30 Years Ago, My Dad Took Me To See Apollo 13 Instead Of Power Rangers. I Was Pissed Then, But Now I'm Grateful

Back in the summer of 1995, a friend asked if I wanted to see Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie with him and his mom. I immediately ran home to run it by my parents, but was dismayed when my dad said “No,” and informed me that he had already bought tickets for some movie called Apollo 13 (both opened the same weekend). I was obviously upset about it and was having a serious case of “FOMO” because I was the only kid missing the Power Rangers’ big-screen debut.

However, over the years, I’ve come to the realization that my dad made the right decision and that I should be grateful for him taking me to see one of the best ‘90s movies and a Tom Hanks performance I still think about 30 years later. Let me explain…

As A 7-Year-Old Obsessed With Power Rangers, I Felt Justified In My Anger

I was a 7-year-old at this time, and just like pretty much every other kid my age, I was obsessed with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I had the toys, the shirts, the bedroom set, and even that terrible game on the Sega Game Gear, so it’s safe to say my fandom was at its peak. When my dad said no, I felt justified in my anger; even more so when we walked into the AMC at Mall St. Vincent and saw a massive Power Rangers display and dozens of kids getting pumped up to see Angel Grove on a massive screen.

Remember that scene in Blank Check where Preston watches all his friends ride a rollercoaster while he settles for a less-flashy ride? Well, that was me in the theater that Sunday afternoon.

But, As Is Typically The Case, My Dad Made The Right Decision

Here’s the thing – my dad made the right decision that day by taking me to see Apollo 13 instead of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. As has been the case my entire life, with only a few exceptions, my dad was right, and the movie rocked my world. Who would have thought a father of three in his mid-30s would know more about movies than a 7-year-old, and knew that Ron Howard’s chronicle of one of the most thrilling survival stories in United States history would be better than anything the Power Rangers were up to.

I Didn't Fully Understand It At The Time, But This Helped Set Me On The Path To Where I Am Today

Though I totally didn’t understand all the finer points of Apollo 13 until revisiting it later on, my dad’s decision to take me to see a movie that should have won Best Picture helped set me on the path to where I am today. Thirty years later, I get paid to write about movies, I spend way too much time reading about the various space programs, and I’m still obsessed with Tom Hanks' films.

There’s a good chance I would have eventually ended up here if my dad hadn’t taken me to see one of the best space movies of all time, but I like to think we were at the right place at the right time.

I’m forever grateful for my dad taking me to see Apollo 13 all those years ago. In case you were wondering, I did eventually see Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie and I’m glad I waited to rent it from Blockbuster instead.