I love movies! I think I get this from my dad. He loved movies especially Westerns. John Wayne was his favorite. He had so many videotapes that he would watch over and over again. He loved adding to his collection. When I was a kid and we didn't have a lot of money, we would go to the drive-in movies. We would take pop in our tupperware glasses with the lids, make popcorn at home and bring candy. I would take my pajamas, blanket, and pillow. We would drive up and down over the hills for the cars until we found the perfect viewing spot, spend countless minutes getting the speaker situated on dad's window, and settle down to watch the double or triple features. I had the back seat all to myself and would sometimes lay in the rear window and watch the stars. If I got tired, I would change into my pajamas and made a bed in the back.
Now we have a variety of ways to enjoy movies. We can certainly go to the movie theater. It's not like it used to be when you could stay and watch the movie a second time if you wanted, but they do make up for it in comfortable seating and Dolby sound. If you have a Netflix account or cable, you can stream videos on your TV. If you'd prefer to rent a movie, you can rent online from Netflix and get it in the mail or you can go to a neighborhood Redbox to watch one tonight. In the summer, several cities offer movies outdoors in the parks or on rooftops of restaurants. Movies are easily available for our viewing pleasure.
Since there is a plethora of movie choices out there, it is sometimes difficult to decide what to watch. This decision is made more difficult multiplied by the number of people who have to agree on the choice. I can easily choose something to watch, but if my husband is involved, it is much more difficult. Forget about it if my son is also part of the equation. No, maybe not-just let him choose and go along with it. That works for me since I love most movies.
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I think cinema, movies, and magic have always been
closely associated. The very earliest people who
made film were magicians.
Francis Ford Coppola |
I admire actors and directors for the incredible, creative work they produce. However, while it is true that I will watch most movies, there are some that I avoid if I can. Since I immerse myself in the story and feelings of the characters, I have found that it is best if I avoid horror films. I get too involved and scare myself-not an experience that I personally enjoy! I also don't like subtitles very much. It interferes too much. I am very visually oriented and am distracted by the words on the screen. I also don't trust the translation. When I lived in Mexico, I went to a movie from the United States. It was in English with Spanish subtitles. I found myself laughing when no one else in the theater did because the subtitles couldn't convey the subtleties of the dialog. I've never liked subtitled films since that experience. I also probably don't have very good taste in movies. My son took a film class, and I went to some of the movies that the professor assigned. I did not enjoy these movies at all! They included
Crazy, Stupid Love which I liked the best;
The Burning Plain which was very artistic and depressing;
Drive which was extremely violent and tortured; and
The Skin I Live In which was subtitled and just plain disturbing.
My type of movie is one that brings me joy in the music or story or makes me feel empathy when I relate to the characters. That is probably why I love musicals so much. I suspend reality for the brief time I am in the movie and just enjoy the auditory and visual experience. This is probably why I enjoyed
Rock of Ages so much last night! First of all, I loved the music. Second, I enjoyed the bevy of actors cast in the movie. I particularly enjoyed the character of Stacee Jaxx as portrayed by Tom Cruise. His commitment to the part-acting, costuming, body language, singing-was incredible. He exhibited the same immersion into the character that I always see in performances by Johnny Depp. How they can recreate themselves to be these memorable characters is amazing to watch and experience.
It probably comes as no surprise that I am looking forward to seeing Les Miserables when it comes out in December. In the meantime, I will keep enjoying my Redbox rentals, my Netflix streaming, and my visits to the movie theater. I may even explore a movie in the park since the weather is so conducive to enjoying the outdoors. Whatever I choose, I know that I will enjoy every minute. So find a willing friend or loved one, grab some popcorn, and settle down to watch a fun movie. Let me know what you have enjoyed and recommend. And don't forget...
Have you found your joy today?
I liked Rock of Ages too. We saw the Broadway touring play together about a year ago. I wasn't real crazy about it, thought it was just OK.
ReplyDeleteThe quality of the actors in the film really improved upon the play. I think they changed parts of the play in the movie version. It was same story, but different parts were emphasized than in the play, and I thought the movie was a better for it. It was all still there, just told a little bit better way.
Like you said, the characters were so interesting, played by actors we know who really were able to get into the characters skins and be them.