|
 Because complaining about stuff shouldn't be limited to the elderly |
| the fantasy world of movies vs. reality of human conversation |
| Sunday, January 15, 2006 |
What has become of our society? Have we become so obsessed with movies and television that people would actually prefer them to real human interaction? Is this the product of the impersonal nature of the internet (I’d hate to blame the internet for anything--the web is my friend)?
Tonight a friend of my declined “hanging out with the guys” (cards and booze) so he could go see a movie. As appalling as this is to me, I understand there are some circumstances where the movie would take precedent (such as the movie being part of a date or special screenings--i.e., a midnight showing of “Star Wars”). But this was not the case.
It’s a shame that movies have become the must-do source of entertainment. When I was a teen, I’d go to the movies with my friends if we couldn’t find something else to do. Or it’d be part of the evening’s entertainment. But it’s not that way anymore--movies are the evening. One doesn’t go to the movies after an evening of throwing eggs at cars and farting around in Denny’s--they go and plan their entire night around it.
No longer can you get to the box office five minutes before the film starts and head home 90 minutes later. Instead, you gotta be at the theater 90 minutes before the film starts to buy tickets. Then you gotta get in line for the movie and wait an hour before it starts. It’s such a tedious process (no wonder people spend the whole night planning for movies nowadays).
I know this has been a down year for the Hollywood box office, but prior to 2005, movie-going has greatly increased year after year. More people are going to the movies. Why? It’s not like week after week there’s a must-watch film.
I think it’s because we’ve become less creative with finding entertainment. It drives me nuts how often I’m with people and they wanna go see a movie. “Are there any good movies out?” If you have to ask the question, the answer is no. Movies are a cop-out--an easy way to kill three hours (90 minutes before the movie, 20 minutes of previews, 90 minutes of movies--remarkable: less than half the time dedicated to “the movies” is spent watching the actual movie).
And what’s perhaps most ironical is the reason we go to the movies. We do it to “go out,” “hang out,” or any other term you wanna use for being with people (when was the last time you went to the movies alone). So there you are, out with your friends or on a date and then you get sit in a dark room and don’t acknowledge each other for the next two hours. Ironic--really, really ironic. Going to the movies is considered a social activity when in actuality, it’s perhaps the most individual, antisocial thing you can do (except perhaps autoeroticism). You don’t “need” anyone to see a movie with yet no one ever goes alone. And if you dare to interact with your compadres (and do something social) during the film, you will get hushed; thrown popcorn at; or be asked to leave the theater.
It’s a sad state of the world we’re living in when people we choose this sort of “outing” over genuine, human interaction.
© 2006 siknerd.com
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