DaytonDailyNews.com

Who doesn't enjoy a movie on the big screen? Warm, buttery popcorn, a tall soda to wash it down, high-definition sound and a break from reality.

However, since two little men came into my life almost five years ago, I can count the number of times I have been to the movie theater on one hand.

But, I'm not worried. I don't think I have missed too much.

I wouldn't consider myself exactly a "prude," having been through the college era of "American Pie" movies and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, but scrolling through the movie listings these days leaves me aghast.

I just don't foresee in my future, planning an evening out to see "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" or "Saw V," let alone bothering to rent them later.

No thank you.

Blood and guts keep me up at night, and tasteless attempts at comedy tend to leave me scoffing at the screen, eyes wide open and jaw hanging agape.

"Can you say that in a PG-13 flick?"

My, how times have changed. When I was a child, I can't say I was ever permitted to see a movie where "four-letter words" were considered a part of daily conversation.

Lately I am finding my tastes have changed in movie preferences.

Give me an animated kid-flick any day, and I know I'm not the only parent who enjoys them as much as, if not more than, the tykes do.

"Almost all animated features are attended by adults with children," said Mandy Chakeres of Chakeres Theaters. "However, there are a few adult 'animation buffs' in our audience who come regardless of subject matter just as long as the film is an animated feature."

Uh-huh, you know who you are.

Case and point, at least for the Springfield area: "Ratatouille," the animated movie about a rat from Paris who could cook.

"We had a number of culinary students from CTC who came on opening day and then came back to see it again," said Chakeres.

Our first attempt at introducing our boys to the movie theater experience was, to say the least, a challenge.

We picked a child-friendly flick, purchased refreshments and found the perfect seats.

About 20 minutes into "Kung Fu Panda" the excitement soon gave-way to chatty little voices followed by a series of "Ssshhh! Ssshhh!" from myself and Daddy as well as the other movie patrons who felt the need to help us out. (Yeah, those were my kids.)

One spilled soda, three dropped binkies and a popcorn stomach ache later, we decided maybe they were a hair too young for the theater.

Now, in the confines of our home with the cold, dark evenings setting in, we have been forced to watch "Kung Fu Panda" at least 97 more times.

Daddy and I are ready to kung-fu ourselves in the head and the boys into the yard, despite the chilly temps.

Regardless, all of us are stoked to watch the next litany of fun-filled kid movies to be released.

In the meantime, we can be found curled up on the couch with Po, Lightening McQueen, Nemo, Babe and all of the Ninja Turtles.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0356 or dmjordan@coxohio.com.