Films - Ruining Movies One Shot at a Time
Submitted by Renee on Tue, 03/23/2010 - 12:29
It is difficult not to grimace when someone says they are going to go see a “film.” C’mon, it’s the movies. Not a film. What are you? Some kind of snobby cinema elitist (cinemalitist?)? Oh, it really gets under the skin. 'Til I took a film class, later became a film minor, and somehow became a “film” person.
After taking introduction to film, what seems like ages ago in high school, movies were ruined for me. I can vaguely recall a time when I would exit a theater thinking, “I loved that” and not have to back it up to myself with a dozen reasons why and whether the director meant to say that. No longer. But how did this happen? How did I become one of those annoying yuppies that cannot go see a plain old movie anymore?
The beginning started with the end for me: the end of happy endings. First lesson of a film class is that the ending is not the movie. We are such a happy ending fixated society! How many times have you walked out of a theater and said to yourself, or heard someone else say, “I loved that…except for the ending, what the cuss was that about?” Taking a film class might lead you crave an ending where all loose strings are left untied.
What comes later is the inability to be the person who picks the “movie” (cough Film) for movie night, because no matter what you do, everyone will hate it. If you have taken a film class, the average movie lover will soon loathe your newfound taste for mise en scene and graphic matches and just think you are a weirdo with too much time on your hands. Worse still, you will start to hate theirs. You will think, “I swear if I see one more rom-com intended as a star vehicle for Jennifer Aniston, I am going to rip my hair out.” You will learn to keep your opinions to yourself, or lose your friends.
The final question: is it worth it? If you consider yourself a movie fiend, will taking a film class squash your love for moving pictures? The answer is no. You will love movies even more as “films” than you ever have as movies, but the journey you will take, should you choose to accept it, will be a lonely one indeed. As long as you are the type that does not mind watching movies alone and realize that no on will care about waxing poetic on topics of motif.
On the other hand, if you are movie hater, I would highly recommend taking a film class. It could be the answer to the boring blockbuster flip book you have been subjected to all these years! Think of it like a PSA, “Tired of boring movies? Wish there was something new and interesting to think about? Have you been searching for the strong female lead with something to say? Then FILM, my friend, is the topic you have been searching for!”
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Exactly!
As someone with a degree in film and who has worked in film off and on, I can say that my uncommon knowledge of film has definitely affected my enjoyment of movies in a couple of ways.
1) I can not just like a movie "just because." I have to analyze the good and bad points. If a friend and I walk out of a movie and they ask me "did you like it?" I freeze up. I cannot answer that question! There is so much more to a movie than it being just "good" or" bad."
2) I t makes me feel bad when I enjoy a film I know is not technically "good." I feel more like I have to defend myself when I enjoy a silly, fun movie because I should "know better."
I wish I never "learned better"
Oh its the worst when someone says, "I just liked it." WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LIKED IT?! WHAT DID YOU LIKE?! But I cannot fly off the handle.
And I completely know what you mean about liking a movie just because. Unfortunately I have a sad affinity for the movie "Miracle" - the hockey movie. I can't explain it. I also love "You've Got Mail." Maybe sometimes someone's favorite movies are the ones that are not technically good but appeal to a greater, deeper part of the person. Or maybe I am reading too much into it. There are also movies that you have watched at specific times of your life and therefore have a meeting. Movies that were coupled with a first kiss, a bad date, a night with friends. All of these things...
Love films
I haven't taken a film class but I do know that I am a fan of independent films. I just can't stand the usual blockbuster movies with the same storyline, same character development, and pretty much the same message.. (or no message, even). And I totally understand what you mean by people hating your movie choices..A lot of people hate watching things that they do not immediately understand. But oh well, I love films enough to watch it alone.
"Oh That's Because You Go To A Women's College"
Above ^ is the comment I usually get. Like somehow because I don't want to watch a movie centered around a listless female who only grows a pair (figuratively haha) when a man comes around and turns her world upside down means that I am some kind of crazy feminist - women's college going nazi.
Maybe I just would like to watch a world on the screen that mimics what I think is changing around the real world...
There was a blog over at
There was a blog over at Feministing which mentioned the "Bechdel test" which I was unfamiliar with. Basically a movie passes the test if it meets the following requirement:
1) The film has at least two female characters
2) At some point, two female characters speak to each other
3) The two females speak about something other than a man
My husband and I spent the weekend going through our favorite movie lists to see which ones pass the test. It's really amazing how few movies pass this test and how absolutley ridiculous that is. I think this test could be a good retort to people who call you a femi-nazi. Is it really so much to ask that women have meaningful representations in film? Male characters can talk to each other about plenty of things, like the whole plot of the movie for instance, but if two female characters even happen to be in the same scene together and speak to each other, it's more than likely going to be a conversation about the male lead of the film. Ugh.
(Only one of my top three favorite movies passed, by the way. It was American remake of The Ring! Sorry Speed Racer and The Life Aquatic =/ )
Also, if you're interested,
Also, if you're interested, I just found this website which grades recent movies on the test! Really really fascinating.
http://bechdel.nullium.net/
AWESOME
HAHA wow that test is so sad - and it is even sadder that I am going through some of my favorite movies in my head right now and they are failing!
I will definitely check it out. Kudos to you - it doesn't seem like a lot to ask that women speak to each other than about men. It would be interesting to do this test in real life and see how much women are doing the same thing. I am going to make a concrete effort to pass the test in real life.
As an english major I tend to
As an english major I tend to analyze plot, themes, symbolism, etc to death, but i can still read books for enjoyment. You just have to learn to turn that part of your brain off and just enjoy the ride. I live with two film majors and they are both equally happy watching 17 Again as they are watching 8 1/2. It's all within the purpose of the viewing. If I'm sick or stressed out, I'm not going to want to watch Shutter Island; I'm going to want to watch Role Models for the 90th time. Just like I would loathe reading Chuck Klosterman for a class but can thoroughly enjoy him in my own free time.
This explains..
Maybe this explains my earlier comment. Whenever I am in a bad mood I put on "You've Got Mail" or "Miracle" - maybe it is my security blanket? Or "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" when I just want to relax.
I think the same goes for literature - are there some books or poems you read because they have a sense of familiarity? I feel that way about Roald Dahl. You have identified with something so much that it has become a part of who you are and revisiting it serves as a reminder.