One of the things I have learned over the years is the word “family” can be defined in many different ways. I have the fantastic people I am related to, and I also have friendships I have collected over the years that transcend the boundaries of causal. One of the ways those boundaries fade is over the shared experience of watching and enjoying a film together. Another way is going out to dinner and talking. Movies and food, food and movies. It’s no wonder when we see friends and families gather around the table in a film we feel a tug of the familiar.
I love watching scenes around a dinner table as they often feel the most authentic. You can’t really phone in a character when you are chowing down on mashed potatoes!
Watching dinner scenes reminds us that the beauty of friends and family is in the every day. Pass the dinner rolls!
That time nobody would listen to you at the table.
That time a dance party unexpectedly happened.
That time you said grace... for the first time.
That time the WRONG dishes were put out when company came over.
That time you made your mama SO proud!
That time you realized you were playing with your food too long.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
That time eating with family was SUCH a challenge.
That time when the turkey just wasn’t right.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
That time we all laughed. And laughed. And laughed.
The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps
That time a family member revealed just how much she liked the meal.
That time when just sitting down was awkward.
That time when a guest came to dinner.
That time when you made a pretty big mess.
That time when you realized how much love was around the table.
Dresden Shumaker is a writer, advocate and appreciator of (butterless) movie popcorn. She chronicles her adventures in single parenting on CreatingMotherhood.
