Movies in my City -- 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - Movies

Going to the movies used to a hobby, until genealogy came along. When I began dating my husband, we went every week, the price was right, we had three drive-ins and three theaters to choose from, but now they are all gone.  A new one opened, and I was there opening day, to see Titanic. We often go to old theaters in Lexington, Waltham and several new ones in Boston.

I'm not going to list all my favorites, but I am partial to musicals, good drama, foreign films, especially Chinese. That might sound a little unusual, but I got hooked on them about five years ago. When I worked in Washington, DC, I saw quite a few movies being shot, including one in the building were I worked, the DAR. The movie was, The Distinguished Gentlemen staring Eddie Murphy. (They used the Connecticut Board Room to play the part of a White House room.) I saw Eddie just feet away and that was pretty thrilling.


The other day, I read that actor Kevin James will be staring in a movie called, Here Comes the Boom, to be partially filmed in Lowell, MA. It is the third movie to be filmed in my city since 2008. "James will play a physics teacher," "Filmmakers and actors love Lowell because the city has been really good to them," "Lowell is also a metropolitan city that's both lovely and gritty. It has a lot to offer because no other place really looks like it." Well, I don't know about the lovely, but it sure has grit. When I saw that there was going to be a casting call for the movie, I went to take a photo.

Open Casting call for "Here Comes the Boom" March 20, 2011, Lowell, MA
See copy of application below.

Some of you might have seen the recent movie, the Academy Award nominee, The Fighter, which was filmed in Lowell...there was plenty of grit in it. When that was shot, there was a lot of excitement for the locals, because the actors were here a very long time and in various parts of the city. Our paper did a good job of letting us know where and when, because streets had to be closed off. Color me lucky on the day I happened to watch some filming with Mark Wahlberg. I wasn't that close, but I could see him, and only an actor would wear a long-sleeved shirt and vest on a 90 degree humid June morning. My husband and I saw the movie on opening day, which opened a week before it went nation-wide. It is still playing in the city, even though it is on DVD. A tidbit, our former mayor, and other well known city folk were cast as extras...I guess it made their day.


Prior to that movie, British comedian and director, Ricky Gervais filmed most of his movie, The Invention of Lying here. Stars were, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and my favorite, Rob Lowe. Again, I was there. As I checked out things from my car, I saw and heard Ricky on the sidewalk, with his megaphone, yell. " cut." (Apparently, they wanted moving cars in the shot and I didn't know that.) My window was down, and when I saw Ricky, he was just five feet away. Of course, I said, "hi" and he to me! Talk about intelligent. We saw it opening day as well. I never saw Rob in person though, never saw my car in the movie.

Form was handed to everybody to fill out.

The above post was written for the prompt, 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History -- Movies. The challenge is Movies, "

Did (or do you still) see many movies? Describe your favorites. Where did you see these films? Is the theater still there, or is there something else in its place?