Why do YOU love watching movies?

[turtlex]

Thanks, candy.

And you know what? I'm completely sincere about it, too.

[pathoftheturtle]

Good writing, Pam. Most of the time, theories on why we love art are easy to pick apart. With that reflexive form, I think you well express its irreduciblity.

Still, while I agree that what you said may apply to film in general, I have to ask whether it applies to every film. If you love movies because they do that, then don't you hate movies that don't? Ever seen any that do the opposite?

I mentioned here earlier that I don't have as much faith in art as I once did. I wonder, are the uplifting qualities you've mentioned inherent to movies or just a coincidence of good creation? I'm pretty sure that I'd love watching movies more if so many of them these days weren't so poor and worthless.

[turtlex]

Thanks.

You know, I even love the experience of a bad movie. I mean, besides the fact that bad movies can sometimes just be so over the top bad that they're good ... Everything ties in.

I just love watching movies. Even the bad ones. The bad ones make me reflect and appreciate the good ones even more. The introspection that we all make, even subconsciously, when we're deciding why a movie is horrible, that's a positive experience for me.

Film is art, even bad film.

It was my mother who instilled a love of the movies in me, and I will be forever appreciative of that.

[pathoftheturtle]

Well, I can’t fault you for having a positive attitude.

I just don’t feel like I have time in my life to waste. I don’t wish to escape from reality; I wish to improve it. Of course, self-improvement is also important -- some movies offer insights of use in daily living -- but that does not mean much if we never reach the point of genuinely putting those into practice. It’s ridiculous to learn to from a film just so that we can learn more from the next one and on and on until we die. Watching movies is a fairly passive activity. To play sports is a good thing, because people develop themselves in so doing; teamwork, physical fitness, and etc. are important things for humans to have – however, I don’t really understand why others love to watch people play sports in the way that so many do, following some team fanatically which actually has nothing to do with them. I’ve never held the least bit of respect for any form of self-deception; pretentiousness, intellectual dishonesty… Generally speaking, I prefer over any of these hobbies to focus on politics: society belongs to everyone, and none of us should overlook the tasks of citizenship. There is so much to do, and so little time. Art, I think, is a bit different, though, if you watch with an eye towards making your own. A mediocre film is interesting when your mind is on what you would do differently; dynamic attention to techniques can redeem the experience (again presuming that one eventually gets out of the armchair). But, then, we could further distinguish, IMHO, between poor movies and bad movies. What do you think about films which spread negative ideas? Doesn’t it bother you when stories which degrade women, for example, are routinely marketed? I’m not suggesting censorship, by any means: just pointing out that entertainment sometimes does do more harm than good, in my opinion. Would you like to direct films if you had to make only the kind that are opposed directly to personal beliefs of yours? Culture as a true source of guidance for behavior (and the humanities which proceed from this fundamental concept) get no respect these days. Most people now view artists like zoo animals. Childish, and good only for occasional diversion. Given this situation, why would I want to think about how to become one? Can the artists recover from inside their field the undermining of it from without? I used to admire certain stand-up comics who boldly observed examples man’s inhumanity to man… until I noticed that it’s those who are most guilty of the very things they describe who laugh the loudest and then go on just the same. That’s what breaks my heart.

“I look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping, while my guitar gently weeps.”

[Brice]

I just don’t feel like I have time in my life to waste.

As long as you are enjoying yourself you can't waste time.

[DoctorDodge]

I enjoy watching films for a variety of reasons, sometimes to be shocked, sometimes to think, but i'll be honest: it's mostly for pure entertainment. But it has to be actual entertainment for me to enjoy it. I don't want to see a film that's all about explosions and not much else: style over substance is ok, in fact it can be brilliant if it's done right, but a ton of effects do not count as style, which is one of the reasons why I love Robert Rodriguez films and hate Michael Bay movies.

I also love the whole cinema experience, too, especially if the film's really worth it (Inception being the best example right now). I like a lot of comedy films, but it's rare that I'll go and see one at the cinema unless it's Edgar Wright: he just has a way of making comedy seem...well, cinematic. His movies are everything I enjoy about movies: having a great time whilst having a style that just leaves you amazed.

There's probably a ton of other reasons that I love watching films, but being so great they just leave me with a vocabulary like Keanu Reeves and just thinking "Whoa!" afterwards is probably the best one I can think of!

[pathoftheturtle]

I just don’t feel like I have time in my life to waste.

As long as you are enjoying yourself you can't waste time.

That's ... short-sighted.
To say the least.

[Jean]

I agree with Brice here. No moment of happiness is ever wasted.

