Why Films?

If I had a penny for every time someone asked me “Why films?” I could at least afford a Freddo by now. 

It’s a fair thing to ask, so I thought I should very quickly tell you some of the reasons why I watch them and why I bring myself to write this blog – albeit sporadically. To best do this, it makes sense to look at, say 5, of the main problems that people have with films and I’ll try and de-bunk them.

1 – “They’re too long” – Well, they’re shorter than a book or indeed a TV series.

2 – “They’ll never be as good as the book” – Granted,I’m a huge fan of the written word. However a good film makes your imaginations tangible. The Lord of the Rings was made infinitely more visceral on screen for example. Of course, some adaptations don’t hit the mark (Golden Compass anyone?), but others, like Fight Club, arguably improve upon the source material. Some people argue that the Harry Potter series left too many details out of the films, which I can empathise with. However the films turned people to the books and vice versa, which cannot be a bad thing for either industry.

3 – “I don’t like that character” – Then the person acting is probably very good at their job.

4 – “I don’t like that actor” – Slightly tougher one to argue with here, for example I find Sandra Bullock incredibly irritating as well as Toby Maguire(#sorrynotsorry). However if you really, really can’t stand an actor then there are a million and one other titles you can watch.

5 – “This film’s too complicated” – Ok, there have been times when I have wondered what the bloody hell is going on in a film – in Looper, Inception and The Prestige for example – yet when you get to the end of these films and join all the dots, the power of the drama is all the more compelling. Indeed the three films I just mentioned are actually some of my absolute favourites. 

Ok, now it’s time for my own impassioned speech (or something like that). Have you ever listened to a song and its tone and lyrics have fitted perfectly with what is going on with your life at that exact moment? Ever felt like an author, probably long dead, has extended the cipher of a hand through the pages of your book and pinpointed the exact emotion you’re feeling? Films can do this both simultaneously. 

Good films make you think. Dead Poets’ Society and Good Will Hunting are two stunning films that offer you compelling stories and trigger you to think deeper. They can allow you to create a link with characters and you begin to feel a part of their lives (which, incidentally, are much more interesting than your own); c’mon, you’re lying to yourself if you didn’t feel a bit hollow when Harry Potter ended or The Lord of the Rings came to an end (after multiple endings admittedly; what was that all about?!). 

However let’s get something straight, people tend to watch films for one reason; no not for “that really fit actress/actor”, although that obviously helps, but for the escapism. For ninety minutes or more you can be whisked away to incredible new worlds (think about the time you first saw Avatar in 3D, or when you first saw Star Wars), you can be gripped from beginning to end (Se7en & Gone Girl), you can aspire to be more (anything superhero based, I’m not going to lie…), you can laugh over and over again (Hugh Grant + attractive woman = foppish hilarity), you can see the most inspiring people and events in history play out in front of you (The Kings Speech, The Imitation Game, Troy…), they can inspire you for that big game (Any Given Sunday, Remember the Titans), you can even bebrought close to tears (Marley and Me, The Lion Kinger, um, well you know). My point is that whatever mood you’re feeling, whatever genre you want; there will always be a film for you.

People forget how powerful films are, culturally in particular. You’ve all ripped into your friend for trying to make fetch happen, started an impromptu rendition of ‘Afternoon delight’, attempted to growl like Batman, pretended to be a hotdog á la Robin Williams, said your name like 007, recited the ‘5 Ds of Dodgeball’ or evenMaximus Decimus Meridus’ whole speech when stood in the Coliseum (just me for this last one? Ok…). 

So stop scrolling through your newsfeed, stop painstakingly picking the best filter on instagram, stop taking quizzes on Buzzfeed (But what type of 1950s shoe ARE YOU REALLY?), and I implore you, put your feet up and enjoy a good film. 

Sales pitch over, I hope no-one vomited in their mouths.