Movies

Shantyaikya · #1 29-04-2011, 10:58 AM

I had a realization just now about why movies can be so addicting. In relation to my spiritual practice, I am told to deal with a bit of suffering and the force happiness in order to "give the ego a treat" (i.e. to teach the ego it's ok to suffer). I think movie studios have banked off of this since the beginning. Think about it. Watching a movie like a drama and drudging through all of the pain and twists for an hour or so followed by the one moment of elation when everything goes right and good prevails. It's that moment that creates the addict. I suffered a lot, but now I am happy in a second. Unfortunately that happiness is only temporary, so the next week/day watch another movie to be happy again. I know not all movies provide this, but I think that's what we seek.

#2 29-04-2011, 04:28 PM

this is very interesting ^__^

it is curious how movies are much the same as life. things can be going so wrong, or so right, and that can change in an instant. we can spend years believing one thing, and that belief can start to deteriorate in one day.

I find the theme of reversed beliefs and reversed situations everywhere in movies. I also usually find someone or more than one things very symbolic of the ego in just about every movie.

#3 30-04-2011, 09:41 AM

Are movies addictive? I never looked it it that way. Stories of transformation and redemption have been a staple in human life since the dawn of time. And movies are really just the modern equivelent of cave paintings, triptychs, the kinetoscope, etc., are they not?

Squatchit · #4 30-04-2011, 10:26 AM

I tend to like films where either nothing much happens or everyone dies. No happy ending.

I wonder what that says about me...?

#5 30-04-2011, 10:56 AM

Films often show us at our best and worst.. I have watched a recent british series called "how tv ruined your life" I loved it.. for pointing out that films and real life are two different things..

What I mean is.. take the recent mark wahlberg film "the fighter" which I have yet to watch.. but I did fast forward through

In the movies.. a guy meets a girl usually in circumstances of a bar fight, a lucky happenstance.. bumping into her.. all clichés the movie created.. yet most of us don't have that happen (in the case of the fighter.. a cliché of a guy miss-treating a lady has markie mark being a manly man.. pounding his chest and getting her respect) do ladies really go for that stuff.. or would the second they see it.. they leave the bar?

Hard to say.. but there's a hollywood cliché..

Anyway.. movies show the best of who we are.. and they show what we believe.. all our movies deal with stories of good and evil.. however I have found recently.. I can't stomach many stories anymore.. so it's hard to say that once you’re out of the good and evil game.. that you like the "good and evil" movies

I would like to go on record and say that everything we do in films.. while fiction.. can be real in reality.. that includes inception and the matrix

#6 30-04-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squatchit

everyone dies. No happy ending... I wonder what that says about me...?

That you need a snuggley someone to cozy up beside you and share your popcorn while you watch movies?

Squatchit · #7 30-04-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbr

That you need a snuggley someone to cozy up beside you and share your popcorn while you watch movies?

Could well be...

Internal Queries · #8 30-04-2011, 03:02 PM

i like movies. i have a DVD collection of nearly 700 movies. i don't like ALL the movies since it's my mate's DVD collection too and there's only so many zombies, car chases and explosions i can watch before yawning with boredom.

but movies like The Lord of the Rings, The Fountain, The Imagitarium of Doctor Parnassus, Lord of the Flies (old black & white Brit version) and Depp's Dead Man are like poetry on film. works of art.

#9 30-04-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Internal Queries

movies like The Lord of the Rings

I spent $100 3-4 years ago and bought the deluxe edition with the extended footage that increases the length of the three movies by 2 hours in total. I've watched those DVDs probably 25 times now.

#10 30-04-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squatchit

I tend to like films where either nothing much happens or everyone dies. No happy ending.

I wonder what that says about me...?

Can't do it wrong!

I like nuclear holocaust films.. hmm.. what does that say about me? I can name dozens of movies where nuclear bombs were used.. hmmm..??

If you only like jewish nazi zombie war camp movies.. what does that say about you?