Having started this blog
over a year ago, it feels like it’s about time to address…well, this blog. Why
talk about movies? Why devote a whole blog to discussing whether movies are
good or bad? Why devote any serious discussion or attention to something as
trivial as a movie in this cynical age? Fair questions.
I think movies are
important.
I do not think, by any
stretch of the imagination, that movies are the most important thing in life,
and I don’t even think that they should eat up too much of any one person’s
livelihood. There are so many things more worth our time and energy—things that
we can enjoy, things that we can invest in, things that demand our involvement.
Cinema comes in low on the all-time priority list.
But nevertheless, movies
are important. How so? For one thing, film is the primary storytelling medium
of our culture. More than books, TV, or video games (though TV is now a competitor), film dominates the
storytelling of our lives. It’s pervasive. People go to the theater, they watch
movies, they discuss them with their friends, they buy the merch. It’s
entertainment, yes, but it exerts an influence on (and, in turn, is influenced
by) the narratives that shape our view of the world. Film runs deep in our DNA.
It’s important,
therefore, to be aware of them. Even if you’re not an avid moviegoer, it’s
worth knowing what’s going on in film—what kind of stories are being told, what
values are being held aloft, what they have to say about current events and
history, whether they resonate with your own experience.
More than that, movies
are stories, and stories are infinitely significant. I think there’s something to
the idea that the content and the quality of our stories and art reflect on the
state of our humanity. Humankind always makes art, but the kind of art we make
shows what kind of people we are. Any good writer will admit that even the most
disinterested authors and poets create works that betrays intimate secrets
about themselves. Movies do this, too. They illuminate things about the specific
decade or trend that they’re a part of, but they also resonate with our most
basic human instincts and desires.
Stories are important
because there aren’t stories; there’s one story, told over and over, from a
variety of vantage points, grasping at the truths that are fundamental to life.
They never fully answer our questions, but with some luck they can teach us
things.
But what about movies
like, Dude, Where’s My Car? or Zombeavers ? To be sure, not all movies
are as eloquent as others, and part of the business of reviewing movies is wading
through this very issue. Nobody should equate Captain America: Civil War with Dostoyevsky.
In general, I don’t
frown on low-brow fare (so-called “popcorn” entertainment), as can probably be
guessed from the content of this blog. There’s a place for those kinds of
stories, and I think that they play the same role as the best stories in their
own, shameless way. Movies are often exciting, exhilarating, or absurd, and it’s
not necessary to hide that fact. Often that’s what draws so many people to them
at a young age (myself included).
SOME FUN FACTS
FAVORITE MOVIE: It’s a four-way
tie. The Empire Strikes Back, Casino Royale, The Fellowship of the Ring, The
Dark Knight.
BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME,
ACCORDING TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW THINGS: Citizen
Kane. Yeah, yeah, whatever.
BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME,
ACCORDING TO ME: The Godfather. Disquieting,
heartbreaking, and masterfully executed.
FAVORITE BAD MOVIE: The Screaming Skull. An instant classic.
MOST QUOTABLE MOVIE: Monty Python and the Holy Grail and What About Bob? in a tight race.
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