By Chris Parsons
Recently, I have found myself sitting down to re-watch different movies and TV shows. This is normally because I really enjoyed it, or I feel that I could have missed something the first time around. This has got the gears going in my head. A movie is made, in most cases millions of dollars and lots of time go into getting something put together, which is made to be as appealing as possible on the silver screen. While I love being able to own my favorite movies, the thought keeps bouncing around in the back of my mind that I would appreciate a flick more if I had only seen it once. The collector in me is saying something very different, but we will get into that.
To quote Vision in Avengers Age of Ultron, " a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts." maybe these things aren't meant for us to have forever. Perhaps it's supposed to be a fleeting moment spent in a dark theater, immersed in the sound produced by speakers far superior to that of a home theater system. This way, we don't spend hours/ days (depending on how many times you watch something) poking holes in a film that if viewed once, in the proper environment, we could enjoy. Perhaps if we didn't take to our social media sites and and critique these films others could go and enjoy the experience of just watching the flick without being subjected to a bias that could ultimately effect their movie experience.
There is also the Idea of holding those who make films to a very high standard. Is this something that we should do? Of course! If those who put a film together understand that the success of said film is dependent on its reception by an audience, more attention will be shown to the project as a whole, thus producing better, more thought out work. This means we, the viewers have a responsibility to be critical without being over analytical. It's a fine line to tread. We tend to comb over a trailer 10 times searching for Easter eggs and hidden symbols long before a film even premieres. This begins to set expectation which can be turn into a slippery slope, because if our expectations aren't met we turn into toddlers throwing tantrums, hoping that anyone will listen.
As a collector of things, I have this mental disorder that tricks me into believing I need to have the things that I like, in the form of an item, amidst similar items. When I go to start reading a comic series, I obsess over having each issue in my collection and in some cases each cover of each issue. I know some of those reading this can relate. I will give an example of my collector mentality at work. In July of 2007 a live action Transformers movie, directed by Michael Bay hit theaters, and for fans of the robots in disguise, this was a dream come true. I was one of those fans. Going to the theater several times to watch a movie that wasn't all that great. When It became available to own on home video, I bought every copy of alternate box art. Every "special edition" or transforming movie box (it's a real thing) that I could get my hands on. I have watched that first Transformers movie probably over 50 times, which means days of my life have been spent watching it. With all of this being said, I don't think I have appreciated seeing the film, since seeing it on the big screen for the first time.
There is a sense of wonder and awe that is easy to get swept up in the first time you see something and after that, we are chasing a feeling that can only be experienced once because there is only one first time. Should we pursue that feeling? I don't know... Should we take time between viewings, so that some of the magic can be prolonged; bottled up for another time? Perhaps. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. As always, stay geeky!