Even a bad movie feels good if you watch it at the drive-in

Whenever I get stuck watching a bad flick in some theater, I always turn ON my cell phone.

Not just because I don't wear a watch and I need to check the time every, what, three minutes, to see how much more I have to endure.

I'm also hoping for a call from someone, anyone, even a wrong number. I figure if it rings, the guy in front of me will actually thank me for distracting him from a bummer of a flick.

Well, last week I had the good fortune to see a bummer flick at the Memphis Drive-In.

It was "Beerfest" -- not totally bad, but not good either. This time, I could just get out of the car and walk around under the stars and around the drive-in, which has been open for more than 50 years.

What a hoot. The refreshment stand looks like something from the 1950s. The prices date to the 1970s: a big popcorn fetches $2.75. And the vibe is something you never find in a multiplex, unless you crash your car into the thing.

Too bad the Memphis Drive-In might not be around for long.

It's in the process of being sold. No word on what the buyer would do with the place -- though it's unlikely it would remain a drive-in, given their plight. Ninety percent of the drive-ins opened in the 1950s have closed across the United States.

Ohio, with 34, is tied with Pennsylvania for having the most in the country, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association.

Anyway, the Memphis will still show flicks through the fall. So why not check it out?

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