Real Life Influences My Movie Choices

I watched Adventureland a little while ago, mostly because I, like the main character, worked at a local theme park for a few summers. I bumped it up in my queue once I learned Bill Hader was in it, and it actually came a month ago, but I just hadn't gotten around to watching it. I nearly gave up on it a half hour in, though. I had a hard time getting into it, since it was really more of a dramedy, and I was expecting it to be more like my own experiences working at a theme park. Maybe if James had gotten to work in Rides like he wanted, things would have turned out differently. I mention this since I was a ride operator (and there was even a Music Express where I worked, although I never got to run it. And now it's not there any more).

Similarly, I recently watched Reservation Road, purely because part of it was filmed at the theme park where I worked. Otherwise, it would have never gotten anywhere near my queue, as it tells the story of a hit-and-run incident and the effects on the family of the victim (a little boy) and also on the perpetrator (who, ironically, is hired as a lawyer by the father of the victim). The park is in the film for less than a minute, three quick scenes most of the way into the movie, although the trailer for the movie showed the characters riding the Music Express incorrectly. Still, seeing the park in a film gave me a little thrill, even if the movie itself wasn't my cup of tea. Not that it was a bad movie, but as I said, drama and tragedy just isn't my thing. I was, however, amused to learn that Jennifer Connelly, who played the mother of the victim, was Sarah in Labyrinth back in the day.