Film changes us. Period. Not every film, not every time, but they have power. Power to make us think and feel. The movies make us happy and sad, angry, afraid. They make us laugh or cry, scream or clap. There's something magical about seeing these images on the big screen,
with surround sound and a bag of deliciously calorie-laden popcorn on
your lap.
Part of why I think I, and so many others, are so shaken up by the last week's events is that we understand the power film can have.
I've been to midnight premiers, more than I can count. And when I worked at the theater, those were some of the best nights to work. Sure, we were busy, but people were excited and fun. People who come to midnight shows are the true fans—it takes commitment to inconvenience yourself by staying up super late to go to the movies. There's an atmosphere of excitement and that's a big part of the appeal—the idea that you are part of this shared experience, that you're among the very first to see something you've anticipated for months or sometimes years.
The movies I've always seen as somewhere safe. People drop off their kids (well, teenagers mostly) with the expectation that theaters are a SAFE place for them to be. And the events in Aurora have shattered this perception somewhat.
But I urge everyone: don't be afraid to enjoy the movies. Don't let one isolated nut scare you out of escaping to another world, to the stories of another life, and to the shared experience of those stories. Don't blame the movie industry, or gun control laws, or politicians or the theaters, blame the guy who perpetrated this heinous crime.
So I am starting this film review blog, as someone who has seen a lot of movies, to share my opinions about past and present films. I'll review ones I've seen recently and ones from my growing collection of classic and modern films. They may not all be blockbusters, but they'll be worth talking about for one reason or another.
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