11.07.2007

Movies

I pulled out a bunch of my old books from my last few years in grad school because I am working on writing a paper which is on movies and how young people choose which movies they watch. It's interesting to see just how many books I have accumulated on film, cinema and movies.

Sometimes it feels like film critique, theory and etc has almost become a bigger deal than the study of literature. In so many ways, films have replaced novels as our main form of storytelling in our current American culture.

How do you choose which films you watch? Do you go by the previews? Or perhaps by the recommendations of friends? Do you read reviews? Online or in newspapers? Or maybe you just head to the theatre and pick one to watch?

I have a friend who loves previews. She gets so exctied during the previews and usually this becomes her starting place for movie choices. I am a little more skeptical about previews as I tend to see them as marketing schemes tricking me into seeing films that I would not normally even consider.

How do you react to movie trailers and teasers?

2 comments:

Rachel Sarah said...

We like to use www.pluggedinonline.com, a tool of Focus on the Family. They provide an accurate summary of plot as well as "content," so we can make an informed choice. Since we don't have cable at home, we rarely see previews; primarily, we hear about movies via word of mouth. We NEVER just head to the theater and go to a movie - too risky. I like to see the previews shown at the theater - for the entertainment aspect - but I know they usually show the best, and sometimes, ONLY, good parts in a movie... that's when I go to PluggedIN to read their opinion. (Hope this provides you with a little sliver for your paper.) JnR

Jason Michael Shuttlesworth said...

I am of the same exact opinion of the poster above. I always check plugged in online at foft.org.

Interestingly, The last movie I saw (at an actual movie theater)was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

I watched Cast Away on cable Saturday afternoon.

--Jason