Shari Vaidya - Q4 Blog 13 - A Cinemark Movie Rewards Member’s Manifesto
It has definitely been known that I like to watch movies. I think the past two blogs I have written have related to my love for the medium in one way or another: an app like Letterboxd, or a franchise like Marvel. And while I try to think of other topics to write about (trust me, I understand reading about movies every other week can be redundant), I genuinely think that the movie theater and movies in general shaped me into the person I am today.
The first memory I have of the movies was when I went to see The Force Awakens during my winter break when I was 6. Before this event, my family would bring a blanket to the theater
because I was a notorious napper during movies. So, when I practically begged my mom to take me to see
the newest Star Wars movie, she brought a blanket to prepare for me, lulling my head into her lap. To her surprise,
I stayed awake throughout the entire two-hour-long run of the movie, which delighted her, as for the first
time, I didn’t waste $8 on a movie ticket. When I came home that night, I forced my sister to watch the
first Star Warsmovie with me in our living room. And for the rest of break, we spent every night watching a different Star Wars movie.
These movies are the focal point of some of my favorite childhood memories. The memory of grand orchestra background music flooding my ears while I read the synopsis in the darkened theater, all while my sister and I mindlessly munch on a small popcorn with extra butter on Christmas evening, still gives me tingles to this day. Or spending my sick days in the living room with my mom– she is working while I am embarking on the monthly Star Wars marathon on TNT (it is really strange how I always got sick during that time). I remember watching the first Dune when it came out in 2021, and while I love the movies, they just don't provide the same fantastical feeling as Star Wars does. Whenever I finish my yearly marathon of Star Wars, I always yearn to go back to my primary school days, in that dark theater, watching and connecting the dots from the comics I read beforehand and from the past movies. Only to go home after and watch hours upon hours of behind-the-scenes footage on the process of making a movie this grand. While my taste in movies has definitely expanded and matured, one thing is certain— Return of the Jedi will always have a place in my Letterboxd top four.
Hey Shari! Being the complete opposite of you and only watching the occasional animated movie with my friends as a joke, I find your blogs to be fun because they’re always going to be passionate dives into interesting media. What perhaps might be worse than being an uncultured non-movie watcher is an uncultured non-movie watcher who hasn’t even taken a gander at Star Wars…. Sci-fi and movies aren’t really my cup of tea, but I feel like I have to eventually watch at least the first Star Wars few movies, especially with this much praise.
ReplyDeleteI really resonate seeking out behind-the-scenes footage after watching the movie for extra content, but also looking for easter eggs that I most definitely didn’t catch. The movie I remember doing this for was Hereditary, and I was surprised by the sheer amount of scenes I missed. It’s a weird sense of enlightenment, being impressed by little details the director put in, but also leaves me feeling sort of stupid. To be fair, if I’m watching a movie, it’d be for the vibes. The story is important, but the goosebumps from an emotional (or scary) scene with immaculate music is what I want to feel from watching a movie.
Hi, Shari. I too love watching movies and I can relate to childhood memories with Star Wars (though they aren’t as positive). In first grade, I fell off the monkey bars during recess and unfortunately broke both of my arms. Shortly after, my family friend, our two older brothers, and I went to watch the brand new Star Wars movie in the movie theatre, though I definitely was not as interested as my brother. Throughout the movie, my hands just would not stop throbbing, and I couldn’t sit still. Since I had no interest in the movie, I remember my six year old self feeling restless in a never-ending torture theatre in which the movie just would not end. My family friend aided my rebellion as she too had been dragged to the theatre, and we had to sit for hours trying not to bother anyone. Looking back, we were being a bit obnoxious, though I’m glad we didn’t disrupt anyone else’s experience. Anyway, going back to your blog, I’m glad you had such a different experience with Star Wars. Maybe I’ll be able to get into the movies one day, but I’m not there yet.
ReplyDeleteHi Shari, I really love how you draw upon media and entertainment into your blogs so often. I don’t remember if I already commented on one of your previous posts, but I am also a huge fan of anything that shows up on my TV as long as the content is decent. I was never a fan of Star Wars, I promised I tried but I just never was interested it didn’t resonate with me as it did with other people. I’ve always been more of a Marvel and DC guy, and when it comes to DC, just a Batman guy. Watching movies was an integral part of my childhood and continues to play a dominating role in my day to day life as that is the medium in which my family decides to pass time with one another. Rolling over laughing about the dumbest of movie scenes, sitting in dead silence as we let the romance take hold of us and watch with bated breath as our favorite characters meet an untimely demise, I cannot imagine my childhood without my second-best-friend, my TV. If anything, the best teachers I ever had when it came to life lessons and learning right from wrong were my parents and the on screen characters I once hoped to grow up and become. I used to want to be a movie star when I grew up, but slowly realized that not only do I not have what it takes to be successful in that cut throat environment, I can’t turn into so many different people and change myself drastically for a role. I think that is where most movie stars are taken for granted is their ability to, for lack of a better word, act. Without them I can’t imagine how drastically different my life would be.
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