Sean Guard discusses the all-important question for a perfect first date… to movie or not to movie?
Going on a date? More specifically a first date? What should you do? Where should you take her? Food is always a good idea. Feeding your date has got to be the number 1 thing to gain some kind of positive cool points with her. With her stomach full, she just might forget the fact that you don’t drive a Mercedes. Oh, and to those guys reading who actually own a Mercedes, news flash: she’s only paying attention to you for your car. Ladies, where would you like to be taken on a date? What would you like to do? What do you like eat? All great questions. Yes, fantastic questions. But with plenty of different answers.
Unfortunately for those of us on an actual budget, those different answers can mean many different price ranges for that evening. Yes Nicki Minaj, I look at the price tag. But although the cost of a date may be important on a certain level, a more important aspect is the actual date. What to do while you spend time trying to get to know someone? Being a gi-normous lover of film, quite frankly I can probably go to the theater every day if I could (again, my budget does not permit this, movie prices are not going down any time soon). Whereas whomever I deem lucky enough to allow to hang out with me for an evening may not embrace my same desire. One that lets me sit in a dark theater and either thoroughly enjoy or ridicule a film that Hollywood or an independent filmmaker has placed on the screen in front of me. So what to do?
I referred to one reason of rejecting the idea of taking a date to the movies the first time you go out. That reason being that you are trying to get to know more about this person. Thus, you have to talk to them. Yeah something I’m not quite big on but learning things about someone new is always fun, if they don’t turn out to be a psycho, and vice versa. Two people can’t do that in a theater with a movie running. I for one who am a self-acclaimed movie connoisseur especially don’t like exchanging parts of a conversation during a film. Perhaps if you’re at home on the couch and it’s just you, her or some friends. That’s acceptable, you can complain or praise whatever it is that you may be watching in the privacy of your home. Fellow high-paying movie patrons accompanying you in the cinema may not appreciate the fact that you chose their “movie-time” to find out what your date’s favorite color is. You might receive a nice, or not so nice, visit from those guys with the flashlights.
So perhaps you do the movie thing first and then take her to dinner. That way you can compare notes about the film over your meal. Fantastic idea, but then what do you after you eat? You could take a walk… or a drive… or a walk and then a drive. Maybe just take her back home because unless you are super debonair like myself, she probably won’t want to go back to your place. Hey, you could try telling her that you guys could just… watch a movie. No? Oh well, maybe next time.
Let’s say the two of you do go to that movie on the first date. What kind of movie should it be? Should you be the gentleman and let her choose? Depending on the female, you might find yourself sitting through something that either has Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattison or both in it. Think you’re date is much too old to want to go see something like that? You might be in for quite a surprise. I’ve had grown women come up to me feeling guilty about their fantasizing about those two. Bright side is the constant viewing of half naked young boys might get her pretty excited then you get to skip dinner altogether and instead find yourself eating the next morning, in bed.
Could it be a comedy? Sure, but then again that depends on the females taste in comedy. I for one hold high the sub-genre of “stupid comedy” ala Jim Carrey, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson kinds of flicks. Those types of films may be beneath her maturity level. Perhaps it could the other way around. Maybe you go see a thriller/suspense or a mystery. Then you really might have something to discuss afterwards. Of course there is the ever classic scary movie. Though many females of this modern age rather covet horror films and sadly won’t be jumping into your lap every time the killer bursts through a door.
So to movie or not to movie? I say feel your impending date partner out and let the answer come to you or sometimes even her. It is 2011. There’s nothing wrong with letting the woman think of something to do. Now having her pay for this date, that’s a much touchier subject that I will choose not to go for right now. Speaking of touching, another benefit of taking her to the movies is using it as an excuse to cuddle. I know, I know, all guys aren’t very keen on cuddling but it isn’t really that bad. Especially if you two are cuddle compatible.
Any and all comments, concerns, suggestions and especially opinions are welcome to this very important topic of discussion. Sure there’s been an earthquake in Haiti, an oil spill in the Gulf, a bomb threat in New York and all sorts of awful things that have happened this past year. But that doesn’t mean we can’t speak about other things that don’t involve the serious injury of people. Well hopefully it doesn’t; you might wind up making the wrong choice and have your date stab you with her fork. Happy first-dating!
P.S. If you do go to the cinema, especially during the summer, bring a sweater…for her. Theaters have no regard for human limitations to the arctic cold. You’ll definitely earn cool points. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.
Sean Guard
Follow me on Twitter @SilentScribbler
Originally published February 20, 2011. Updated April 10, 2018.