[Brice]

I just don’t feel like I have time in my life to waste.

As long as you are enjoying yourself you can't waste time.

That's ... short-sighted.
To say the least.

Maybe not as short sighted as it seems. And what if the only purpose in life is pleasure (both yours and others) whether there is a god or not? What if there is no higher purpose. I propose that there isn't.

Jean:

[fernandito]

Feverishparades agree with Brice too

[Heather19]

I don't think I could ever consider watching films a waste of time Sure there may sometimes be other things that I should be doing instead but that's my own personal choice and if I'm enjoying myself then to me it's not a waste.

[Still Servant]

I just don’t feel like I have time in my life to waste.

Well, since you don't waste time watching movies like us lowly humans, what are some of the more productive things you have done with your time?

What was the last disease you cured? Have you solved world peace yet?

Also, not being able to see why people love to watch sports is one of the most pretentious statements I've ever read.

[Jean]

pretentious or not, I subscribe

and, Still... you know, the options are not limited to "waste time" and "save mankind". There is a lot of stuff in between.

[Brice]

...and if you don't like people, saving mankind is a waste of time.

I subscribe along with those who don't get watching sports too. I mean I understand people do enjoy it. I just never saw why. There's no thrill in it for me.

Spoiler:

Well, unless the Red Sox are winning...and even than I only care about who wins the series. Everyone else is a loser.

[Still Servant]

Watching sports is the same as watching a movie to me.

Every game has a story. You learn to like certain players. You want to see them do well It's entertaining.

Geez, I knew that not everybody likes watching sports, but I didn't realize there were so many people that don't "get" why other people like watching it.

[pathoftheturtle]

I just don’t feel like I have time in my life to waste.

Well, since you don't waste time watching movies like us lowly humans, what are some of the more productive things you have done with your time?

What was the last disease you cured? Have you solved world peace yet?

Also, not being able to see why people love to watch sports is one of the most pretentious statements I've ever read.

1. Pretentious people tend to claim that they understand things they don't, not that they don't understand things they do. If I could see why people like to do that, maybe I would like to do it. Honestly, I can't.
2.You don't know me. Clearly.
3. I never said I don't watch movies.

Watching sports is the same as watching a movie to me.

If these were the same to me, then I would not watch movies.

I agree with Brice here. No moment of happiness is ever wasted.

I believe that the random must not overwhelm the purpose. I cannot justify simply doing whatever I feel like. I'll give all of you the benefit of the doubt for yourselves if you say that you see it differently, but don't expect me to abruptly start thinking that same way. I've always tried to do what needs done, as best as I can determine, and I don't mind a little unhappiness. C'est la vie. It's not all fun and games.

... what if the only purpose in life is pleasure (both yours and others) whether there is a god or not? What if there is no higher purpose. I propose that there isn't.

Scabies. Shingles. Athlete's foot. Jungle rot. Leeches. Ringworm. Bedbugs. Cancer. Hypothermia. Hemophilia. Just a few of the amusements in our world. Epilepsy! Now that's fun. I propose that even if we assume that we are supposed to conquer all unpleasantness to make the world completely pleasurable for our kind, that still logially reduces our purposes to no less than two: the pleasure, and the conquest. Hypothetically, if God or the universe wanted us to have fun all of the time, then things could have been better suited for that since the very beginning. And if that hypothesis is wrong, if there is no abstract omnipotence, then the concept of what the universe "wants" may just be meaningless, leaving only what is: Work. There is work to do. You cannot escape karma.

I don't think I could ever consider watching films a waste of time.

If it's that self-evident, then who really needs this thread, anyway? I don't think that we can actually give a very meanful answer to WHY we love movies if we don't acknowledge any possible reasons not to. There's a Hegelian Negative here if we care to search it out.

[fernandito]

I like movies because they're cool.

[alinda]

I like movies when I am not reading, working or sleeping.


Or eating of course.

[Ricky]

Among everything else that others have mentioned, movies are good excuse to eat popcorn. Otherwise, I'd probably never have it.

[alinda]

*snap* Ohhhh yeah, especially the really good (poisonous) kind at the movie theatre!

[pathoftheturtle]

I like movies when I am not reading, working or sleeping.


Or eating of course.

You can watch them when you're eating. And there's some people who watch movies for a living.

[Ricky]

You mean the kind drenched with butter and salt in the middle and on the top?

[Heather19]

You mean the kind drenched with butter and salt in the middle and on the top?

That's one of the best parts of going to the theater!

[Ricky]

In some cases, better than the actual movie.

[Heather19]

Very true!