Several things saved my life, but the first one was watching movies for myself. I think the reason I became such a hardcore movie geek was because throughout high school, I would watch DVDs on my laptop while doing homework. This was totally and completely behind my parents' backs because they would've flown totally off the handle if they knew how many movies I digested while doing math or English or whatever the hell. It was like a secret little treat for myself, something to keep the other 60% of my brain that I wasn't using occupied.
Watching movies for yourself and watching them with/for others are two quite different experiences. When you watch movies for/with others, you don't get the full effect...and I'm not saying it's an inferior experience to share in a movie viewing with someone else that you care about. It's total pair-bonding and a great way to get closer to another human being. But when you watch movies by yourself, you notice a lot more, you're basically pampering yourself. And who doesn't love solo guiltless pampering?
This is probably why I'm such a huge film geek today. I watched so many movies by myself and amassed such a knowledge of movies from just watching them over and over again by myself. I watched the Disney movies by myself so much that I am now the one among all my friends who knows the most about anything Disney that doesn't suck! (FYI I don't consider that Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers whatever crap to be Disney at all. May as well not exist.)
When you've already worked out, done your work, don't feel like hanging out with friends...get some Haagen-daas ice cream and do yourself a favor: watch a DVD just for yourself. For your own enjoyment. Don't worry that you're holed up in your room by yourself on what is probably the weekend, watching a movie, because this doesn't mean you "don't have a life" (I hate that phrase). It means that you have so much life that you need to take time for yourself. Devote your whole attention to the movie without having to worry about social bonding with another person at the same time. Trust me ;). It's a necessary experience.
I completely know what you mean! I've always been in love with the cinema - sharing your experience with other people (even the ones who annoy the hell out of you by not shutting up for a second), when you laugh or sigh with an etire theatre full of people, you all sort of connect. But you get so much more out of the movie, itsself, if you watch it alone. I guess it depends on what you want to focus on right at that time... films and people are different kinds of cool.
ReplyDeleteExactly!! Oh man I'm so glad you understand :)
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