Why I Watch What I Watch

When most people say they love movies, but what they mean is just watching mainstream cinema, in their own terms its correct.

When I say I love movies, I mean watching movies from every era, the classics, the critically acclaim, the entertaining, foreign and so on and so forth, and in the term itself I am correct.

From right: Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty and Gene Hackman (Bonnie and Clyde)

Its all about exposure for me. Its a goal, a hobby. The list of 1001 movies to watch before you die. I've seen a quarter of them. Mention old films, the typical Malaysian would scoff and say, 'Why you wanna watch old movie one? Watch new lah. Better some more'

Well, to each his own.

I watch because I want to. Why is it that when I watch movies of present day and just find them to be average? Because I've seen it all done before, better and memorable. And the best part of having an expanded film exposure? Your criticism has better depth. Anyone can criticize but it take someone with true knowledge in the area of subject to be able to fully analyze and be able to effectively criticize a film. Its not just criticism, what would be the fun of being negative all the time? By taking the time to look through different movies other than the continuous mediocre (although entertaining, though forgettable) you build yourself, intellectually, individually and at all levels be a more improved person through the appreciation of arts.

The ever cool and late legendary actor Humphrey Bogart as the unforgettable Rick Blaine (Casablanca)

I take a finance course. Lets say you're a Malaysian student, just graduated and go to the US to pursue your career. You work at Wall Street. When somebody asks you what you do. You're are gonna say I work at Wall Street. Some would retort, 'A regular Gordon Gekko or a Bud Fox?' People my age would just stare confusingly and spiral into a tornado of depression and ultimately hang yourself with a Wii. You expose yourself and start watching the classics, start watching the films that have had cultural impact on the world you would know that Gordon Gekko and Bud Fox are characters from Oliver Stone's critically acclaimed 1987 film Wall Street. In a Halloween special for the TV show 'The Office' Ryan comes in dressed as Gordon Gekko and his girl friend Kelly says, 'Oh, are you supposed to be Larry King?' Ryan replies and says, 'No, I'm Gordon Gekko' Kelly just says, 'Who?' and Ryan stares helplessly into the camera and sighs. Amazed by the ignorance of Kelly. This really happens to me almost all the time.

Its not that I look down on those that don't watch the same movies I watch. I tried to get my group of friends to appreciate movies the way I do.

Didn't work. I lent one of my friends (due to keeping the name a secret I will use the initials ZKW a.k.a Zhen Ken Wong) three DVDs; Clerks, City of God and Three Kings. I took the time to rummage through my DVDs and selection of movies to find the three that would appeal to a person that prefers mainstream cinema. I lent it on the 20th of February and this is what he said, 'I look at the cover and it doesn't look nice to watch'.

Well, I did try.

Late legendary actor Steve McQueen as 'Cooler King' (Great Escape)

Recent TV shows and movies incorporate references to popular classic films of yesteryear and sometimes incorporate the influence of those films. Jokes are often made in regard to those films as well as parodies. You need to watch the film before hand to understand the joke.

Take for example, The Simpson's. If I didn't watch Reservoir Dogs (1991), A Space Odyssey (1968), A Fistful of Dollars (1964), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1962), Citizen Kane (1941), Casablanca (1943), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and the such, would I not get the jokes. It would have still been funny, but by watching them then you realize how much funnier it is.

In one episode of the Simpson's where at the end the Native American who showed Bart his future, took off into the sunset by crashing through the window and running off. When I first saw it, I thought it was fucking random. After watching One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

I got it.

Jack Nicholson as McMurphy and Will Sampson as Chief (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest)

Expose yourself. Watch every movie you can. Expand your film and pop culture knowledge. Movies affect our lives, it affects our philosophy, our ideology, our emotions, improves our understanding of social contemporary issues as well as political issues and the world. Watching the 'greats' will allow you to understand life as a whole. It will get you inspired.

Try watching a classic movie. You have all the time in the world. Take 2 hours off to watch a classic. Who nows? When you're watching a future TV show or a new movie in a cinema and there's a joke reference to that classic movie, you may be the one to get it.

And watch your other friends stare dumbfounded at the screen.