Movies matter. That’s not really a profoundly hot take, but to me, it’s something that we must remember as the age of short-form media is now upon us. The event of going to the movies, watching a film with your family or significant other or just because you want to, all matter. I think it’s becoming a bit of a dying art form.
At the risk of sounding like my dad, all we do is watch things on our phones these days. TikTok, Instagram reels and YouTube shorts dominate the viewing for people our age and younger.I often find myself reminiscing on my childhood. When I was growing up, nothing excited me more than coming home from school on a Friday night and my parents saying we were going to rent a movie for the weekend. The thought of seeing something new, sharing that experience with my family and eating some takeout during it is unmatched.
To this day, I get incredibly excited about new movies coming out, and going to the cinema is still one of my favorite things to do. Even when people complain about streaming and how it’s ruining movies (which I do kind of agree with but that’s another topic), I still think that deciding to sit down and pick a movie to spend the night watching is exciting.
But, I don’t only love movies because of the experience of watching them. I love them because of the stories contained within them and how they impact you. You can watch a movie about anything; regardless of what your interests are, or what mood you are in, something will fit the vibe. The experience of sharing a film that really speaks to you with someone you care about is, in my opinion, one of the most intimate things you can do.
Forget Netflix and chill, let’s Netflix and tell me about why this movie means so much to you. Some of my favorite memories are sharing the wonder of a film I love with a close friend, partner or family member. Don’t even get me started about the average movie night with my dad. Star Wars, The Avengers, Iron Man, The Hobbit, The A-Team and Spider-Man are just a few of the classics that he shared with me growing up and that have become core memories today.
I have had movies change my life in a profound way. The two best examples from my own experience that I want to share are from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “About Time.” Both of these movies (along with many others, but this article is only supposed to be 700 words, so I digress) have had large impacts on the way that I choose to live my “extraordinary, ordinary life” (10 bonus points if you caught that reference).
Let’s start with Mr. Bueller. My love of this movie has led to many arguments with close friends and family about whether or not it is worthy of my love. I’ve heard it all, from “I can’t believe he skipped school to hangout with his girlfriend,” a criticism from my mother, a high school teacher, to “Ferris is just a horrible person.” Whilst I disagree with both of these, the meaning of the film is so much deeper than these shallow critiques.
“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” The sentiment of Bueller is simply to slow down and smell the roses. Responsibilities, school, work or whatever else is causing you stress, is not the end of the world. By slowing down and taking time to do what brings you joy once in a while, life becomes so much more pleasant and stress free.
The second film I want to briefly discuss is “About Time.” If you haven’t seen this film, I highly recommend it, and it taught me something similar to Ferris. True happiness comes from living each day intentionally, and not worrying about how you might’ve done things differently.
The main character, Tim Lake, continues to travel back in time until he gets his life just the way he wants, but, in the end, learns that doing things intentionally one time is so much better than trying to be perfect. Nobody is perfect, and the mistakes you make in life are meant to be learnt from and teach us something.
Movies are, simply put, not as important for the generation below us, not as important as they were to us and our parents. But they deserve to be.
Sharing the gift of film with loved ones creates core memories, and watching incredible films can impact your life beyond what is happening on the screen. So, next time someone asks you to the cinema or for a movie night, say yes — you won’t regret it, unless it’s “Twilight,” then say no, because you could do literally anything and it would be better than watching “Twilight.”
If you see me in the cafeteria or around campus, please come up and tell me about something you watched recently. I’m always on the hunt for something new to watch or to talk about my favorites.
P.S. Follow me on Letterboxd (my favorite social media) to see other films I love and so I can see the films you love. @nateanderson_
Nathan Anderson is a junior accounting major from Auckland, New Zealand. He is 5’7,” 5’9” in Jordan’s and 5’10” in heels. He loves playing games with his friends, long walks on the beach and going to the movies.
