By Laura Hipshire
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

There’s something about popcorn that’s hard to resist—the one-of-a-kind buttery aroma is intoxicating, while the sounds of “pop pop pop” are music to your ears. Combine freshly popped popcorn with a great movie, and you have a match made in heaven.

It just so happens that October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, a time to honor America’s favorite magical, munchable maize. October is chosen because it marks the triumphant end to the labor of the spring and summer months. As farmers head into the fields to gather the crops, families and friends gather to celebrate this beloved snack food.

Whether it’s made sweet, savory, salty, or plain, Americans will consume 16 billion quarts this year.

Movie buffs enjoy new films
Twice a week, residents at Henry Ford Village in Dearborn enjoy hot, fresh popcorn made from an old-fashioned popcorn maker, along with a recently released movie shown on their own big screen.

Betty Lloyd, who moved from Detroit, has been coordinating the events for more than two years.

“I cut out all the reviews from newspapers and put them in a file,” Lloyd says. “I try to do a balance of serious and funny films.” She picks up the movies from a local Blockbuster store.

Fellow committee member Roberta Williams researches the films on the  Internet for information on content and language.

“We try to get movies as soon as they come out,” Lloyd says. The movies attract anywhere from 40 to 90 residents on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons.

Featured films cover all genres
Last week, moviegoers saw Into the Wild, an adventure drama with Sean  Penn. This week they watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, a romantic comedy starring Amy Adams and Frances McDormand.

“We have our regulars who come all the time,” Lloyd says. Typically Lloyd tells the crowd a short joke before the film starts. Sometimes Williams follows, giving a short description of the movie to the audience.