Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Rediscovering the amazing feeling of having watched something new and great


FISH TANK
THE FILM THAT BROUGHT SOMETHING BACK TO ME

„You know that thing when you see someone cute and he smiles and your heart kind of goes like warm butter sliding down hot toast? Well that's what it's like when I see a store [good movie]. Only it's better.“
- My version of the famous quote from Confessions of a Shopaholic 

Re-watching is essential to the art of movie-loving. I wrote about this (The Magic of Re-watching) a few weeks ago, when I realized that I needed to re-watch some movies in order to fully understand my feelings for them. Or just to maintain or re-aflame my connection to them.
However, after having re-watched not-so-few movies these last days and weeks - especially all Harry Potter films - I had the feeling I was losing interest in watching new and unknown films. After all, how can you be sure to like them? How can you be sure not to be bored? How can you be sure you won't be wasting your time? Well, you can't. You can be disappointed.
BUT the possibility of you becoming enlightened, wiser and also entertained, is probably just as high. So it's a 50/ 50 chance. I figured this out, however I still couldn't bring myself to watch many new movies, except from two Indian ones I didn't really like that much. This caused me to stick with season three of True Blood. But you know, there's probably someone out there or up there who knows there's still a movie enthusiast inside me, someone who's craving more and more, new, raw movie meat.
This monster inside me then realized there was still a copy of that Fish Tank on my DVD shelf.

Fish Tank is pretty much the film my monster had been waiting for. After it had seduced me to watch it: "Don't be one of those series junkies. - Just a bite, it's not gonna hurt you!", it knew it had won. I was on the hook, once again. And I still am. 
Watching the film was in itself a great experience, because I didn't know what was going to happen and there were many unusual twists, characters and so on, and it was challenging. But the main thing that convinced me and truly got me on the hook was today, the day after watching the movie. It's the pictures, dialogues and also questions that pop into my head every now and then - actually quite often - that remind me of what it's like to have that amazing feeling of having watched something new and great.

How could I miss this for such a long time? I know I didn't have many spare hours and also I re-watched Harry Potter which was an amazing event, and I watched a very interesting series, but how could I be so unwilling to see new films? 
Perhaps it's got to do with the saying that you only truly value what you had when you don't have it anymore. Could be that inside I knew this and therefore was keeping away from the movie meat. Anyhow, I am super glad to have learned my lesson and excited to get back to movie wonderland. 
Although I am gonna have to watch season four of True Blood too, somewhere in between. But that's not going to change things at all. 

I'm back!
(Ahem, this should not be related to the blogging situation. But it might count as I'm probably going to see some great movies again which will inspire me to stay up late and write about them...?).


12 comments:

  1. I usually have the opposite feeling - what if I re-watch it and hate this time around? The thought of loving less a film that I adore is more terrifying for me than to be bored with something new! Still, it's hard to find films that give us that feeling of excitement for knowing that it's great. I felt that on sunday while watching Ruby Sparks, it felt like something new and different, something I've never seen before.

    Fish Tank did that for me, too, absolutely loved it. Like you said, it wasn't clear what was going to happen next --- those are the best stories, the ones we can't predict. And it's not an easy feat! Plus, the acting from everyone involved... superb.

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    1. I know that feeling too, but still... i think it's important to "update" your opinion on films you haven't seen for a long time. Although it can be hard.

      Anyway, I also agree that it's not that easy finding great new films, but there are so many out there and there are many ways to find them especially as a blogger.
      I still find myself thinking about FIsh Tank... :)

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  2. Fish Tank is definitely one of my favorite films of the past few years. I've been having a blah month with my first time watches so maybe I'm due a revisit of it to reignite the desire or hope about film.

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    1. Great to hear that! The film definitely deserves its fame.

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  3. This was a great little film, and I'm glad it gave you some of your mojo back.

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    1. It was! Yeah, well... if I have the time I'll try to watch some more films :)

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  4. Glad you liked this one and it sparked something in you! I love this little twisty film. Definitely did not go where I thought it was going to go. Wow.

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  5. I loved this movie too. So alive and real and unpredictable!

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    1. Yep, I wish I could have that more often again, but at the time I'm too damn busy... :(
      Thanks for your comment!

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  6. This movie was good, pretty bleak, I didn't get to finish it though. But that scene with the girls dancing to Cassie's Me & You is hilariously stuck in my head.
    http://thisismyluckystar.blogspot.com

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    1. I'm sorry you didn't finish it - hopefully you'll have the chance to do so in the future!

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Let the discussion begin!