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Friday, August 16, 2019

Alladin Essay

I enjoy going to the movies. My experience with movies began when my mom and dad first took me to watch â€Å"Alladin†(1992) a Disney feature film. I remember the long line of kids with their parents queuing up for popcorn and soda right before entering the darkened theater. If there was one word to describe how I felt and must have looked while watching what seemed to me giant cartoon characters dancing and singing on the big screen, I am guessing it would be â€Å"spellbound†. Nowadays, my affinity with the movies remains. To me there’s nothing better than settling down with popcorn, a soda, and perhaps a slice of pizza and maybe some candy while waiting for the movie to start. For anywhere between $7. 00-$9. 50, I can spend about a couple of hours eating while losing myself in the story that I have stood in line for to watch. There’s nothing else for me to do but sit back, relax and enjoy the program†¦Or at least that’s what’s supposed to happen. Like most â€Å"adult† relationships, my relationship with the movies has come to be of a â€Å"love/hate† nature. While I still enjoy the films, often I find my reverie and trip to â€Å"a state of mental suspension† interrupted by the most unbelievable and dismaying things. For example, comedies are a favorite of mine. Whether through slapstick or the more sophisticated and witty comedies, I enjoy a good joke as much as the next person does. Unfortunately, when that â€Å"next person’s† version of a laugh is loud and unrestrained and mixed with comments of â€Å"Boy I sure didn’t see that coming! that persists even after the funny part is through, it can rather put a crimp on my personal enjoyment. Date movies aren’t much better either. It can get rather difficult to distinguish whether the sounds I’m hearing are coming from the film or from the row behind me. I’ve noticed that in particularly mushy scenes, it is not unusual to hear sotto voce whispers of sweet nothings among the courting couples and giggling among the teenaged girls in the audience every time the lead characters would kiss . It can also be rather irritating when, in the middle of a rather climactic scene, some person’ s mobile phone would just go off ringing. Only three things can possibly happen then. One, the ringing is suddenly silenced by the apologetic offender hitting either the â€Å"reject† or â€Å"off† button. Two, ringing phone will be answered and â€Å"I’ll call you back† will be quickly whispered. Three, offender will let the phone play out the whole of his ring tone too mortified to admit ownership of the ringing phone and practically ruining two minutes o or more of the film for the rest of the audience. Of course I haven’t even mentioned this very select group of people who just can’t not take the call †¦ It can be unbelievable how important some people seem to think they are that they forget that they are intruding on the rights of others. And then there are also these people who seem to think that it is their sworn duty and obligation to provide a running commentary of the film’s story. For some reason, some people who have seen the film before and have gone to watch the movie again with friends feel obligated to assure their companions â€Å"Don’t worry. The bomb won’t explode. Just you wait and so-and-so hero will arrive in just a few seconds. † After which they proceed to detail how the hero or heroine will save the day. It can get rather tempting to just turn around and admonish them for this. If it’s not the plot spoilers, there are people who just can’t keep their emotions to themselves. I remember one time when I was sitting watching the film â€Å"Constantine† (2005) and heard several screams of the word â€Å"Run† or â€Å"Hide! in about five different languages from the audience. If I ever needed proof of how culturally diverse America has become, well there it was. Don’t get me wrong though. Despite all these, my enjoyment of the silver screen remains. While I admit that there were a few times when I â€Å"cheated† and just opted for a quiet night at home with some select DVD’s and some snacks on my sofa, I still go back to the movie theater. I suppose it can be viewed as a quirk of mine but I do miss the battle of wills I get into with my next-seat neighbor on who claims â€Å"rights† to the armrest separating our seats. I miss the â€Å"stand off† that takes place between myself and the guy behind me after I ask him to please take his foot off my seat back. All these things do not diminish my excitement of seeing the anticipation and enjoyment shared on the audience’s faces including my own as the movie starts its magic with the flashing of its beginning credits. Most of all, I look forward to the many and various reactions among the audience as the final credits roll on the screen and the house lights come on. It’s sad that some people can’t seem to fully appreciate the movie-going experience and treat it along with its audience with the respect they deserve. For me, despite the not so nice experiences in the movie house, the magic and excitement of going to the movies still exist. Our relationship endures and remains strong.

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