What compels you to see or not see a film?

[il Padrino Ute]

First, I want to apologize for this rather lengthy foreword, as I'm up late, unable to sleep and have been reading several older threads that are buried deep in the various forums. It's been interesting to see the different opinions of those who are/have been active on CUF and there are a few that I think could be interesting to revisit by condensing them into a new thread, which I've taken upon myself to start. I usually try to be a smartass when I'm on a message board like this and very rarely do I make an attempt to be serious or thoughtful or insightful, but I've decided to be a bit more open about expressing my reasons for liking or disliking films.

I'm not an avid movie goer or even an occasional movie goer. I don't even think I would qualify as a rare movie goer. I can count one hand how many movies I've seen in the theater over the last 20 years or so, but I've never really thought about why I choose to see or not see a particular film.

Most of the movies I watch are those that I've seen before. Perhaps it's because I know I already like the film, so choosing to see it is based on familiarity. I don't mind trying new things, but a film is different in that it's really not an actual event in which I participate. Someday, I'm going to try skydiving because it's something that I can experience physically rather than vicariously through others, which, IMO, is what happens when I watch a movie. Skydiving would be a much better experience than watching a movie like Drop Zone as far as I'm concerned.

I really am a simple person when it comes down to it. Entertainment for me is nothing more than escapism, be it attending a sporting event, reading a book or watching a movie. It's something I can do to spend a few hours away from real life. When the entertainment is over, it's back to the real world for me. Other than sporting events or, on occasion, reading a book, I don't really spend much time thinking about how I spent that time and why I liked or disliked it. Movies in particular are really difficult for me to process, because as I stated, I'm really a simple person. I see no analogies in a movie. I see explosions, car chases and gunfire; I see people sitting on chairs, sofas or the ground, perhaps standing and I listen to them engaged in boring or amusing verbal exchanges; I often find myself thinking about something other than what is happening on the screen if I am bored.

I'm one of those folks who uses a process of elimination for pretty much everything I do, be it choosing where to go on vacation, what consumer products to purchase, etc. A movie is something that receives more scrutiny than pretty much anything else if I'm going to spend my time or my money to watch. I go down my checklist of things I don't want to see in a film and if it passes the 'objectionable' - for lack of a better term - test, I will see it. The older I get, the more things I find objectionable. I'm not sure why that is, but that's how it is and I've accepted it.

I won't see a movie if there are particular individuals in it with whom I disagree politically and the reasoning is really only for financial reasons. I can't, nor do I want to censor them, but I can prevent them from knowingly allowing them to gain financially from me. They won't get any money from me from ticket or DVD sales. They may profit from sponsors of whatever television station is showing one of their films, but I won't know which sponsors they are, as I won't watch the film on TV. I also won't see a film in which the storyline is something with which I disagree politically.

I won't see a movie if there is gore in it. I have no problem with violence if it is a part of the story, but IMO there is a difference between violence and gore. The violence in The Godfather is a part of the story; the blood and guts in a Rob Zombie movie is more about shock value. I've seen enough of real blood, dismemberment and open wounds that I don't want to see it on the screen if it isn't a part of the story being told.

I won't see a movie is there is sex in it. If two characters are at any time engaged in sexual acts - I don't consider kissing a sexual act - be it gratuitous or just part of the natural evolution of the story, I don't want to see it. Call me puritanical if you wish, but I won't get into the reasons why I object because they are very personal.

These are pretty much the main reasons why I won't go see or have absolutely no interest in seeing a particular movie. I could probably break each one down into many subsets of those reasons, but I just decided to stick to those three basic reasons. Now, in full disclosure, none of those were reasons to not see a movie before I got married and had kids, so don't think I haven't seen any movies with any of that content. But I haven't watched any of those films since I last saw them.

So, if I do decide to see a movie, it's because I've researched it thoroughly enough to know that I won't find it objectionable. It may be odd, idiotic, silly or incredulous to you folks, but it's how I am and how I decide to see a film.

[jay santos]

If I know nothing about the film and have no compelling reason to watch it, it has to be IMDB 7.2 or above.

If I've heard it's good, or people are talking about it, or there's a compelling reason like I like an actor or director or read the book or interested in the topic, it has to be IMDB 6.8 or above.

If wife really wants to watch it and is being demanding about it, it has to be IMDB 6.2 or above.

These are minimum's.

I don't really have any moral thresholds as far as nudity or violence, but if it's over the top violent, I usually will have the decency to watch alone on DVD and not subject the wife to it. And since that is more rare, I'll only watch the very highest rated films that way.

[FN Phat]

Boobs.

[Surfah]

Boobs.

I swear on everything holy that I was going to type this as soon as I saw the thread title. Should have known you would have beat me to it.

[marsupial]

CUF

Seriously:

Black Swan
Super 8
Mad Men
Breaking Bad
Party Down


Just a few of the TV shows and movies off the top of my head that I have seen because of things I have read on CUF. Black Swan and Super 8 are totally not my kind of movies and I absolutely would not have bothered with either had it not been for CUF. Actually, I didn't like Black Swan much. So thanks for nothing MG.

[Pelado]

I won't see a movie is there is sex in it. If two characters are at any time engaged in sexual acts - I don't consider kissing a sexual act - be it gratuitous or just part of the natural evolution of the story, I don't want to see it. Call me puritanical if you wish, but I won't get into the reasons why I object because they are very personal.

You're so puritanical.

[MarkGrace]

I didn't read ilpads post, but the biggest part of the equation for me is driven by the director. There are other factors, and there are some movies ill see just for the actors, but following certain directors is akin to the way I follow bands. There are those directors whose movies ill see almost no matter what, and then there are those whose films ill choose to see or not see based somewhat on reaction.

[creekster]

my wife compels me to see a lot of films. Like the Notebook. How I wish I had those two hours back.

[MarkGrace]

Ok, now I read IlPad's post.

Entertainment for me is nothing more than escapism, be it attending a sporting event, reading a book or watching a movie.

I won't see a movie if there are particular individuals in it with whom I disagree politically and the reasoning is really only for financial reasons. I can't, nor do I want to censor them, but I can prevent them from knowingly allowing them to gain financially from me. They won't get any money from me from ticket or DVD sales.

If a movie is "nothing more than escapism" for you, why do you care what the individuals political leanings are? If they give you the escape that you're after and nothing else, who cares what they think politicially?

I also won't see a film in which the storyline is something with which I disagree politically.

This angle makes more sense under the criteria, because obviously the content is going to impact your degree of "escape." If the political angle is part of the story, yeah, it impacts what you take in as a viewer, but if it's a bunch of car chases and action and guns shooting everywhere, who cares if the actor and director in it are voting dems?

All that said, it seems odd in my mind that anybody would shun something they disagree with. I see plenty of films and listen to plenty of music and read plenty of books with viewpoints I don't agree with. But what's the harm? It gives me insight into another way of thinking; it allows me to see a different point of view; it may provide additional context to a line of reasoning I hadn't considered before; and if it doesn't, then it only helps strengthen what I already believe in. How do we get anywhere without attempting to understand someone else? How do you go through life just avoiding everyone you disagree with?

But in the end, I guess I'm not the kind of person who views these things as mere escapism. The greatest movies/albums/books in my mind have always been those that can entertain but take on something bigger. To me I want to see the author of that work challenge me, even if the result is I don't agree.

[BoylenOver]

Reasons to see a film: people I have discerned to have good taste/similar tastes to mine recommend it; it's received positive reviews from critics and/or Netflix viewers; it has an actor/actress/director that's made quality films before; and on the occasional Friday night at 1am, is described as "steamy and erotic".

Reasons not to a see a film: most sequels/reboots/remakes; contains actors/actresses/directors that have never made a quality film, or haven't made one in a long time; didn't review well (under 70% on RottenTomatoes/under 3 stars on Netflix); is in the horror genre; and was recommended by a majority of the people I'm friends with on Facebook that went to high school with me.

[Coach McGuirk]

Premises I think are interesting.
Movies that appear Funny.
I had nothing better to do.
Word of mouth.
Documentaries.
Producers, Directors, Actors I have enjoyed in the past.


Objectionable content of any kind doesn't really play into my seeing a movie or not.

[il Padrino Ute]

Ok, now I read IlPad's post.





If a movie is "nothing more than escapism" for you, why do you care what the individuals political leanings are? If they give you the escape that you're after and nothing else, who cares what they think politicially?



This angle makes more sense under the criteria, because obviously the content is going to impact your degree of "escape." If the political angle is part of the story, yeah, it impacts what you take in as a viewer, but if it's a bunch of car chases and action and guns shooting everywhere, who cares if the actor and director in it are voting dems?

All that said, it seems odd in my mind that anybody would shun something they disagree with. I see plenty of films and listen to plenty of music and read plenty of books with viewpoints I don't agree with. But what's the harm? It gives me insight into another way of thinking; it allows me to see a different point of view; it may provide additional context to a line of reasoning I hadn't considered before; and if it doesn't, then it only helps strengthen what I already believe in. How do we get anywhere without attempting to understand someone else? How do you go through life just avoiding everyone you disagree with?

But in the end, I guess I'm not the kind of person who views these things as mere escapism. The greatest movies/albums/books in my mind have always been those that can entertain but take on something bigger. To me I want to see the author of that work challenge me, even if the result is I don't agree.

Perhaps escapism is not the correct word, as you make a good point about political differences. I guess I won't see those movies because I get tired of the actors using their place in the public to bash my values and I really have no other way to counter it than by not wasting my money on their movies. I consider those in Hollywood, be they actors or directors, the most superficial and self-absorbed people on the planet and want nothing to with pretty much all of them.

I don't avoid everyone with whom I disagree. I don't mind interacting with others when I can have some sort of discussion, such as on a forum like this. But I wouldn't waste my time if someone like George Clooney had some sort of townhall meeting in Salt Lake City to discuss his political beliefs.