Call it my own gullibility or agree with me that there is something in the water causing speedy and advanced development in the youth of today.  This is my story of survival for two nanny-nappings within a two week period.  Perhaps it was my own fault.  When I was asked how late I could stay, I didn’t think anything of it! It seemed like a normal question and raised no red flags. When I arrived at the normal house of kids, I was greeted with, “Surprise! You’re being kidnapped & taken to the movies!” At that point, I should have raised my guard. But the promise of a Godiva milkshake, popcorn and a giant water all to myself was far too entrancing. If only I had taken a moment to ask, “Hey, what are we going to see?”, things may have turned out differently.

First things first: Godiva. Chocolaty bliss. At the local mall, the Godiva store has their very own happy hour and six flavor choices. This time, I opted for the Oreo shake with whipped cream and it was no disappointment! Strategically, if your local Godiva store is in close proximity to your local movie house, consider a bag (or purse) large enough to smuggle your drink into the theatre so as to avoid the dreaded brain freeze. They even have samples for wandering fingers…

Sandwiched between two mini-humans, I was then guided up to the movie house and after a short Fandango interaction (machine, not the dance), this is where the realization kicked in: I was about to disappear from reality for three hours to watch Pacific Rim. As much as I love Guillermo del Toro, this was not high on my must-see list. And there I sat, in my reserved IMAX 3D seat, anchored on either side.

I must say, I ended up enjoying the movie more than I thought I would! The modern Japanese monster film was a good popcorn flick and aside from less than Oscar worthy performances, had a strong story, plenty of action and a few good laugh out loud moments. It was a fun change for me!

You would think I would have learned my lesson the first time. The following week, I was tricked into my own disappearance, yet again! I was asked to meet them at a certain place, at a certain time and given an address. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this address was the very same movie house that we had visited before and I found myself, yet again, the victim of a nanny-napping!

Things were a little different this time…The Wolverine was on the books and seeing those mutants in 3D was nothing I was going to complain about! Again provided with popcorn & water, I seemed an almost willing victim.

I quite enjoyed this installment of the X-Men saga, despite its predictability. The film takes place six months after X-Men: The Last Stand and delves into the psyche of Wolverine, having just experienced another tragedy surrounding Jean Grey. Wolverine experiences trial by fire as he is given a glimpse of what it might be like to be a mortal man. Through a series of selfless acts, dreamscapes, an astonishing high speed train action sequence and noir filters, Wolverine finds his true identity.

PS: Few people I know have the interest and the patience to stay through the end credits of films. Make sure you at least try to stay for these…and it doesn’t take long and you will be rewarded!