I've seen a lot of movies in the last month. A LOT of movies. I'm averaging three or so a week in the theater. I'm not just seeing the movies I want to see. I'm seeing everything. Thanks to my Movie Pass, I don't really have to think about the "money" I'm spending. Would I pay $8.50 to see "Scary Movie 5". Not a chance. I don't think I would even stream it for free (well, free after the $7.99 subscription fee) on Netflix. Why do I go see them then? I go because I know I should see almost everything. I know that by seeing a truly terrible movie, I can become better at my craft. Unfortunately, I didn't always write reviews for these movies. This is something that won't happen much in the future.
I just got done reading a book called "Film Critic" by critic Laremy Legal. In it, he recommends not seeing every movie. He says that there are critics out there who do it, of course, but that he doesn't think everyone should. Legal mentioned that he feared "burnout". Seeing movie after movie could potentially lead to it. He wanted to keep the experience of going to see movies enjoyable. I'd imagine this is so he doesn't see it as a long march to the edge of a cliff.
Since I've started this blog, I've seen everything I could see under my MoviePass that was within a 30 minute drive of me. There are a handful of movies playing in the Detroit area that I haven't seen but I have to consider the cost of gas and of my time. I have seen "Scary Movie 5". I have seen "Tyler Perry's Temptation". "Scary Movie 5" was awful. It wasn't the worst movie ever but it held no real purpose. "Temptation" was extremely entertaining for all the wrong reasons but it was definitely an experience. Arguably, it was the most fun experience I've had in a theater in the last month.
When I walk through the halls of my local theater, I look at the posters of upcoming films and I become worried. For every "This is the End", "Pacific Rim", or "Monsters University" that is coming out that I'm completely excited to see, there are movies like "Grown Ups 2", "The Smurfs 2", and "The Big Wedding". Movies that I want nothing to do with. I never saw the first "Grown Ups" or "The Smurfs" because they both looked terrible. Adam Sandler hasn't been funny since... "The Wedding Singer"? Yeah. I'll go with "The Wedding Singer". "The Smurfs" has George Lopez as a talking blue cartoon. No. No. No. "The Big Wedding" has a good cast but it seems to be the most bland and predictable movie I've seen released in a while.
I will go see all three though. Yes. My 27-year old self will see "One for 'Smurfs 2'. No. Not the 3D one. The 2D one. Thank you!"
If I'm not on some sort of list already, I will be after that that conversation.
Is this to say that I won't ever draw the line? No. I more than likely wouldn't have seen "The Oogieloves" in the theater when that came out last year. I would have, of course, gone if I was given it as an assignment by a publication. If I was attending a free screening or private screening. I would have done it. I am not going to be the only adult without a kid at a screening of a film like that.
Does this make me a hypocrite? Does this not know my passion for movies, watching them, and a potential future career? I'm not sure. I'm sad to let Gary Oldman down. If he had been in the "Oogieloves", I would have seen it. I promise.
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