly MoviePass recaps is making me realize just how quickly time sails by. It feels like just a couple of weeks ago I was googling random facts about August to dazzle you guys, and now I’m already a week and some days into September. I was about to ask myself how that happened, but I already know. August was a busy month for me. I spent a beautiful, eye-opening week in Puerto Rico and another crazy fun week devoted to watching, practicing for and performing in the Washington Improv Theater’s Improvapalooza. Now I know what you must be asking yourself. Did I see any movies in a Puerto Rican movie theater? First, that’s a good question. Second, no. Steph and I did go to a theater, but I got the movie times wrong when I googled them. So it goes. At least we have an excuse to go back to Puerto Rico. (As if we needed one.)

The Caribbean Cinemas Fine Arts Cinema Cafe at Popular Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico

But all that was August. Now it’s September (formerly the seventh month of the ten month year, hence September), and all the kids are back in school, everyone at work has returned from their vacations, old TV shows will soon return to the air, and new shows will soon premiere. Ron Bennington of the Ron and Fez show on Sirius XM has often stated that September has always felt like the real start of the new year, and I would agree. For much of my life September is when I would reunite with friends and make new ones. It’s when I would change my skin with a new wardrobe. And of course I’d get myself a whole new set of office supplies. To me, a day spent in Staples for me is like being a kid in a candy/video game/puppy store on Free Soda Samples Day. Seriously. So if September is more of a natural New Year, maybe it would be rather timely to make a resolution, and lucky, me I’ve already got one in mind.

My resolution is to be more in the moment. My life is moving at a more rapid pace than it ever has in the past. Between my day job, my social life, my hobbies and my biological need to sleep at least once a day, I often feel like I don’t have enough time. I’m always either drafting tomorrow’s schedule or lamenting over how little I accomplished today. I’m so rarely in the right now, and I don’t like that. It’s like what Ferris Bueller says, “Life—” Well why don’t I just let him speak for himself

In August I saw Crystal Fairy, The Wolverine, You’re Next, Blue Jasmine, In a World, and The Spectacular Now. (Click the links to read my reviews.) You’re Next was an advanced screening, and I saw Crystal Fairy at the West End Theater in DC (on one of the tiniest movie screens ever) thanks to an expiring LivingSocial deal.  The West End is a great little theater that specializes in independent films. I got to observe a Q&A with Shane Carruth at the West End Theater when he was touring his Upstream Color movie earlier this year. I even got to shake his hand and then awkwardly mention the Ron and Fez show, on which he’d been a guest a couple weeks prior.

Shane Carruth at the West End Theater in Washington, DC

For Shane alone I love the West End, even if it does have some very small screens. Plus it’s just a welcome change of pace from the busy Regal theaters. Plus plus they use real butter on their popcorn.

Now was I able to afford that popcorn because of MoviePass? Let’s see a breakdown of the movies I saw using MoviePass and how much each costed.

(Click the above to see trailers)

So with MoviePass costing me only $30 a month, I saved $19 in August. Very awesome. I’m not even taking into account the fact that by using my Regal loyalty card I still earn points for every ticket I buy, meaning I’m still getting free popcorn and drinks and even free movie tickets. So three months into my yearlong membership, I’m finding this service very valuable. I’d easily recommend it to anyone who sees at last three movies a month and has access to theaters that take Discover cards.

That is all for now, my friends, until October (which, interesting enough, always starts on the same day of the week as January except on leap years).

August 2013 MoviePass Savings:

Total MoviePass Savings: