In late 2008 this country was headed for it's impending doom. The stock market was falling, the wars had no end in sight, unemployment was on the rise. It was 1929 all over again. People turned to the movies for entertainment, and more importantly an escape. People enjoyed turning their minds off for 100+ minutes and forgetting their problems. I fully endorse this idea to an extent. There is plenty to be said about movies that you like even if they aren't any good. Heck, Ryan Reynolds has made a career out of these films. Think about it for a second, how many Reynolds movies can you name that you enjoyed? How many of them were actually good? I found ten I like and one that I consider a good movie (Adventureland where he was a supporting player, at most). So before I get into the actual point of this post I want to make this point very clear: I don't condemn mindless entertainment and I never will. That being said people are missing out on a major opportunity of finding great films. The best movies I watch involve characters I can relate to. What better time to relate to people in pain than when in pain yourself?
It's no coincidence that I watched a good portion of my favorite films around 2009. Two factors heavily influenced this phenomena: I watched more movies that year than maybe any other year and it was an awful year for me personally. Even films I had seen previously made a much bigger impact on my life if I watched them in this year. In fact, five of my ten favorite films were because of viewings in 2009 and two of those were second or third viewings. I remember at the time I didn't want to watch certain movies because I didn't want to forever associate them with the pain I was feeling. Looking back on it I wish I had watched more. Very few people understand why Vanilla Sky is my favorite movie and I can argue its greatness for days straight. That being said, I also understand the reason I love it so much has a lot to do with the films themes lining up with my personal life at that moment. It's what makes Cameron Crowe such a phenomenal and underrated director. He gets it. He has felt pain, or at least knows enough about it to make films centered around it but more on that another time. What I'm trying to say is watching someone go through similar and often worse circumstances than you is both humbling and helpful.
They say misery loves company, yet when it comes to movies people go the opposite route far more than they should. Is the love of your life dating someone else? Watch Casablanca. Maybe Humphrey Bogart can show you how to handle things. No you won't have nearly as great sounding of a voice and it won't give you any idea about how to break them up and win your love back. Instead it can give you perspective and hope. Feel lonely? Watch A Single Man. Maybe Colin Firth can show you just how lonely life can get. He can also show that it does get better. Feel betrayed? Watch The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The title alone tells you what's going to happen and maybe you'll think; "At least they didn't kill me." Or maybe you'll realize karma will get them in the end. Want to erase someone from your memory? Watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Maybe Jim Carrey can make you reconsider. And when you're done with these? Watch a Ryan Reynolds movie. Maybe he can take your mind off of the situation for a little while. Just don't forget that your pain leaves you vulnerable to recognizing and appreciating cinema at its finest.
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