Getting out of my rut

Since I can enjoy watching movies again, I’ve gotten carried away with watching a lot of movies in a short time. I tried to watch many genres that I didn’t like very much before.

About a month ago — there were many movies that I hadn’t seen yet, on a pay TV channel’s program guide. It had been a while since I last recorded and watched movies on TV, so I decided now was the time to get my money’s worth. I thought that it was a good time to get out my “movie” rut of always choosing the same type of movies. I thought I could try enjoying some kinds of movies that I normally don’t really like.

First, I started with a movie which I was interested in anyway. Then I tried a movie that my friend really wanted to watch, and then, a film with big stars. After that, I watched my favorite types of movie. When I was watching a boring movie, or one I couldn’t get into, I just kept watching and looked forward to the next one. So, I decided to watch my favorite types’ of movies in between them as motivation.

 

“Well… it was OK. How about next one?” About 2 hours later… “I see… hmm. Let’s move on to the next one!” — I watched all of the movies above just like this.

I ended up only enjoying the movies that were from my favorite genres anyway. I enjoyed “Sunshine Cleaning,” “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” and “The Wrestler” which were movies that I really wanted to watch. “Harsh Times” and “Doubt” are OK, but they are a little bit heavier than I expected. The movies that my friend talked about are typical chick flicks: “The Ugly Truth” and “He’s Just Not That Into You.” I told her that I saw them and how I felt. “The most memorable scene is when Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper are talking on the boat, in the movie, He’s Just Not That Into You — Ben Affleck really likes his girlfriend but he doesn’t want to get married. Not because he will lose the chance to have fun with other girls if he gets married, but because he doesn’t believe that marriage is the only way to prove how much he loves her — I completely agree with his attitude!” She said to me, “Generally, most women feel a tugging at their heartstrings when we see girls’ situations, feelings or lines in chick flicks. I have no idea why his attitude resonates with you.” Yep, that kind of makes sense.

Anyhow, it was very difficult to change my taste in a single month. Instead, I realized my taste in movies clearly once again. Basically, I don’t like movies that are too much commercial — a big budget, big stars, a bumper crop of CGI with a cheap or clichéd story. My favorite movies are “NUOVO CINEMA PARADISO(Cinema Paradiso),” “Apocalypse Now,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Primal Fear,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “The Negotiator,” “The Butterfly Effect,” “Match Point,” “Rear Window,” “Psycho,” “The Prestige,” etc.

 

 

 

 

I can’t explain my taste in movies in word, even though I have looked at a list of my favorite movies again. I like suspense, drama, comedy or crime with a good story. I’m not comfortable with watching Sci-Fi or horror movies. Actually, how I get into the movies is more important than their genres.

When I watch the famous scenes from “Apocalypse Now” — helicopters sweep over the sea and napalm the jungleplaying Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” — I really get into the aggressive scenes without CGI and the movie’s world as usual. When I watch “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” it delivers tons of laughs. It also touches my heart and I always cry at the ending. When I watch “Cinema Paradiso” I am always reminded that I like movies and I am happy and lucky person who could get a job in the movie industry. I can watch movies over and over if they are my favorite. Even though I already know the whole story, I am excited, laugh or cry at the same scenes all the time.

The other day, one of my teachers asked me, “Who is your favorite main character from movie and why?” I couldn’t answer her question right away. The next day I found an answer. I have 2 favorite main characters who are in the Italian movies, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. The first one is from “Cinema Paradiso,” Alfredo, played by Philippe Noiret. The second one is from “The Legend of 1900,” 1900(Danny Boodman T.D. Lemon 1900) played by Tim Roth. Both guys could find what they really love to do, and they kept doing that until the end. I always feel that I want to be like them when I watch those movies. If I can find something that I really get into and I have a talent for that…There is nothing that would make me happier than doing that until I die. The music in the films by Ennio Morricone also creates a deeper feeling.

As a result, my “getting out of my ‘movie’ rut” operation didn’t succeed this time. I half expected that getting out of my rut would not be so easy, but I’ll give it a try again someday. Not only the “movie” rut, but I’ll try to get out of all of my ruts, too.