Film 2013

When it comes to watching movies I have realised that I have become a squeamish child again. No fighting, no shouting, no blood, no horrible deaths, no sadness, no cruelty, no threatening behaviour ... basically the scariest I can go is Harry Potter, the saddest Dumbo & Bambi, the most exciting any James Bond (or if I am feeling grown up The Bourne movies). I want to watch a film & feel GOOD about the world afterwards not wonder what's wrong with humanity.

The lid was put on this realisation last night. FSHubby was home late & tired (as ever) and just wanted to collpase in front of the TV. However there was zero worth watching on TV so we thought aha! A movie! And here the problem started. FSHubby checked the movies he's downloaded over the past few months. Star Trek? The new one. Ugh no. OK Robin Hood - also the new one with the marvellous Cate & the useless Russell. Hmm - what else? The Hurt Locker? An Oscar winning movie! NO - about war & bombs & people really killing each other. Miserable. OK The Ghost Writer - one of my favourite actors Pierce Brosnan is in it? Looked at plot - political intrigue, personal threat & no happy ending - anything else? No Country For Old Men? - also Oscar winning - good lord no - violent & dark & miserable

I never used to be like this. I used to devour movies of all genres. I saw Pulp Fiction more than twice; I willingly went to see Sophies Choice & Schindlers List (although after both I went home in silence, shell shocked, pondering human nature). I have seen all the Alien & Predator films; I've even watched The Accused & Sleeping with the Enemy. I once gave in to FSHubby & agreed to watch a terrifying film called Sin City. Oh my goodness. I had full on nightmares for 3 weeks afterwards. Although I have NEVER seen Reservoir Dogs & given what I have read about the film I never want to.

And then one day I decided that filling my head & therefore my life with cruelty, negativity, violence, threat, fear & sadness was not a good thing. If I want that, all I have to do is watch the news. And that I would choose from now on to be entertained & entranced & made to feel better not worse. To watch films with a happy ending or if necessary where good prevails over evil, where the world is actually a basically NICE place and a place where people do find joy & redemption.

So I will continue to watch & re-watch Powell & Pressburger classics like I Know Where I'm Going, A Matter of Life & Death and The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp. My box set of every Doris Day movie ever made will stay within easy reach. I will default to the Harry Potter series, choose a James Bond (or even an Austin Powers - Yeah Baby!), or Zoolander or Dodgeball (god bless Ben Stiller - and bring on Zoolander 2) or I will watch again & again a spiky Sandra Bullock find love in The Proposal (and swoon over the scenery & the house - oh and of course Ryan Reynolds)

Yes. I will continue to choose to cheer myself & fill my head with notions of
happiness & fun & love & kindness.

Sorry - what was that - Pollyanna? Moi?

(addenum - see this link - I AM right!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/apr/12/news-is-bad-rolf-dobelli)