of movies

Movies can make you come alive like nothing else

In 'Million dollar baby' the narrator, Morgan Freeman, says 'sometimes the best way to throw a punch is to step back'. In the ensuing footage you see Big Willie, a protege of Clint Eastwood for 6 years and a soon to be heavyweight title contender, coming to the latter's place to perfunctorily thank him before leaving him for another manager. If you thought this was just a boxing movie, look closer.

'American Beauty' is every middle-aged, disillusioned, apathetic, paranoid man's autobiography. What keeps you rivetted is seeing your story on the big screen. The liberation, pain, desire which every man feels or goes through is shown in a couple of hours.

'Amores Perros' (spanish movie) shows the different faces of love. Love for your dog, for your daughter, for your beloved. Love unrequited, unacceptable in society and love that destroys. "Don't worry if you don't see this picture, you are going to LIVE IT anyway"- this is one of the taglines of the movie. Getting my point?

The common thread seems to be the connection you make with something illusory and unreal, maybe abstract. You know its make-believe (unless its based a true story) and yet you are drawn to it and how well it has been portrayed makes an impact- searing or otherwise- on you.

There are also movies which are larger than life; its not what you will relate to but how you will be teleported across space and time. Havent you seen those ones where you never realised your agape mouth until people around pointed out? These dazzle with their scale, superhuman protagonists or fantabulous special effects.

Essentially celluloid has the power to convey more in a scene or montage what can perhaps be an entire chapter of a book. And while cinema is at this it attacks the senses in a manner which can be duplicated only by the intensity of actual experience. The lines stay with you; you can rattle them off at the drop of a hat. The scenes tingle you; memories keep flooding back. People watch movies for different reasons which encompasses a myriad things that can well astound anyone with the disparateness. Any experience which even remotely makes an impact on people segregated by this miscellany is worth more than an applause.

I would, in all earnestness, like to hear from people why it is they watch/like/adore/cherish movies. I can see a thousand reasons myself but if i can see one more 'the juice is worth the squeeze'.